By Peter McKellar
Students representing BYU”s construction management program brought home top honors in regional and national competitions two weeks in a row.
Six students representing BYU took first place out of 22 other schools at the International Builder Show in Atlanta Feb. 8-9.
Although welcome, the victory is nothing new. BYU has won the competition more times than any other school, said Jay Christofferson, chair of the construction management program and faculty advisor for the students.
BYU also became the first school in ten years to take home top three finishes in all four categories at a regional competition in Reno, Nev, Christofferson said.
“BYU was heads and tails above the other finishers,” he said
Students from 18 schools around the western region participated in the competition.
In addition to placing high in the group categories, individual BYU students were also honored at the regional event.
Barrett Nelson, a senior majoring in construction management from Burley, Idaho, brought home the outstanding presenter award.
BYU placed first in commercial, first in residential, second in heavy and highway and third in design/build.
Christofferson said the awards demonstrate the strength of the construction management program at BYU.
Enrollment in the program is up 23 percent from last year.
Christofferson said 100 percent of graduated students have been placed in construction management jobs since he arrived here in 1989.
Both the regional and national competitions required students to create project plans and bids for projects actually being built around the country.
The judges were drawn from the actual project managers and architects for the projects.
At the regional competition, each group was given 16 hours to complete and turn in the assignment.
Design and Build group member Brett Willis, 25, a senior from Centerville, majoring in construction management, was pleased with the outcome.
“Considering that BYU does not have an architecture school it was pretty good,” he said.
BYU”s consistent success in construction management competitions has caught the eye of potential employers.
“When you come around and you are from BYU, everyone is begging you to fly out for an interview,” said Steve Kelley, 29, a senior from Charlotte, N.C., majoring in construction management.
“It is an amazing program.”
BYU”s commercial team will participate in the national competition at Nashville, Tenn. in April.
