Members of RMC’s Metal Jackets work on their team’s robot.
Three years ago, Hanna Nash spent the summer after her freshman year at Randolph-Macon College working at Office Max. But between her shifts selling desk supplies, Nash and her advisor, LaToria Tookes, a senior lecturer in the computer science department, immersed themselves in creating a robotics organization — now known as the Metal Jackets — at RMC.
Nash, a computer science student, developed a passion for robotics competition in high school. In the fall of 2023, she debuted the club at RMC’s annual Activities Carnival and met a few interested students soon after. Gaining traction on campus was tough, but she credits the club’s growth to its policy of welcoming students from all majors and experience levels.
“It didn’t matter if you were studying philosophy or physics; you just needed to have a wonder about robotics and wanting to learn,” Nash says via email. “It’s been one of the most rewarding experiences of my college career.”
A year later, two freshmen, Ash Kennedy and Kamaya Wilson, found their way to the nascent club and bonded over their shared love of robotics, Kennedy says. Kennedy and Wilson now head the robotics team as co-presidents; Nash graduated last spring.
The Metal Jackets in November 2025
The Metal Jackets participated in their first competition at Virginia Tech, put on by the educational organization VEX Robotics, during the 2024-25 academic year. Competition proved to be fierce, although Kennedy was hopeful that, with the help of alumni donations, the Metal Jackets could prove themselves — and they did. After an inaugural year filled with learning curves and lessons, the team’s second season saw them return to nab first-place wins in the final competition, Kennedy says.
Membership started with five members in 2023 and has increased to 10. The Metal Jackets have continued growing through their participation in both on- and off-campus outreach events, Wilson says.
“Something that robotics really tries to emphasize is making everyone feel welcome and giving everyone a chance to try something new,” she says.
