- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Civil and Construction Engineering students set professional certification exam records

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 13:28:37 +0000

Civil and Construction Engineering students at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock have much to celebrate as they set a new record for their performance on professional certification exams. The Associate Constructor exam is an eight-hour test from the American Institute of Constructors, while the Fundamentals of Engineering exam is a six-hour exam administered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying. The 12 ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students who took the exam had a 100 percent pass rate for the Associate Constructor exam and a 92 percent pass rate for the Fundamentals of Engineering exam. This year’s graduates are the closest a class has come to having a 100 percent pass rate on the Fundamentals of Engineering exam at the time of graduation. It’s a goal Dr. Nick Jovanovic, coordinator of the architectural, civil, and construction engineering programs, hopes next year’s students complete. “Passing the exams validates the quality of the CVCE (Civil and Construction Engineering) program,” Jovanovic said. “It demonstrates that our graduates satisfy, not only our own local standards, but also national standards.” Passing the exams allows graduates to immediately apply for the Engineering Intern Licensure with the state of Arkansas and the Associate Constructor certification from the American Institute of Constructors. Completing the exams is the first step in becoming certified professional constructors and licensed professional engineers. This year’s ��Vlog��ý Little Rock success rates far exceed the national pass rates for civil engineering students who take the exam. The 2016 national pass rate was for the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, according to the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying. Meanwhile, the spring 2017 national pass rate for the Associated Constructor exam was 70 percent. The 2017 Civil and Construction Engineering graduates include Abdulaziz Alanazi, Daniel Blair, Julian Castillo, Jeff Choate, Fidele Kabera, Matt Mitchell, Ross Phillips, Drew Potter, Norbert Rungano, Dylan Singleton, and David Stinnett.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock student takes first place in engineering competition

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 13:29:39 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock student won first place for the best professional paper and oral presentation at the American Society of Civil Engineers Deep South Student Conference. Heather Hightower, a construction management graduate student from Benton and the president of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers, also received a $200 cash prize for her 2,000-word paper and presentation on the topic: “Is it ethical for university engineering faculty to teach technical subject matter to engineering students without obtaining professional licensure?” Louisiana Tech and Mississippi State universities took second and third place in the professional paper and oral presentation competition. Students from the university’s chapter of the , coached by Faculty Adviser Nick Jovanovic, battled against 14 college teams from Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana in the society’s competition on March 31 and April 1 in Memphis. More than 20 ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students competed in six events: concrete canoe, steel bridge, surveying, environmental, ethics paper, and a mystery event. “The student chapter sent 22 students to the conference, which is a new attendance record for the chapter,” Jovanovic said. “The student chapter also made history by taking a concrete canoe for the first time. This was also the first year that the student chapter was able to participate in all six events at the Deep South Conference. Thus, given that ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is the newest ASCE student chapter in the conference, this is a fantastic result.” In the concrete canoe competition, students tested their engineering skills by creating a canoe out of concrete materials that floats in water. In Memphis, the students took their canoes to the water to take part in a racing competition.

Heather Hightower

Concrete canoe team members include Team Captain Blake Johnston, Assistant Captain Sam Kincannon, Manville Allen, Amanda Hall, Harrison Hayworth, Hunter Hobby, Palmer Lane, Magen Schlesier, Logan Snapp, and Jorge Vasquez. Steel Bridge Team members include Team Captain Casey Baker, Assistant Captain Jonathan Henderson, Nicole Compton, David Greenwood, Dee Osieczko, and Jonny Picking. Surveying Team members included Team Captain William Beggs, Natasha Carlson, and Jose Garcia. Kassandra Castrillo competed in the environmental competition while Vianca Martin was the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock competition coordinator during the 2016-17 academic year. Sponsors that provided financial and material support for the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock American Society of Civil Engineers include: ABC Block, AFCO Steel, American Institute of Steel Constructors, Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub, Arkansas Chapter of American Concrete Institute, Arkansas Section of American Society of Civil Engineers, BASF, Bentley Software, C&F Steel Erectors, George W. Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering, and Ryerson Steel. In the upper right photo, University of Arkansas at Little Rock students display a concrete canoe built for the American Society of Civil Engineers Deep South Student Conference. Team members (L-R) include Logan Snapp, Manville Allen, Harrison Hayworth, and Hunter Hobby. Photo by Joe Kline Jr./��Vlog��ý Little Rock Communications.

EIT employees take pie in the face for a good cause

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 17:32:00 +0000

Three University of Arkansas at Little Rock employees from the George W. Donaghey College of Engineering and Technology graciously took pies in the face to raise money for the university’s chapter of the Society of Women Engineers. Three eager students got to shove a pie in the faces of Dean Lawrence Whitman, Dr. Steven Minsker, professor of computer science, and Amy Frets, EIT director of student services and retention, during Pi Day activities. Pi Day is an annual celebration of the mathematical constant pi, which is celebrated on March 14 (3/14). The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Society of Women Engineers raised money by holding a bake sale, selling T-shirts, and holding an online auction of 20 pies donated by students and faculty. For every $1 spent, a person was able to cast a vote for one of seven EIT employees who volunteered to get a pie in the face. The other volunteers included Assistant Dean Vernard Henley; Ashley Henry-Saorrono, EIT senior recruitment and outreach coordinator; Dr. Mike Tramel, chair of the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering; and Treasure Williamson, EIT recruitment and outreach coordinator. Some volunteers worked hard to keep themselves from getting chosen. Tramel bought $50 worth of T-shirts and promptly placed his 50 votes for Dean Whitman. In the end, fundraiser organizers decided to use the top three people who received the most votes, leaving Whitman, Minsker, and Frets as the lucky winners. Olivia Pate, a sophomore majoring in geology and mathematics, said it was “very satisfying” to hit Minsker in the face with a pie, while Minsker said he would be happy to take a pie in the face every day for a good cause. “Who wouldn’t want to help out our future engineers?” Minsker said. “My only objection is that I am so good looking, and the crème covers up my good looks.” For more information about the Society of Women Engineers, contact Frets at amfrets@ualr.edu or Henry-Saorrono at alhenry@ualr.edu. In the upper right photo, Amy Frets, EIT director of student services and retention, and Dr. Steven Minsker, professor of computer science, stand next to the students who shoved pies in their faces to raise money for the Society of Women Engineers on Pi Day.

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

Civil and Construction Engineering students set professional certification exam records

����Vlog��ý Little Rock student takes first place in engineering competition

EIT employees take pie in the face for a good cause

- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

��Vlog��ý Little Rock student takes first place in engineering competition