Built Environment Career Fair
The Built Environment Career Fair is held each year in October, and includes students in construction management, architecture, engineering, or interior design. In 2023 the fair was held at Coffman Union. Students met with employers, explored career opportunities, and had the option of a free headshot. Prior to the event 41 students attended either the resume review, or career fair prep sessions.
221 students attended the event, an increase of 60% from 2022.
The Career Fair is a successful event that generates positive feedback from employers each year, with 90% stating in 2020 that student preparation for the event was either good or excellent; 46% of students visited three or more employers. Most employers interview candidates for jobs or internships as a result of the career fair and collect resumes for review.
The 2024 Career Fair will take place on October 4, 2024.
Career Fair Statistics
Event Statistics | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Students, U of M | 151 | 94 | 151 | 138 | 215 |
Students, Non-U of M | 52 | 25 | 46 | -- | 6 |
Total Students | 202 | 119 | 197 | 138 | 221 |
Registered Employers | 73 | 34 | 63 | 60 | 71 |
Universities Represented | 10 | 14 | 7 | -- | 5 |
Images from the Career Fair and Quiz Bowl Event
Quiz Bowl
In conjunction with the Built Environment Career Fair, the University of Minnesota hosts the annual Intercollegiate Construction Management Quiz Bowl. It was not possible to hold the event again in 2021 since the Career Fair is again virtual, so the winning NDSU team from 2019 retains the trophy until the next Quiz Bowl scheduled for 2023.
Normally the event features teams from seven regional institutions: Dunwoody College of Technology; Minnesota State University Moorhead; Minnesota State University, Mankato; North Dakota State University; South Dakota School of Mines and Technology; University of Minnesota; University of Wisconsin-Stout. Institutions may send multiple teams to compete.
Questions are provided and reviewed by faculty from competing schools and the event is judged by industry sponsors.
2023 Quiz Bowl Team from University of Minnesota
The National Association of Homebuilders Four-Year Program National Competition
Occasionally, our students assemble a team in the fall semester to compete in the annual National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) competition. Teams submit a management proposal on a large residential development project in December, and they present their recommendations to a jury of construction company executives at the NAHB Conference in January/February. The project submission also serves as an approved capstone project that students can count toward their coursework completion.
These projects typically require conception of a site development plan, presentation of a variety of unit types, and a completed economic proforma, along with total project cost, scheduling development, and a marketing plan. It is one of the tougher, more highly competitive competitions in the country for residential programs. Many peer institutions have full coursework designed just for this competition. For our program, it is a “club” event.
Our last competition team of nine students completed a full proposal for the Ridge Point development in North Carolina, achieving 85 of a possible 100 points and taking 13th place in the 2021 virtual event.
Previous NAHB Results
- 2021: 13th of 29 teams
- 2020: 24th of 40+ teams, featured collaboration with Health Services Management for Age-in-Place living facility in Arizona
- 2014: 14th place and awarded Rookie-of-the-Year
While this team works in their spare time to complete the entry, the team had guidance from various mentors: Dean Soderbeck (Soderbeck Design and Construction), Jeremiah Cunningham (alum and former NAHB contestant), Paul Kolias (alum, Doran Construction), and others.
The NAIOP University Challenge: First Place!
For the second time, the Construction Management program coordinated with the Urban Studies Program in the Department of Geography on an entry into the National Association of Industrial and Office Parks regional competition. Led by Paula Pentel for many years, we had two students participate as part of their capstone course project: Eric Shaffran (a presenter), and Seth Wagner. This challenge requires a concise written proposal for a real site with a development plan, construction timeline, budget, proforma, leasing plan and schedule, financing plan, and market analysis. A week after submitting their written proposals, teams have 10 minutes to present their plan to the competition judges, who are industry experts.
This year student teams from five regional universities researched and pitched redevelopment of an old industrial building and site.
The Pursuit Competition
Sponsored by Ryan Companies, the Pursuit is a capstone-level competition judged by an industry panel. Ryan Construction provides information on one of their buildings: schedules, costs, and technical details of plans, as well as staff support, and the students use these to create a proposal, hoping to “win” a contract much like in real life.
