A panel of roofing industry experts selected the team from Auburn University’s McWhorter School of Building Science as the winners of the Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress’ fourth annual student construction management competition. The decision was announced following oral presentations at the 2018 International Roofing Expo in New Orleans.

The team from Colorado State University, Fort Collins, placed second in the competition.

Other schools chosen as finalists to participate in the competition included Bert S. Turner Department of Construction Management at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; and M.E. Rinker Sr. School of Building Construction at the University of Florida, Gainesville.

The Florida team won the last two competitions in Orlando and Las Vegas.

The goal of the partnership with construction schools is to raise awareness of the roofing industry by roofing-related curriculum that can be incorporated into existing construction management undergraduate degree programs; exploring scholarship programs for students and faculty members; and developing an internship program with interested Alliance members.

Teams were presented with a problem statement: Create a company to bid on installing a roof system on the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans. Each team was required to research the project, review the plans and specifications, and assemble a full estimate and proposal to submit a qualified bid package. Each team gave oral presentations Feb. 7 at NRCA's convention.

The first-place team received a team trophy and a $5,000 L.B. Conway scholarship for its school, as well as individual team member trophies that were presented during NRCA's Industry Awards Ceremony and Cocktail Reception Feb. 7. The second-place team received a team trophy, a $2,500 scholarship for their school and individual awards. The Best Individual Student Presenter received an iPad.