BSCTC WELDING STUDENTS WIN FIRST-EVER WELDING RODEO

A group of Big Sandy Community and Technical College (BSCTC) students placed first in the first-ever Welding Rodeo held on Friday, October 23 at the Amphitheater in Hazard.

The event was sponsored by Hazard Community and Technical College and Pathfinders of Perry County. The winning entry, a fish made from scrap metal, will be on display at the River Arts Greenway, a park located on the north fork of the Kentucky River in Hazard.

Im just proud of our students, said John Fitzpatrick, an assistant professor of welding technology. People often associate welding to a specific skillset, but like anything, you can be artistic with it.

Team members were: Nathan Guidino, Roger Johnson, A.J. Salmons and Dustin Ramey. Bart Horne was an alternate. Fitzpatrick was assisted by Instructor Rodney Hamilton.

Dr. Devin Stephenson, president of BSCTC, expressed how proud he was of the students and the welding program.

We have some of the most talented and creative students in the country, he said. This is a tremendous accomplishment and it demonstrates the caliber of teaching and learning we have at the college.

For more information on the welding program at BSCTC, contact Fitzpatrick at (606) 788-2823 or email jfitzpatrick0015@kctcs.edu.