Penn College students earn medals at SkillsUSA nationals
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Two Pennsylvania College of Technology students brought home medals from the 2024 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta, while all of the college’s competitors finished in the top 10 in their categories.
SkillsUSA’s National Leadership & Skills Conference involved 6,450 collegiate and high school competitors in 115 career competitions.
Earning gold was Richard T. Markle, of Spring Mills, who took part in the technical drafting contest. Markle completed an associate degree in engineering CAD technology in May and is pursuing a bachelor’s in engineering design technology.
Capturing a bronze in aviation maintenance technology was Steven M. Gautsch, of East Berlin, who is pursuing a bachelor’s in aviation maintenance technology.
Also competing were collision repair technology student Falcon J. Wilmot, of Laurel, Maryland, who took fourth in collision repair, and the seventh-place welding fabrication team of Clayton J. Fegley, of McClure, Sam M. Laudenslager, of Middleburg, and Tyler C. Martin, of Selinsgrove. Fegley is studying welding technology. Laudenslager and Martin are majoring in welding & fabrication engineering technology.
The Penn College contingent advanced to nationals based on their performance at the Pennsylvania Leadership and Skills Conference, held in early April at the Hershey Lodge and Conference Center. Because the state event has no aviation competition, Gautsch won his entry to nationals during a faculty-judged competition at the college’s Lumley Aviation Center in Montoursville.
The adviser for the college’s SkillsUSA team is James N. Colton II, assistant professor of welding.
For information about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.