{"id":6302,"date":"2022-04-26T12:38:22","date_gmt":"2022-04-26T17:38:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dunwoody.edu\/news\/?p=6302"},"modified":"2022-07-01T14:38:50","modified_gmt":"2022-07-01T19:38:50","slug":"academic-excellence-award-bridgette-dalldorf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dunwoody.edu\/news\/2022\/academic-excellence-award-bridgette-dalldorf\/","title":{"rendered":"Academic Excellence Award \u2014 Bridgette Dalldorf\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Engineering Drafting & Design <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bridgette Dalldorf met Dean of Robotics & Manufacturing E. J. Daigle at a FIRST Robotics tournament in 2019. Three years later she is not only graduating from Dunwoody College, she also is the Student Speaker for Commencement, an Academic Excellence Award winner, and the winner of the Alumni Leadership Award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But even before Dalldorf met Dean Daigle she was on track for a technical career.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Bridgette<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cI’ve enjoyed tinkering and working with my hands since I was little,\u201d Dalldorf said. \u201cI was always taking things apart to figure out how they worked.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That led her to attend the Math and Science Academy in Woodbury and gain experience in machining and design, including some PSEO classes and, of course, FIRST Robotics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FIRST Robotics is a competition where teams design, build, program, and drive robots to complete certain tasks. Teams also need to enforce safety procedures and present their design solutions to judges. The goal is to help students learn teamwork and build their interest in STEM programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dalldorf\u2019s FIRST Robotics team was on the smaller side, which meant she was able to experience all aspects of preparing for and entering the competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI would say the prototyping and machining was my favorite,\u201d she said. \u201cI enjoyed being able to think something up, and then having the ability to sketch it out and build it right then and there. I loved how creative the design process was, and how it forced me to think of new, innovative, outside-of-the-box solutions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Bridgette<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

With that amount of passion and experience, it\u2019s no wonder she has done so well at Dunwoody.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Bridgette<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cI think my experience in robotics prepared me for Dunwoody by teaching me a new way of thinking about a design concept,\u201d Dalldorf said. \u201cThe ability to look at something and break in down into components in your head is the same skill that allows you to look at something and figure out how to CAD or machine it. I joke with a lot of people that CAD is just digital LEGO\u00ae, but that concept of understanding how something breaks down to build it was one of the most valuable lessons robotics taught me and has served me well during my time at Dunwoody.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dalldorf is now mentoring her high school\u2019s FIRST Robotics team. She also joined the Autonomous Snowplow Team at Dunwoody where she served as team lead for the Wendigo team, which included organizing CAD files and project management to keep everyone on track and helping represent the team at this year’s competition<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cBridgette has been a tremendously positive asset to the MDES program and to the whole Manufacturing & Robotics Department,\u201d said Alex Wong, Director of Engineering Design and Machining. \u201cAs a student, she maintains excellent attendance, work ethic, and quality of work in the classroom, also typically taking on leadership roles in team projects. She also brings a work ethic that involves helping others. In our classroom, we have an area with 3D printers in various states of repair. Bridgette takes the initiative to take these apart, and rebuild machines from the spare parts, and students have even had their own printers fixed at the operating table. So, in addition to her innovation in this area, spearheading the use of the resin printer in the classroom, she also is a selfless, trustworthy source that her other peers can all turn to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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The members of the Alumni Board who met with her as part of their award process were also impressed with her confidence, poise, and clear ideas about leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In turn, Dalldorf speaks highly of her experience at the College.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDunwoody is a very close-knit community,\u201d she said. \u201cIt allows you to try anything, sometimes succeeding, other times failing, but no matter the outcome, always being supported by peers, staff, and teachers with every new endeavor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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