College's SkillsUSA Competitors Bring Home Silver, Bronze Medals
Published 07.02.2010
Two Pennsylvania College of Technology representatives were among medalists at SkillsUSA's 46th annual National Leadership and Skills Conference held June 21-25 in Kansas City, Mo.
The championships were held in H. Roe Bartle Hall and Municipal Auditorium, where more than 5,600 career- and technical-education students each of whom advanced to nationals by placing first in their respective state competitions vied in 96 trade, technical and leadership fields.
Robert W. Brobst, of Salisbury, Md., placed second in the Precision Machining Technology category, and Christopher M. Gayman, of Columbia, brought home a third-place medal in Aviation Maintenance Technology. Just out of contention, with a fourth-place finish in masonry, was Matthew D. Romanowski, of Bethelehem.
Brobst is enrolled in the manufacturing engineering technology major, and Gayman graduated in May with a bachelor's degree in aviation maintenance technology. They were among seven students from Penn College who traveled to national competition, and the caliber of contestants wasn't lost on the local contingent.
"At that level, every little move must be calculated perfectly, or else you will mess up," Brobst said. "I felt obligated to at least get a "Top 5' for Penn College, especially with us being one of the best in manufacturing education. So I performed as such!"
This year's winners brings to 24 the number of national SkillsUSA medalists from Penn College.
Edward L. Roadarmel, assistant professor of drafting and computer aided design, and Paul E. Mach, assistant professor of hospitality management/culinary arts, accompanied the students as faculty advisers to the college's chapter.
For more information about SkillsUSA a national nonprofit group of students, teachers and industry partnering to ensure America has a strong work force visit online .
For more about Penn College, visit on the Web , e-mail or call toll-free 800-367-9222.
Photos by Paul E. Mach, assistant professor of hospitality management/culinary arts and SkillsUSA adviser