UC construction management lands first place

One month ago, a team of four University of Cincinnati students dominated at the February Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) national competition. The construction management students took first place in three of four categories.

The competition was hosted Feb. 6 as part of the organization’s national convention in San Diego. More than 20 other schools in the nation’s top construction management programs competed, including The Ohio State University, Purdue University, the University of Florida, Texas A&M University and the University of Utah.

Just weeks before the two-day event, ABC chapter schools were given a set of drawings and a request proposal to build a hotel.

The competition was focused on estimating the cost of the project, managing its construction, developing a safety plan and coordinating the overall construction plan. Experienced ABC professionals judged the proposals, using strict guidelines based on the original requirements of the project.

“We all work together to do everything, but we each have our own strategic area that we are better at,” said Kent Behrman, site manager, scheduler and a fifth-year construction management student. “As a whole, we go over it and make sure everything drives together.”

Once the team arrives, they submit their plan to the judges. Only four of seven members were allowed to attend: John Lupidi, Kyle Kalkhoff, Kyle Pagel and Behrman. Three other members, Greg Christensen, Jake Miller and Phil Nagle, stayed behind in Cincinnati.

“We picked the best students of this college to go compete against the best of all the other colleges in the country,” said Lupidi, project manager and a fifth-year construction management student.

Once in San Diego, the judges altered the entire proposal. Teams were then given six hours to complete a new and revised proposal that adhered to the judges’ changes.

Another surprise the students didn’t expect was the building they were developing a proposal for was actually real and located in San Diego. To keep competitors from realizing their project was based on an actual building, they received limited drawings, so they could only make assumptions based on what they were given.

“It’s really based on knowledge,” Behrman said. “You can’t use the Internet and you can’t call people — it’s strictly what you know.”

After the judges reviewed the proposals, the top eight out of 23 schools were chosen to interview with a panel of nine judges. The proposals, both original and revised, were discussed and success was determined by how well the team answered the questions and communicated with one another.

“I really enjoyed the interview process,” Lupidi said. “It was great to see so many people asking us questions and us being able to pass them along with each other and be able to relate to each other so well.”

But the panel interview was more than just a question-and-answer session; the judges were looking for the team that could work well together and knew their project inside and out.

“The judges wanted to know that the safety guy knew more than just the safety aspect — he needed to know about the schedule and construction process,” said Kalkhoff, estimator and a fifth-year construction management student. “That’s where we really excelled, because we all know the project very well.”

After the panel interviews, the judges determine the winners of four categories: project management, safety, estimate and overall for the entire competition. UC won first place in three of four, including best overall.

The team contributes much of its success to the education they received inside and outside of the classroom.

“We are taught top-notch education,” Behrman said. “We need it to succeed.”

Although classroom education is important, the team believes getting involved in cooperatives and hands-on opportunities were what helped them the most.

“Getting in the field and actually doing the work is huge to your success in the program and in the competition as well,” Kalkhoff said.

Other members of the team agree.

“It’s all about experience,” Behrman said. “We’ve all been out there and seen the actual kind of construction that goes on. You can only learn so much from a book.”

Working as a group was essential for the team to succeed in creating a well-built proposal. They spent long hours together for weeks pouring over the specifics of the proposal and the overall construction plan.

“We were working together through our differences and bringing our strengths together,” said Kyle Pagel, safety lead and fourth-year construction management student. “The group aspect was my favorite part.”

The experience in the classroom, co-op and even the competition are realistic for what the students will be doing once they graduate.

“This is the stuff in the real world,” Behrman said. “To know what you have to do to go that extra mile is huge for real-life experience — especially in our industry.”

The competition was also a way for the students to truly test their knowledge and see how other colleges and universities differ. Having experience in the field gave them a leg-up on the competition.

“We have a lot of guys who have been out there physically doing the work and that brings a whole other level to the project,” Kalkhoff said. “It’s why our school excels over other schools who are just sitting in an office all the time.”

Having only four people in the group in San Diego might have been tough, but it gave the team an advantage in the competition.

“It’s not just one person knowing everything — each person knows everything. It was definitely a learning experience and something we’ll take with us from here on out,” Lupidi said.

After this year’s seniors graduate, the underclassmen will have to step up to the plate with as much enthusiasm and willpower for the 2011 competition.

“We’re looking forward to next year,” said Greg Christensen, a fourth-year construction management student. “We’re pulling to win.”

This year is the second time in four years UC has place first overall in the competition and, except for one year, first place in one or more categories in seven out of eight years.

Although they went home with a trophy and plenty of awards, their experience and hard work will be the most invaluable part of the competition.

“They used their education, their co-op experiences and their industry resources to excel in every area,” said George Suckarieh, professor of construction management and adviser to the team and ABC chapter. “It was quite a show. UC should be proud.”