Southwestern Community College (SWCC) career and technical education students came home from the Iowa SkillsUSA Championships held in Des Moines at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, on March 6, 2026, with five students earning gold medal finishes and earning rights to compete at National SkillsUSA competition early this summer.
Following statewide competition, SWCC’s national qualifiers included Jake Brandt of Prescott, electrical construction wiring, secondary division; Eli Cowman of Winterset, electrical construction wiring, post-secondary division; Kegan Croghan of Anita, welding, post-secondary division; Jasmine Hansen of Diagonal, automotive refinishing technology, post-secondary division; and Logan Nunnikhoven of Newton, collision repair technology, secondary division.
SWCC students receiving silver medals at state included Gavin Abbott of Ankeny, electrical construction wiring, post-secondary division; Rachel Becker of Pleasant Hill, collision damage appraisal, post-secondary division; Daxton Korthas of Earlham, welding, post-secondary division; Chas Parsons of Creston, automotive service technology, secondary division; and Drake Wright of Osceola, automotive refinish technology, secondary division.
If first-place state finishers cannot compete, the second-place finishers will serve as alternates, competing for the state of Iowa. Due to this rule, Becker will be eligible to compete in collision damage appraisal, post-secondary division, at nationals. SWCC career and technical education instructors will accompany the SWCC students to Atlanta.
SkillsUSA’s National Leadership & Skills Conference is held June 1-5 in Atlanta and will feature more than 6,700 state champions from across the United States competing in 114 skilled and leadership competitions. The event itself brings more than 19,000 attendees, including students, instructors, industry partners, government officials, administrators, and more.
###
Pictured above (L to R): SWCC students Rachel Becker, Jasmine Hansen, Drake Wright, Logan Nunnikhoven, Chas Parsons, Daxton Korthas, and Kegan Croghan.
Pictured below: SWCC students Jake Brandt and Eli Cowman.
Pictured below: SWCC student Gavin Abbott.
