FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Feb. 14, 2007

Kathleen McPartland
530-898-4260
Lori Brown,
Construction Management
530-898-5218

Chico Teams Bring Home Awards
from Construction Management Competition

Six student teams from California State University, Chico's Department of Construction Management (CM) traveled to Reno Feb. 7-10 to compete in the 20th Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) Student Competition. They brought home championship awards in three divisions and an individual award for outstanding presentation.

Lori Brown, CM department chair and ASC Regional 7 director, organized the competition this year that saw more than 700 students from 32 universities in 16 states compete. The 114 student teams competed for awards in eight divisions, ranging from Design-Build, Residential, Heavy Civil, Commercial, Mechanical, Marine, and LEED Construction.

Students on six teams from CSU, Chico's CM department-Heavy Civil, Design/Build, Residential, Building Information Modeling, Marine, and Commercial-have spent the last four months practicing for the competition. More than 48 students and faculty represented CSU, Chico at the annual competition.

CSU, Chico teams brought home championship awards in three divisions. The Building Information Modeling (BIM) team, coached by Professor Willem Kymmell, received a second place National Championship. Two teams, the Design-Build Division, coached by Mike Borzage, and the Commercial Division, coached by Doug Chelson, brought home regional championships, a second and third place, respectively.

BIM team student participant Chris Rippingham was awarded "Outstanding Presenter" in the BIM Division.

"This year's 20th Anniversary Student Competition was an exciting event,” said Brown. “It was rewarding to see the high level of student energy and enthusiasm. The ASC Student Competition is always such a great opportunity for our students to demonstrate their construction management skills. Students come away with a real-life project experience and many get multiple job offers as a result of their involvement in the competition. It is a win-win event for both the students and the industry."

During the grueling competition, students are given 16 hours to map out the process a construction firm would go through-work schedules, bids and other tasks-on an actual construction project, then present their solution to a team of expert judges.

More than 80 companies participated in the job fair, which accompanies the competition.

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