Clarkson University Construction Engineering Management Students Tour Canton-Potsdam Hospital Regional Care Pavilion Construction Site
A group of Clarkson University Construction Engineering Management (CEM) students spent the afternoon of March 24 gaining valuable insight into an active construction site at Canton-Potsdam Hospital.
The students, ranging from first-year to graduate students, heard from Alexander Wightman, Project Manager II for Pike Construction Services, who gave an overview of the project and stressed the importance of strong partnership in a project from the early stages.
After learning about safety and OSHA standards from Benjamin Jump, one of Pike’s Safety Managers, students were able to see how the leaps and bounds in technology over the last 15 to 20 years have helped firms execute projects faster, more efficiently, more safely, and creatively.
“This is a rare opportunity to see construction of this scale first hand and we are proud to share this opportunity to enhance the student’s knowledge and first-hand exposure to construction,” said Randy VanBrocklin, who is the regional director of facilities for St. Lawrence Health, and is also an adjunct professor in Clarkson’s CEM Program.
On this trip, students were able to try on a Microsoft HoloLens headset that allows a project team to wear a virtual lens that projects a transparent image of the project design that matches the exact physical location they are standing in on the project site so they can see if the project is being rendered as designed and also get an idea of the timeline.
Haley Meshcon ‘23, a Civil Engineering Student who attended the site visit, has played an active role in the construction project, and will be joining Pike Construction Services full-time upon her graduation in May.
“By studying at Clarkson and having access to opportunities and networking through the CEM program, I am thrilled to have been able to start my professional career early at the start of my senior year for Pike while working on the new Regional Care Pavilion project,” Meshcon said. “I look forward to staying on the project post-graduation.”
The Clarkson CEM program at the undergraduate and graduate level is among the best in the nation. “We continue to boast a 100% year-over-year placement rate of our graduates in the construction industry. Our students are sought after by many top firms because of the training, knowledge, and professional development they are known to receive while earning their degree at Clarkson,” said Howard E. Lechler CEM Director Erik Backus.”It’s experiences like field trips to building and infrastructure projects that make sure our students are ready on day one for an amazing career in the construction industry.”
