Mason Jes, a sophomore at South Dakota State University, served as project manager for the university’s Vex Robotics team during the Vex Robotics World Championships held April 25-27 in Dallas. The team competed against 121 teams from 15 countries, finishing with five wins in head-to-head division matches and ranking 12th worldwide in the skills challenge.
The event highlights growing interest and achievement in robotics among college students. The SDSU Robotics Club has now entered the world finals for three consecutive years, showing continued commitment to engineering education and competitive technology activities.
Jes also coordinated SDSU’s inaugural Carrot Cup on Jan. 17-18, which brought together eight college teams and twenty-three high school teams from three states. He said of the experience, “I could see it having 50% more teams next season. The (SDSU Robotics) club really wants to do something like that again.”
As project manager, Jes oversaw documentation for the competition—an effort that resulted in a trophy for best project documentation and explanation. “Being able to articulate myself through writing and interviews is a very valuable skill. Documentation is a huge factor in determining the (Vex) awards,” Jes said.
In addition to his work with robotics, Jes works as an event manager at SDSU’s University Student Union while pursuing a mechanical engineering degree. He recently completed an automatic whiteboard cleaner as part of his sophomore design project using a 3D printer: “I like solving all the microproblems involved in creating a 3D project,” he said.
The SDSU College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences works to strengthen communities by empowering citizens through sustainable changes in agriculture and natural resources according to its official website. It includes facilities supporting teaching, research, outreach—including those linked to SDSU Extension and South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station according to its official website. The college earned recognition as the 2025 North American Limousin Foundation Promoter of the Year according to its official website.
The college operates as part of South Dakota State University alongside entities such as South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station and SDSU Extension according to its official website. It represents the largest unit at SDSU by faculty size, staff numbers, space dedicated to teaching/research/outreach—and ranks second in student enrollment according to its official website. Its mission focuses on addressing problems through research while fostering learning environments that support sustainable change across agriculture, natural resources, youth development and community engagement according to its official website.
