

Septermber 2010

What I Did Last Summer: CIM Intership Programs

The CIM summer internship program allows students to gain valuable hands-on experience and exposure, while learning more about the concrete industry. Not only are the students learning, but they are also contributing to the companies that are providing the internships. Internships regularly lead to full-time employment opportunities and there are numerous examples of CIM students that have transitioned from internships to full-time positions. These internships have proven to be an excellent vehicle for companies to find their next generation of talent.

In order to gauge students' attitudes and experiences about their 2010 summer internships, the NSC recently designed and distributed a survey to the participating students. The results of the survey were overwhelmingly positive - the majority of the students found the experience valuable to their future career goals. Some of the results of the survey are listed below:

What students liked about their internship:

95% - said they learned a lot during their internship
90% - said their internship prepared them for the real world
86% - said their technical skills were utilized
77% - said they had interesting work
72% - said they made valuable contacts during their internship
72% - said they had a good supervisor/mentor

When asked how their internship helped prepare for their future career, students responded as follows:

"It was the first time I had been a project lead and I learned how challenging it can be to manage people while staying productive."

"This was a real-world environment so many of the obstacles and issues were not foreseeable."

"It really showed me how important good customers are to a business and what must be done in order to keep them."

"I really learned what a bigger company has to do to compete - especially in the precast area."

CIM Students Intern with Tennessee Concrete Association

This summer,several MTSU students completed internships with the Tennessee Concrete Association in Nashville, Tennessee. All participating students agreed that experience was a very positive one. The following are some of their own comments:

Josh Willis
"Since I have been at TCA, I have had a chance to work with concrete in many different ways. Just this summer we worked with a slab (driveway), pervious concrete (parking lot), flowable fill, and ICF's. I learned about all of these types of concrete in class, but TCA provided me with a great "hands on" work experience that really helped me visualize, apply, and better understand what I have learned in class."

Tiffany Sirikoun
"I had limited knowledge and absolutely no experience in the concrete industry, but TCA has given me the opportunity to practice what I've learned in the classroom. Not only did I receive hands-on experience, but I also met and networked with influential people and learned about different trades in the industry. I loved interning at TCA. It is an educational and enjoyable experience."

Read More Intern Quotes

CIM Seeks Donations for 6th Annual Auction at WOC

The Concrete Industry Management (CIM) program is seeking donations for their sixth annual auction to be held at the World of Concrete on Thursday, January 20, 2011 at noon.

According to Peter Brewin, Chairman of the CIM Auction Committee, "The proceeds from the 2011 Auction will benefit the CIM National Steering Committee (NSC) and support the current CIM programs as well as help fund future program expansion."
2011 CIM Auction Logo
Organizers hope the 2011 Auction is even bigger than the 2010 Auction, which raised approximately $386,000. The money raised from the CIM Auction, which will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, will benefit the NSC and support the CIM programs at Middle Tennessee State University, Arizona State University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Texas State University and the California State University - Chico.

"The NSC of CIM has raised more than $1.7 million through the previous five CIM Auctions," said Brian Gallagher, CIM Marketing Committee Chairman. "We've been blessed with tremendous support from the concrete industry. The World of Concrete (WOC) Show Management, Hanley Wood Publications, The Concrete Producer magazine, Concrete Construction magazine, McNeilus International and Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers have been with us from the beginning," he added.

Previous auction items has included cement, a skid steer, concrete saws, drills, mixers, vibrators, scaffolding, safety equipment, screeds, fiber transport systems, dust collectors, NDT equipment, decorative concrete tools, water meters, pumps, generators, training sessions, reference books, advertisements, laptop computers, sports memorabilia, sports travel packages, golf school packages and vacation travel packages.

Those interested in making a donation should contact CIM Auction Committee Chairman Peter Brewin at peter.brewin@gmail.com or 214-693-6669.

Download Donation Form

Fall NSC Meeting To Be Held at Texas State

The Concrete Industry Management (CIM) National Steering Committee (NSC) Meeting, Board of Directors Meeting and various Committee Meetings will be held October 14 - 15 at Texas State University (TSU) - San Marcos. The Fall NSC meeting is a great opportunity to learn more about CIM and connect with the University and Industry leaders that provide direction for the CIM programs. For information on the meeting, please contact Nicole Maher, nmaher@nrmca.org.

NJIT, Texas State, and MTSU Meet to Share Ideas

On July 2 and 3, the CIM program at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) hosted faculty from the

New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and Texas State University (TSU) to share ideas and successes. NJIT was represented by Dr. Mohamed Mahgoub and Dr. Vedaraman Sriraman, Christian Gaedicke and Dr. Jiong Hu were in attendance from TSU.

Event hosts, Heather Brown and Jerry Morton, presented information on many aspects of the program and among topics discussed were industry patron involvement; marketing and recruitment activities; budgets; curriculum; scholarships; industry socials; student competitions; research; internships and job placement. Useful information was exchanged among all in attendance. Plans were discussed for future meetings.

