ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Washtenaw Community College (WCC) student Mikala Sposito made history on the world stage Sunday, winning a bronze medal in welding at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 and becoming the first woman ever to medal in welding in the international competition’s history.
Sposito earned her spot as the sole U.S. welding competitor after advancing through a series of SkillsUSA and American Welding Society qualifying competitions earlier this year, followed by an intensive seven-month training schedule to prepare for what is often described as the “Olympics of skilled trades.”
Sposito, a Dexter resident, scored 723 points to tie Japan’s Ooki Fukui for fourth overall out of 37 international competitors, earning both competitors bronze medals.
China’s Qiansen Zhao won gold with 735 points. Korea’s Changyong An and Thailand’s Ratchanon Thipruecha each scored 728 to share silver.
The medal caps a journey of more than two years of increasingly intense competition and training for Sposito, who represented the United States against the world’s top young welders during four days of competition in Shanghai.
The medal marks the culmination of a journey that brought Sposito from WCC’s welding lab to the world stage.
WorldSkills brings together elite young professionals from around the globe to compete in dozens of highly technical disciplines. The 2026 competition, held September 22-27 in Shanghai, featured competitions in 64 skills.
Sposito’s quest culminated in her victory at the USA Weld Trials in Huntsville, Alabama, in March.
After earning the WorldSkills USA Team spot, Sposito embarked on a training and preparation schedule that included international competitions and events in Australia, Canada and China, along with countless hours in WCC’s welding lab.
“You sacrifice so much just for the slight chance of making it to WorldSkills,” Sposito said earlier this year. “But the reward is incredible, and it feels even better knowing how hard I worked for it. I put my heart and soul into this competition.”
WCC President Dr. Rose B. Bellanca said Sposito’s achievement reflects the discipline, precision and technical expertise required to excel in the skilled trades.
“Skilled professionals keep our communities and our country moving. They build, repair and maintain the things we depend on every day, while also supporting the industries that drive our economy. We are incredibly proud of Mikala for representing WCC and the United States at the highest level of her craft,” Bellanca said.
Sposito’s coach throughout the journey was WCC welding instructor Alex Pazkowski, who knows firsthand what it takes to reach the WorldSkills podium.
Pazkowski represented WCC and the United States at the 2013 WorldSkills Competition in Leipzig, Germany, where he won a silver medal.
Fellow WCC welding program instructors Glenn Kay (1997) and Brad Clink (2011) also reached the WorldSkills stage.
Thirteen years after Pazkowski stood on the WorldSkills podium representing WCC and the United States, his student followed him there.
Sposito arrived in Shanghai having already made history as the first woman to represent the United States in WorldSkills welding.
She left with a bronze medal — and another first.
About Washtenaw Community College
Washtenaw Community College (WCC), Ann Arbor, Michigan, has been opening doors to success for students and the community for 60 years, providing education and training in a wide range of associate and certificate programs in areas such as liberal arts, health care, business, STEM, advanced transportation and mobility. WCC offers accelerated and online programs to meet student needs. The college also works through community, business and union partnerships to develop specialized training programs to meet the region’s workforce needs.
For more information about Washtenaw Community College, visit www.wccnet.edu.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/57e61717-bb3a-40ef-856b-cf5eb5053a20
MEDIA CONTACT Fran LeFort, 734-677-5295
