WSCC Wins $50,000 as Runners-Up in Project MFG National Advanced Manufacturing Championship

HANCEVILLE, Ala. — Wallace State Community College’s Machine Tool Technology program won $50,000 as runners-up in the Project MFG Advanced Manufacturing National Championship.  Students Zac Singh, Jared Smith, and Colbe Sellers will split half of the winnings, with the remaining amount going to the WSCC Machine Tool Technology program. 

“Finishing second place nationally is a tremendous accomplishment. The competition featured some of the best student machining teams in the country, and our students proved they can compete at that level,” says Justin Burnett, Machine Tool Technology Department Chair. “As for next year, this result has only motivated us further. We plan to build on what we learned this year, continue strengthening our training process, and return with the goal of competing for the national championship. The experience gained by this team will also help mentor and prepare future students who want to compete.” 

Project MFG was created to elevate the next generation of highly skilled trade professionals in automation, robotics, and advanced manufacturing technology. They host several tournament-style competitions across the country to demonstrate new talent and test students' ability to think critically, manage resources, and show their skills in their respective manufacturing technologies. Winners have the opportunity to win money, scholarships, and prizes. Many students also walk away from competitions with job offers. 

“Watching the students prepare and compete was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had as an instructor,” added Burnett. “The pressure is intense, and every decision matters. I was proud to see our team stay focused, communicate well, and support each other throughout the event. They represented Wallace State Community College exceptionally well and truly showed up and showed out.”

Singh, of Cullman, praised Project MFG for giving him the opportunity to take the skills learned in school and apply them in a high-level competition against other students from across the country. The students were tested like nothing they had ever experienced.  

Smith, of Falkville, credited their success to the team’s ability to push through when the pressure got tight.  

The opportunity gave students, like Sellers of Logan, an experience that pushed them out of their comfort zones. Sellers says, “[Project MFG] made me a better machinist.”

“I could not be more proud of our students and Instructor Justin Burnett. Earning second place in a national competition against some of the best machining programs in the country is an outstanding accomplishment and reflects the quality of instruction and commitment to excellence within our Machine Tool Technology program,” says Jerry Murcks, Dean of Applied Technologies, “This achievement demonstrates that Wallace State students are not only workforce-ready but are capable of competing—and succeeding—on a national stage. Congratulations to our students, faculty, and everyone who has supported the continued growth of this exceptional program.” 
Registration for Fall 2026 regular and Mini Term I semesters are now open with classes starting on August 17.  

For more information, visit www.wallacestate.edu, call Lion Central at 256.352.8236 or come by the Hanceville or Oneonta campus centers. Current and incoming students may schedule an advising session with the Center for Student Success at www.wallacestate.edu/advising.

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About Wallace State

Wallace State Community College (Ala.), a member of the Alabama Community College System, is a comprehensive community college in north central Alabama offering more than 200 options in academic, health and technical programs of study leading to an associate degree, certificate or transfer, as well as workforce-credit training and adult education. An Achieving the Dream Leader College, nationally recognized by the Aspen Institute as a Rising Star for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, ranked by Southern Business and Development among the Top 3 institutions in the South for workforce development, named a Center of Excellence by the National League for Nursing and the National Security Administration, rated the Top Online Community College in Alabama, a Military Friendly Institution and an All-Steinway School, Wallace State is an outstanding place for students to pursue their education and career goals. Classes are offered online and on campus, day, evening and on weekends, with numerous start dates each year. Visit Wallace State’s beautiful main campus located on 300-acres in Hanceville, Ala., our satellite location in downtown Oneonta, Ala., find us online at www.wallacestate.edu, or call 256.352.8000.