Before the speeches began and cameras turned toward the stage, a group of Arizona State University students stood outside the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., watching eagerly as government officials, higher education leaders and industry members walked through the doors.
Students from the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at ASU were invited to attend the Sept. 3 announcement of the Foundry School, a new U.S. Department of State initiative in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor. Hosted by Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg, the launch featured remarks by Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. ASU President Michael Crow joined university presidents, government officials and industry leaders for the announcement.
ASU is among eight universities selected to help lead the effort, which is designed to prepare entrepreneurs, engineers, inventors and industrial leaders to build and operate advanced manufacturing enterprises. The initiative will bring together universities, manufacturers and industry members to connect students with practical knowledge from people who have built and scaled advanced manufacturing companies.
Across the participating universities, founders and CEOs will lead 17 sessions on topics spanning materials, precision production, automation, factory economics, industrial leadership and more. Key leaders from the United States, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Taiwan and India will contribute to the effort.
For Fulton Schools students who attended the launch, the event connected national priorities to the work already underway in their classes, labs, internships and research. Conversations about workforce readiness, advanced manufacturing and the future of U.S. industry reflected fields many of them are studying now including manufacturing engineering, robotics and autonomous systems, and technological entrepreneurship.
Here, seven students reflected on what stood out from the launch, how it connected with their education and how the experience changed how they see their futures.
Question: What was your first reaction when you learned you had been invited to Washington, D.C.?
Vikrant Deo: I felt incredibly grateful and honored. My first reaction was to reflect on the sacrifices my family has made and the constant encouragement from my friends, and the guidance of my mentors that made this opportunity possible.
Ela Chachulski: I was honestly awestruck. I never imagined I would have the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., let alone represent the Fulton Schools at such a significant event. Knowing that my peers and mentors believed in me enough to recommend me was incredibly humbling.
Antonio Vallarino: I received the invitation on Monday, just two days before we had to leave on Wednesday. I was excited about the chance to represent ASU at such an important event in Washington D.C., a city I had never visited before.
Q: When did you realize the event was bigger than you expected?
Riya Mehta: Before entering the venue, everyone went through security and was given a tag after being cleared. As I entered, I saw a lot of cameras in the room, heard their shutters clicking and saw flashes going off everywhere. I looked around and recognized people I had only ever seen in the news.
Pius Gyamenah: When I saw the Secret Service and the extensive security protocols we had to navigate to gain access, I was struck by the true significance of this event. I couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement!
Vikrant Deo: The moment we arrived at the venue and saw distinguished leaders, representatives, delegates, industry executives, technology innovators, the security and the overall atmosphere, I realized the scale of what we were about to witness. That was the moment I thought, “This is much bigger than I expected.”
Q: What did it feel like to represent ASU and the Fulton Schools?
Nathan Pillai: Being in that room, I felt the passion and genuine drive to turn ideas into real American manufacturing capacity. It made my work feel tangible.
Ela Chachulski: I felt our presence there wasn’t solely for our own enjoyment. It was important for government and industry leaders to put a face to the students they were creating this nationwide initiative for. We are the future automation and manufacturing leaders of the United States, and the actions taken today will impact our tomorrow.
Q: How did the experience connect to what you are studying at ASU?
Austin Grunwald: A lot of what was discussed — workforce development, advanced manufacturing and the need for people with practical technical skills — connects directly to what I’m learning at ASU and experiencing through my work in industry. It reinforced that there is a real need for the skills we’re developing.
Antonio Vallarino: As a master’s student in manufacturing engineering, the fact that ASU is now a part of the Foundry School reassured me that I am receiving the education and training I need to successfully enter the workforce. In just two semesters at ASU, I’ve had the opportunity not only to learn the theory behind manufacturing and engineering, but also to gain hands-on experience using machines that are used in industry.
Nathan Pillai: This trip made my ASU courses feel less abstract and more like preparation for real national needs. Opportunities like this accelerate career readiness because they show students how their technical work connects to national goals and real constraints.
