'Nervous and terrified:' UWM 'dream team' to create product, prototype, promo video in 48 hours on reality show




MILWAUKEE -- A lot of competitions take place on a field or court, but one competition that a group of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee students are soon to be a part of will take place in a lab, in front of TV cameras.

Four UWM students will spend two straight days together.



"I would say nervous and terrified," said Grace Kilborn, UWM junior.

"I definitely have that performance anxiety, but I'm definitely really excited," said Peter Whelpley, UWM alum.

They're one of 12 college teams selected to take part in the "Make48" competition.

UWM "Make48" team



Michael Gilligan



"We were given a task to make something, a video, and that was our first introduction to each other and I think that is

going to suit us well for the competition," said Michael Gilligan, UWM senior.

"Make48" is a reality TV show that challenges groups to create a product, and make a prototype and a promotional video in just 48 hours. "Team Moonshot" was put together by Adream Blair, an associate professor of art and design.

"She just kind of assembled this dream team of designers, art students, engineers," said Gilligan.

Peter Whelpley



"I think we all bring a lot of different things to the table, a lot of different experiences and backgrounds that I think will come together to form a really unique team," said Whelpley.

Their different skills should be a major benefit when the clock starts.

"I could bring super, out there, different ideas. I've always kind of been an odd duck, so my ideas are odd in themselves, so I will have different ideas than the other people on the team," said Kilborn.

Grace Kilborn



"This is an opportunity for me to test my skills -- if I'm able to work under pressure and develop something that I'm not used to, because I don't really do product design," said Whelpley.

"Make48"



Madeline Horinek



"I think I bring a lot of optimism to the team. I also have a very, very large amount of determination, so I am the person is who going to stay up and continue to stay up because I almost enter a sort of hyper-focused mode where it's like, 'here's our project. Let's go, go go go,'" said Madeline Horinek, UWM junior.

They want to come out on top, but know the experience will be a reward in and of itself.

"I think winning, that would be making the best product. That would be fun," said Gilligan.

"I'm excited just to see how we do, because I know all of the other teams are are going to be competitive with us and I want to see what kind of caliber we can reach in relation with those teams," said Kilborn.

UWM "Make48" team



"I'm excited to go and do and see basically, and if we win, all the better, and if we don't, we had fun," said Horinek.

The winners would get their product made, and help get it in stores. They would also receive royalties from sales.

The students will film the show in August in Baltimore.