Students from Mayland Community College’s Applied Engineering program earned first place in the Engineering Technology Design competition at the SkillsUSA North Carolina State Conference, securing their spot at the national competition this summer in Atlanta.
The winning team—Kristen McMahan, Jace Blanton, and Clayton Geouge—demonstrated their ability to design and present an innovative engineering solution through a live model, storyboard presentation, and professional team presentation evaluated by industry judges.
Their project focused on the design and development of a “cold plate,” an advanced cooling device engineered to prevent overheating in high-performance computer processors. This technology plays a critical role in industries ranging from advanced manufacturing to artificial intelligence, where powerful processors generate significant heat during complex computations.
What set the team’s project apart was their use of 3D metal printing (additive manufacturing) to prototype the cold plate. This cutting-edge approach—used in aerospace and high-tech manufacturing—enabled the team to create intricate internal cooling structures that traditional manufacturing methods cannot achieve, significantly improving heat transfer efficiency.
“We chose a very challenging project and had to work hard and explore a lot of new technologies, but it was very rewarding for us to present the finished project,” said Kristen McMahan.
“Competing at SkillsUSA is a huge opportunity to represent my school and show the skills I’ve been working hard to develop in engineering,” added Clayton Geouge.
Jace Blanton noted the team’s focus moving forward: “Winning SkillsUSA at the state level was a great accomplishment for our team because we realized the strength of our project and the work we put into it. Moving forward to nationals, we’re focused on improving our presentation, refining our design, and proving we can compete at the highest level.”
Instructor Lyndell Duvall praised the team’s work and potential. “I’m really proud of the team. They put a lot of hard work into the project and created a really amazing product with huge potential. I’m certain they’ll come away from the national competition confident that they have the skills and talent to make a big impact on the world.”
Dr. Aron Gabriel, President of Mayland Community College, emphasized the broader impact of the achievement.
“This is exactly what community colleges are uniquely positioned to do—connect education to real-world innovation. These students aren’t just learning engineering; they’re applying it in ways that matter to industries shaping the future, including advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence. We’re incredibly proud of their work and excited to see them represent Mayland on the national stage.”
The team will advance to compete at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta later this year, where they will represent Mayland Community College and North Carolina on the national stage.
For more information about Mayland Community College’s Applied Engineering program, visit https://www.mayland.edu/degrees-programs/applied-engineering/.