Mitchell College of Business Student Claims Title of Alabama State Champion
Posted on February 10, 2026
Spreadsheets don鈥檛 usually come with trophies, but Excel mastery has earned Clayton Howell, a supply chain and logistics management major in the Mitchell College of Business, the title of Alabama State Champion.
While Excel is a source of office frustration for many, Howell was 鈥渞aised on it.鈥� He began learning about rows, columns and formulas as early as elementary school 鈥� and simply never stopped.
By the time he came to the 精东影业, Howell was fluent and ready to delve deeper in a class taught by Dr. Misty Sabol, Data Analytics 3. There, he took the Microsoft Office Specialist certification exam; a few weeks later, an email landed in his inbox: 鈥淵our exceptional score has earned you the title of Alabama State Champion in Microsoft Excel.鈥�
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 even know that existed,鈥� he said with a smile, adding, 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 even say I particularly enjoy Excel, I just happen to be good at it. I鈥檓 pattern-oriented, so I've always had a pretty good memory for this sort of stuff.鈥�
Of course, it also helps that Howell has had plenty of practice.
鈥淓xcel is like learning a language. To be good at it, you have to immerse yourself in it,鈥� said Howell, a 2025-26 Mitchell Ambassador. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what my data analytics classes helped me do: immerse myself in it every day, looking at different functions and problems to deal with it.鈥�
As Alabama State Champion, Howell was invited to represent the state at Certiport's 2026 MOS U.S. National Championship, held in Nashville this June and sponsored by none other than Microsoft.
Having already committed to a summer internship, Howell won鈥檛 be able to attend 鈥� but the title of Alabama State Excel Champion will stay hard-coded into his legacy.
鈥淯ltimately, I want to work in the space industry doing supply chain logistics. Once I鈥檝e done that for a while, I would like to move into politics, maybe as an aerospace adviser,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y goal is to find a place where I can leave an impact.鈥�
