Alabama SkillsUSA receives top membership awards behind Wallace State initiative
SkillsUSA leaders in Alabama are from left, Keith Andrews, Alabama SkillsUSA State Director for College Postsecondary; Gene Dudley, Senior Regional Manager for National SkillsUSA; Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Karolewics; Wallace State’s Dean of Applied Technologies Jimmy Hodges; and Art Rousseau, Director of Career and Technical Programs for the Alabama Community College System.
HANCEVILLE, ALA. – Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Karolewics and Dean of Applied Technologies Jimmy Hodges were recently recognized as members of the Alabama Association of SkillsUSA at the annual National SkillsUSA Championships and Leadership Conference.
The Alabama contingent earned the highest SkillsUSA awards for membership for the College Postsecondary Division. Awards also included the Highest Overall Association Increase in Membership for Postsecondary 2018-2019; Highest State Association Increase in Membership by Percentage for College Postsecondary 2018-2019; and Highest Overall State Association Increase in Membership in College Postsecondary and High School combined.
Alabama’s SkillsUSA College membership increased from 2,388 to 9,584 members, and the Alabama Association reached its higher membership between high school and college members from 13,130 combined members to 19,859.
Hodges and Wallace State spearheaded the SkillsUSA College Campus Affiliation program, allowing eligible students who are enrolled in technical, skilled and service occupations, including health occupations, to participate in SkillsUSA as an integral part of their education. Under this program, community colleges, technical colleges and adult programs can affiliate as one. The program philosophy is based on running a SkillsUSA program that benefits all students through the development of leadership and employability skills.
Wallace State students flourish in the SkillsUSA competitions, both on the state and national levels.
Jacob Humphrey, Chase Blakey and Benjamin Brownlee each earned gold medals at the national event earlier this summer, collecting the first gold medals for the college since 2009.
Humphrey won gold in the Welding competition and Blakey and Brownlee teamed up for a gold in the Mobile Robotic Technology. Wallace State students also won a pair of national silver and bronze medals.
At the state competition, Wallace State had a record-high 71 individuals earn a medal at the event recently, including earning 31 gold medals – establishing another record.
The college had students compete in 36 different events, including categories like crime scene investigation, commercial baking, nail care, community service, welding and computer programming.
For more information about SkillsUSA, visit https://www.skillsusa.org/
For more information about Wallace State, visit www.wallacestate.edu.
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