Nine universities that teach Construction Management—Wisconsin Stout, Minnesota State Moorhead, South Dakota State, North Dakota State, Wisconsin Stout, St. Cloud State, Dunwoody, University of Northern Iowa (could not compete this year), and the University of Minnesota—participate in this competition, each sending one team to compete. In any given year, up to 250 students may be involved in the competition. Initially an informal event started by the University of Minnesota in 2014, the Pursuit Competition became a regional fixture in 2016.
This year the U of M team BIG 10 Construction again placed fifth overall of eight teams, but the results were close. A mere 12 points of 500 total separated 1st and 5th place. This team was dynamic, did a great job of presenting, and produced a professional result. Still Gopher proud!
Final Four: The Golden Pen Award
The Golden Pen is an annual event, now in its 18th year, in the CMGT 4041W Specifications and Technical Writing for Construction Professionals course. Student teams compete by writing a design build proposal for the Shoreview Library, hoping to land one of four finalist spots for the opportunity to present their proposal before the “Building Committee” of industry constituents comprising contractors, developers, bankers, public relations personnel, and IT experts. This committee then selects a winning team, whose names are etched into a permanent trophy plaque.
Participating judges: Mary McNellis, Katya Pilling, Bill Bartolic, and Ted Lentz
Guest Speakers
During the academic year, program faculty invite professionals from varied areas of industry to attend class as guest lecturers and to judge student presentations, or participate through videotaped lectures and interviews. This helps students gain a broader perspective of the field, providing value-added experience to the classroom. The following are some of the guest speakers hosted in Construction Management classes during the 2023–24 academic year. Thank you to our industry speakers!
CMGT Guest Speakers 2023−24
Class | Speaker | Topic | Speaker Affiliation |
---|---|---|---|
ABUS 4013W | Terrance Newby | Intellectual property law (video) | Maslon law firm |
Holly Robbins | Employment Law and HR (video) | Littler Mendelson law firm | |
ABUS 4217 | Neal Morris | City Planning (video) | Developer |
Robert Lux | Project Development (video) | Alatus LLC | |
Joy Nazzari | Branding Places (video) | DN & Co | |
ABUS 4218 | Jennifer Ericson | Community Development Finance (video) | Community Reinvestment Fund, Minneapolis |
Paul Mullaney | Real Estate Lending (video) | CarVal Investors | |
Tom Salmen | Commercial Banks and Real Estate (video) | US Bank | |
Deidre Schmidt | Affordable Housing Finance (video) | CommonBond Communities | |
Patrick Seeb | Area Planning (Video) | Destination Medical Center | |
Jody Tableporter | Urban Regeneration Finance (video) | U of M CCAPS | |
ABUS 4545 | Robin DiAngelo, PhD | White Fragility (Webinar) | University of Washington |
CMGT 3001W | Bob Rawell | General Conditions, Overhead, and Profit | AutoBuilders General Contracting Services |
CMGT 4041W | Jeff Callinan | State Capitol Competition (Video) | JE Dunn Construction |
William Bartolic | Final Four Judge | Retired (Former instructor) | |
Katya Pilling | Final Four Judge | JE Dunn Construction | |
Mary McNellis | Final Four Judge | Real Estate Developer | |
Ted Lentz | Final Four Judge | Architect (Retired) | |
CMGT 4196 | Brian Filiatrtaut | Internship Presentation Judge | Weis Builders (Alumnus)(Adv Bd) |
Andrew Neubarth | Internship Presentation Judge | Weis Builders | |
Ryan Kuznia | Internship Presentation Judge | Weis Builders | |
Cole Bernhardson | Internship Presentation Judge | Weis Builders | |
Andy Coubal | Internship Presentation Judge | Weis Builders | |
