Career Pathway + College Admissions Starter Kit

About the Course

Build Robots. Publish Your Work. Boost Your College Apps.

At Rose City Robotics, we believe ambitious students deserve every advantage. The Career Pathway + Admissions Starter Kit is a FREE self-paced resource designed to help you (and your family) turn robotics projects into Ivy League-ready portfolio assets.

On your pathway to building robots, be sure you document your steps and work along the way, and leverage that for your applications. In this course, we show you how to publish your code, document your impact, and start to build a portfolio that will stand out to top colleges and recruiters.

🔍 What’s Inside (Free Access)

✅ GitHub Cheatsheet + Guided Tutorial
Introduction to GitHub: commits, repositories, open-source contributions, and showcasing your robotics work.

✅ LinkedIn Cheatsheet + Profile-Building Guide
Craft a standout technical profile, complete with GitHub links, endorsements, and project highlights.

✅ What Makes a Great Portfolio (And Why It Matters)
Learn what admissions officers and hiring managers look for — and how to frame your achievements.

✅ Admissions + Career Strategy Tips
Position your projects for maximum admissions and internship impact.

✅ Handpicked Free Resources
Get curated links to top free tools, online courses, and communities recommended by RCR PhDs and mentors.

🎯 Who Should Register

Students applying to top-tier STEM programs (Stanford, MIT, Carnegie Mellon)
Parents and caregivers supporting a college-bound technologist
Robotics club members (FIRST, VEX, Science Olympiad) building their public portfolios
Young engineers preparing for internships, research labs, or open-source projects

Instructors

Duncan Miller

Director of Learning and Impact

Duncan is a software engineer with over 20 years of experience as an education founder and is a faculty member at the PSU Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Accelerator.

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Manisha Yadav

Head of STEM Programs and Engagement

Manisha is a passionate hands-on robotics educator and mentor. She is a FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Robotics Coach, advancing twice to the Oregon State FLL Tournament. Manisha is a Machine Learning engineer and has a Master's in Computer Science from PSU.

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Course Syllabus

1. GitHub

• YouTube: How to Create a GitHub Account (2025)
• Official Docs: Setting Up and Personalizing Your Profile
• Official Tutorial: GitHub Profile Tips to standout (& stay secure)
• Official Docs: Introduction to GitHub (Interactive Course)
• Official Docs: Hello World Tutorial
• Git and GitHub for Beginners – Crash Course (freeCodeCamp)

2. LinkedIn

• Official Docs: Creating an Account and Profile
• LinkedIn Pulse: 11 Steps to Build a Great Student LinkedIn Profile
• LinkedIn Pulse: How to Add GitHub to Your LinkedIn Profile
• YouTube: How to Make a GREAT LinkedIn Profile
• YouTube: LinkedIn Profile Tips for Students

3. Building your Profile and Network

• Connect to the Rose City Robotics Team
• Starting to Contribute to Open-Source Projects
• Joining Active Online Robotics and Coding Communities
• LinkedIn Engagement: Joining Robotics Communities

4. Creating a Winning Maker Portfolio and STEM Application

• YouTube: STEM Applications for College: How to Stand Out
• YouTube: Design a Summer Project That Makes Your College Application Impossible to Ignore
• Article: Do I Need a Maker Portfolio?
• Article: Building a College Portfolio? Here are 9 Things You Should Know
• Article: Crafting an Effective Maker Portfolio for College Applications
• Article: Your GitHub Profile as a Portfolio
• Article: Why Having a STEM Portfolio Matters for College Admissions

5. Additional Resources

• Technical Resources for Aspiring AI & Robotics Engineers

6. After the Course

• Survey: Course Evaluation
• Certificate of Completion