Associated Schools of Construction, Region 4 Student Competition
This year we had 2 teams attend the annual Region 4 – ASC Student Competition in Nebraska City, NE. The divisions they competed in were CM@R and General Contracting. Neither team placed, but as always, it was a good learning experience for the students.
TEAM PICTURED ON TOP:
Partrick Brisk, Devan Lindow, Garrin Sattler, Ethan Dockter, Abraham Carlson, Sam Carpenter
TEAM PICTURED ON BOTTOM:
Brady Pederson, Brayden Kisgen, Kaleb Krech, Owen Shannon, Thomas Schroeder, Hank Tellers
What is Dragon Giving Day?
Dragon Giving Day is an annual tradition—a 24-hour online fundraising event that supports scholarships, programs, facilities, special projects, and learning experiences across campus. The first MSUM Giving Day took place in April 2019 and was a great success in bringing together alumni, friends, family, faculty, and staff.
This year, the Construction Management program raised $9,794! Thank you to all of our donors for your generosity. Your support is greatly appreciated and allows us to continue providing students with valuable opportunities that enhance their college experience and expand their learning beyond the classroom.
Construction Management Industry Advisory Board:
Our program has an active industry advisory board that is comprised of 18 construction professionals in the region. These members meet twice a year and provide significant support that benefits the overall program, our students, and faculty. Thank you to our board members!
Mike Cook and Brianne Czech, Chair, Veit Construction
Brandon Larson, Vice Chair, Park Construction Company
Scott Nath, Treasurer, John T. Jones Construction Co.
Drew Anderson, Interstates Electrical
Corey Bronczyk, Arthur Chapman Kettering Smetak & Pikala, PA
Travis Cleem, Mortenson
Jason Flack, Comstock Construction
Jason Hellerud, MasTec Renewables (formerly Wanzek Construction Inc.)
Karen Kemp, ASRC/AIS Infrastructure
Rich Krohn, North Hennepin Community College
Andrew Lenertz, Michels
Gretchen Lopez, T.F. Powers Construction Co.
Justin Maaninga, ICS
Mike Nelles, C. S. McCrossan
Bjarne Rustad, Opatril Concrete
Randy Stach, ND State College of Science
Alex Sweep and Ashley Wildman, Central Specialties
Micah Tysver, Crush Mode
Scott Weicht, A & P Development Corp, iState Insurance Ltd
Scott Whittemore, Nor-Son
Young Professionals’ Dining Experience
MSUM Construction Management students attended the Young Professionals’ Dining Experience hosted by the Paseka School of Business.
This hands-on event helped students sharpen there dining etiquette, build stronger networking skills, and grow our confidence in professional settings. From meaningful conversations to valuable connections with industry professionals, it was a great opportunity to prepare for future careers.
Experiences like this continue to set MSUM students apart—ready to make a strong impression in interviews, client meetings, and beyond.
Yellow Ribbon Advance Grant
Our campus and community had the opportunity to learn more about MSUM’s Yellow Ribbon Advance Grant, which supports experiential learning opportunities for our military, veteran, and military-connected students. We were grateful to hear from Mike Bedard (Operations Management with a Construction Technology emphasis), who shared his story and explained how the Yellow Ribbon Advance Grant made his internship with the Plains Art Museum possible.
Capstone Tours
Students traveled across North Dakota, visiting multiple construction projects totaling $1.3 billion in work. A big thank you to JE Dunn Construction, Rice Lake West, Kraus-Anderson, and Mortenson for giving us the opportunity to tour your project sites and see your work firsthand.
Theodore Roosevelt National Library - JE Dunn
North Dakota State Laboratory & Military Museum - Kraus-Anderson
Dickinson Water Treatment Plant Rice Lake West
CM Student wins Dragon Lair Business Pitch Competition!
Congratulations to CM student, Grant Warkenthien, on earning 1st place in the Dragon Lair Business Pitch Competition! We’re proud of his hard work, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit. Well done, Grant!
H2O Battle Wars
Our CM students had battling it out in the H2O Battle Wars. They came out strong, winning the first round before falling in the second—way to compete, Dragons!
Scholarships:
Scholarships play a vital role in making college more affordable for our students. This year, many of our Construction Management (CM) students were honored with both internal and external scholarships.
Thank you to our industry partners for investing in and supporting the next generation of construction leaders!
AGC-ND Scholarship
Building Industry Association Foundation Scholarship
2025 MCA Scholarship Winner Grant Warkenthien
2025 Minnesota Construction Association Scholarship Winners Grant Warkenthien, Hank Tellers, & Noah Karels
Construction Management Spring 2026 Ditch Clean-Up
Photo showcasing our students helping out and working together during our annual Ditch Clean-Up.
Capstone students held their mock bid day!
They were hard at work analyzing quotes and finalizing their bids, putting their estimating skills to the test in a hands-on, real-world scenario. Thank you to Mortenson Construction for sponsoring. Alumni Travis Cleem and his team gave back countless hours to bring a real world project to Capstone course. Students first had to develop an RFP and present to industry judges. From there, they provided a construction approach, developed site logistics plans, and set up a full detailed estimate.
Project Site Tours & Student Opportunities:
A special thank you to the following industry partners for allowing our students to be onsite and tour their jobsite or facility.
Taracon Precast
McGough Construction
Comstock Construction
JE Dunn
Park Construction
Gehrtz Construction Services
Ames Construction
Mortenson Construction
Rice Lake West
Northern Improvement Asphalt Plant
Do you have a project in the F/M area for students to take a tour at? Would you like to present to a class on a specific topic? Does your company have internship and employment opportunities for students? If so, please contact: rachel.axness@mnstate.edu | jay.cournia@mnstate.edu
North Dakota State Hospital — Mortenson Construction, Alumni Travis Cleem
We love to hear from our alumni and industry partners to get them involved and active within our program!
If you know of someone interested in a CM degree, send them our way! Please have them contact program coordinator Rachel Axness at: Info-Square rachel.axness@mnstate.edu
mnstate.edu/construction-management