News about Construction Management

Members of the Penn College Women in Construction club – including President Makenzie Erinn Witmer, a construction management student from Bellefonte, and Amanda Faylene Ritter, the organization’s vice president and treasurer – were among those treated to a recent tour of The Victorian House. Rob A. Wozniak, retiring in August as an associate professor of architecture, led the tour of the campus centerpiece, which was dedicated in June 1997 after more than two years of work by students, faculty and staff. “We had a good afternoon learning about The Victorian House, how it was designed by students and what we can learn about how to do some things better in the construction industry,” said Ritter, a building science and sustainable design: architectural technology concentration student from Williamsport. “It’s Mr. Wozniak’s last semester at Penn College, and he enjoys working with students so we can learn about buildings on campus and apply it to our future careers.” The club is co-advised by Ellyn A. Lester, assistant dean of construction and architectural technologies, and Jessica U. Oberlin, librarian for information technology initiatives and The Madigan Library’s liaison to the Construction & Architectural Technologies and Materials Science & Engineering & Technologies divisions of the School of Engineering Technologies. “I’m happy we got to do this with Rob before his retirement since it gave an expert insight into the build of The Victorian House,” said Oberlin, who also provided the photos. “This was my first time into the house and I’m glad it was with PCWIC, who will be true women leaders in their fields. They inspire me every day!”

More than $10,000 in year-end student scholarships were presented Thursday at a meeting of Penn College’s Construction Management Advisory Committee, an exciting milestone heralded by department head Wayne R. Sheppard. The assistant professor presided over a lunchtime awards ceremony in Penn’s Inn, where various committee members – industry partners who advise faculty and the administration on issues ranging from curriculum to equipment to internship opportunities – presented the honors to a deserving cadre of four-year construction management students.

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A team of students from Pennsylvania College of Technology recently traveled to Texas, making it through all three rounds of the 2022 Student Chapter Construction Management Competition for an overall seventh-place finish.

Competing as one of 14 teams at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, the centerpiece of the Associated Builders and Contractors’ annual convention, the Penn College contingent was challenged to assume the role of a general contractor/construction-manager-at-risk for construction of a five-story office building in Austin’s central business district.

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Student-athlete Will F. Sulesky readily sails through the dualities of his favorite sport – the mental-vs.-physical and individual-vs.-team aspects of basketball, as well as the challenges on and off the court – and has enjoyed similar ease in his choice of four-year major at Penn College. “I wanted to get into construction management rather early in high school. In Pennsylvania, there was a handful of schools that offered it,” the Huntingdon resident says. “Coach (Geoff) Hensley reached out to me and said, ‘Hey, would you like to play basketball here?’ And I thought, it’s a perfect match. I can go to school for the things that I want to learn and also play the game that I love.” Explore Sulesky’s journey through a 2½-minute Wildcat Spotlight video, learn why he appreciates the winning combination of Wildcat athletics and academics, and discover his secrets to overall achievement.

Pennsylvania College of Technology presented Kevin L. Imes with a Distinguished Alumni Award at Fall 2021 Commencement.

Imes, of Palmyra, a construction project manager at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, earned an associate degree in building construction technology and a bachelor’s degree in construction management from Penn College in 2003 and 2007, respectively.

The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to those who have made significant contributions in their chosen fields, demonstrated the importance of their education at Penn College or its predecessors, participated in leadership roles within the community, and demonstrated a commitment to their alma mater.

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Construction management students at Pennsylvania College of Technology brought home first- and second-place honors from the 32nd annual Associated Schools of Construction Region 1 Student Competition, held Nov. 11-13 in Albany, New York.

The college’s Pre-Construction Team, tasked with construction and renovation of a public school building in New England, placed first. Its Heavy Highway/Civil Team, assigned a New Jersey sewer project, placed second in the competition.

“I am amazed every year at what the student teams are able to accomplish in such a short time,” said Wayne R. Sheppard, assistant professor and department head for construction management. “The Penn College teams are composed of volunteers who compete extracurricularly on top of already busy schedules that include classes, employment, and other clubs and activities. How they come together and develop as a group and then work through these challenges is fun to watch.

“Winning trophies is great, but the learning and the great memories will last forever.”