CIM Graduate Profile: Jenna (Thomas) Barbe

Jenna (Thomas) Barbe - Middle Tennessee State University - Class of 2007

What school did you graduate from and in which year?

I graduated Summa Cum Laud from MTSU in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Concrete Industry Management and a minor in Business Administration.

What are your current position and responsibilities at R.J. Griffin & Company?

I am an assistant project manager with the RJ Griffin Nashville Division specializing in healthcare construction. My job responsibilities include: assisting preconstruction with budget and buyout, working with design team, client, and facility staff ensuring goals and priorities are achieved, vendor coordination, managing subcontractors, scheduling, cost control, quality assurance, and safety. My previous jobs include a 16,000-square-foot HCA imaging and diagnostics facility in Lebanon, TN, a 282,358-square-foot HCA Greenfield 126-bed hospital in Fredericksburg, VA, and my most recent assignment is a 134,000-square-foot cancer center in Glenwood Springs, CO.

How has the CIM program prepared you for your current job responsibilities?

The technical information helps me speak the construction language and the business principles make me an effective manager.

Read More

CIM University News

News from CIM Universities. To keep up to date on current CIM News, be sure to visit the CIM Blog.

Arizona State News

ASU Enrollment News

Since the Fall semester of 2009, we are pleased to announce that we have increased enrollment from 26 to 48CIM students - adding nine more students during the summer and losing two to graduation. Of these 48 students, the cumulative grade point average (GPA) currently stands at 3.19. We have 23 students enrolled in CIM 105 for Fall semester (12 non-CIM students) and we will be recruiting them to enroll as CIM students by January.

Summer Internship Update

We wish to thank our patrons for assisting us place nearly all of our CIM students with internships this summer. Many of our students are still early in their academic careers and will be in primary "internship mode" next summer. We are happy to report that we placed 13 students with 10 concrete industry companies and another 10 CIM students with construction contractors working with concrete.

New CIM Course Offering

In an effort to expand the offerings in the Concrete Industry Management (CIM) degree program in the Del E. Webb School of Construction (DEWSC) to include some elective courses that the advanced students can complete for credit, Senior Lecturer Edwin Weaver has created an undergraduate course titled Temporary Structures and Reinforcement Methods with the initial offering in the Fall 2010. The course content includes an understanding of the materials and their properties in formwork design and construction as well as passive and active reinforcement with emphasis on design and installation of post-tensioning systems. This class has already taken a field trip to view concrete formwork in use at a laboratory building being constructed on ASU's campus by Sundt Construction.

Recruitment News

The CIM program received great news last week when our academic unit, the Del Webb School of Construction, hired Dawn Rogers as its program manager in charge of recruiting and retention. Dawn and her husband Jim have served as executive directors of the AZ-ACI Chapter since 2006 and previously Dawn worked with the Arizona Masonry Guild as well as the NAHB Concrete Homes Initiative. Jim has also started teaching as an adjunct faculty in the CIM program. Dawn's experience in the industry ensures that all students recruited to the Construction School will understand the opportunities available in the CIM program and the concrete industry.

Cal State Chico News

News from the CSU Patrons

The Chico State CIM Patrons welcome everyone back for a great new year and are pleased to report that we are beginning the process of our five year review with the University expecting a successful outcome leading to full department status within two years. Also, twelve students from our second graduating class of 14 have all received full-time jobs. The remaining two are close to securing employment in the concrete industry. Finally, a Fall retreat with industry leaders to map out a strategy for our next five years has been planned. This plan will be developed to guide the Patrons in maintaining the university/concrete industry partnership that has been so successfully in our formative years.

A Summer In Alcatraz

Chico State's College of Engineering and CIM program partnered with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area to allow students to work as full-time national park volunteers during this past summer. This partnership gave the students an opportunity to restore deteriorated concrete structures on the historic landmark.

Project manager Andrew Billingsley, Stig Strombeck, Jonathan Hall, Bryan James and Trevor Prater worked with college faculty, industry experts and the U.S. National Park Service restoring concrete staircases, landings and slabs. The students practiced techniques used to match new to the weathered concrete. During the 10-week internship, the students lived in restored officer barracks and were provided a living stipend funded by a cultural resources stewardship grant through the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and CIM patron supporters.

The summer was a success and their work was well received by the U.S. National Park Service. "They really want us to come back next year," Tanya Komas, CIM Director and Program Coordinator, said.

To read the complete article about this exciting summer internship by Amanda Jacobs of The Orion, Chico State's Student newspaper, click here.

CSU Ranked in U.S. News & World Report

Chico State University is the sixth-ranked regional public university in the Western United States, according to U.S. News & World Report. Chico State was sixth last year as well in the annual "America's Best Colleges" edition, and has made the list every year since 1998, according to the university.
The regional category includes universities that offer undergraduate and master's programs but few doctoral degrees. "The fact that Chico State is ranked among the top public universities in the West year after year speaks to the outstanding quality of our faculty, staff and students," Chico State President Paul Zingg said.

