25 Students Awarded Scholarships at Annual Banquet of The Builders’ Association

Twenty-five outstanding students received scholarships at The Builders’ Association’s Annual Banquet, which was held at The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center on Friday, February 23, 2018. The scholarships were funded by donations to The Builders’ Association Scholarship Foundation, a nonprofit endowment fund established to support, through scholarships, the academic education of individuals who seek careers in the commercial construction industry. The students are:

• JUSTIN M. BEARDEN, MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY, JEFF AMMON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Justin Bearden, an MSU sophomore pursuing Missouri S&T and MSU’s Cooperative Engineering degree, will graduate with a B.S. in Civil and Architectural Engineering in May 2021. Last fall, he was Scholarship Chair of Missouri S&T’s AGC Student Chapter. He currently works part-time with a structural engineering firm in Springfield, Missouri, and was an intern with a Springfield general contractor last summer. He plans to become a civil engineer and work with a nonprofit disaster relief firm helping under-served areas across the world.

• TREY R. HECKER, UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL MISSOURI, GEORGE BETTS, JR. MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Trey Hecker, a junior at UCM, will receive a B.S. in both Construction Management and Design and Drafting Technology in May 2019. He is President of the UCM Chapter of Enactus, an international nonprofit dedicated to improving the world through entrepreneurial action, and was Vice President (2016-2017) of Sigma Pi Fraternity. He was an intern with a Minneapolis-based general contractor during the summer of 2017 and with Burns & McDonnell in Kansas City the previous three summers. He plans to become a field engineer in commercial construction.

• RICHARD T. BRANTON, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA, PATRICIA A. CARROLL SCHOLARSHIP
Richard Branton, a junior at UNO, will receive his B.S. in Architectural Engineering in May 2019. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Delta Epsilon Iota Academic Honor Society. He is also active with the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute. He has been an Engineering Intern with Enterprise Precast Concrete, Inc. since February 2016. He has more than 10 years of construction experience and, with his Architectural Engineering degree, looks forward to pursuing his interest in building structures and his love of building.

• ANN S. GENSICHEN, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA–LINCOLN, CONSTRUCTION LEADERSHIP COUNCIL SCHOLARSHIP
Ann Gensichen, a senior at UNL, will receive her B.S. in Civil Engineering in December 2018. She is current Treasurer and Past Recruitment Chair (2015-2017) of the UNL Student Chapter of the AGC. She is actively engaged in planning the Chapter’s annual golf outing, service projects, and construction site tours. Ann looks forward to an internship in summer 2018 with a commercial general contractor. She plans to become a project manager in commercial construction and later a professional engineer with an emphasis in structures.

• JOHN D. STOB, STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF MISSOURI, V.S. DICARLO MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
John Stob will graduate in May 2019 with an AAS Degree in Civil Engineering Technology from State Technical College of Missouri. He is 2017-2018 Vice President of the school’s AGC Student Chapter. He has lived his entire life on an 800-acre ranch in Buffalo, Missouri, learning everything from building fence to operating heavy equipment. Since August 2016, he has managed the Broken R Ranch in Buffalo. After graduating, he plans to pursue a Construction Management degree at MSU and become an estimator in the heavy highway/civil construction industry.

• REID N. ABBOTT, THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS, J.E. DUNN, SR. SCHOLARSHIP
Reid Abbott, a junior at KU, will graduate in May 2019 with a B.S. degree in Architectural Engineering. He is a member of the KU Student Chapter of the AGC, Past President of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, participant in the Self-Engineering Leadership Fellows Program, and member of the KU Honors College. He has been a framer for a general contractor and subcontractor, a designer for an engineering firm, and a field engineer for a GC and construction management firm. He aspires to become a project director with a P.E. license.

• MASON J. KELCHNER, UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI IN COLUMBIA, JOHN AND JILL DUNN SCHOLARSHIP
Mason Kelchner, a junior at MU with a 3.97 GPA, will graduate in May 2019 with a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Aerospace Engineering and Mathematics. He is Past President (2017) of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. Since December 2017, he has been an Aerospace Controls Research Assistant at the MU College of Engineering. Last summer, he was a Mechanical Engineer Intern in Columbia. He plans to pursue a Masters in Engineering Management and a professional engineering license.

• EMILY A. ZAHN, KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY, FIREBAUGH CONSTRUCTION, INC. SCHOLARSHIP
Emily Zahn is pursuing her MBA at K-State with an anticipated graduation date of May 2021. She received the McCownGordon Construction Scholarship in 2016 when she was a junior at UCM. After earning her B.S. degree in Construction Management from UCM in May 2017, she became a full-time project engineer at McCownGordon Construction. She is pursuing an MBA to improve her management skills and better understand the business side of construction. She aspires to become a project manager.

• BRETT A. MOON, KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY, FOGEL-ANDERSON CONSTRUCTION CO. SCHOLARSHIP
Brett Moon, a junior at K-State, will graduate in December 2019 with a B.S. degree in Construction Science and Management. He is a member of the K-State Student Chapters of the AGC and the Mechanical Contractors Association of America, and is a participant in the K-State Developing Scholars Program. At Maize High School in Wichita, he was the 2015 6A state wrestling champion. Last summer, he was an intern with a commercial contractor in Wichita. He aspires to a career in commercial construction.

