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 Statistics20192020202120222023
Students, U of M15194151138215
Students, Non-U of M522546--6
Total Students202119197138221
Registered Employers7334636071
Universities Represented10147--5

 

1 photo with a hammer shaped trophy, and people standing at exhibit booths

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

Four CMGT students hold a large construction-themed trophy
Winning team members (L to R): Ella Johnstad, Noah Huseby, Marin Boucher, and Riley Johnson

 

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.

Homebuilding Judges Panel in Las Vegas
Presenting online to the judges panel in Las Vegas.

Link to Video of Presentation

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.

Six CMGT students hold up an oversized prize-winning check.
Second Place Team: CMGT Students Jonah Goodland (left), Grace Stranik (third from right), and Riley Johnson (far right)

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.

Five college students in suits stand before a wall bearing the Ryan Construction wordmark
(L to R) Noah Huseby, Ben Pettingell, Chloe Kuechle, Aaron Swenson and Tanan Assefa

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.

A student in a suit stands before a whiteboard and holds a plaque of names. His remote partner's name is written on the whiteboard.
Trophy plaque held by Caleb Smit who, with his remote partner Eddie Stenzel, had the winning proposal.

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

ClassSpeakerTopicSpeaker Affiliation
ABUS 4013WTerrance NewbyIntellectual property law (video)Maslon law firm
 Holly RobbinsEmployment 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 4545Robin DiAngelo, PhDWhite Fragility (Webinar)University of Washington
CMGT 3001WBob RawellGeneral Conditions, Overhead, and ProfitAutoBuilders 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 4213FF&E DealerGuest SpeakerFluid 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

ClassSiteDelivery 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 CenterVideo