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

Hispanic Heritage Month Student Spotlight: Brayan Arias

John Hill — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 13:01:39 +0000

To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is profiling students who received a League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) scholarship. Meet Brayan Arias, a first-generation student majoring in construction management. Why have you decided to go into construction? I aspire to create a family business focused on residential housing. I’d like to eventually upscale it to provide jobs for minorities who are also wanting to go into construction. What made you choose ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is close to home, and they provide some of the best internship opportunities in the state. What organizations and clubs are you involved in on campus? I am part of LULAC and am hoping to join the robotics team soon as well. Why do you think it’s important to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month? It’s important to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, because it pays homage to where many Spanish speakers come from. As the saying goes, “It’s important not to forget where you came from.” How did you first hear about LULAC, and which scholarship were you awarded? I heard about it from a family member who was also a part of LULAC. I am inspired by their goals of providing funding for many students wanting to get a higher education. I was awarded the International Scholarship Fund. I believe my dedication to school and determination to succeed played a part. I am wanting to provide for not only myself, but for my family and community as well. How did your family react to the news that you were selected? They were very happy and proud that I have managed to receive a scholarship, especially since I am a first-generation student.

Women in Construction Week: Megan Rollins

John Hill — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 14:37:38 +0000

Megan Rollins, a senior construction management major at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, has had her eye on a career in construction ever since she was a child. “My dad raised me doing construction,” Rollins said. “At 12, I was flipping houses with him. My mom travels constantly for work, so I have those two things instilled in me. This degree allows me to combine my love of construction with the ability to travel.” While at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Rollins has worked as a project manager intern at VCC Construction and a project engineer intern at CDI Contractors and been a part of the Society for Women Engineers. An avid traveler, she is also a runway model. Rollins will graduate in May with an Associate of Science in Construction Science and Bachelor of Science in Construction Management. She already has a job lined up at Whiting-Turner in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that she will start in June following a month-long road trip to celebrate her graduation. “I am going full time for a commercial construction company,” Rollins said. “I’ll be helping build malls, retirement centers, and hospitals, huge projects all around the country. I found the Whiting-Turner during a job fair on campus. One of my professors, Chris Ray, introduced me to the company.” Rollins said she owes much of her success to her two roommates, Andrea Vargas and Taylor Carter. The engineering majors have kept Rollins on track through all four years of college. She’s also thankful to her high school teacher, Sharon Stuthard, who served as a mentor while Rollins attended Sylvan Hills High School in Sherwood. “She taught my engineering classes for three years,” Rollins said. “She was my ultimate best friend in high school. She definitely helped me get interested in construction management and engineering and helped me decide what college to go to. She has helped me grow into the woman I am today.” Her advice for other female college students in construction-related fields is to be confident in your abilities and to network. “I would tell other students to network with their male peers,” Rollins said. “You need other people on your team that are around your age to make it through college and to the professional world. You have to be confident in your abilities as a woman and fight off the imposter syndrome. When I was younger, I felt like I had this imposter syndrome where I didn’t feel like I was good enough because I was a woman, and I always had to prove myself.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Holds Dedication Ceremony for New Clark Project Management Lab

John Hill — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 20:41:44 +0000

��Vlog��ý Little Rock will hold a dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly renovated Clark Project Management Lab in the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 10, in the Engineering, Technology, and Applied Science Building, Room 354. With generous support from Clark Contractors, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock now has a state-of-the-art project management lab that provides students the opportunity to gain access to a facility that reflects current industry technology. The lab will help educate students in project management, estimating, scheduling, and project administration. The speakers will include ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Chancellor Christina Drale; William Clark, CEO of Clark Contractors; Dr. Hollis “Hank” Bray, chair of the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering; Christian O’Neal, vice chancellor for university advancement; and Dr. Lawrence Whitman, dean of the Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. chief executive officer of Clark Contractors.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Creates Associate of Construction Science Degree Partnership with Vilonia High School

