

June 2010

During the May NSC meeting at Middle Tennessee State University, David Vickers presented an update on the proposed Executive MBA in Concrete Industry Management (CIM) curriculum. As developed so far, the Executive MBA program will include an 18-month, 36-hour curriculum over 6 Master's Degree semesters at 10 week intervals. The program will include a combination of on-site and web-based correspondence. The GMAT will be waived for the Executive program. A prerequisite boot camp will be required which will include a one week bootcamp, 5 trips to MTSU, and one week at World of Concrete.

The Executive MBA program will be delivered by 9 existing MBA faculty from MTSU. In preparation for the program, the faculty will intern with local and regional companies in the areas of accounting, finance, information systems, management, marketing and economics. The CIM faculty will be utilized for the development of three CIM courses in the topics of Sustainability, Design/Build and Integrated Project Delivery, and Diagnosis, Troubleshooting and Rehabilitation.

The Masters Task Group continues to develop the program with a possible implementation date of no earlier than 2012. The NSC will continue to provide updates on the development of the Executive MBA program.

NSC Distributes $230,000 to CIM Schools

The CIM National Steering Committee (NSC) Meeting, Board of Directors Meeting and Committee Meetings were held at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN in May. During the meetings, the NSC was proud to provide support to the five CIM universities in the amount of $230,000. The NSC funds are used to send students to industry events, hosting industry on campus, supplying publications and resources to the students in the classroom and purchasing laboratory equipment. As a national-level, broad-based industry coalition, dedicated to a collaborative process in partnership with CIM institutions and local industry patrons groups, the mission of the NCS is to develop, support, promote and sustain a network of higher learning educational institutions with programs that produce graduates with degrees in Concrete Industry Management. The NSC had a very successful and productive meeting and the NSC members thank the faculty and staff at MTSU for their hospitality!

NJIT Names New Program Coordinator

Dr. Mohamed Mahgoub has been named the new Program Coordinator for the CIM Program at

Dr. Mahgoub

the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) replacing Professor John Wiggins beginning May 1.

"We believe that NJIT made an excellent choice in selecting Mohamed for this key position," commented Eugene Martineau, Executive Director of the NSC. "His outstanding background in research will be most helpful as we advance the industry's research capability under the NSC/CIM banner. In his new role, Mohamed will become a member of the NSC's Board of Directors and he will help shape the future direction of CIM."

Arizona State Momentum Continues to Build

Another successful year has come to a close at ASU. The program had three graduates in May CIM Interships 2010, and another two are on track to graduate in December 2010. The CIM program is stronger than ever. There are currently 39 CIM Majors which represents an increase of 13 since August 2009. The ASU CIM students have an average grade point average (GPA) of 3.28. On the recruiting front, 16 high school seniors have either been accepted or are completing their application process. In addition, several current ASU students are planning to transfer into the program.

MTSU Completes TBR Academic Audit

MTSU recently completed an academic audit by the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR). The TBR made the following commendations about the CIM program at MTSU:

The CIM program is to be commended for its inclusive and through self-study process, which integrated TBR multiple constituencies including full time faculty, industry representatives, alumni, and other stakeholders to develop a comprehensive and valuable self-study report. The CIM program is to be commended for its dynamic and longstanding relationship with the concrete industry, notably through the Patrons.

The CIM program is to be commended for its process to support and encourage students' retention and persistence to degree including recruitment, extracurricular opportunities, industry engagement, and job placement success.

The MTSU CIM program is to be commended for its leadership in the development and enrichment of CIM degree programs, curricula and best educational practices nationwide and for its continued role as a national leader in CIM higher education.

CSU Chico Students to Spend Summer on Alcatraz Island

The California State University, Chico CIM Program has partnered with Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) to create the first ever Chico State CIM Summer Field School on Alcatraz Island this summer. Five select students from the CIM program began work on the project June 7th and are living in restored officer's barracks in the Marin Headlands. They are working as full time as National Park volunteers on Alcatraz Island throughout the 10-week internship, preserving and repairing deteriorated concrete structures, some of which date to the 1850s. The National Historic Landmark Alcatraz Island, the Presidio, and many historic batteries and sites are within the GGNRA, the largest urban national park in the world. The GGNRA encompasses more than 75,000 acres and 28 miles of coastline, an area nearly 2-1/2 times the size of San Francisco.

