The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Construction Management program announced the official kickoff of its Construction Lab Campaign, thanks to lead donations from Findorff and Portzen Construction, including monetary support, equipment and scholarships.
UW-Platteville is home to a one-of-a-kind Commercial Construction Lab that provides students an opportunity, each year, to build a two-story commercial building from architect- and engineer-designed plans. Students experience operating and working around heavy equipment, fabrication, welding, scaffolding and other common practices, as well as work with industry-standard safety equipment and project management software.
The complexities of the hands-on lab exposes students to a range of real-world scenarios – from weather conditions, project delays, time restraints and more – all of which prepare them for future roles as construction managers and construction safety managers. In addition to the Commercial Construction Lab, the Road and Infrastructure Lab and Safety Lab round out the students’ hands-on experience. These opportunities contribute to the growing popularity of the Construction Management program, which saw a 56% increase in majors from 2020 to 2021.
“We can’t thank Portzen and Findorff enough for their contribution to our construction lab campaign,” said Gretchen Bockenhauer, program coordinator and assistant professor of construction management. “With their support, we kicked off the campaign in the right way and it will help meet our goals of keeping the Construction Management and Construction Safety Management Programs growing, keeping up with industry changes and marketable programs in our construction industry.”
Both Findorff and Portzen Construction are strong supporters of UW-Platteville’s Construction Management program, attending on-campus industry events and frequently hiring alumni.
“Portzen Construction fully supports the UW-Platteville Construction Management Program,” said Jayme Kluesner, chief financial officer at Portzen Construction. “Portzen Construction has hired multiple graduates from this program and the experiences they receive from the construction lab and hands-on experiences in the field set these students apart. Portzen Construction is happy to contribute to the program and excited to continue our relationship with such a fine university.”
The Construction Lab Campaign offers a number of ways to pledge support, including lab naming opportunities, scholarships, student assistantships, endowed positions and more. To learn more about the Construction Lab Campaign, visit www.uwplatt.edu/Construction-Lab-Campaign.