Passion for Customizing Hot Rods Drives WyoTech Graduate to Award

Passion for Customizing Hot Rods Drives WyoTech Graduate to Award

- Jessica Combs' Journey Leads to Hosting National Television Show -

LARAMIE, Wyo., March 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Jessi Combs was offered a scholarship to attend a prestigious interior design school. She turned it down to pursue a career in automobile customizing, a field heavily dominated by men.

Combs, 24, not only succeeded, she excelled in WyoTech's custom fabrication program, and has just received the 2005 Graduate Recognition for Excellence, Achievement and Talent (GREAT) Award from the Career College Association (CCA), a national educational association based in Washington D.C.

The GREAT Awards program recognizes graduates who have exhibited academic excellence while overcoming adversity to achieve their career goals. Combs was one of seven award winners selected from more than 150 nominees.

Combs proved more than ready for the obstacles she faced, earning top grades and academic scholarships at WyoTech. Her work ethic and charismatic personality led her to audition for co-host of Xtreme 4x4, an automobile building series on Spike TV. Despite being the only woman to audition, she got the job.

"When I decided I wanted to build hot rods, I knew I would face challenges in the male-dominated field, but I was determined to overcome any obstacles and succeed," Combs said. "My desire was to work in auto fabrication, and WyoTech offered the best program I could find, giving me the opportunity to build a career doing something I truly love. I hope to share what I've learned with women, young and old, and show them that one can overcome obstacles and achieve dreams with hard work, determination and the right education."

Timothy Schutz, president and chief operating officer, Titan Schools, Inc. Division said, "Jessi's selection is a testament to her determination to succeed, her ability to leverage her knowledge and build on her achievements, as well as her outstanding ability in auto fabrication. We were proud to nominate Jessi and are honored that CCA has selected her for the 2005 GREAT Award."

About WyoTech

The WyoTech region's seven campuses span the U.S. to provide quality education in automotive, diesel, aircraft, motor cycle and marine technologies and maintenance, as well as heating, ventilation, air conditioning and plumbing fields. In addition to the original Laramie, Wyoming campus, opened in 1966, the region has facilities in Blairsville, Pennsylvania; Sacramento, Fremont and Oakland, California; Daytona Beach, Florida; and Boston Massachusetts. WyoTech is part of the Titan Schools Division of Corinthian Colleges, Inc., one of the largest post-secondary education companies in North America, operating 93 colleges in the United States and 45 colleges in Canada.

About Career College Association

The Career College Association is a voluntary membership organization of private postsecondary schools, institutes, colleges and universities that provide career-specific educational programs. CCA has 1,270 members that educate and support more than a million students each year for employment in over 200 occupational fields.

Source: WyoTech

CONTACT: Chanda Ziegler of WyoTech, +1-307-742-3776; or Rosemary Moothart or David Stankunas, both of PondelWilkinson Inc., +1-310-279-5980, for WyoTech

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