Ivy Tech Community College Fort Wayne has expanded its involvement in the annual high school Region Two SkillsUSA competition. This February, the College offered information technology competitions for the first time and handed out scholarships to the top three finishers in automotive categories.
Scholarships recipients competed in Automotive Service, Automotive Refinishing, and Collision Repair categories ranging from $500 to $1,500. Students were tasked with several projects that were judged by current Ivy Tech students and instructors.
This year’s scholarship recipients are:
- Wyatt Kephart, Bluffton
- Aaron Rider, Ossian
- Christian Litzenberg, Fort Wayne
- Caleb Freed, Kendallville
- Abagale Bolinger, Angola
- Denver Zarate-Garcia, Fort Wayne
- Samuel Trumbower, Fort Wayne
- Weston Shaffer, Fort Wayne
“What’s neat about handing out scholarships is that we’re hopefully getting some of the top high school tradesmen in the area,” says Bob Huffman, program chair of automotive technology at Ivy Tech Fort Wayne. “We’re hoping they get the scholarship and come here to take classes and utilize their skills. Not only are they the top in Fort Wayne, but they’re also the top in northeast Indiana.”
Huffman has helped host SkillsUSA for 18 years. While he says participation this year was low, he’s optimistic that these scholarship opportunities will excite more people into joining.
“Ivy Tech, in my opinion, is a hidden gem. People in the community know that it exists, but most don’t know what we have to offer. By hosting this competition and offering scholarships, we’re able to bring high schoolers and their parents to the campus to see what they could be working with.”
Northeast Indiana career centers and high schools like Fort Wayne Community Schools and Huntington North usually bring students to the competitions. It’s not free, but many of the schools offer discounted rates. Career Academy Automotive Instructor and Ivy Tech Adjunct Jim Graham says the competition can be challenging for students, but he encourages those interested in the trades to try it.
“It looks great on a resume, and you get to build lifelong networking companions,” says Graham. “A lot of the guys and girls all stay in touch afterwards because you hang out with your cohorts and build relationships with other peers working in the field."
This was College’s first year hosting the information technology competitions, which saw more than two dozen high school participants. They were challenged to compete in information technology services and cyber security categories.
“The students all seemed to enjoy it, and we made some good connections with their teachers,” says Matt Gull, Assistant Professor of information technology at Ivy Tech Fort Wayne. “With any luck we’ll see some of the students back on campus in the next year or two.”
The Baking and Pastry Arts and Culinary Arts competitions were hosted in the kitchens on Ivy Tech’s Coliseum Campus. Bakers were tasked with baking different types of bread and decorating cakes, while young chefs were challenged to cook chicken, vegetables, and clear soup.
The top five students in each competition get to advance to the SkillsUSA Indiana State Leadership and Skills Conference, which will be held April 11 and 12 in Indianapolis. From there they have the chance to make it to Nationals and possibly Worlds.
For more information on how to participate in future SkillsUSA competitions, visit skillsusaindiana.org.
About Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College is Indiana's largest public postsecondary institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college system, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana and also serves thousands of students annually online. It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering associate degrees, long- and short-term certificate programs, industry certifications, and training that aligns with the needs of the community. The College provides a seamless transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a bachelor's degree.
