2020 Student Competition

The Roofing Alliance hosted its sixth Construction Management Student Competition.

The teams had to bid to install a new roof system on the Ford Center, the indoor practice facility of the Dallas Cowboys. The Ford Center is part of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters in Frisco, Texas.

This was a rather large and difficult facility that was designed, bid and built in phases. The teams were asked initially to provide a proposal for the Multi-Use and Indoor Practice Facility. The goal was to award this package and potentially negotiate the Headquarters, Retail, and Hotel construction once design was completed.

For this project, the roofing subcontractor was expected to include all insulation, TPO roofing, PVC roofing, and associated sheet metal flashing assemblies. Exterior metal wall panels and all rooftop paver assemblies were to be excluded from the Roofing scope of work.

The Ford Center project was awarded based on the total price and overall project approach for this first phase. The teams were to break out their pricing indicating the Multi-Use and Indoor Practice Facilities separately.

Eight teams competed in our 2019-20 Construction Management Student Competition—three of which were new schools.

2020 Student Competition winners:

The teams of the 2020 Student Competition:

Colorado State University

From left to right: Paul Cheever, Christopher Vargas, Jake Peckham and Brendan Phelan (team captain). Not pictured Mahoney Bajwa (alternate)

Kennesaw State University

From left to right: Maxim Downs, Cynia Gardner, Jazzmin Evans (team captain) and Biancha Clarritt

Ohio State University

From left to right: Brady Jackson (alternate), Matt Korzenko, David Swain (team captain), Mackenzie Lange and Kin Sanders-Evans

We thank all of the Roofing Alliance and NRCA members who served as team mentors. Mentors serve as a resource guiding the students and faculty through the project/process, answering questions and educating the students about the different elements of the project, products, systems, etc.—to help them formulate their own proposals and on-site presentations. Mentors have one or two face-to-face meetings with the team and faculty. If possible (but not required), mentors invite the team to their offices to meet their estimators and project managers and to a job site to give them perspective of a typical workday.

We thank Keith Post and Steve Little with KPost Company, Dallas for providing the project for the 2020 competition.

Awards

1st place team: Texas A&M University

• A team trophy and a $5,000 L. B. Conway scholarship for the winning school
• Individual trophies

2nd place team: Colorado State University

• A team trophy and a $2,500 scholarship for the winning school
• Individual trophies

Best Individual Student Presenter: Samuel Short, Auburn University

• $500 paid via Venmo

Winning Team of "Expo Run": Clemson University

• $25 Amazon gift cards for each student and faculty advisor on the winning team

Winners:

• Were recognized in press releases sent to local and national media and roofing industry trade press
• Were acknowledged in Professional Roofing magazine
• Are listed on the Roofing Alliance's website

Questions about the competition can be directed to: Jessica Priske (847) 299-9070, ext. 7517; jpriske@roofingalliance.net