Members of the Construction Management Club at South Dakota State University won several awards at the Minnesota Construction Association Leadership Training Academy, according to a May 4 announcement.
The results highlight achievements by SDSU students in competitions designed to test professional skills such as job interviewing, public speaking, and project proposal development. These contests offer students opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge and gain feedback from industry professionals.
Nick Jensen, a senior from Sioux Falls, won the job interview contest. Ryan Hanson, a senior from Hastings, Minnesota, took first place in table topics while Haley Srock finished second in that category. In the job interview competition, participants interviewed for an entry-level position with Kraus Anderson Construction. The table topics contest required students to speak on an assigned topic without preparation and receive immediate feedback on their performance.
In “The Pursuit” competition, capstone teams submitted proposals for constructing a medical clinic building in Minneapolis and presented them during the event. SDSU’s team finished second overall and secured first place for their presentation. A judge from Ryan Companies said, “I also want to note that we were very impressed with the materials and presentation SDSU prepared for this year’s competition. The team was professional and it was clear they took the time to understand the project in depth. They also did a great job answering our questions.”
Jensen said, “This experience was a great way to showcase the talent that SDSU’s construction management program brings to the table. Working as a team to create a project proposal is a great way to practice these real-world scenarios. This was a great opportunity to network with students from other schools, and industry professionals so that we can stay up to date with current construction topics and best practices.” Abby Sorensen added, “It was inspiring to see construction management students step into leadership conversations, support one another and take pride in representing SDSU. I was proud to see our capstone team’s preparation and dedication come together during The Pursuit and equally proud of the club members who took advantage of the leadership training opportunity.”
In addition to individual contests, SDSU placed second in quiz bowl—a competition covering topics like estimating and electrical systems—and had 15 participants at the event out of seven colleges represented.
The College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences at South Dakota State University works toward strengthening communities through sustainable changes in agriculture and natural resources according to its official website. The college supports teaching, research and outreach activities through facilities connected with SDSU Extension as well as South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station according to its official website. It recently earned recognition as Promoter of the Year by North American Limousin Foundation according to its official website.
The college operates within South Dakota State University alongside entities like South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station according to its official website. It is reported as being both largest by faculty/staff/space dedicated for teaching/research/outreach activities while ranking second for student enrollment according to its official website. Its mission includes addressing challenges through research while fostering learning environments supporting sustainable progress across agriculture/natural resources/youth/families/communities according to its official website.
