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70 SMT Magazine • August 2016 Wilker: To me, the big differentiators are around, as you mentioned, changing the culture and be- haviors. There's an ethics to the program. As an engineer myself, I like technology. I'm attracted to technology, but a lot of girls maybe are not. Technology for technology's sake outside of any reason to just play a game is not as exciting as, "I'm actually solving problems that are mean- ingful and I'm teaching people to behave nicely and well." There's a concept called Gracious Professionalism. It's basically embodied in the core of FIRST, which is, "I am going to compete like mad, but I can be gracious. I don't have to be in your face and have the kind of over bra- vado and aggressive behaviors." Matties: Like we see on our baseball fields recently. Wilker: Exactly. I can be a professional about that. I can be respectful and treat people well and extend that to the rest of the community. Actually, as a working engineer, I want every- one to embody that. To me, that is the backsto- ry of FIRST. It's not just a technology program, but really, as Ken mentioned, it's changing the world and changing the values of technologists and engineers that sometimes have some of the worst parts of sports and not the best parts. They do the teamwork part, but they also bring some of the other stuff that honestly I don't want all in my workplace. I want a well-oiled team that I'm working with as a technologist myself, but in a way that's collaborative and where actually everyone wins. Not where one person wins at the expense of everyone else. Matties: Very well stated. Ken, any final thoughts? Johnson: No, I think Jill did a great job of sum- ming it up. The only thought I would leave it with is I think all of your readers should get involved in FIRST as a volunteer, get their stu- dents involved, or sponsor. It's good for them, and it's good for the world. Wilker: It's everywhere you want to be. FIRST is in 80 countries. Matties: Excellent. Thank you so much. Wilker: Thank you. SMT INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF OUR INDUSTRIES