Brent Verhyen, of Kenosha, Wis. helps MSOE take first place in construction competition

MILWAUKEE, WI (11/10/2011)(readMedia)-- Students from Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) traveled to Downers Grove, Ill., in October to compete in the Associated Schools of Construction Region III Student Competition. For the tenth consecutive year, at least one of MSOE's teams took first place. This year, the Preconstruction Team and the VDC (Virtual Design and Construction) Team took first place in their respective competitions, and the Design Build Team took third place. They competed against large universities, including Texas A&M University, Brigham Young University, Purdue University, Ball State University and Michigan State, in the various events.

Brent Verhyen, an architectural engineering and construction management double major from Kenosha, Wis., was part of MSOE's VDC Team, which was asked to submit proposal for the virtual design and construction services for a Laboratory/Data Center building located in Milwaukee. They had 30 hours to create their proposal and deliver a presentation to competition judges from Mortenson Construction. The VDC Team was coached by Dr. Jeong Woo, assistant professor in the Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management Department. Team members are:

• Angela Ahlbrecht, architectural engineering and construction management double major, Glencoe, Minn.
• Justin Cosgrove, architectural engineering and environmental engineering dual degree, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
• Austin Meier, architectural engineering and structural engineering dual degree, Oshkosh, Wis.
• Mark Peterson, architectural engineering major, Burlington, Wis.
• Ben Turk, architectural engineering and structural engineering dual degree, Minooka, Ill.
• Brent Verhyen, architectural engineering and construction management double major, Kenosha, Wis.

MSOE's Preconstruction Team was asked to submit a proposal for preconstruction and construction services for a $20-$25 million hospital expansion project. They had 30 hours to create their proposal and deliver a presentation to competition judges from Pepper Construction. The Preconstruction Team was coached by Dr. Jeong Woo, assistant professor in the Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management Department.

MSOE's Design Build Team submitted a proposal for design build services for a $30 million student dorm at a private university in St. Louis. They were responsible for creating a proposal that included the complete architectural design, a detailed construction estimate, a construction schedule and a site logistics plan. They had 30 hours to create their proposal and deliver a presentation to McCarthy Building Company executives, the Design Build competition sponsor. The Design Build Team was coached by Robert Lemke, associate professor in the Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management Department.

MSOE offers bachelor's degrees in architectural engineering, construction management and a five year freshman-to-master's degree in civil engineering. The architectural engineering program prepares graduates for careers in the design and construction of buildings and building systems. Lecture and laboratory courses-led by industry-experienced faculty-integrate theory and the practical application of design principles, practices, methods and materials.

The construction management program educates students to direct building construction project activities from the owner's conception of the project until completion. Learning focuses on the technical process and resource management skills essential to construct commercial, institutional and industrial buildings on time, within budget, of high quality and safely.

Students in MSOE's civil engineering program will receive both a bachelor's and master's degree in civil engineering after five years. MSOE is the first and only university in the state of Wisconsin to offer a five-year, freshman-to-master's degree in civil engineering.

MSOE is an independent university with about 2,500 students. MSOE offers 18 bachelor's degrees and 10 master's degrees in the engineering, engineering technology, building and infrastructure engineering, health-related engineering, computer, business and nursing fields. The university has a national academic reputation; longstanding ties to business and industry; dedicated professors with real-world experience; and extremely high placement rates and the highest starting salaries of any Wisconsin university according to PayScale Inc. MSOE graduates are well-rounded, technologically experienced and highly productive professionals and leaders.