• FATIMA ESSAIDI, MISSOURI UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, GRAND CONSTRUCTION COMPANY LLC SCHOLARSHIP
Fatima Essaidi, a junior at Missouri S&T with a 4.0 GPA, will graduate in May 2020 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering. During her sophomore year she co-founded LaSTEMA.org, which helps introduce women students to careers in science, technology, engineering, math (and the arts). She is currently an intern with Veolia and was previously an intern with Renaissance Infrastructure Consulting and Gonzalez Construction LLC. Her career focus is on finding creative construction solutions to our aging infrastructure.

• JOSHUA D. JACKSON, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA, JENE HAYES/HAYES DRILLING, INC. SCHOLARSHIP
Joshua Jackson, a sophomore at UNO, will receive his B.S. degree in Construction Management in May 2020. He is a member of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization, National Society of Black Engineers, and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. He is currently an intern at White Lotus Group, a vertically-integrated real estate development firm, and was an intern with Kiewit Corporation last summer. Joshua looks forward to beginning his career in commercial construction and eventually owning his own contracting company.

• JESSICA A. GJERDE, THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS, A.L. HUBER GENERAL CONTRACTOR SCHOLARSHIP
Jessica Gjerde, a junior at KU with a 4.0 GPA, will graduate in May 2019 with a B.S. degree in Architectural Engineering. She received the Grand Construction Company LLC Scholarship in 2017. She has been an intern with Turner Construction Company since May 2017. She is Vice President of the KU Student Chapter of the Society of Women Engineers and a member of the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society. She was also Secretary of Design of the KU Steel Bridge Team. She aspires to a career in commercial construction.

• CARISSA R. MOYNA, IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY, JAMES L. HUTTON, SR./WILLIAM W. HUTTON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Carissa Moyna, a sophomore at ISU with a 3.96 GPA, will receive a B.S. in Civil Engineering in May 2020. Last fall, she was Co-Director of Special Events for the Society of Women Engineers and Compost Team Leader for Engineers for a Sustainable World. She is also an Honors College student. Last summer, as an intern with C.J. Moyna & Sons, Inc., her family’s contracting business in Elkader, Iowa, she was involved in the design and construction of a manufacturing facility. She plans to attain a professional engineering license and one day start her own environmental engineering firm.

• ADAM C. FIELDS, MISSOURI UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, JAMES L. “SKIP” HUTTON, JR. SCHOLARSHIP
Adam Fields, a senior at Missouri S&T, will receive his B.S. degree in Construction Engineering in May 2019. He is a member of the Missouri S&T Student Chapter of the AGC and is currently Vice President of the Student Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers. During the summer of 2017, Adam was a superintendent intern with a St. Louis, Missouri-based design/build general contractor, working with both subcontractors and the project manager. He looks forward to becoming a project manager in commercial construction.

• NICK J. VONEY, UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL MISSOURI, INTERNATIONAL BUILDERS – IBC, INC. SCHOLARSHIP
Nick Voney, a junior at UCM, will receive his B.S. degree in Construction Management in May 2019. He is President of the UCM Student Organization of Construction Managers. Last fall, he was a Team Leader (Design/Build) in the Associated Schools of Construction Student Management Competition in Nebraska City, Nebraska. He was on the UCM Dean’s List during the spring of 2017. Last summer, he was an intern with JE Dunn Construction Company in Kansas City. He looks forward to becoming a carpenter foreman or project superintendent.

• MEGAN M. MÄTT, IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY, KELLY CONSTRUCTION GROUP, INC. SCHOLARSHIP
Megan Mätt, a junior at ISU, will graduate in May 2019 with a B.S. in Construction Engineering. Last year, she received the J.E. Dunn, Sr. Scholarship. She has been active in the ISU Student Chapter of the AGC. She has also been an intern during the past two summers, gaining experience in estimating and project management. Prior to that, she worked for Mätt Construction, Inc., her family’s general contracting business, in Sumner, Iowa. She plans to attain a professional engineering license and pursue a career in Construction Engineering.

• NICK H. TURNER, MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY, MCCOWNGORDON CONSTRUCTION SCHOLARSHIP
Nick Turner, a junior at MSU, will graduate with a B.S. degree in Construction Management in May 2019. He is Vice President of the AGC Construction Club of MSU and Secretary of the MEP Club. He worked this past summer for Hensel Phelps in Irvine, California, and he will be serving an internship with McCownGordon Construction this summer. He is also an Eagle Scout. During his construction career, he said, “I plan on using my passion for working with people and building relationships to interact with owners and clients.”

