The generous $100,000 donation from the has funded the renovation and five-year sponsorship of a senior project suite, providing students with a state-of-the-art space to collaborate and bring their capstone projects to life.

鈥淏aldwin & Shell currently employs more than 30 graduates of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. Not a day goes by that I don鈥檛 think about what it takes to have a pipeline of employees,鈥� said Bobby Gosser, president and CEO of Baldwin & Shell. 鈥淲hat could be better than to have a university in your backyard that is preparing students for the future. I鈥檓 glad to be a part of it. I think it鈥檚 interesting that our tagline at Baldwin & Shell is building relationships. We build buildings, but it takes a lot of relationships to be able to get where we are today. It鈥檚 that relationship with 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock that helps prepare us and provides a pipeline of staff that you see today.鈥�

This generous contribution has provided students with an enhanced learning environment, fostering innovation and hands-on experience in their final-year projects. Baldwin & Shell provided the expertise of their company as well as many trade partners to ensure that the senior project suite would become a reality.

The trade partners who assisted in the renovation include Mid-State Interiors, Wood Painting, JGP, Inc., J+J Flooring, Glass Erectors, Arkansas Airflow, Powell Creative Woods, Harrell Mechanical Contractors, Staley Electric, Lighting and Power Solutions, and Archway Graphic Design.

The Baldwin & Shell Senior Project Suite is a space that is dedicated for seniors from the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering to work on their senior capstone projects, a requirement of graduation. The room contains a large open, comfortable working environment for students that is always accessible as well as two conference rooms for teleconferencing and an office for a lab technician. 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock faculty and students selected the room鈥檚 design from three student submissions.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a unique space that is available 24/7 for our seniors to concentrate on their capstone projects,鈥� Department Chair Hank Bray said. 鈥淭o me, this room is very special, and you can tell that Baldwin & Shell put a lot of thought and care into it. You would have thought that the Baldwin & Shell employees were building their own home here.鈥�

The hallway leading up to the senior project suite is filled with pictures displaying Baldwin & Shell鈥檚 long history of building in Arkansas. The company鈥檚 history with 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock dates back to the university鈥檚 early days when it was still known as Little Rock University. Since 1997, Baldwin & Shell has been involved with 64 projects on campus ranging from $1,100 to $19 million.

These projects have included the Reynolds Center for Business and Economic Development, the Trojan Grill, Starbucks, and West Hall. In 1986, Jim Minor, vice president and COO of Baldwin & Shell, was working as a laborer when the company built the Engineering Technology and Applied Sciences Building, which holds the senior project suite.

鈥淏aldwin & Shell has been a trusted partner of our university for many years, contributing not only to the development of our campus but also to the growth and success of our students,鈥� 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Provost Ann Bain said. 鈥淭heir commitment to education is evident in every project they undertake, and this suite is a shining example of that dedication. This suite will be instrumental in shaping the future of our students, providing them with the tools and environment they need to succeed.鈥�

This space represents the culmination of a longstanding partnership between 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and Baldwin & Shell, and it will serve as a vital resource for construction management students.

鈥淚鈥檇 like to express our deep gratitude to Baldwin & Shell for this generous gift, which contributes to our ongoing Centennial Campaign,鈥� said Dr. Jeff Connelly, interim dean of the Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. 鈥淭his campaign is an ambitious effort as we look toward 2027, a landmark year that will mark the 100th anniversary of our institution. Our goal is to raise a quarter of a billion dollars by that time, and with the support of dedicated companies like Baldwin & Shell, we are confident that we will achieve it.鈥�

Find out more information about the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Centennial Campaign by visiting .

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鈥淭his was a huge learning experience as I had never built anything this big before,鈥� said Arcega, a senior applied design major with an emphasis in woodworking. 鈥淚 got firsthand experience on the business side of being a custom furniture builder and learned important new skills along the way.鈥�

Dr. Hank Bray, chair of the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering, was on the lookout for an artist to build some custom tables for a student lounge and computer lab that was being renovated in the Engineering and Applied Technology Sciences building.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 think of a better place to look than our own School of Art and Design,鈥� Bray said. 鈥淲e have some very talented students there. I thought it would be wonderful if one of our own students created furniture that will be used and enjoyed by their fellow students.鈥�

The School of Art and Design recommended Arcega, and the rest is history. In January 2023, she began work on two custom tables that are approximately eight feet long and 43 inches wide and weigh about 400 pounds each. The tables can seat at least 12 people and are custom made from oak trees from the university campus, which Arcega milled herself.