John Hill — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 13:09:13 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has partnered with the , the first-of-its-kind charter school in Arkansas, to create a concurrent program in which students can gain an associate degree in construction science while in high school. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has established a memorandum of understanding with Vilonia Pathways Academy, which offers high-quality learning through differentiated pathways that promote academic success, and has been integral to the creation of this innovative approach by working alongside the academy’s administrators to create a concurrent program. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock Construction Management is pleased to support the Vilonia Charter’s unique program,” said Dr. Hollis “Hank” Bray, chair of the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Managemen t at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “Pending approvals by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Higher Learning Commission, students will be able to complete an associate degree in construction science and two certificate programs before graduation from high school.” The Vilonia Pathways Academy provides opportunities of educational excellence to students who desire a nontraditional learning environment. This perspective is a clear fit with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s own mission to provide an accessible, quality education through flexible, supported learning. This partnership is a model of public high school and higher education collaborating to ensure students are prepared to meet the needs of today’s workforce. “What we are celebrating today is the result of true collaboration among industry, school district, and higher education,” said Dr. Cathy Riggins, assistant superintendent of Vilonia Public Schools. “It is imperative that education provides the skills needed in today’s workforce. This initiative allows innovative opportunities to provide various pathways of study for students to successfully enter into the commercial construction industry.” Riggins is also the lead architect and project manager of the charter school. Students will undergo concurrent coursework while attending the charter school in order to achieve an associate degree of construction science from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.

Dr. Hank Bray speaks with visitors at Vilonia Pathways Academy Conversion Charter.

“Vilonia School District is excited to partner with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to ensure that students are provided a progressive pathway that connects high school curriculum to post-secondary education,” Riggins added. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock-Vilonia High School Associate of Construction Science Partnership will begin in the fall semester of 2021. This degree, along with experience, is a pathway to entry level construction management jobs with general contractors and subcontractors in building construction and heavy highway construction. Learn more about the Vilonia Pathways Academy Conversion Charter by visiting . Apply to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock at . In the upper right photo, Dr. Cathy Riggins, left, and Dr. Hank Bray, right, discuss a new Associate of Construction Science Degree Partnership between ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and Vilonia Pathways Academy Conversion Charter.

Graduate Spotlight on Daysia Klossner

John Hill — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 18:22:57 +0000

Daysia Klossner is a first-generation student who will graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in construction management this month from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She is currently a project estimator at Baldwin & Shell construction company. Tell us a little bit about yourself. I’m from North Little Rock, Arkansas, and attended North Little Rock High School, home of the Charging Wildcats! This year, our football team placed second in our division, and we won the state championship in 2017. Rooting for our football team was one of my favorite memories about high school. During high school, I took Mandarin Chinese. This was a great experience because most high schools only offer Spanish. The hardest thing about learning Mandarin Chinese is confusing the meaning of some words because they sound alike. For example, “mom” sounds a lot like “horse.” You could accidentally offend someone. How did you develop an interest in construction management? I worked at Home Depot for almost four years where I sold lots of different types of materials and equipment. I always wondered what some of the customers did for work and what they were creating with these materials. Later, I found out that ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has a great construction management program. One of my earlier mentors, Dr. Lashun Thomas, taught me that you can rock the construction world and still be feminine. You’re currently a project estimator at Baldwin & Shell. What does an estimator do? An estimator meets with owners and provides cost estimates and timelines. They also give owners advice about things that might affect their initial vision of the project. Every project is completely different. My latest project is a fire station in Malvern, Arkansas. Now, when I pass a fire station, I’ll have a good idea of what’s inside. How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the construction industry? Due to COVID, everyone is required to wear masks and have their temperature taken wherever you go. I’ve also noticed the home improvement industry is drastically growing since we all are spending a lot more time at home. In commercial construction, K-12 campuses are expanding so they can have more space to keep students six feet apart and safe. What were some of your favorite courses at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? I loved the building information modeling course because it gave me the experience to work with architecture-based 3D computer modeling. For my project, I designed a “pink palace,” a four-story hotel with a second floor state-of-the-art gym with a view of the city, decorated with cherry blossom trees on the exterior. The best part was being able to walk through my model using a virtual headset provided by Dr. Manry. The best thing about studying construction management is the overlap with other disciplines. For example, I took classes about human resources, business management, and accounting. These courses have been extremely helpful with my career and my networking abilities. What organizations do you belong to? Last year, I was the vice president of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Honor Society, National Society of Black Engineers, and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and secretary of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock American Institute of Steel Construction. Currently, I serve as president of the National Society of Black Engineers, where I aid members in finding scholarships and job opportunities. Who were some of your mentors? Mike Tramel, former chair of the construction management department, is absolutely amazing. He’s well-known in Little Rock, which really helps create opportunities for his students. What is your favorite memory of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock? Last academic year, when I was an ambassador for the College of Engineering and Information Technology, I really enjoyed helping new students move into dorms and teamwork and organization on a large scale. Why should prospective students get into construction management? Construction management creates a huge impact on the community and the people in it. For instance, Baldwin & Shell built the new North Little Rock High School, buildings on the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock campus, and medical facilities. This makes me feel like I’m part of something bigger than myself. What is your advice for new students? My advice to other students and new professionals would be: don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you don’t ask questions, you won’t learn. Lastly, there’s a place for everyone in construction, especially if you are a team player. The commencement story was compiled by Toni Boyer Stewart.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock dedicates building modeling lab in honor of AGC Arkansas

