Ashley Sather has always known about the robotics field. Her father, Troy, has worked in the field since before she was born.
“Growing up he would always tell that that he thought I would really enjoy robotics,” Sather said, “but because he was my dad, I would tell him just how wrong he was.”
Fast forward to today and Sather is about to complete her associate degree in Automated Systems & Robotics as well as receive a 2025 Academic Excellence Award from her department.
“Once I had the opportunity to work beside robots, I realized just how cool they are and really wanted to be the one working with them,” she said.
Sather is a Minnesota transplant. She grew up in Nebraska, and after graduating high school in 2020 went on to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
“I started at a four-year university straight out of high school and found that all I was learning was theory — with almost no practical examples or experience,” she said.
After two semesters she decided it was not the path for her. She took a few years off to work and travel and was open to a change — both in venue and in what she saw herself studying.
“My sister wanted me to move with her to Minneapolis, so she started researching all of the schools in the area and sent me the list,” she said.
All the schools on this list had robotics programs, and Dunwoody was the one that stood out the most.
“I realized how much I liked to do rather than just theorize or explain,” she said, “If you enjoy hands-on learning then Dunwoody is the place for you. At Dunwoody all of your teachers will know you and you will know all of your teachers.”
“From her first semester Ashley stood out for her dedication to helping others — organizing study groups and regularly staying behind to support classmates,” said E.J. Daigle, Academic Dean. “She comes to class prepared and engaged, striving not just to complete assignments, but to deeply understand the material.”
Sather stepped up in and outside of the classroom, leading her to be invited to support the department as a student worker. Daigle notes that she played a key role in an emergency repair of a robotic button machine — a robot that is used to distribute themed buttons at events throughout the year — during the Minnesota State Fair. This led her to help improve the machine, assisting in the design of a new automated feeder that is now being used.
She also joined the Autonomous Snowplow team as a way to develop the skills she was learning in class, ultimately helping Team Road Salt secure a fourth place finish at the 2025 competition.
“I nearly didn’t join the snowplow team because I don’t know anything about autonomous snowplows. But when I went to the first meeting no one else knew anything about them either,” she said. “I used to give up on things quickly because quitting was better than messing up. While I’ve been at Dunwoody I have made a lot of mistakes but I have learned from all of them.”
A key lesson Sather has taken from her time at Dunwoody: “Don’t let the fear of failure keep you from trying.”
Daigle commended her on her strong work ethic and collaborative spirit, which serves her well in her current role as an Automation Technician at GN Resound.
“They are starting their automation division from the ground up and I am the first technician that they have hired. Because I am the only technician and we are a small team I mostly fill in the gaps for what needs to be done,” she said.
That Sather is both ready and able to step up into this role is no surprise: she’s just doing what she already did at Dunwoody.