News and Events

Alexandria Technical & Community College is proud to celebrate the outstanding achievement of Makenna Maus, a Welding student, who earned first place at the SkillsUSA Minnesota competition in the Welding Sculpture Art category. Her win showcases both exceptional technical skill and the creativity, storytelling, and leadership women bring to the skilled trades.

Makenna’s winning metal sculpture features a lifelike female pilot with her head gently tilted upward, embodying courage, determination, and purpose. The work draws inspiration from legendary aviator Amelia Earhart as well as from the powerful flying stories within Makenna’s own family. The sculpture serves as a tribute to her great-grandfather, a Korean War veteran, and her step-grandfather, an Air Force Academy graduate who served in the U.S. Air Force. These family stories influenced both the design and the emotional impact of the piece.

Constructed primarily from mild steel sheet metal chosen for its workability, the sculpture also incorporates aluminum, galvanized steel, and plate steel to add strength, contrast, and texture. Makenna used a wide range of fabrication techniques, including bending, cutting, grinding, and heating, to achieve realistic contours and expressive detail. GMAW and GTAW welding techniques ensured structural integrity while allowing for refined surface development. Final finishing processes such as smoothing and protective coatings enhanced durability and visual cohesion.

Makenna’s success at SkillsUSA Minnesota highlights the depth of talent within the Welding program and reflects her growth in fabrication, problem-solving, and metal sculpture design. Her achievement is also a powerful example of how women are shaping the future of the trades through innovation, skill, and artistic vision.

Congratulations to Makenna on this impressive accomplishment and for representing Alexandria Technical & Community College on the statewide stage.