Q: What was the first thing you told your friends, family or classmates about the experience when you returned?
Pius Gyamenah: I told them I realized how important my research is to the U.S and how it related directly to the objectives of the Foundry School. I also told them how much of a “cool guy” Dr. Crow is and the interesting stories he told during lunch!
Austin Grunwald: I shared how much bigger the event was than I originally expected. We weren’t just attending a manufacturing conference; we were able to hear directly from and interact with the people helping shape the future of manufacturing education and industry.
Nathan Pillai: The first thing I told people was that being there made me feel like my own future was being taken seriously at a national level.
Ela Chachulski: Coming from a family of immigrants who spent so long earning a place in this country, the first thing I told my parents was that I was in the same room as the Vice President of the United States! There was no better place to learn about the Foundry School than the launch itself. The fact that automation and manufacturing are finally achieving the recognition and appreciation they deserve is incredible.
Q: Did the trip change how you think about advanced manufacturing or the role students can play?
Riya Mehta: Before this experience, I mainly thought about advanced manufacturing from a technical perspective. After hearing leaders discuss AI, semiconductors, workforce development and innovation, I realized that advanced manufacturing is really about collaboration. Universities, industry and government all play important roles, and students are at the center of that.
Pius Gyamenah: I realized how important advanced manufacturing is to the economic competitiveness and national security of the U.S. Students like me can play a big role by identifying emerging trends and industry needs, steering our research in that direction and translating our research findings into solutions that industry can use.
Q: What will you carry forward from the experience?
Austin Grunwald: I’ll carry forward the importance of putting myself in situations where I can meet and learn from people outside of my normal environment. Some of the best opportunities I’ve had have come from simply getting involved and being willing to show up.
Riya Mehta: This experience reminded me that sometimes the opportunities that seem impossible become possible when you’re willing to put yourself out there.
Antonio Vallarino: The future belongs to builders. This is the kind of mindset that I will bring back to my country once I finish my master’s degree.
Vikrant Deo: A greater sense of responsibility. I want to continue working hard, contribute positively through my research, keep challenging myself, leave my comfort zone and embrace every opportunity to develop both personally and professionally. Growth comes from continuously pushing your own boundaries.
Arizona State University President Michael Crow greets students from the Fulton Schools at the Sept. 3, 2026, launch of the Foundry School in Washington, D.C. Photo courtesy of Ela Chachulski 
Riya Mehta, a technological entrepreneurship and management undergraduate student in The Polytechnic School, part of the Fulton Schools, stands outside the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., during the Sept. 3, 2026, launch of the Foundry School. Photo courtesy of Riya Mehta 
U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks at the Sept. 3, 2026, launch of the Foundry School in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University. Photo courtesy of Ela Chachulski 
Antonio Vallarino, a manufacturing engineering graduate student in the School of Manufacturing Systems and Networks, part of the Fulton Schools, stands behind an Arizona State University podium at the Sept. 3, 2026, launch of the Foundry School. Photo courtesy of Antonio Vallarino 
The Simón Bolívar equestrian statue was among the landmarks students encountered while exploring Washington, D.C., outside the Foundry School launch activities. Photo courtesy of Ela Chachulski. 
Iulia Musat, a chemical engineering undergraduate student in the School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, and Ela Chachulski, a robotics and autonomous systems undergraduate student in the School of Manufacturing Systems and Networks, both part of the Fulton Schools, pose at the Sept. 3, 2026, launch of the Foundry School. Photo courtesy of Ela Chachulski 
Students visited the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C., decorated with U.S. flags during the Foundry School launch trip. Photo courtesy of Aditya Sally 
Students visited the Abraham Lincoln statue inside the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., during the Foundry School launch trip. Photo courtesy of Aditya Sally 
Students visited the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum while exploring Washington, D.C., outside the Foundry School launch activities. Photo courtesy of Aditya Sally.