John Hill — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 18:03:45 +0000

has donated $30,000 to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to establish a fund to support the Building Information Modeling (BIM) Lab for construction management and engineering students. “In the 21st century design workplace, contractors, architects, and engineers increasingly use building information modeling to collaborate over distances using virtual collaboration technology,” said Chancellor Christina Drale. “With generous support from the Associated General Contractors of Arkansas, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock now has a state-of-the-art BIM laboratory that will let students experience a global working environment on campus and gain access to a facility that reflects current industry technology.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock celebrated the donation by renaming the lab the AGC of Arkansas BIM Lab during a dedication ceremony on Feb. 20. The lab, located in the Engineering Applied Technology Applied Sciences (ETAS) building, will help students prepare for careers in the high-tech construction industry. “AGC has a longtime history with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in many different facets,” said Roger Marlin, immediate past president of AGC Arkansas and CEO of Hydco, Inc. “Last year, going into my presidency, I wanted to make sure we did something that was monumental in the BIM Lab. I really thought this was an area where we could help the university. We’re doing a variety of things to entice people to our industry and to educate them on the job opportunities available in construction. Working with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and supporting the BIM Lab was a great way to support that effort.” The BIM Lab is located in the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering in the Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology. The fund will be used to provide new technology and equipment for the lab. “Building Information Management Lab is cutting edge, virtual modeling of buildings and building components,” said Dr. Hollis “Hank” Bray, chair of the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering. “The BIM Lab will assure the construction management students are exposed to state-of-the-art methods for project coordination using visualization tools to solve coordination problems so that projects are finished on time and on budget.” Renovating the BIM Lab has become a community project for the construction industry in central Arkansas. Several businesses and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock alumni have donated materials to renovate the lab. The donors include CertaPro Painters of Central Arkansas, Moix Carpets, and Platinum Drywall. “I have been around the program for many years and have seen the benefits it offers to students entering into the construction field,” said Blake Finnell of CertaPro Painters. “I have been involved with ASA Crawfish Boil for about 10 years now, and we have been providing a scholarship to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Construction Management program for years. So the program in general was always top of mind. I am now working in the construction business and see the direct benefits of the students coming out of that program into the workforce.” Marlin believes that investing in the education of construction management and engineering students at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is a great decision. The construction industry in central Arkansas is growing, and AGC Arkansas is committed to attracting quality students to the workforce. “it’s a great time for students to join the construction industry,” Marlin said. “The job market is going to stay strong for the foreseeable future. It’s a great profession to enter. I think you’ll find that most companies that do what we do are looking to hire good people today. There’s no shortage of job openings, and there’s a lot of opportunities for men and women to get into this field.” Justin Mitchell, a junior majoring in the civil and construction engineering program, said the skills he is learning in the BIM lab are giving him a head start for his future career. “The BIM Lab gives us a place to put what we learn in the classroom to work in real life,” Mitchell said. “I work at Terracon Consulting, and we are using the same software that is in the BIM Lab. This is exactly what the industry uses, so they are showing you what you will be using in the real world. It gives you a head start before you even go out and get a job.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock students win first place in sustainability competition

