The Roofing Alliance has revealed seven teams of college students that will compete in its 2021-22 Construction Management Student Competition.

The Student Competition, now in its eighth year, invites students to create both a written and oral proposal for a roofing project. Five finalists will present their oral presentations at the 2022 International Roofing Expo on Feb. 2 in New Orleans, with the winners announced at the National Roofing Contractors Association’s Awards Ceremony and Cocktail Reception that same day.

The teams are as follows:

  • Bradley University, Peoria, Ill. – Nicholas Williams, Adam Sienkiewicz (team captain), Adriana Diaz, Victoria Urbanczyk; faculty coach is Souhail Elhouar; team mentor is Doug Duncan, Nations Roof LLC, Villa Park, Ill.
  • California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Calif. – Nick Reeves, Chance Giessinger (alternate), Claire Peters, Nathan Horst (team co-captain), Steven Zheng (team co-captain); faculty coach is Jeong Woo; team mentor is Rudy Gutierrez, Shell Roofing Solutions, Chino, Calif.
  • Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. – Jackson Davis, James Goodwin (team captain), Allie Stark, Declan Fay (alternate), Walker Moseley; faculty coach is Dhaval Gajjar; team mentor is Will Fort, Bone Dry Roofing, North Charleston, S.C.
  • Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colo. – Kendall Carter (team captain), Dylan Smithwick, Mackenzie Voshage and Jackson Wathen; faculty advisor is Nicholas Rubino; team mentor is Kent Nelson, Front Range Roofing Systems LLC, Greeley, Colo.
  • Minnesota State University – Mankato, Department of Construction, Mankato, Minn. – Zach Ayers, Brianna Peterson (alternate), Brock Reese, Andrew McGinnis and Kyle Mickelson (team captain); faculty advisor is Brian Wasserman; team mentor is David Endres, Schwickert’s Tecta America of Mankato LLC, Mankato, Minn.
  • Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas – Kyle Cahill, Blake Bocchino, Canyon Martine, Kyler Hardison (team captain), Alexia Palomares (alternate); faculty advisor is Larry McGinn; team mentor is Mark Standifer, King of Texas Roofing Company LP, Grand Prairie, Texas.
  • University of Florida, Gaines, Fla. – Avery Tyndall, Ansley Spofford (team Captain), Ryan Freeman, John Zielinski; faculty advisor is James Sullivan; team mentor is Rob Springer, Springer-Peterson Roofing + Sheet Metal Inc., Eaton Park, Fla.

This year’s project is the Four Points Sheraton Hotel located on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. This roofing project consists of work on approximately 18,000 square feet of five levels of roof over a structural concrete deck. Given its location, project logistics will be a huge challenge for the students to overcome, as will the safety of workers and hotel guests.

The teams must submit their written proposals by Nov. 19. The five finalist teams will be announced in January 2022.

The Student Competition is just one of the initiatives the Roofing Alliances uses in its commitment to bettering the industry by introducing students to the viability of a career in roofing.

"Hopefully everybody will schedule a little bit of time to come in and see a favorite team, these students do a great job, it's amazing, it's just a lot of fun," said Roofing Alliance Executive Director Bennett Judson.

The first place team will receive trophies and $5,000 L.B. Conway scholarship for the winning school. Second place receives trophies and a $2,500 Fred C. Good scholarship for the winning school. Two students will be recognized as best presenters and receive American Express gift cards.

For more information about the Student Competition, visit the Roofing Alliance website.