SCC Students Set Gold Standard at SkillsUSA Conferences
In the 2025-2026 school year, more Southeast Community College students participated in SkillsUSA than ever before.
Nearly 130 students from the Lincoln and Milford campuses, as well as The Career Academy, participated in the 2026 SkillsUSA Nebraska State Leadership and Skills Conference in Grand Island this year. These students spent months studying, practicing, and preparing to compete in their fields of study, from architecture to information technology to welding and everything in between.
“The dedication our SkillsUSA students demonstrated in competition reflects the experience and education they are receiving at SCC,” said Caleb Herwick, dean of advanced technologies and skilled trades, who is also a large proponent of the SkillsUSA chapters at SCC. “The skills they learned and habits they have adopted will drive their careers forward for years to come.”
At the state conference, students received 58 medals for their work, including medals in eight events that SCC students had never competed in before. SCC students received gold medals in 22 events, ranging from precision machine technology to commercial roofing to restaurant service.
The records didn’t stop there.
At the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta, 28 students competed in 17 different competitions after qualifying at the state conference, the most SCC has ever sent. Four students received medals at the national conference, including two gold medals in events SCC was competing in for the first time.
“I’ve competed in SkillsUSA both years of college,” said Emma Uhler, who competed at the national conference with her sister, Claire. “I wanted to represent the school well. This was the first time for both my program and Claire’s to compete at the national conference. I just wanted to show that we do well, and we can go toe to toe with any of these other colleges nationwide.”
Emma Uhler took home the gold medal in automotive refinishing, and Corey Sheesley received gold in information technology service. Claire Uhler got second place in Automotive Service Technology, which was also a first-time event for an SCC student. Sam Krolikowski became the third student in four years to receive a medal in motorcycle service technology when he placed third in the event.
This was the first time SCC students won more than one gold medal at the national conference, and the first time that students received medals in more than two events at the national conference. Students finished in the top 10 in 13 different competitions at the national conference, and in 11 of those competitions, students received Skill Point certificates, which verify that the participant is fully proficient and workplace-ready in their specialty.
Below is a list of all 28 students who received gold medals at the state conference and qualified for the national conference:
- Emma Uhler, Automotive Refinishing (Milford)
- Claire Uhler, Automotive Service Technology (Milford)
- Merrick Lemke-Mohling, Ag Food and Natural Resources (TCA)
- Mila Waite, Ag Food and Natural Resources (TCA)
- Sutton Classen, Ag Food and Natural Resources (TCA)
- Ethan Bloom, Industrial and Engineering Technology (TCA)
- Beau Hansen, Industrial and Engineering Technology (TCA)
- River Hill, Industrial and Engineering Technology (TCA)
- Nicholas Classen, CNC 2 Axis Turning (Milford)
- Tobias Jordan, CNC Programming (Milford)
- Jacob Morris, Commercial Roofing (TCA)
- Jordan Kouma, Electrical Construction Wiring and Opening/Closing Ceremonies (Milford)
- Chris Kovacs, HVAC (Milford)
- Corey Sheesley, Inforamtion Technology Services (Lincoln)
- Georgia Leclair, Job Skill Demonstration and Opening/Closing Ceremonies (Milford)
- Sam Krolikowski, Motorcycle Service Technology (Milford)
- Jessica Gomez-Cortez, Opening/Closing Ceremonies (Milford)
- Austin Long, Opening/Closing Ceremonies (Milford)
- Tobias Jordan, Opening/Closing Ceremonies (Milford)
- Philip Karpov, Opening/Closing Ceremonies (Milford)
- Kaden Reeves, Opening/Closing Ceremonies (Milford)
- Jordan Gates, Power Equipment Technology (Milford)
- Affoue Boko, Restaurant Service (Lincoln)
- Makayla Eiland, Robotics Urban Search and Rescue (Lincoln)
- Rori Scheele, Robotics Urban Search and Rescue (Lincoln)
- Wyatt Kluck, Technical Drafting (Milford)
- Aydan Kaps, Welding Sculpture (Lincoln)
- Alex Graves, Welding (Lincoln)
Damon Bennett
Activities Information Director
402-437-2077
dbennett@southeast.edu