Riley Echerman | Internship Presentation Judge | Weis Builders | |
Jason Law | Internship Presentation Judge | Weis Builders | |
Matt Harmon | Internship Presentation Judge | McGough Construction (Alumnus) | |
Marie Zellman | Internship Presentation Judge | McGough Construction | |
Dan McKay | Internship Presentation Judge | McGough Construction (Adv Bd) | |
Reid Romer | Internship Presentation Judge | Egan Companies (Adv Bd) | |
Mark Broadwater | Internship Presentation Judge | Egan Companies | |
Chris Keller | Internship Presentation Judge | Egan Companies | |
Elise Hartfield | Internship Presentation Judge | Egan Companies | |
Ross Noak | Internship Presentation Judge | Egan Companies | |
Jamer Ford | Internship Presentation Judge | Egan Companies | |
Avin Kallenbach | Internship Presentation Judge | Mortenson Construction | |
Joe Pritzkow | Internship Presentation Judge | Mortenson Construction | |
Alison Gordon | Internship Presentation Judge | Mortenson Construction | |
Brian Grant | Internship Presentation Judge | Mortenson Construction | |
Steve Hauser | Internship Presentation Judge | Instructor | |
CMGT 4213 | FF&E Dealer | Guest Speaker | Fluid Interiors |
CMGT 4562 | Amy Satterfield | Impact of Building Envelope on Indoor Air Quality | Institute for Environmental Assessment |
Jason Hanlon | Corrosion of Steel Building Components | Braun Intertec Corporation | |
Paul Whitenack | Quality Assurance and Quality Control | Kraus Anderson Construction | |
Dave Campbell | Below-Grade Waterproofing | UM Faculty | |
Mark Swanson | Masonry Wall Enclosure Design | International Masonry Institute | |
Pat Conway | Masonry Wall Construction | Architect | |
Robert Grupe | EIFS | Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry | |
Robert Grupe | Cement Plaster Systems (Stucco) | Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry | |
Craig Wetmore | Flashings | York Flashings | |
Craig Wetmore | Wall Component Compatibility | York Flashings | |
Bill Pierro | Flat Roof Details | Kline-Johnson and Associates | |
Michael Angelo | Roof Top Fall Protection Overview | Dakota Safety | |
Andre Lehr | Building Enclosure Commissioning | Braun Intertec Corporation | |
George Ramsay | Window Design Criteria and Installation Details | Pella Corporation | |
Matt Gums | Storefront vs Curtainwall vs Window Wall Systems | Empirehouse | |
CMGT 4861 | Vana Greischar | Guest Speaker | Greiner Construction (Alumna) |
Jacob Castle | Guest Speaker | API Construction (Alumna) | |
Paris Otremba | HR Case Studies | Adolfsen & Peterson | |
Yolanda McIntosh | HR Case Studies | DEI Director, AGC-MN | |
Shari Robinson | HR Case Studies | CCAPS DEI Director | |
Mariah Dean | HR Case Studies, Capstone Judge | Eden Resources | |
Zaylore Stout | HR Case Studies | HR Attorney | |
Steve Day | Pursuit Judge | Sullivan Day Construction | |
Ken Styrlund | Pursuit Judge | JE Dunn Construction (Ret) | |
Wayde Johnson | Pursuit Judge | AMCON Construction |
Site Visits
Faculty also lead site visits and field trips to further enhance the student learning experience and bring sites into the classroom via site videos. The following are some of the sites that hosted visits by Construction Management classes and site videos shown in class. With thanks to our industry partners.
Site Visits and Site Videos, 2023–24
Class | Site | Delivery Method |
---|---|---|
ABUS 4013W | Eureka Mills Superfund Site | Video |
CMGT 3001W | Fraser Hall Addition | Site Tour |
CMGT 4022 | Super Bridge video | Video |
CMGT 4081 | Pioneer Hall construction project | Virtual Site Visit |
CMGT 4545 | Braun Intertec, Bloomington | Testing Lab Tour |
CMGT 4562 | Westminster Church Addition | Video |
District 600 Apartments | Video | |
UMN Ambulatory Care Center | Video |