鈥淚 wanted to preserve the natural beauty of the trees, emphasizing the natural knotting and edges,鈥� Arcega said. 鈥淚 wanted to preserve the trees as much as possible because these trees are a part of campus and a part of this land. I preserved the live edges of the trees, and the tables are set on structural steel frames that I fabricated myself. I had never welded before, so this is another new skill I picked up during the project.鈥�

The tables are housed in a student lounge and computer lab, whose renovation is being sponsored by the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Arkansas. The lab is a place where students can study, hang out between classes, collaborate with fellow students, and hold student organization meetings.

鈥淭his is a special place for students,鈥� Bray said. 鈥淭he tables create a homey atmosphere for students, and they have the perfect height to encourage student collaboration. The tables are real pieces of functional art that will be appreciated and used for years and years to come. These tables are built to last forever.鈥�

Arcega estimates that she spent around 250 hours building the tables, and she is very grateful for the new skills she learned that will be helpful to her career as an artist 鈥� how to submit a bid for a professional job, milling lumber, and welding.

鈥淚 am very proud of the work I鈥檝e done and the growth I鈥檝e gotten from doing this project,鈥� Arcega said. 鈥淚 had doubts because I had never done anything like this, and there are growing pains when you learn new skills that you are not familiar with. I am grateful for all of the help and support I received from Hank Bray and the School of Art and Design professors.鈥�

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The ceremony is the first of a new tradition for 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and will begin at 6 p.m. Dec. 5 at the Associated Builders and Contractors of Arkansas building in North Little Rock. Many members of the construction management industry will join the graduates for the ceremony as well as a celebratory dinner.

鈥淕raduation is a big day for all and to recognize students in a unique manner that is clearly related to their degree makes it even more special,鈥� said Dr. Lawrence Whitman, dean of the Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. 鈥淭he Topping Out ceremony is a great way to provide special recognition for these great graduates. Thanks to Jill Cates for her leadership in establishing this new, excellent tradition for our Construction Management majors.鈥�

The graduating students who will be honored include Caleb Coffman, Steven Currence, Tabari Herron, William Hopkins, Naji Kattom, Andrew Payton, and Christian Salazar.

The graduating students will be honored with commemorative 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock hardhats and certificates as well as sign a beam that will be displayed in the Engineering, Technology, and Applied Science Building at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock for future generations to see.

鈥淭raditionally in a Topping Out Ceremony in construction, all members involved with the project sign the final beam that will be placed on the building,鈥� said Jillian Cates, a senior construction management major and president of the Associated General Contractors of America student chapter. 鈥淪ince our graduates have reached this milestone in both their academic and professional career, we are having them do the same thing!鈥�

Cates is a member of the Dean鈥檚 Student Leadership Board and had the idea to begin the topping out ceremony at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock after seeing similar ceremonies taking place at other universities across the country.

鈥淚 have been working hard to make this happen since the beginning of this summer, and I promise you this tradition is nothing short of amazing,鈥� Cates said. 鈥淚t will not only bring a sense of community to the graduates from our department, but will also bring an even greater love for this university for all who are a part of it. This is a way for us to leave our mark on the university.鈥�

The ceremony is a way to distinguish the graduates of one of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 most successful academic departments. Students in the program are highly sought after by the construction management industry and have a 100 percent employment rate upon graduation.

Ceremony speakers include Dr. Hank Bray, department chair; Mike Tramel, professor and founding past department chair; Dr. Lawrence Whitman, dean of the Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, and Lloyd Webre, director of development and external affairs.

