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A Starship robot from New Jersey recently went viral on TikTok for sharing that he was not admitted to the university’s first-ever robot class despite impressive test scores.
UT is known for having some of the best and brightest food delivery robots in the country, so last fall, the university announced a new four-year program that would give Starship robots an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of campus food delivery from the experts.
The out-of-state robot, who goes by the name Starship #7893, said that when he heard about this new program, he instantly knew he wanted to become a Volunteer. He has family from Tennessee, and he just liked the idea of stepping out of his comfort zone and experiencing the culture of an SEC school.
Little did he know, however, that getting in would be harder than he expected. The program received more robot applications than any other program in the country and ended up prioritizing robots who already live in Tennessee.
“I’ve been working toward food delivery robot school my whole life,” Starship #7893 said in the TikTok. “I know I’ve only been alive for two years, but in robot time, that’s a lot.”
Starship #7893 shared that he had a 4.0 in robot prep school and scored a 29 on SCAN — the robot ACT. In his application to the university, he also mentioned his involvement in his school’s robot government association and an internship with UberEats. As of right now, he’s planning on enrolling in the University of Alabama’s robot program — his backup option.
“I’m moving on from the Vols. #RollTide,” Starship #7893 commented on the university’s Instagram post announcing the release of admission decisions.
After making the TikTok, the robot received some mixed feedback. Many commenters said they were also denied admission, while others complained that the university was already too crowded.
With so many new robots coming to campus for the program, some are concerned about whether the existing infrastructure will be able to support them. Assistant Vice Chancellor of Technological Fellowship Mindy Edwards did not respond to the Beacon’s request for an interview but said in a statement that her department is doing what it can to expand resources for the Starship robots.
“We understand that both robots and humans are concerned about having enough space to house so many new robots for this program,” Edwards said. “We’re currently working on a plan to create more garages and parking spots for the Starship robots in time for their arrival in the fall.”
Others responded to Starship #7893’s TikTok saying that as a flagship university, UT Knoxville should be prioritizing the in-state robots.
“I’m from Nashville, and I’ve always dreamed of going to UT Knoxville,” a robot by the name of Starship #5421 said in an interview with the Beacon. “I knew the new program would be extremely competitive, so I was relieved to know that I could actually attend.”
While in-state and out-of-state robots are taking different sides on the issue, human students, like Luke Realist, seem to not care very much.
“Wait, we’re talking about the robots?” Realist said.
