The facility and property management program was the recipient of two major awards from the International Facilities Management Association — the Trustees Award and Student Chapter of the Year award.
According to the facility and property management major’s website, “Facility and property management (FPM) is the development and management of all types of real estate, facilities and properties from original design ideas through construction to the different phases of occupation, including remodeling, to the final demise of the property.”
Eric Braziel, a facility and property management major, as well as a student chapter member, said it was unexpected to receive the Trustees Award.
“This is the first time (IFMA) has ever awarded a student chapter, so it was very unique,” Braziel said. “We actually were really surprised to see it … and it kind of came as a shock.”
Braziel said the facility and property management program wins the Student Chapter of the Year award often.
“The student chapter of the year we (win) frequently, so that doesn’t surprise us too often,” Braziel said. “The Trustees Award was a big surprise and a really big honor for us.”
Professor Jeff Campbell, chair of the facility and property management program, said the program has contributed to the industry in major ways.
“It was really nice to be recognized by the IFMA Foundation with the Trustees Award because we have had a significant impact on the facility management profession for a lot of years,” Campbell said. “We are much better recognized off-campus than on-campus and really, our students are not even the future leaders. They are the leaders right now.”
Campbell said the program has to keep track of everything students do in order to be considered for these awards.
“For the Student Chapter of the Year we have to keep track of everything we are doing,” Campbell said. “(We keep track of) leadership. It’s all of the pictures and events. Then we roll all of that together and put it into a nice package and submit it.”
Trever Nicoll, student chapter president of the facilities and property management program, said these two awards have helped students and faculty become more recognized by organizations.
“It’s helped us become well-known publicly throughout the industry,” Nicoll said. “It helps us become more recognized by the industry, and so it really helps the students to just keep pushing and to try hard.”
Nicoll said the facility and property management students are required to do internships and that the program prides itself in nearly 100 percent job placement of students upon graduating.
