NASA-backed effort at Thomas College aims to get more Maine students into robotics

File photo / Courtesy of Thomas College Thomas College, a private liberal arts college based in Waterville, is led by President Jeannine Diddle Uzzi.

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By Alexis Wells

Thomas College is helping to launch three new First Lego League challenge teams aimed at expanding the robotics sector for students in the central Maine area.

The NASA-supported Building Aspirations through Mentorship and Robotics project helps launch teams by providing a startup kit, coach training, student mentors from Thomas College and monthly on-campus workshops.

With additional support from the Maine Space Grant Consortium and the Perloff Family Foundation, each team will receive a competition-ready robot kit, field elements, NASA mission-aligned curriculum and access to a January 2026 practice scrimmage at Thomas College.

“Robotics is a great way for students to engage in real-life hands-on STEM activities, developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills along the way,” said Dave Perloff of the Perloff Family Foundation.

Thomas College said in the prepared release that it hopes other institutions can replicate the model as this project progresses.

“Robotics is one of the most powerful gateways into STEM careers, and Maine students deserve access no matter the size of their school or their resources,” said Luke Shorty, Thomas College’s executive director of strategic initiatives and principal investigator for the project.

'“By pairing NASA-inspired learning with Thomas College mentors and hands-on coaching support, we are building a pipeline of curiosity, teamwork, and technical skill that will strengthen Maine’s future workforce," he continued. "We invite schools across the region to connect with us and explore how to begin or expand their robotics journey.”

Thomas College is a career-focused private college founded in 1864. It offers programs in the arts and sciences, business and education.

Among the largest colleges and universities in Maine, Thomas College was ranked No. 17 in the 2025 Mainebiz Book of Lists, based on full-time undergraduate enrollment of 652 in fall 2024.