DALLAS – Dallas College students earned a total of 18 medals at the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference, held June 23-27 in Atlanta. Forty-six students represented the college after qualifying by winning gold at the state level earlier this year.
“These outcomes reflect the powerful, real-world impact of SkillsUSA and the vital role of career and technical education (CTE) at Dallas College,” said Dr. Maria Boccalandro, dean of special academic programs at Dallas College.
The U.S. Department of Labor reported 7.4 million job openings in April 2025, including more than 596,000 in Texas alone. With CTE careers in high demand, opportunities for Dallas College students continue to grow—underscoring the relevance and necessity of CTE in driving economic development.
Among the top winners was Minh Kieu, a recent graduate with an associate degree in digital art and design. Kieu took home gold in advertising design, where he was challenged to create six deliverables, including a logo, within six hours. One judge, a comic book publisher, was so impressed with his work that he expressed interest in a future collaboration…