The State of Utah SkillsUSA Championship took place on March 28 and 29, showcasing the skills of students from post-secondary institutions around the state. Utah Valley University (UVU) won an impressive 23 gold medals, nine silver medals, and nine bronze medals for a total of 41 placements.

Kelly Flanagan, dean of the Smith College of Engineering and Technology, commended the UVU participants, saying, "I congratulate the faculty, the programs, and most importantly, the students. It is good to see them thriving and having fun demonstrating the skills they have learned."

UVU’s success at SkillsUSA highlights how impactful engaged learning and hands-on experiences are for students.

Darin Taylor, SkillsUSA director at UVU, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “At a time when the community often questions if UVU is still teaching hands-on, technology-based skills, we can continue to not only say, ‘yes,’ but that we are doing it in a way that is dominating the other institutions throughout our state. These results always speak volumes about the quality of students, faculty, and programs at UVU."

The gold medal winners from UVU will advance to the national SkillsUSA Championship, scheduled for June 24-29 in Atlanta, Georgia. This event brings top students from across the country to compete in their respective fields.

UVU won gold medals in the following individual contests:

• Additive Manufacturing: Will Schofield and Thomas Swindler (Architecture and Engineering Design)
• Advertising Design: Maggie Hunter (Architecture and Engineering Design)
• Architectural Drafting: Jake Wendt (Architecture and Engineering Design)
• Audio/Radio Production: Trent Williams and Logan Archibald (Digital Media Technology)
• Baking and Pastry Arts: Karen Wood (Culinary Arts)
• Cabinetmaking: Ethan Jacobson (Building Construction, Cabinetry)
• Culinary Arts: Marissa Martinez (Culinary Arts)
• Diesel Equipment Technology: Andrew Bruner (Diesel Equipment Technology)
• Emergency Medical Technician: Peter Neel and Breelyn Johnson (Academic Emergency Services)
• Engineering Technology Design: Taylor Holmgren, Drew Mulligan, and Nicholas Bradley (Architecture and Engineering Design)
• Entrepreneurship: CJ King, Kaleb Cheek, Nathan Martin, and Anna Gloeckner (Entrepreneurship Institute)
• Extemporaneous Speaking: Mason McLaughlin (Architecture and Engineering Design)
• Firefighting: Troy Catmull (Academic Emergency Services)
• First Aid/CPR: Ethan Hallstrom (Academic Emergency Services)
• Industrial Motor Control: Adam Overstreet (Engineering Technology)
• Interactive Application and Video Game Design: Paul Black and Jayden Wilkins (Digital Media Technology)
• Mechatronics: Ethan Moyes and Oscar Picciano (Engineering Technology)
• Motorcycle Service Technology: Justin White (Automotive Technology)
• Power Equipment Technology: Eric Newman (Automotive Technology)
• Related Technical Math: Erynne Faircloth (Architecture and Engineering Design)
• Restaurant Service: Kendall Maynard (Culinary Arts)
• Robotics and Automation Technology: Joshua Hernandez and William Olson (Engineering Technology)
• Technical Drafting: Jayden Fullmer (Architecture and Engineering Design)

UVU won silver medals in the following individual contests:

• Audio/Radio Production: Nathan Flores and Victor Rosales (Digital Media Technology)
• Automotive Service Technology: Hunter Walker (Automotive Technology)
• Computer Programming: Tyler Rees (Computer Science)
• Emergency Medical Technician: Tristan Nelson and Garen Scott (Academic Emergency Services)
• Industrial Motor Control: Chanley Gledhill (Engineering Technology)
• Motorcycle Service Technology: Ethan Coleman (Automotive Technology)
• Related Technical Math: Jose Castellanos (Architecture and Engineering Design)
• Restaurant Service: Easton Thurman (Culinary Arts)
• Robotics and Automation Technology: Karl Curtis and Richard Nelson (Engineering Technology)

UVU won bronze medals in the following individual contests:

• Audio/Radio Production: James Tieman and Conner Jasperson (Digital Media Technology)
• Automotive Refinishing Technology: Donavan Olson (Automotive Technology, Collision Repair)
• Cabinetmaking: Nikolaus Brown (Building Construction, Cabinetry)
• CNC 2-Axis Turning Programmer: Tim Goodliffe (Engineering Technology)
• CNC 3-Axis Milling Programmer: Noah Olson (Engineering Technology)
• Collision Damage Appraisal: Zachary Leiser-Hartung (Automotive Technology, Collision Repair)
• Diesel Equipment Technology: Benjamin Bohl (Automotive Technology, Diesel)
• Industrial Motor Control: James Collier (Engineering Technology)
• Restaurant Service: Donavyn Jorgensen (Culinary Arts)