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The president of the National Association of Women in Construction visited Penn College this past week, engaging faculty/staff and students with the organization’s promise of “Leading builders. Building leaders.” Doreen Bartoldus, water/wastewater construction management leader at Jacobs Engineering, provided an overview of the educational and networking opportunities available to NAWIC chapters. The visit was facilitated by Ellyn A. Lester, assistant dean of construction and architectural technologies, a longtime friend and colleague of the presenter. Bartoldus has more than 45 years of professional experience as a civil/environmental engineer and construction manager, participating in billion-dollar construction projects including water distribution and treatment facilities, tunnels, community park and recreation facilities, and highways. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of New York University (now Tandem School Of Engineering) and a Master of Business Administration in Sustainable Business from Green Mountain College. Bartoldus is a registered professional engineer in New York, a certified construction manager, a LEED Green Associate and an Envision Sustainability Professional. In addition to Friday’s luncheon in the Thompson Professional Development Center, she presented “Build It/They Will Come” to a College Avenue Labs audience the night before.

Students in two sections of Rob A. Wozniak’s “Sustainability: Building and Living Green” course were visited this week by Keystone Wood Products Association representatives, who talked about the benefits of wood as a renewable construction material.

The classes – comprising students in architecture and sustainable design, architectural technology and other construction-related majors – heard Monday afternoon from Ken Nuttle, KWPA education specialist; and the following morning from Stephanie Phillips-Taggart, marketing coordinator for the association’s 11-county membership area.

“Wood plays an incredible role in our lives on a regular basis,” Tuesday’s guest said, reinforcing her message with videos profiling regional hardwood businesses and the importance of healthy forest management.

Worth & Company Inc. has established a scholarship to assist Pennsylvania College of Technology students pursuing careers in the building equipment contractors industry.

First preference for the Worth & Company Excellence Scholarship will be given to a student who is an intern, employee or dependent of an employee of Worth & Company Inc.

Second preference will be given to a student who is enrolled full time in one of the following majors: heating, ventilation & air conditioning design technology; heating, ventilation & air conditioning technology; welding & fabrication engineering technology; welding technology; or construction management; has been a recipient of a scholarship from the fund in prior years; and has a residence in Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton or Philadelphia counties.

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In a creative and instructive icebreaker for the fall semester, first-year construction management students participated in a sweeping scavenger hunt intended to boost their familiarity with classmates and Penn College alike. Following guidelines shared by Wayne R. Sheppard, assistant professor and department head, teams were charged with moving around main campus, obtaining selfies and satisfying other criteria at a variety of locations. Groups were instructed not to disrupt classes as they worked through their assignments, designed to let first-year students get to know one another; to introduce them to supportive upperclass colleagues; and to acquaint them with some of the people and resources that can help them along their road to success: administration and faculty, Construction Management Association officers, LEAP advisers, Tutoring Services and the Center for Career Design, among them.
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For two years, Lauryn A. Stauffer has seen only male faces in her electronics classes at Pennsylvania College of Technology. This fall, she’ll at least see multiple women leaders within the School of Engineering Technologies.

The school devoted to careers rooted in science, technology, engineering and math boasts three female assistant deans.

Kathleen D. Chesmel and Ellyn A. Lester were hired in late spring to head the Materials Science and Engineering Technologies Division and the Construction and Architectural Technologies Division, respectively. They join longtime college employee Stacey C. Hampton, who is assistant dean of industrial and computer technologies.

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A full-service commercial construction company, founded in 1911 and based in Lancaster County, has endowed a scholarship to assist Pennsylvania College of Technology students in a variety of related majors.

The Warfel Construction Endowed Scholarship is focused on students pursuing degrees in building construction technology, concrete science technology, construction management and heavy construction equipment technology: operator emphasis.

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Pennsylvania College of Technology construction management students placed first in both categories they entered at the 31st annual Associated Schools of Construction Region 1 Student Competition on Nov. 13-14.

Each team was competing against seven other college and university construction management programs from the Northeast. Ordinarily held in Albany, New York, this year’s event was entirely virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The challenge necessitated the use of various technologies and systems, including Microsoft Teams and Zoom.

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Construction management student Mason E. Blethen and human services and restorative justice student Kristien T. Quintanilla are two of at least three Pennsylvania College of Technology students called to provide emergency support through the Pennsylvania National Guard during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Quintanilla, of Jersey Shore, a combat medic in the Guard, was one of 18 members of the Pennsylvania National Guard who reported to the Broomall Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Delaware County to assist with staffing shortages. The group, a mix of military nurses and medics, provided routine care to non-acute patients beginning April 18.

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From the boardroom to the job site, construction managers call the shots. They take the lead to ensure building projects are completed on time and within budget. Take a look at Penn College’s bachelor of science degree in construction management, meet a few soon-to-be construction managers and see how they’re preparing to rise to the top of this dynamic and exciting career field. “Ultimately, what I would love to do is just to go back to the community I’m from with the education I’ve gotten here,” says Zachary N. Wilkinson, of North Wales, one of the students included in a college YouTube video. “And then, maybe, change the skyline of Philadelphia.”