Skyler Clagg first walked through the doors of Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center (MAMC) in 2014 as a scraggly 13-year-old, eager to participate in one of our 3D printing camps. The running joke around the office is that he never left—thank goodness!
The former 3D printer and maker camp participant, now a Marshall University sophomore majoring in computer science, has become MAMC’s go-to problem-solver for nearly any technical issue. Phone not working? Computer acting up? 3D printer misbehaving? Audiovisual system on the blink? Nine times out of ten, Skyler is the one with a solution.
“I’ve always been curious about how things work,” Clagg said. “When I was about 10, I took apart a Windows XP desktop just to see how it operated. Unfortunately, I also took apart the monitor. That wasn’t such a good idea.”
One of his earliest challenges as an MAMC intern was disassembling a broken 3D printer and rebuilding it from scratch—problem solved. More recently, he assisted MAMC Director of Information Technology Xiaoping Wang and Marshall University’s Information Technology staff with a major computer network infrastructure upgrade across MAMC’s Huntington headquarters.
“Skyler plays an integral role in keeping our systems running,” said MAMC Director Derek Scarbro. “From helping maintain infrastructure like phones and computers to servicing equipment in our community makerspace and supporting STEM outreach, he always rises to the challenge.”
After enrolling at Marshall, Clagg helped establish the Marshall VEX Robotics Club. He also participated in Raspberry Pi meetups at MAMC, monthly events where tech enthusiasts demonstrate how they use minicomputers to build games, control systems, robotics devices and other creations. Those experiences led him to volunteer as a judge, referee and official for numerous robotics events hosted by MAMC over the years.
Today, Clagg’s official position at MAMC is as an AmeriCorps VISTA. This is his third stint in the position. In the role, he supports robotics and drone competitions around the state, including those MAMC hosts in Huntington. He also helps lead MAMC’s 3D printing and maker camps for middle and high school students, sharing his knowledge with curious young minds.
Meanwhile, he troubleshoots problems that arise in the Maker Vault, MAMC’s community makerspace, and assists clients in using the technology available to the public.
After Clagg earns his degree, he said he would like to work full-time promoting STEM education, providing instruction and on-site support to robotics and drone teams across the region, mentoring young people like the 13-year-old boy from Barboursville who walked through the doors of MAMC more than 11 years ago … and is still here.
Nov. 21, 2025