Pervious Concrete Events Held at NJIT and Texas State

"A Day of Pervious Concrete" Event Held At NJIT

On Tuesday, May 11, the CIM program at NJIT in conjunction with the PCA Northeast Cement Shippers Association and Colonial Concrete Company - a large ready-mix producer in northern New Jersey - sponsored "A Day of Pervious Concrete". The day-long event included a live demonstration of a pervious concrete placement and a Contractor Certification Training class. Certification through the National Ready Mix Concrete Association (NRMCA) program provides the knowledge of the advantages and benefits of the proper use and installation of pervious concrete as well as the pitfalls and problems that can occur when pervious concrete is improperly installed. Proper performance of the installation techniques improves the reliability of the finished product, both from a visual and a structural standpoint as well as its most important feature, the ability to act as a storm water management system.

Pervious Concrete Technician Seminar Held At Texas State

On the campus of Texas State University, Sean Van Delist, Architectural Program Manager with the Cement Council of Texas conducted the NRMCA Pervious Concrete Technician Seminar in April. The goal of this certification program is to ensure that knowledgeable contractors are selected to place the product and thereby minimize the chance for failure. The program is designed to be administered by local sponsoring groups in conjunction with planned training sessions or demonstrations of pervious concrete placement. NRMCA provides certification exams and performance evaluations to approved local sponsoring groups for administering the certification. A Pervious Concrete Technician is a person who demonstrates knowledge about proper procedures to place, compact, finish, edge, joint, cure and protect pervious concrete pavements, but who lacks the requisite field experience to qualify as a pervious concrete installer or craftsman.

Annual Golf Event Held at MTSU

MTSU Golf The MTSU Patron's Group held their sixth Annual CIM Building Campaign Golf Tournament, which benefits the Concrete Industry Management Building Campaign at Middle Tennessee State University. The event was held at Indian Hills Golf Club in Murfreesboro, TN. This year 28 teams participated, and over $50,000 was raised. The funds will used for student travel, operating expenses and CIM capital projects.

Spotlight: Daniel Cook, MTSU CIM Student

This month, we chose to highlight CIM student Daniel Cook. We asked Daniel a few questions about his experiences with the CIM Program.

What school are you currently attending and when is your intended graduation date?
I am currently attending Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in Murfreesboro, TN and I plan to

Dan Cook, MTSU

graduate in May 2011.

Where are you from originally?
Originally, I am from Lebanon, TN which is located 30 miles East of Nashville, TN.

Why did you choose this university and the CIM program?
I am currently working on my second bachelor's degree from MTSU. Ten years ago, I chose this school because of its location to my hometown. After my graduation from MTSU the first time, I was working with a construction equipment supply company. I visited jobsites almost daily and found a real passion for the construction industry. I was still located in Murfreesboro and heard of how well students in MTSU's CIM program were excelling upon entering the job market. In order to reach my goal of being a commercial construction professional, I applied to the CIM program and returned to school - which has been one of the best decisions in my life so far.

How has the CIM program prepared you for your graduation next year and entrance into the business world?
While I was pursuing my first degree, there were not many opportunities for extracurricular involvement, or at least there wasn't much influence from our professors and faculty to seek out ways to be involved. This time around has been a different story. From the combination of my knowledge of what employers require from an entry-level applicant and the experience opportunities and leadership that the CIM program offers to its students, I feel that I will be as prepared as I could possibly be to enter the job market. Unlike many other programs, the CIM program at MTSU teaches the importance of and offers extracurricular involvement to every one of its students and it allows the student to make the ultimate choice of how prepared they want to be.

Check Out the New CIM Blog

CIM has a new blog where you can keep up-to-date on the latest news about the CIM Programs. To view the blog, pleae visit: CIM Blog

CIM on Facebook!
CIM has created a fan page on Facebook, and we would like to invite you to become a fan (search for the CIM program in the Pages Category). This page was created as a resource for students and professionals to communicate and interact. With the huge growth of social media as a communication medium as well as a recruiting tool, we believe those who participate will greatly benefit.