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 13:30:15 +0000

A team of University of Arkansas at Little Rock students brought home first place in the Sustainability Competition at the American Society of Civil Engineers Deep South Student Conference for their design and build of a sustainable doghouse. The winning team consisted of Kassandra Castrillo, an environmental engineering major, Parker Little, architectural and construction engineering major, and civil and construction engineering students William Littlejohn, Isaac Martinez, and Garrett Wallace. “The design team from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock chose bamboo as the primary material for the doghouse because it is fast-growing, strong, lightweight, resistant to bacteria, and water-repellent,” said Dr. Nick Jovanovic, faculty advisor to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s team. “They also designed and built prefabricated panels that fit together with built-in pegs and slots to minimize the number of bolted connections and reduce construction time without sacrificing structural strength and stability.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s team constructed the doghouse in 1 minute and 48 seconds using three builders. The closest competitor was the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, who built their doghouse in just under four minutes. The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock student chapter will represent the Deep South Conference at the ASCE national sustainability event in Melbourne, Florida, in June. Afterwards, the doghouse will be donated to a local animal shelter.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock students won first place in the Sustainability Competition for their build of this sustainable dog house.

“The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock sustainability team won five categories out of seven: aesthetics, construction time, construction cost, technical paper, and overall,” Jovanovic said. “The competition at nationals will be tougher, because only the 18 regional winners will be competing. Before then, the team will try to further reduce weight, construction time, and construction cost, to avoid penalties, and to improve their oral presentation and video for the national competition.” In other competitions, John Schwarz, a civil and construction engineering major, was awarded second place in Daniel Mead Ethics Competition. Another ��Vlog��ý Little Rock team placed fourth in the Surveying Competition. The team included Schwarz, Martinez, civil and construction engineering students Hunter Hobby, Logan Snapp, Jesus Martinez, as well as Jose Garcia, a construction management major. The American Society of Civil Engineers sponsors 18 regional conferences across North America. The Deep South Student Conference includes 14 civil engineering programs in Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock student chapter will represent the Deep South Conference at the ASCE national sustainability event in Melbourne, Florida, in June.

Groundbreaking sculpture finds new home at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 20 Jun 2018 13:42:20 +0000

In 2000, Jack Kinnaman, founder of Kinko Constructors Inc., became enamored with a sculpture Kevin Kresse, a family friend, created for his daughter. The sculpture was so beautiful that Kinnaman asked Kresse to create a life-size sculpture for his home. “Kevin created this sculpture of an old woman who is turned and looking back at a young girl, her granddaughter, who is waving back,” Kinnaman said. “I was incredibly moved by it. It captured the emotion of the moment so well. I told Kevin I would like to commission him to do a sculpture in honor of my dad, a very talented guy who worked in construction all his life.” After discussing various ideas, Kresse, a 1984 graduate of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, designed a sculpture of a muscular railroad worker driving a stake into the ground with a sledgehammer. The sculpture, aptly named “The Ground Breaker,” stood proudly in the Kinnamans’ home overlooking the river in the Vantage Point neighborhood until 2016. When Kinnaman moved to a smaller home that could not house his beloved sculpture, he donated the sculpture to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.

