AC represented in winner’s circle at information technology conference
Amarillo College students were well represented in the winner’s circle, securing top-three finishes in multiple events, at the U.S. Information Technology Collegiate Conference (USITCC) South Central Regional, which was hosted Nov. 7-8 at AC.
The event, which drew a network of IT programs from colleges and universities as far distant as Missouri and Tennessee, featured seven competitive categories: App Development, Office Solutions, Systems Analysis, Network Design, Security, PC Troubleshooting, and Database Design.
To ensure impartial judging, participants submitted work without identifying their school affiliations, according to AC’s Karen Boatman, CIS program coordinator, who guided students’ preparations for the competition.
And AC students excelled as Andrew Gonzales and Victoria Gonzales placed third in App Development; Kyle Cooper and AJ Cunna claimed third place in Network Design; and Cooper placed second in Security, and Cuhna took second in PC Troubleshooting – along with an honorable mention in Security.
“It’s impressive to see our students competing against universities,” Boatman said. “It speaks to the quality of education we provide. Our students are on par with some of the top schools in the state and region.”
Other notable placements included Texas State University (TSU), which secured first and second in App Development, first in Network Design, third in Office Solutions, and first in PC Troubleshooting, earning five awards overall. The University of Houston followed closely, winning five awards in Systems Analysis, Office Solutions, and Database Design. Missouri State University earned three awards, including second in Systems Analysis and Network Design and third in Security. Northwestern State University of Louisiana claimed first in Security and third in PC Troubleshooting, taking home two awards. Finally, Middle Tennessee State University received one award, taking second place in Database Design.
Boatman says Amarillo College extends its heartfelt gratitude to the sponsors whose generous support made this event and the students' success possible: EC-Council, Xcel Energy, AC Student Life, FITE, Bank of Commerce, Education Credit Union, McGraw Hill, and CompTIA.
“We also deeply appreciate everyone who donated their time to the event, whether by proctoring contests or serving as judges. Your contributions were vital to the success of this conference,” she said. “I think Amarillo College’s strong performance demonstrates the high level of technical skill and preparedness of our students; we’re setting a benchmark in community college education.”
The conference, which was conducted Thursday and Friday, concluded on Saturday, Nov. 9 with an awards ceremony at AC’s FirstBank Southwest Center.