News

The 4^th Annual SCC Educational Foundation SkillsUSA Charity Classic was held Friday, June 6^th, at Pioneers Park Golf Course. Thanks to our sponsors, donors, and participants, the event was a tremendous success. With a sold-out field of 32 teams, the tournament raised $25,235 to support Southeast Community College.

These funds provide direct meaningful support to SCC students in the form of scholarships, competition preparation resources, travel assistance, equipment needs, and registration fees for SkillsUSA state and national competitions. The event not only celebrates community involvement, but also fuels student growth, confidence, and readiness for the workforce.

“We are thrilled with the success of our SCC Educational Foundation SkillsUSA Charity Classic,” said Michelle Birkel, SCC Educational Foundation director. “With a sold-out event, we enjoyed a beautiful day on the course and exceeded our goal for this event. Thank you to all participants and sponsors for your incredible support.”

Thanks in part to the funds raised at the annual Charity Classic, SCC students were able to travel to Atlanta, Georgia, to compete in the 2024 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, held near the end of June.

Among the competitors was Kolton Ginter, who earned a silver medal in the Mobile Robotics Technology event alongside teammate Caleb Baustian.

“I got into this program because I was interested in building and designing,” Ginter said. “Between the hands-on education at SCC and the SkillsUSA competition, I feel like I am ready to start my career.”

Ginter, who graduated in May with a degree in Manufacturing Engineering Technology, has since begun a design role at Valmont Industries, taking with him the technical and leadership skills sharpened through SkillsUSA.

In total, 20 SCC students from Lincoln, Milford, and The Career Academy, competed in 18 events at the national level.

• 8 students placed in the Top 10 in their respective competitions
• 5 students earned Skill Point Certificates, which recognize students who meet or exceed national industry benchmarks
• Chris Kovacs brought home a gold medal in Industrial Motor Controls
• Nathan Middleton earned a bronze in CNC 2-Axis Turning Programmer

While our students were making headlines on the national stage, the energy and support on the course here at home played a vital role in making that success possible. The tournament not only brought our community together for a fund day of golf, it directly contributed to the achievements and opportunities celebrated above.

Congratulations to this year’s top teams:

• 1^st Place: UBT, Doris Robertson, Thomas Robertson, Kiernan Koenig, and TJ Hansen
• 2^nd Place: Frontier Bank – Harrison Stark, Lucas Schroder, Todd Roeber, and Mark Treinen
• 3^rd Place: Bald Eagles – Joe Warner, Adam Bals, Kurt Kodad, and Rob Timmerman

This event would not be possible without the generous contributions from our sponsors. Your investment directly removes financial barriers, enhances training opportunities, and elevates SCC’s ability to prepare the next generation of skilled professionals.

We look forward to seeing you again next year!