April 17

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: 
Emma Frazier
Public + Media Relations Manager
531-MCC-2726, office
   
OMAHA, Neb. (April 17, 2024) — Metropolitan Community College (MCC) students had a strong showing at the SkillsUSA Nebraska Championships that wrapped up in Grand Island on Saturday. In total, 56 MCC students placed in their respective competitions, with 27 qualifying to compete at SkillsUSA Championships in Atlanta, June 25-27. The national competition features more than 6,000 of the top career and technical education students across the nation who will compete in more than 100 timed and judged competitions.

In total, 92 MCC students participated in timed individual and team competitions and were evaluated based on their performance executing competencies used in the skilled trades and technical sciences, creative arts and design, information technology, community and human services, business and health professions. More than half of MCC students medaled at the state meet.

“I am proud of how our talented students and dedicated faculty represented MCC at the event,” said Scott Broady, MCC dean of skilled trades and technical sciences. “From meeting peers who share their interests to earning scholarships for their education and networking with industry professionals, SkillsUSA is loaded with opportunities for Nebraska students.” 

Competitions took place among high school and college-aged students. In total, MCC students collected 31 gold medals, 15 silver and 10 bronze. All gold medalists in national competition events qualified to compete in Atlanta. Additionally, all MCC students who earned gold, silver or bronze medals were awarded scholarships that ranged from $1,500 to $750 and the opportunity to earn more scholarship funding at the national competition. 

Broady said MCC participated in new events at this year’s state conference, highlighting the growth of the College’s academic programs. MCC students debuted in 3D visualization and modeling, computer programming, information technology services, motorcycle service technology and power equipment technology competitions.

Broady said whether competing at SkillsUSA Nebraska for the first time or a returning national qualifier, SkillsUSA adds a lot of value to students’ time at MCC. 

“We’ll be taking a strong group back to Atlanta for nationals in June,” Broady said. “It’s a valuable experience for our students to compete against the top career and technical education students in the country while gaining important insights about their career path and developing leadership skills.” 
MCC students medaled in the following events: 

3D Visualization and Animation (college)
Gold: AJ Konecny, Eli Mohr
 
Audio/Radio Production (college)
Gold: Chad Fey, Olivia Naumann
 
Automotive Refinishing Technology (college)
Silver: Callie Nickerson
Bronze: Cole Fancher 
 
Automotive Service Technology (college)
Silver: Geoffrey Courtney
 
Carpentry (college)
Bronze: Naveh Offord

CNC Programmer (college)
Gold: Angelo Perry
Silver: Samuel Wulf
 
Collision Damage Appraisal (college)
Gold: Joseph Lytle 
Silver: Jeremy McBride

Collision Damage Appraisal (high school)
Gold: Clara Stilen
Bronze: Fernando Gonzalez

Collision Repair Technology (college)
Gold: Anne Dovali
Silver: Cody Mantonya
Bronze: Kaden Beckstrom
 
Collision Repair Technology (high school)
Gold: Cole Vanderheiden
 
Diesel Equipment Technology (college)
Bronze: Gerson Franco

Diesel Equipment Technology (high school)
Gold: Zack Carson 
Silver: Brody Coursey
 
Digital Cinema Production (college)
Gold: Kaden Andersen, Gabriel Ysusi
Silver: Mariah Abney, David Mosso
Bronze: Joshua Cryer, Brennan Hanson
 
Electrical Construction Wiring (high school)
Silver: Rhett Bergsten
Bronze: Liam Foley
 
Firefighting (college)
Gold: Winston Ruzicka

Firefighting (high school)
Gold: Jaxon Christensen
 
Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (college)
Gold: Dustin Fredericks
 
Motorcycle Service Technology (college)
Gold: Blake Tarver
 
Photography (college) 
Gold: Ramses Barrios

Plumbing (high school)
Gold: Wyatt Zeleny

Power Equipment Technology (college)
Gold: Callan Scholz
 
Precision Machining Technology — state only (high school)
Gold: Brandon Gallo
Silver: Jenson Groff
Bronze: Aaron Adams

Technical Team Problem Solving — state only (high school)
Gold: Mitchel Budoff, Geoffrey Courtney, Gavin Griggs 
 
Television/Video Production (college) 
Gold: Oluwatobi Ajise, Paul Grinbergs
 
Welding (college)
Gold: Denver Fincham 
Silver: Porter Chandler
Bronze: Kamrin Kavan

Welding (high school)
Gold: Tyler Winsor

Welding Fabrication (college)
Silver: Eli Bothwell, Nicholas Kroupa, Maddie Watts 
 
Welding Fabrication (high school)
Gold: Josh Bennett, Aidan Roumph, Hunter Volcheck
 
Welding Sculpture (college)
Silver: Trevor Moody 
 
Welding Sculpture (high school)
Gold: Hannah Wieczorek  
 
About Metropolitan Community College
Metropolitan Community College, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, is a comprehensive, public community college that offers affordable, quality education to all residents of Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy and Washington counties. Founded in 1974, MCC has the largest enrollment out of six community colleges in Nebraska and is the second largest postsecondary institution in the state. MCC serves more than 40,000 unique credit and noncredit students.
 
About SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA empowers its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens. The organization improves the quality of our nation’s skilled workforce through the development of Framework skills that include personal, workplace and technical skills grounded in academics. SkillsUSA serves more than 335,000 students and instructors annually. This includes 19,500 instructors who join as professional members. Including alumni, SkillsUSA membership totals nearly 400,000.