鈥淚 am excited about the first ever topping out ceremony for graduates of the programs in construction management and civil and construction engineering,鈥� Bray said. 鈥淭opping out in construction refers to placing the last piece of steel in a building or structure. It’s a milestone in a project that is widely celebrated by the contractor, the employees, and the owner. The last beam is signed by all the parties and lifted into place by a crane with much fanfare, often flying an American flag. It is fitting to recognize these graduates as they reach this milestone in their career – not completed, but well on their way. I am so proud of Jill for her leadership in starting this new tradition.鈥�

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Thanks to the generosity of , one of the largest privately-owned engineering, mechanical and electrical contractors in the U.S., this space has been redesigned to create a 24-hour gathering space for student leaders and club members to meet, plan events, work on projects, practice for competitions, and network with industry leaders.

鈥淏ernhard鈥檚 reputation of providing unrivaled energy solutions is wholly dependent on highly-skilled STEM students and graduates,鈥� said Tim Staley, president of Bernhard鈥檚 Engineering Division. 鈥淲e are proud to continue supporting 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 core mission of providing excellence in higher education in Central Arkansas.鈥�

Bernhard has made a $20,000 donation to renovate and support the upkeep and maintenance of the Bernhard Student Club Headquarters.

Dr. Hank Bray, chair of the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, said that a team of construction management students were the driving force behind the vision for the student club headquarters.

鈥淲e will have students running through this space who will one day be running companies,鈥� Bray said. 鈥淭his is one of the projects that I am most proud of, because this shows a direct tie from our students to the industry. On any day, any one of our 200 majors could one day be running a company. Where does that leadership and experience start? Right here where they have the opportunities to be student and club leaders. Our mission is to be good mentors to our student leaders.鈥�

Magen Schlesier, a 2022 graduate of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, is one of the students who helped plan the project and present the idea to Bernard. During the Fall 2020 semester, Schlesier worked with fellow students Megan Rollins and Diana Vasquez to create a new purpose for the room as part of a community service course in the Construction Management program. Over the next two years, Schlesier brought the concept to life by fully designing the space, estimating the project, and presenting the idea to Bernhard.

鈥淗aving a Student Club Headquarters is incredibly important. I can hardly express with words how much this space would have meant to me as a student chapter leader,鈥� Schlesier said. 鈥淗aving a dedicated space just for student chapters really emphasizes the feeling of support that the student chapter members have from the construction community, departmental faculty, and the university. It allows for student chapters to hold meetings, mixers, events, and practice for competitions without interruption and with the guarantee of 24-hour access and campus security. They have a home now. It’s as simple and as meaningful as that.鈥�

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鈥淲ith the generous support of the Darragh Company, we will have a renovated concrete lab that will enable our students to have hands-on experience testing concrete, as well as related products,鈥� Provost Ann Bain said. 鈥溙切腣log传媒 Little Rock is very lucky to be located in the capital city, because we鈥檙e located within touching distance of so many of our industry partners, who are important for our city, as well as our region and our state.鈥�

With support from the , the concrete lab has been redesigned to provide an upgraded workspace for students in the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

鈥淲e have 200 students, and each of them must log 800 hours of work experience to graduate,鈥� said Dr. Hank Bray, department chair at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. 鈥淪o, it鈥檚 a perfect fit for this urban setting, and Darragh Company is a perfect match for our education program where we can really interface with the company and build relationships. They have a lot to teach us.鈥�

Darragh Company, a construction material and tool company based in Little Rock, gave 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock a $50,000 grant for the renovation and continued maintenance of the concrete lab for the next five years.

鈥淲e here at Darragh Family Foundation are very pleased to present this sponsorship to the concrete lab to help prepare students to be constructional leaders in the state,鈥� Darragh Company CEO Rich Dunlap said. 鈥淭he work they are doing, the faculty and staff, and turning out graduates at a high level is really remarkable. The program you鈥檝e put together here is second to none.鈥�

The Darragh Company has a long history in Little Rock. It started in 1906 when three brothers came to help build the State Capitol Building by supplying concrete in wooden barrels.

鈥淥ur legacy, 117 years later, is still within the core products of concrete,鈥� Dunlap said. 鈥淒arragh Company and Darragh Family Foundation are very pleased to be a part of this.鈥�

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