OKLAHOMA CITY (April 4, 2023) – Paycom Software, Inc. (NYSE:PAYC), a leading provider of comprehensive, cloud-based human capital management software, donated $25,000 to FIRST® Robotics Competition, Oklahoma’s regional robotics competition that encourages innovation and hands-on STEM experiences for youth. As part of Paycom’s “FIRST Robotics/First Down” initiative with the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University’s football teams, Paycom donated $25 to FIRST Robotics for every OU and OSU first down during the 2022 college football season.
“Paycom is proud to sponsor organizations that champion the next generation of STEM professionals residing in our very own state and beyond,” said Brad Smith, Paycom’s chief information officer. “By providing funding that makes opportunities like this competition possible, we are partnering to develop Oklahoma’s future workforce in vital fields.”
Paycom’s donation gave Oklahoma’s FIRST participants an in-state opportunity for competing at regionals with hopes of advancing to the world championships held in Houston on April 19-22. High school students competed to build industrial-size robots, under strict rules with limited time and resources, while also meeting fundraising goals and designing a team brand, combining the rigors of science and technology with the excitement of sportsmanship and competition.
“In just six weeks, students work with professional engineering mentors to design a robot that solves a problem using limited materials and specific parts while following a standard set of rules,” said Melinda Taylor, regional director at FIRST. “These robots then compete in a series of challenges at the regional competition that determines the effectiveness of each robot and reveals the true power of collaboration for these young inventors.”
“Thanks to generous sponsors like Paycom, our Oklahoma students stayed in their home state and did not have to travel to compete,” continued Taylor. “It is inspiring to see the future of our state and these students’ passion for such an important field.”
This year’s Oklahoma teams came from Ada, Bartlesville, Bethany, Broken Arrow, Chickasha, Edmond, Enid, Fort Cobb, Fort Gibson, Grove, Mayes County, Muskogee, Mustang, Oklahoma City, Sapulpa, Shawnee, Stillwater and Tulsa.
This is one of the many ways in which Paycom supports a brighter future for the next generation of STEM innovators.
