Southeast Community College

[Photo:(above) SCC Board of Governors on hand for the dedication of the Auto Collision Repair Technology addition on SCC's Milford Campus are, from left, Lynn Schluckebier, Helen Griffin, Ruth Johnson, (faculty representative) Steve Ottmann, Bob Feit, and Darryl Baker. ]

After years of planning and months of progress disguised as dust and noise, Southeast Community College's 8,000 square-foot Auto Collision Repair Technology addition was formally dedicated June 7 during a ceremony in the Eicher Technical Center.

The dedication was part of a two-hour event that included a stop by participants in the Nebraska Rod and Custom Association's Tour Nebraska 2009, demonstrations of a Virtual Paint Booth by WasteCap Nebraska, and an engine build competition between students in the Automotive Technology program.

"This has been a long time coming," Lyle Neal, SCC's vice president for technology and Milford Campus director, told the audience at the dedication. "I'd like to thank the Board of Governors for its support of this important project."

Five members of the Board attended the event. Bill Vocasek, ACR program chair, thanked the Board, SCC President Dr. Jack Huck, and Neal for helping make the addition possible.

[Photo: (right) Rozz Beckman, development director for WasteCap Nebraska, demonstrates the Virtual Paint Booth during the Nebraska Rod and Custom Association's stop at SCC's Milford Campus on June 7.]

An estimated crowd of more than 200 people were on the Milford Campus for the two-hour event. Not only did they get to see dozens of classic vehicles that arrived on campus, but they also saw a Virtual Paint Booth demonstration in a trailer outside the ACR addition. Rozz Beckman, development director for WasteCap Nebraska, demonstrated the technology and allowed anyone to try it.

"We started training classes earlier this year," she said. "It's a partnership with Southeast Community College."

The ACR addition includes six new paint booths and a newly remodeled shop space on two levels.

[Photo: (right ) Winning Team - Tom Finn of Omaha, left, and Tyson Jochum of Falls City work feverishly to assemble their engine during an engine build competition held June 7 at SCC's Milford Campus. Finn and Jochum finished in 16 minutes, 3 seconds to win the event. ]

Probably the biggest attraction of the day was the Engine Build Competition, pitting two teams of students racing against the clock to assemble a running engine. The team of Tyson Jochum of Falls City and Tom Finn of Omaha started their engine in 16 minutes and 3 seconds. The team of Andrew Kittoe of Hazard and Josh Devries of Cortland wasn't far behind.

The second day of the NRCA's 600-mile event began in Lincoln and traveled east on Nebraska Highway 2 to Shenandoah, Iowa, south to Tarkio, Mo., then back west to Auburn, south through Dawson, then back to Beatrice before ending in Milford. The stop in Milford also marked the 10,000th mile driven on the annual tours. Participants in this year's Tour drove vehicles 1979 and older.

The NRCA was formed in 1988 to provide a forum from which special interest vehicle owners could provide a clear and strong voice on legislative issues which affect the hobby. The NRCA acts as a catalyst for these interests, not as a club. There are more than 1,400 active members in Nebraska and surrounding states.

For more information, contact:
Stu Osterthun
Administrative Director of Public Information and Marketing
(402) 323-3401
sosterthun@southeast.edu