Riverland Community College students earned multiple awards and national qualifications at the recent Minnesota SkillsUSA competitions, showcasing excellence in technical education across several career pathways.

The competitions were held over two weekends and brought together top students from across the state to compete in real-world, hands-on challenges aligned with their career programs. Riverland students competed in commercial roofing, carpentry, cosmetology, esthetics, nail technology, job interview, and facility management.

Among the highlights:

• Sam Oelfke took first place in the Commercial Roofing competition, held March 28 at Allweather Roof in Austin. Oelfke earned a $500 gift card to Runnings and secured a spot at the SkillsUSA National Championships this June in Atlanta, Georgia.
• Ywa Say placed second in Commercial Roofing, winning a $300 gift card to Runnings.
• Marshall Burma earned second place in the Carpentry competition on April 5 at the Carpenter’s Training Institute in Saint Paul. He was awarded a 25-foot tape measure and a professional level set.

Cosmetology students also stood out:

• Lilly Vadeer took second place in the Cosmetology competition and earned gold in the Facilithon Leadershipevent. Her first-place finish in Facilithon secured her a spot at the National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC). She will also represent Minnesota as a voting delegate and state officer.
• Cassie Britt won first place in Esthetics (with her model Sadie Sledd) and will advance to NLSC.
• Ava Vickerman claimed first place in the Nail Technology competition (with model Hailey Lovejoy) and will also compete at the national level.

In addition, Riverland students achieved state-level recognition in multiple categories:

• Gold medals in Nail Technology, Esthetics, and Facilithon
• Silver and Bronze in Job Interview
• Silver in Cosmetology
• Silver in Carpentry
• Gold and Silver in Commercial Roofing

Riverland is also proud to celebrate Lisa Simon, Cosmetology Instructor, who was named the 2025 College Advisor of the Year for her outstanding mentorship and student support.

SkillsUSA advisors include Zachary Smith (Carpentry), Lisa Simon and Jessi Studnicka (Cosmetology).

“These results are a testament to the talent, work ethic, and preparation of our students and the dedicated faculty and staff who support them,” said Dr. Kat Linaker, President of Riverland Community College. “We are incredibly proud to see Riverland students rise to the top in statewide competitions and move forward to represent Minnesota at the national level.”

SkillsUSA is a national organization that empowers students to become world-class workers and leaders in their fields. The SkillsUSA Championships are the largest showcase of skilled trades and technical education in the country.