The rankings are available in the magazine and on its website at www.usnews.com.

MTSU News

New Faculty and Staff

Alan Sparkman and Steve Bertasso, two full-time temporary faculty, have been assisting CIM while we fill the full-time Instructor Track position in Concrete Contracting. An applicant for this full-time position - beginning Fall 2011 - must have a Master's degree and 10+ years industry experience. Interested candidates can contact Heather J. Brown at hjbrown@mtsu.edu.

Third Annual CIM Skeet Shoot Fundraiser

The CIM program at MTSU will be hosting our third annual CIM Alumni Skeet Shoot fundraiser on Friday October 22. This fun-filled event will be held at Big Springs Clay Target at 1:00 p.m. For more information or to register your team, contact Sally Bradford at bradford@mtsu.edu or 615-494-7658.

Group Social Dates Announced

The MTSU CIM will be hosting three group socials this Fall. Arranged similar to a job fair, these events will be tailored to different segments of the concrete industry. The cost for each participating company will be minimal - we ask that each pay a $100 fee to offset food, table and room costs associated with the event which will take place in the Tennessee Room on the MTSU campus. Each participating company will have a table and are encouraged to return the next day to interview students for full-time positions or available internships.

Group socials dates are:

Materials/Producers Group Social - Ready Mix, Cement, Admixtures
Wednesday, October 6    6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Precast/Masonry Group Social - Manufactured Concrete Products
Wednesday,October 20  6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Concrete Contracting/Construction Social
Monday, November 8     6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Please feel free to contact Becky Linville at blinvill@mtsu.edu for more information or to schedule an individual social.

NJIT News

NJIT CIM Graduates

NJIT is pleased to report that 100% of the Spring CIM graduates are gainfully employed! For the first time in this program's history, seven CIM students are expected to graduate at the end of the Fall semester.

On-Campus Activities
NJIT NY
· The NJIT Senate has approved a student chapter of the American Concrete Institute (ACI).

· The CIM and CET programs will jointly hold a one day, on-campus sporting event to increase the awareness of the CIM program.

· Current CIM students have volunteered to travel back to their high schools and promote the CIM program and potentially recruit new students.

· CIM students will participate in both the NRMCA and ACI conventions in October.

Summer Internships

All CIM students were offered internships/co-ops this summer in various companies such as Sika, Silvi, and URS. They all did a great job representing the quality of the CIM undergraduate students. Some students have already been offered full-time employment upon graduation.

Texas State News

Welcome Back!

The faculty and staff at TSU are excited to begin another school year and we currently have 37 students enrolled in the CIM program.

TSU Welcomes Dr. You Jae Kim

We are pleased to announce that Dr. You Jae Kim has joined the CIM program. Dr. Kim holds a doctoral degree from Washington University and his research interests are in the area of testing and modeling of construction materials and the implementation of material characteristics and performance models into mechanistic design and analysis.   Dr. Kim holds multiple certifications from ACI and PCI and has years of industrial experience. Welcome Dr. Kim!

Summer Internships

During the past summer, seven TSU students gained invaluable experience working as interns for a variety of companies. The following is a list of participating companies and student job descriptions for our interns.

Participating Company                       Job Description

BASF                                                Admixtures
Concrete Lab                                     Research assistant
Ingram Readymix, Inc.                       Dispatch, internal supply, area management
Research for Dr. Hu                           Texas Department of Transportation Research
Efficiency Solutions                            Installed GPS systems
TAS CC                                             Field engineering
Research for Dr. Gaedicke                Research assistant

Faculty Publications

The faculty at TSU has been extremely busy with various research and publication projects. The following is a sample of that work:

· "Effect of coarse aggregate characteristics on concrete rheology," - by Hu, J. and Wang, K., has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Construction and Building Materials.

· "Recycling Lead-Based Paint Contaminated Deconstructed Masonry Materials as Aggregate for Portland Cement Concrete - A Cost Effective and Environmental Friendly Approach," - by Hu, J., Wang, K. and Gaunt, will be published in the October 2010 issue of J.A., Resources, Conservation and Recycling.

· "Flexural Behavior of Concrete Specimens on Various Soil Support Conditions," - by Roesler, J. and Gaedicke, C., 7th International DUT-Workshop on Design and Performance of Sustainable and Durable Concrete Pavements, Sevilla, Spain, 2010.

· "Cyclic Shear-Friction Constitutive Model for FEA OR R/C Membrane Elements," - by So, M.G., Kim, Y.J., Yun, G.G., Dyke, S. and Harmon, T.G., has been accepted by the ACI Structural Journal.

· "Composite Insulated Precast Wall Panels with Shear Transfer Provided by Carbon Fiber Grid,"- by Kim, Y.J., Messenger, H. and Harmon, T.G., published in The Third Congress of the International Federation for Structural Concrete (fib) 2010, Washington, D.C. (May 29 - June 2, 2010).

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