Jack Kinnaman

“I want somebody to be seeing this beautiful sculpture 40 or 50 years from now,” Kinnaman said. The sculpture has recently found a new home in front of the Engineering Technology and Applied Science (ETAS) building, which also houses the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering. This is a fitting home for the new sculpture since Kinnaman was instrumental in the department’s creation. In the 1990s, Kinnaman was among a group of leaders in the Arkansas construction industry who urged the university to begin a postsecondary education program in construction management. ”I was invited to join the Dean’s Advisory Council at Fayetteville for the express purpose of starting a construction school, but I thought that the school should be in Little Rock since six of the top seven construction firms were in Little Rock and Conway at the time,” he said. “It’s become one of the very best construction engineering and construction management programs in the United States.” Kinnaman has been a long-time supporter and advocate for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. He is a 2004 inductee of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Athletics Hall of Fame and a 2013 recipient of an honorary doctor of construction education degree. His contributions to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Athletics include the construction of the Trojans’ indoor practice facility and Wheeler Complex, the building of the Trojans’ first indoor hitting facility, and a new state-of-the-art indoor practice facility and press box at Gary Hogan Field. He also provided renovations to the men’s and women’s basketball offices, volleyball offices, and men’s and women’s basketball locker rooms in the mid-1990s at no cost to the university. In support of the construction management program, he has funded the Jack Kinnaman Constructor Endowed Scholarship and the Phyllis Kinnaman Memorial Scholarship in memory of his first wife. After allowing three days for the concrete pad and new sidewalk East Harding Construction poured to settle, Kresse, Michael Warrick, professor of art, and Patrick Fleming assembled the more than 600-pound sculpture on June 4. They also painted a fresh coat of protective paste wax on the surface to protect the sculpture. Kresse said it was a very poignant experience to place “The Ground Breaker,” which was his first life-size bronze sculpture, at his alma mater. “I think it’s wonderful that my sculpture is at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” Kresse said. “My very last class before I graduated ��Vlog��ý Little Rock was a sculpture class with Michael Warrick, and I really enjoyed it and ended up learning how to cast bronze. This is where I learned how to make a mold, cast bronze, the whole process. It’s all very fitting that my very first bronze sculpture is now at the school where I learned to make bronze sculptures.”

Michael Warrick (left), Kevin Kresse (middle), and Patrick Fleming (right) stand next to Kresse’s sculpture, “The Ground Breaker,” which was recently installed at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock after being donated by Jack Kinnaman. Photo by Ben Krain/��Vlog��ý Little Rock Communications.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock students take third place in heavy civil engineering competition

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 13:21:04 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock construction engineering team took third place at the TEXO/Associated Schools of Construction Region 5 competition on Feb. 19 in Dallas. The team, led by Larry Blackmon, faculty coach, represented the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students Casey Baker of Benton, John Coleman of Malvern, David Greenwood of Benton, Jonathan Henderson of China, Texas, Johnny Picking of Hot Springs, and Julie Sanders of Saltillo represented ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in the Heavy Civil category. The construction problem involved delivering a budget, schedule, and proposal for a rehabilitation and upgrade for the Dallas County Park Municipal Water Treatment Plant. Archer Western, the sponsoring company, originally bid the project for $33.7 million in 2010. Archer Western played the role of the customer while teams from Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas took the role of construction manager at risk. The competition took place over three days. Teams from each school received documents in advance from Archer Western on Saturday, Feb. 17, and had only 16 hours to complete them and finalize their bidding estimate, worth 70 percent of their overall score. On Sunday, Feb. 18, the team traveled to Dallas to prepare their presentations, worth 30 percent of the final score, which they delivered on Monday, Feb. 19. The team earned third place with a bid of $33.1 million. In the upper right photo, the team (L to R) includes John Coleman, Jonathan Henderson, Julie Sanders, Casey Baker, Jonathan Picking, and David Greenwood.

