Once again, students from NEIT traveled to Kansas City, Missouri for the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference held June 19 – 25. The SkillsUSA Championships are the showcase for the best career and technical students in the nation. Contests begin locally and continue through the state and national levels. The Championships are a multi-million dollar event that occupies a space equivalent to eight football fields. This year there were over 4,500 contestants in 77 separate contests. Nearly 1,500 judges and contest organizers from labor and management make the national event possible. Overall, there were about 15,000 SkillsUSA students, advisors, volunteers and industry partners. The philosophy of the Championships is to reward students for excellence, to involve industry in directly evaluating student performance, and to keep training relevant to employers' needs.

This year NEIT was represented by ten incredibly talented students, seven of whom placed in the top ten for their respective competitions. Thomas Farias, a recent graduate of the Automotive Technology program, placed fifth in the Automotive Service Technology contest. This is the highest honor NEIT has ever received in the 13 years of competing. Also representing NEIT were:
• Brian Kenny and John Steiner, Multimedia and Web Design Technology students, received a national bronze medal for their third place finish in the Web Design Contest.
• Michael Lebel, Electronics Engineering Technology, placed fourth in the Electronics Technology contest
• Asim Husain, Mechanical Engineering Technology, placed sixth in the Technical Drafting contest
• Justin Lebel, Mechanical Engineering Technology, placed seventh in the Precision Machining contest
• Franz Steiner, Building Construction & Cabinetmaking Technology, placed tenth in the Cabinetmaking contest
• David Flanagan, Digital Recording Arts Technology, placed eleventh in the Advertising Design contest
• Crystal Hartung, Mechanical Engineering Technology, placed thirteenth in the Related Technical Math contest
• Shannon Walsh, Electrical Technology, placed nineteenth in the Industrial Motors & Controls contest

Melissa McCulloch, NEIT SkillsUSA Advisor, accompanied the students to the national conference and proudly said, “I want to be able to take one student from every technology to the national contest. I want people across the nation to realize what a great education our students receive and that we have a group of students who are a leading force in the technology education world.” Also attending the national conference were Derek Martel, NEIT Automotive Technology professor and the Automotive Section Advisor for SkillsUSA, and Steve Lavoie, NEIT Mechanical Engineering Technology professor and member of the National Education Team, who also helps coordinate the national Architectural Drafting contest.

If you are interested in becoming a student or professional member, or if you are interested in being a corporate sponsor of our NEIT chapter, please contact Melissa McCulloch at mmcculloch@neit.edu.

from left Doug lively, Director of Photography: Daniella Mendoza, Talent; Jake Kahn, Producer; John Cormier.VRP/DRA Department chair; Tom Boucher, NH-PRI/client; and Bryan Capri, Production Assistant.

In Studio with Sonalysts

Sonalysts Inc., a video production house, recently rented NEIT ‘s Studio “A” to tape several commercials for Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island (NHPRI). The NEIT studio was selected after Sonalysts vice president and producer, Jake Kahn, toured the facility with the commercial’s production consultant, John Cormier, VRP/DRA Department Chair. Digital Recording Arts students were also invited to participate in the various production phases of the project.

John said, “The proximity to the other shooting locations, the green screen, extensive professional lighting, and size of the studio convinced Mr. Kahn that shooting at NEIT was a cost saving alternative to the 8 member crew having to drive over an hour to Sonalysts’ studios in Waterford Connecticut.”

The TV commercials, two each in English and Spanish, and two radio spots are currently running in the southern New England area on network and cable television and local radio stations. “It was a tremendous experience working with the Sonalysts crew,” says John. “Their creative input and dedication to producing high quality commercials is very apparent in the final product.”

NEIT Announces Annual Scholarship Funds
New England Institute of Technology is pleased to announce the following scholarship funds available for currently enrolled students.
• William R. Talladay Memorial Scholarship Fund – in memory of William Talladay, an Information Technology student.
• Judith and Roger Fingado Scholarship Fund – in memory of the parents of Daniel Fingado, a Plumbing/Heating and Gas Technology degree graduate.
• Richard Wertz Scholarship Fund – in memory of Dr. Richard Wertz, NEIT Professor of Humanities and Social Science.
• Textron Scholarship – Available for RI Women and RI Minorities.
• Stephen Dumont Memorial Scholarship Fund – in memory of Stephen Dumont, NEIT Electronics Technology instructor.
• Matthew J. Fandetti Memorial Scholarship Fund – Sponsored by Providence Journal Company in memory of Matthew J. Fandetti, a Refrigeration/AC/Heating and Gas Technology student.
• F. Gassett Jr. Scholarship Fund – Sponsored by Bridgestone/Firestone Trust Fund and ASE/NATEF in memory of Frank Gassett Jr., NEIT Automotive Technology instructor.
• Electrical League of RI Scholarship Fund – Sponsored by the Electrical League of RI.
• Rhode Island Marine Trade Association Scholarship Fund – Sponsored by the RI Marine Trade Association.

Deadlines for applications are August 31, 2005. For more information contact Maria Riccio in the Financial Aid Office at ext. 3328 or mriccio@neit.edu.