• CARL J. GLOSENGER, UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI–KANSAS CITY, PHILLIP W. MOORE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Carl Glosenger is a sophomore in Architectural Studies at UMKC. He will pursue his Masters in Architecture at K-State in the fall of 2019 and graduate in May 2022. At Raytown High School, he was Vice President of the Engineering Club, Founder and President of the Art Club, a member of the National Honor Society, and a recipient of the Character Pillar Award. An Eagle Scout, he is an adult leader of Troop 1428 and a merit badge counselor for robotics and architecture. He plans to work at an architecture/design firm in the greater Kansas City area.

• TRAVIS SOLANDER, PITTSBURG STATE UNIVERSITY, MURRAY COMPANY SCHOLARSHIP
Travis Solander, a senior at PSU, will graduate with a B.S. degree in Construction Management in May 2018. He received the Murray Company Scholarship in 2017. He is President of the AGC Student Chapter at PSU. Last summer he worked for a concrete contractor with various duties including concrete finish work. Travis is pursuing a Master of Science in Technology with an emphasis in Construction Management at PSU. He hopes to own a commercial construction company performing site work, concrete work, and carpentry.

• SAM D. MCARTHUR, KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY, PEARCE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY SCHOLARSHIP
Sam McArthur, a junior at K-State, will graduate in May 2019 with a B.S. in Construction Science. He is Secretary of the K-State Student Chapter of the AGC and a member of the Sigma Lambda Chi International Construction Honor Society. He was on the Associated Schools of Construction Team which placed second in the Commercial Division in Nebraska City in October 2017. As a construction intern the past three summers, he has gained experience which will help him achieve his goal of becoming a project manager.

• NATHANIEL D. SIMMONS, PITTSBURG STATE UNIVERSITY, RAU CONSTRUCTION COMPANY SCHOLARSHIP
Nathaniel Simmons, a sophomore at Pittsburg State University, will graduate in December 2019 with a B.S. in Construction Engineering Technology. He was a Kauffman Scholar at Lincoln College Preparatory Academy in Kansas City. He is a high jumper and triple jumper on the PSU Track & Field team. During the winter of 2017-2018, he was an intern with Kansas City Structural Steel, Inc. He will be a field engineer intern with McCownGordon Construction during the summer of 2018. He aspires to a career in the commercial construction industry.

• MEGAN R. CARLIN, UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI IN COLUMBIA, SENTER FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP
Megan Carlin, a senior at MU, will graduate with a B.S. degree in Civil/Environmental Engineering in December 2018. She holds leadership positions in the MU chapters of Alpha Omega Epsilon, Engineers Without Borders, and ASHRAE. She has been a research assistant at MU since June 2017, assisting Dr. Enos Inniss with research on drinking water treatment systems and fluoridation. Megan plans to attend graduate school to study sustainable building materials and then become a project manager or sustainability coordinator for an architecture, engineering or construction firm.

• JEANETTE E. GREENE, UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI IN COLUMBIA, SENTER FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP
Jeanette Greene, a senior at MU, will graduate in December 2018 with a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering. She is a member and Past Treasurer of the MU Student Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), and is a volunteer for a program created by the Chapter to provide elementary school children exposure to STEM. She was a project engineer intern with a St. Louis, MO-based general contractor last summer, and aspires to be a project manager with a commercial construction company doing work internationally.

• NICOLE S. HENRY, THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS, GEORGE J. SHAW CONSTRUCTION CO. SCHOLARSHIP
Nicole Henry, a junior at KU, will graduate in May 2019 with a B.S. degree in Architectural Engineering. She is a member of the KU Student Chapters of ASHRAE and Engineers Without Borders, serving as the Lead for the latter organization’s Sanitation Project in Bolivia. Last summer, as an intern with a Lawrence-based MEP engineer, she designed MEP systems for small commercial building renovations. She also worked for an excavation contractor for several years. She aspires to be a professional engineer with a general contractor working on design-build projects.

• TANIA C. CHAVEZ, KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY, KENNETH O. VON ACHEN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Tania Chavez is a sophomore in the Architectural Studies program at UMKC. At Harrisonville High School she was a member of the National Honor Society and the Key Club. She is a member of the Hispanic American Leadership Organization at UMKC. In December 2017, she and a fellow UMKC Architecture student won the annual Bud Prize design competition. She will transfer to K-State in the fall of 2018 and graduate in May 2021 with a Masters in Architecture. Tania looks forward to a career as an architect.

About The Builders’ Association
Don Greenwell is President and Richard Bruce, Ph.D. is Workforce & Professional Development Director of The Builders’ Association, which represents about 800 general contractor, subcontractor, supplier, and service provider member companies employing about 25,000 people. Our members within our service area in aggregate self-perform volume estimated to exceed $3.5 billion annually. Phillip W. Thomas is Chairman of The Builders’ Association Scholarship Foundation.

With 131 years of service to the commercial construction industry, The Builders’ Association operates training and plan room service centers in Kansas City, Jefferson City and Springfield, as well as its Training Center in North Kansas City. The Builders’ Association’s sister organization, the Kansas City Chapter, AGC, currently represents 118 firms and is part of the AGC of America, the largest and oldest national construction trade association in the United States. Visit The Builders’ Association online at www.buildersassociation.com.