Tramel to receive Champion of Construction Award

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 15:41:41 +0000

Michael Tramel, chair of the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, has been named the 2018 recipient of the Champion of Construction Award. Associated General Contractors of Arkansas, the American Council of Engineering Companies in Arkansas, the American Institute of Architects, and the American Society of Plumbing Engineers announced the award as part of the 2018 Arkansas Construction Hall of Fame on April 19 at Chenal Country Club. This award is given to an individual, public official, member of any allied profession, company or not-for-profit group who exhibits vision, passion, and interest in advancing opportunities for Arkansans through the development of infrastructure. This individual or entity is not affiliated with an architecture, construction or engineering firm but is worthy of recognition due to their commitment to and investment in improving the lives of their fellow citizens. Tramel is happy to be honored along with Bill Hannah, a long-time volunteer and past president of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Industrial Management Advisory Board, and Lance Wright, an alumnus of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock who is one of Tramel’s former students. Wright of Nabholz Construction Services will receive the Emerging Professional Award while Hannah, also of Nabholz Construction Services, is one of four individuals being inducted into the Construction Hall of Fame. “I was really surprised to receive this award,” Tramel said. “I am deeply honored to be included with people of that caliber for the state of Arkansas. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s program has always received a lot of contributions from the industry. We are supporting the construction industry in Arkansas.” Tramel, who began picking up trash at construction sites at the age of 8, fondly remembers the travel, high pay, friendships, and his “construction family.” “Those days are over, and today you must have a degree in construction management or construction engineering to be employed in the industry,” he said. Tramel recognized the need for a college degree program in construction management in the early 1990s, but knew he would be facing an uphill battle since new workers traditionally learned the construction industry from family members and on the job, not in the classroom. Arkansas contractors headed by George Rozzell Jr., Bob Nabholz, Gus Vratsinas, Jim May, Bob Shell, and Jack Kinnaman urged the university to begin a new program in construction management in the early 1990s. Former Chancellor Jim Young initiated an in-depth study on the issue. The program began in fall 1997, the same year Tramel arrived at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. At the time, the program had about 40 students and just two other faculty members. The Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering was formed in 2003. Today, the department has grown to about 250 students with 10 full-time and four part-time faculty members. In 2017, the Community for Accredited Online Schools recognized ��Vlog��ý Little Rock on its list of 50 four-year U.S. colleges and universities that offer the for the 2016-17 school year. At ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, students can pursue associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees in construction management as well as an 18-credit-hour minor available to all students. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is home to the only undergraduate construction management program at a public university in Arkansas and the only graduate-level construction management program in Arkansas. The department also recently introduced a new bachelor’s degree in professional studies, which is designed to help members of the military and those working full time in the construction industry to earn a bachelor’s degree. In addition to completing a rigorous 125-hour curriculum, students in the civil and construction engineering program must also obtain at least 800 hours of engineering or construction-related work experience and pass two national exams. Tramel’s commitment to teaching has certainly inspired the next generation of construction leaders in Arkansas. A former student, Michael Hansberry, now a project manager at Baldwin and Shell Construction Co., was one of the people who nominated Tramel for the award. “Mr. Tramel has made a tremendous impact to our local industry in particular,” Hansberry said. “There’s a large population in the workforce in central Arkansas and other places that have gone through and graduated from the construction management program at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. He’s played a key role in many by teaching and advising us. “He’s the person that introduced me to Arkansas General Contractors through the student chapter when I attended the construction management program. I am still involved with AGC today. I’m currently a board member on the Executive Committee and past chair of the Future Leaders Division. This started with Mr. Tramel’s encouragement to join the student chapter.” Tramel will receive the award during the 2018 Arkansas Construction Hall of Fame awards ceremony on April 19 at Chenal Country Club in Little Rock. Tickets for the event are $125 per person or $950 for a table of eight and can be purchased by contacting AGC Arkansas at dhall@agcar.net or 501-375-4436.

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

Hispanic Heritage Month Student Spotlight: Brayan Arias

Women in Construction Week: Megan Rollins

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Holds Dedication Ceremony for New Clark Project Management Lab

����Vlog��ý Little Rock Creates Associate of Construction Science Degree Partnership with Vilonia High School

Graduate Spotlight on Daysia Klossner

����Vlog��ý Little Rock dedicates building modeling lab in honor of AGC Arkansas

����Vlog��ý Little Rock students win first place in sustainability competition

Groundbreaking sculpture finds new home at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

����Vlog��ý Little Rock students take third place in heavy civil engineering competition