A group of nine Alfred State students have traveled to Atlanta, GA to compete in the 2026 SkillsUSA National Championships. The competition takes place June 1-5.
Dylan Eggers (automotive refinishing – Alden, NY), Samual Austin-Hefford (automotive service – Whitney Point, NY), Matthew Goodwin (carpentry - Barker, NY), Sean McWilliams (commercial roofing - Mexico, NY), Daniel Vullo (commercial baking – Bloomfield, NY), Levi Peterson (electrical construction wiring – New Paltz, NY), Artemis Inzinna (masonry – Brooktondale, NY), Christian Hall (prepared speech – Massena, NY), and Jared Lee (welding – Rushville, NY) qualified for the Championships with top finishes at the 2026 SkillsUSA New York State Leadership and Skills Conference Postsecondary Championship held at Alfred State’s Wellsville campus.
Hall, Goodwin, and Peterson return to Nationals for the second straight year. Hall finished second in the prepared speech competition and Goodwin finished third in carpentry in 2025. Alfred State brought home a total of four medals.
These students along with Alfred State faculty and staff will travel to Atlanta for the five-day event which features more than 6,800 state champions competing in 115 skilled and leadership skill areas.
Carrie Cokely, Vice President for Academic Affairs, will travel to Atlanta to cheer on Alfred State’s student competitors. “I am incredibly proud of these students and the dedication they’ve shown to prepare for the success they had in the NYS Championship and for Nationals. Their talent, determination, and enthusiasm have been remarkable. I am excited to watch them compete on the national stage and represent Alfred State with pride and excellence.”
Through SkillsUSA students discover and grow their career passions and appreciate their own self-worth through the work and dedication of instructors, administrators, association directors, industry partners, and alumni. SkillsUSA continues to strive for their core purpose, to help instructors reach and engage their students so their students will succeed.
The event is held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, and it covers over 1.79 million square feet of floor space. Competitions are created, overseen, and judged by nearly 2,000 industry volunteers, each committed to building the next generation of skilled professionals, career-ready leaders, and responsible community members.
The Education Foundation of Alfred, Inc. helps support learning opportunities for Alfred State students including this trip to the SkillsUSA National Championships.