Boise State’s Department of Construction Management took 51 students to Reno, Nevada, to compete in the Associated Schools of Construction competition held the second weekend of February. Boise State fielded seven teams for the national competition, with four teams placing in the top three.
The Electrical Team received top honors in their national category, while the Project Management Team placed third in their national category. Teams also competed at the regional level of the competition, with the Commercial Team and Design-Build Team both finishing second in the Region 6 competition.
“Boise State continues to outperform many of the top construction management programs in the nation. This is a testament to the quality of our construction management department, our faculty, and our industry partners,” said Interim Department Chair Anthony Perrenoud. “But the true reason for the success is the students. They are extremely dedicated and highly competitive. Everyone performed exceptionally, it was a pleasure to see them participate and to be awarded for their hard work.”
During the competition, teams meet with industry problem sponsors in the morning and are presented with problem statements on complex construction projects. Teams then have around 18 hours to develop and prepare solutions including a detailed estimate, project schedule, staffing, safety, technology, and sustainability plans. The following day teams give a formal presentation of their solution to the group of professional constructors who worked on the actual projects.
“Participating in the Reno Competition fosters growth in many aspects. As a first-year participant, I learned more about real-world construction processes than I could have imagined,” said Haley Arnaudo, vice president of Women in Construction and construction management student. “ It is not only a great chance to push yourself to the limit, but a great networking opportunity as well. I made many connections with industry personnel as well as fellow classmates. I highly recommend this competition for anyone in the CM program.”
Teams are scored on their approach to planning for the project, their project management knowledge, and their presentation in front of the industry panel. Awards are given to the teams that exhibit the most comprehensive approach to all aspects of the project.
This year’s Associated Schools of Construction National Competition featured more than 1,331 students who comprised 181 teams from 53 different universities from across 23 different states. Boise State Construction Management finished the competition with a success rate of over 50 percent. Finishing only behind Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (10) and tied with Oregon State (4) in total teams placed by one university.
-By Jamie Fink
