LSU is about to lead a building revolution, moving one step closer to launching the School of Construction within its College of Engineering. The Board of Supervisors approved its creation last week, advancing the proposal to the Louisiana Board of Regents for a vote sometime next year. College of Engineering Dean Vicki Colvin says the school would build on the current construction management program, and the number of students in that program is astounding.
“We already, in construction management, have what we think is the nation’s largest program with over 2,000 students,” Colvin said.
Colvin says the construction management program started in the 1970s, and the earliest graduates are paying it forward in creating the new School of Construction.
“The first class that graduated has some of the CEOs of our largest industrial contractors in Baton Rouge, and they are giving back. They’re the ones who are making this possible for us,” Colvin noted.
Donors have already given $42 million for the facility, which the state has matched. Colvin says construction is a very vital part of the U.S. economy.
“Construction is sort of an overlooked thing, but it affects us all. And I think this is a really amazing opportunity for Louisiana and LSU to become leaders in transforming this industry,” Colvin said.