UA’s ABC Chapter Places Fourth in National Competition

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama student chapter of the Association of Builders and Contractors recently placed fourth overall in the student chapter construction management competition and placed third in the estimating category at the ABC National Convention in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

More than 25 colleges and universities competed in the annual competition. Students work in teams of four during an intense six-hour competition. Each team performs a cost estimate, prepares a project schedule and develops a safety plan for a specified project. A panel of judges evaluates the projects as if the teams were general contractors responding to a proposal request. The competition recognizes an overall winner, as well as winners in each of three categories: project management, safety and estimating.

The following UA civil and construction engineering students participated in the ABC National Convention:

• Casey Cobern, a junior from Pleasant Grove
• Chad Harvell, a junior from Pleasant Grove
• Matthew Hogan, a senior from Montgomery
• Nathan Kichler, a junior from Elberta
• TC Lightsey, a senior from Northport
• Cody Moore, a senior from Northport
• Ben Peck, a senior from Hartselle
• Austin Williamson, a junior from Richmond, Va.

UA’s ABC chapter was established in 2006 and has placed in the top 10 of this competition each year.

Associated Builders and Contractors is a national association representing more than 24,000 construction-related firms in 78 chapters across the United States. ABC’s membership represents all specialties within the U.S. construction industry.

In 1837, The University of Alabama became one of the first five universities in the nation to offer engineering classes. Today, UA’s fully accredited College of Engineering has more than 2,300 students and more than 100 faculty. In the last seven years, students in the College have been named USA Today All-USA College Academic Team members, Goldwater scholars, Hollings scholars and Portz scholars.

Editors’s note: Classes will not be in session at UA March 17-21 due to spring break