Welcome, VT MLSoC family,
Greetings from the hybrid, virtual and yes, physical Myers-Lawson School of Construction. While the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly tested our resilience and agility, the Myers-Lawson School remains strong and has had great success in delivering our courses, performing our research and innovation, and in reaching out to others. This performance has been achieved because of the resilience and agility of our faculty, staff, alumni, friends and students.
To be clear, MLSoC is a family and families are best connected face-to-face. However, as a family, we have made the “best” of a challenging situation. By “best”, just a few of the recent successes are listed here in order to inspire us to complete 2021 with even greater results!
- Norman Hill Endowment from the Electrical Alliance for scholarships focused on underrepresented students.
- The best Giving Day to date, with over 100 participants and over $100,000 donated to help us achieve those things for which funds are lacking:
- Recruiting underrepresented and underserved students
- Recruiting technologies and materials
- Student competition team support
- Service learning
- Student Competition Team success at the Associated Schools of Construction and the Mechanical Contractors Association
- 2 successful virtual career fairs
- 2 successful virtual hardhatting ceremonies
- New smart design and construction research grants and contracts
- Launch of the Myers-Lawson Professional Education program
- Hitt Hall A/E and CM contracts
While these and other successes are inspiring, especially inside of a pandemic, we have much work to do. The Industry is far from reflecting the diversity represented in the general or working populations. To fill the construction management pipeline with diverse students, together, we must continue to drive the message that construction is a first choice professional destination. Our faculty and staff need reinforcements, so we continue to focus on growing the supply side of the school to meet the tremendous student growth we have experienced. We were created by the Industry, for the Industry and so, we look forward in 2021 to building upon the best University/Industry partnerships in the Nation. To working with you (face-to-face soon), mentoring, fundraising, innovating, educating, researching, and above all, knowing you.
Sincerely,
Brian
