Ford always has one of the largest footprints at the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas, and the Motor Company uses the sprawling convention for more than just promoting its products. At the 2026 show, Ford is working with Washtenaw Community College in Michigan to showcase the abilities of the next generation of automotive repair experts. WCC is one of the top colleges for automotive repair programs, and at the 2026 SEMA Show, six students will build a customized Ford Bronco live and in person—with the design of that custom SUV being provided by event attendees.
Washtenaw Community College Automotive Programs
Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is home to one of the nation’s top-rated automotive education programs. It offers a Transportation Technologies Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree with specific courses of study that include Auto Body Repair, Automotive Services Technician, Custom Auto Body Fabrication and Chassis Design, and Automotive Cybersecurity.
WCC frequently has vehicles built by groups of students at local events, such as Detroit Autorama, so many people in the Michigan area are familiar with the quality of work that comes from the college. At the 2026 SEMA Show, six Washtenaw Community College students will take the global stage as they build up a new Ford Bronco in front of a massive crowd.
“SEMA gives these students a national stage to put their skills to work, but this partnership is about much more than one build,” said Matt Simpson, executive director of Ford Customization. “By putting real vehicles in students’ hands and connecting them with people working across our industry, we’re helping create a clearer path from the classroom to rewarding automotive careers. That’s an investment in the skilled talent our industry needs for the future.”
The WCC Build Team
The six students who will build this custom Ford Bronco were selected through a “competitive application process” that included an essay, their academic performance and a recommendation from a member of the WCC faculty.
The six students are Carter Lillie of Milan, Claire Crandall of Milan, Tess Schroeder of South Lyon, Jason Winterhalter of Ypsilanti, Rocco Guido of Manchester and Kaley Williams of Jackson.
“Manufacturers nationwide will need millions of highly skilled workers in the coming years. Education-industry partnerships like ours with Ford are essential to preparing the next generation of automotive professionals. This one-of-a-kind experience at SEMA gives our students a national stage to showcase the skills they’ve developed at WCC, learn alongside industry professionals and build connections that can help launch their careers,” said WCC President Dr. Rose B. Bellanca.
Ford Has Prepared the Students for the Live Build
The idea of building a Ford Bronco in front of the massive SEMA Show crowd may seem daunting, even for the top students at Washtenaw Community College, but the Motor Company has taken steps to prepare them for this unique project.
Starting in August, Ford provided a speaker series for the students featuring engineers and designers from the company. Topics included the business behind Ford customization, the aftermarket and dealer business, OEM vehicle personalization, SEMA-worthy designs, hands-on customization, automotive product development, and marketing and preparation for the event.
More importantly, the students have spent time taking the new Ford Bronco apart and putting it back together, so they are familiar with the mechanical workings of the popular SUV.
The Live Ford Bronco Build
Those six students are prepared to modify a Ford Bronco in front of the big SEMA Show crowd, but right now, they don’t actually know what modifications they will be performing. They won’t know what they’re building toward until the second day of SEMA, and they’ll have the vehicle ready to present on the fourth day of the show.
Every SEMA attendee can design a custom Bronco for free, and their design might be built right at the show!
When the 2026 SEMA Show opens on Tuesday, November 3, Ford will have 3D configurators set up where attendees can design their dream Bronco using items from Ford Accessories and Ford Racing. Those configurators will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday. When the submission phase of the program ends at 3 p.m., members of the program will select the top 10 entries.
On Wednesday, November 4, show attendees will be able to vote for their favorite of the top 10 custom Ford Bronco submissions from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Once voting closes and the winning Bronco design is chosen on Wednesday afternoon, the six Washtenaw Community College students will begin tearing down the Ford SUV.
Those students will then spend Thursday completing the Ford Bronco build as hundreds of thousands of SEMA Show attendees look on. The finished product will be unveiled on Friday at the Ford booth.
Pickup Truck+SUV Talk will be covering the show, and we’ll have a look at the finished product when SEMA 2026 wraps up.
