Fall 2009 Newsletter - M E Rinker Sr School of Building Construction ...

Internship ExperiencesEric Kleinzweig, Senior 2 student - The Lane Construction Corporationhas provided me with such an amazing opportunity and learningexperience. I worked on the widening and reconstruction of athree-mile section of Florida’s turnpike over the summer, and I’mso glad I did. I became very familiarwith bridge construction, sound wallinstallation, maintenance of trafficand several other key conceptsrelated to heavy highway construction.I assisted the field engineeringteam with surveying, quantity tracking,and worked with the foremen aswell as their crews to ensure accurateplacement of work. The Lane ConstructionCorporation has had successwith Rinker School graduatesand hopefully will continue to offeropportunities like the one I receivedto students in the future.Pictured from left to right areEric Kleinzweig, Bobby Fowlerand Martin Clark.Brett Trudeau, Senior 2/Graduate Student -This summer I hadthe great opportunity to work as a civil superintendent intern forThe Shaw Group’s Nuclear Division of its Power Group. Shaw isthe power sector industry leader according to Engineering News-Record’s list of Top 500 DesignFirms. I was brought in to Waynesboro,Ga., (Augusta area) to be partof a 9-year (2008-2017) project todesign, construct and put on-linetwo new nuclear pressurized waterelectric generating systems (WestinghouseAP1000) to the alreadyexisting units at Plant Vogtle. Theseare the first nuclear reactors to bebuilt in the U.S. in 30 years. My jobconsisted of tracking and auditing civil engineering subcontractors,supervising daily safety meetings and conducting activities suchas sedimentary erosion control, mass excavations and soil testing,and concrete structure demolition. The nuclear industry is takingoff at an unprecedented rate, and there are many opportunities forus students to latch on to an interesting, sustainable, innovative andfulfulling career path.Brando Fetzek – BCN Junior 2 Student - Within the last twoyears, I have participated in a full-time eight-month internship withKLMK Group and, most recently, a full-time summer internshipwith NDC Construction. The opportunity to intern for both has beenextremely valuable in providing me with a more thorough understandingof the construction industry.With KLMK, I participated in the planningand construction of a $400 millionhospital project that consisted ofa central energy plant, medical officebuilding and ten story children’s medicalfacility. Throughout the internship,I observed most phases of constructionas each building of the project was ina different stage of construction. Duringthe internship I was responsible fororganizing and preparing an RFP for one of the hospital’s low voltagesystems, as well as analyzing the proposals. I was also the maincontact for coordinating with one of the project’s subcontractors.While at NDC Construction, my responsibilities included take offs,soliciting and analyzing bids, and acting as the onsite superintendentfor a four-week underpinning project to restore the failing foundationon an older structure. The two internships have complementedeach other very well and have definitely enhanced my education atthe Rinker School. Through these opportunities, my knowledge ofconstruction business and techniques has grown significantly, andI am now better prepared to “hit the ground running” confidentlyonce I complete my education at the University of Florida.BCN Students Make a Difference in the CommunityMore than four years ago, a debilitating spinal cord injury left Ms.Deborah Thompson of Keystone Heights, FL, unable to do thethings she used to enjoy, such as walking, running, swimming,dancing, climbing, hiking and exploring. Deborah could no longercomplete simple tasks taken for granted by many, such as puttingup curtains. So Dr. Jim Sullivan and a group of BCN students fromNAWIC and AGC volunteered to help Deborah renovate her home.Below is an excerpt from her letter thanking the BCN students fortheir time and dedication:rods installed, windows framed, electricity connected to kitchenlight bulbs, and squirrel holes covered. I saw youth come over tomy life and share their skills and talents and time. I am so gratefulfor all you have given & done. You are all incredible’.Good job to these studentsfor making apositive impact on thisindividual’s life!“One of the greatest blessings is having a place to call home. There’swork to be done on it, but it’s turning out very nice. So now I meetpeople that share their valuable time in a concentrated effort volunteeringtheir skills to make the home even nicer. I see incrediblethings unfold before my eyes…fans & light fixtures installed, stairrails put up, steps with safety strips, refrigerator plugged into waterfor ice, door locks put in, faucet replaced, roof cleared of debris, acloset rod & shelf & light professional-placed, curtains & curtain23