SIUE Engineering Students Runner-up at National Student Competition
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering students traveled to Downer’s Grove October 15-18 to participate in the annual Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) Region 3 Student Competition.
The SIUE Preconstruction Team placed second out of 11 teams. Team members included: Zach Carlson, Zach Coon, George Justice, Chad Kolmer, Mason Musick and Chrissy Raffety.
The objective of the competition was to expose student competitors to realistic construction contract acquisition tasks. A variety of knowledge was necessary in order to complete the competition.
Contestants performed tasks necessary to develop several different preconstruction proposals, including an executive summary, organizational chart, project schedule, logistics plan, budget and safety analysis. Those skills were applied through the analysis of problems that were focused toward a commercial construction project. After developing the various construction plans, teams orally presented their proposals to a panel of judges and interviewed with their respective companies.
“It’s great real world experience,” said Mason Musick, a senior from Lincoln. “It really showed how much we learn in class.”
Teams ranged from California Polytechnic State University to Ohio State and many in between. The University of Southern California (USC) won the event.
The preconstruction team agreed that the ASC Region 3 competition was important not only for gaining relevant work experience, but also for networking with contractors from around the country.
“We like to get hands on experience outside of the classroom – which is really what our future employers are seeking,” said Zach Carlson, a senior from Quincy. “There are more than 20 sponsors at the Region 3 construction event, so participants are able to network with businesses in a way that could not be achieved in any other setting.”
When asked about his thoughts on the preconstruction team’s performance, Professor Mark Grinter was extremely pleased. “It’s important for our students to get involved in competitions,” he said. “It allows students to obtain hands-on experiences in their future career work, while becoming part of a functional and effective team.”
