Mississippi State teams take top awards in construction competition
Contact: Christie McNeal
STARKVILLE, Miss.āMississippi State building construction science and architecture students earned top awards at a recent regional competition, proving to themselves and other contending universities that their builds are among the best.
At the Associated Schools of Construction Southeast Region matchup, fifteen students, includingĢżthree āshadow students,ā represented Ļć½¶Ö±²„in Peachtree City, Georgia, placing first in the Commercial Construction category and third in Design-Build. They joined students from universities such as Auburn, Clemson, Florida, and Virginia Tech to vie for top honors and gain experience.
āThe competition is proving ground for construction programs and is the ābig leaguesā for construction schools in the Southeast,ā said Ļć½¶Ö±²„Building Construction Science Program Director George Ford.
āIām so proud of our students and their coach, Dr. Saeed Rokooei,ā Ford said. āThey worked hard in the weeks before the competition. I think colleagues at many competing construction programs will take note of our studio-based programming, which is unique in this region.ā
For the competition, students receive drawings and specifications for a one-day construction project and are required to submit estimates, schedules and proposals for their respective assignments. Then overnight they prepare a proposal presentation.
āThe drawings and specifications are provided by the sponsoring companiesā and are actual past projects,ā Ford explained. āStudents learn how to work in a high-pressure environment, which offers little-to-no sleep or rest during the two days of the competition.ā
Senior BCS student Jalyn R. Wallin of Double Springs, Alabama, a three-time participant, also emphasized the competitionās intensity.
āOur team overcame obstacles and worked together to create an amazing response to the challenge, and also pulled off a great presentation. I am very proud of what our team accomplished,ā Wallin said.
Senior Hunter E. Bullock, Design-Build team leader, has been involved with the competition since his freshman year. The BCS major said the studio-based, hands-on nature of the universityās BCS program prepared his team for the competition challenges.
āThe problem statements are very similar to projects that we are given in studio,ā he said. āThe whole setup of the competition seems daunting to most people, but we are able to work diligently and get the job done just like we do in studio.ā
Building Construction Science students (unless specified as architecture majors) who represented Mississippi State in the competition include, by hometown:
Commercial Construction Team Ģż
BRANDONāJunior Evan āHunterā Henderson
BROOKHAVENāJunior Jacob āJakeā P. Roberson
DOUBLE SPRINGS, AlabamaāSenior Jalyn R. Wallin
GRENADAāSenior Kacie Lynn James, team leader
MACONāSenior Johnathan āNoahā Heflin
WEST POINTāSenior Steven āSteveā C. Dragoo
Ģż
Design-Build Construction Team
BLUE SPRINGSāSenior architecture major Jeremy āBlakeā FarrarĢż
FAYETTEVILLE, GeorgiaāSenior architecture major McKenzie R. Johnson
NOLENSVILLE, TennesseeāSenior Hunter E. Bullock, team leader
PLANO, TexasāSenior Robert L. Montoux
RIDGELANDāSenior Tyler A. Seal
SPRING HILL, TennesseeāSenior Victoria āToriā A. ThompsonĢż
ĢżĢż
ShadowĢżStudents
OCEAN SPRINGSāJunior Bo F. AllisonĢż
GREENWOODāSophomore Elizabeth R. Gallagher
CUMMING, GeorgiaāSophomore Micky J. Mangan
Learn more about MSUās College of Architecture, Art and Design and its Building Construction Science program at and onĢżFacebook, Twitter and Instagram @CAADatMSU.
ĢżĻć½¶Ö±²„is Mississippiās leading university, available online at .