NDSCS and NDSU Compete at Student Competition in Orlando

Held in conjunction with the 2026 NAHB International Builders' Show in Orlando, FL this past February, students from the North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) and North Dakota State University (NDSU) participated in the NAHB Student Competition. 

The NAHB Student Competition gives students all over our nation an opportunity to apply skills learned in the classroom to a real construction company by completing a management project/proposal. These proposals are then submitted to a group of construction company executives who act as judges and provide critical feedback. To differentiate between types of schools, the competition is broken down into five sections:

• Four-Year College & Graduate Programs - Production Home Build
• Four-Year College & Graduate Programs - Custom/Small Home Builder
• Associate Programs - Construction Management
• Secondary School Programs - Architecture
• Secondary School Programs - Construction Management

NDSCS Architectural Modeling/Design Technology and Construction Management Technology students participated in the Associate Programs - Construction Management. Their team were tasked with acting as an outside construction management contractor making a proposal to build on a pre-graded lot located within Edmond, Oklahoma. They were required to recreate a set of drawings and details, a detailed cost estimate, a complete construction schedule, and a construction management plan for the single-story floor plan provided to them. 

NDSCS took 1st place! Congratulations to the following students for their hard work and skill!

• Eli Lawrence
• Olivea Roth
• Rylee Hans
• Siera Begalke
• Koltin Bolte
• Cameron Akers
• Hailey Paulsen
• Connor McGaughey

NDSU participated in the Four-Year Custom/Small Home Build, where they would assume the role for a custom home building company operating in and around Lake Martin, Alabama. Their primary objective was to design, budget, and present a custom home project that maximizes investor return while adhering to local development guidelines and maintaining a high standard of residential construction.

Congratulations to the following students for their hard work and skill!

• Austin Sichmeller
• Matt Gendreau
• Nick Tofteland
• Loretta Wacek
• Carter Derendal
• Zoey Bohnenstingl
• Rhett Johnson
• Sean Schiefelbein
• Trigg Hendrickson
• Josiah Eastvold
• Courtney Nipp
• Emily Burley
• Katie Reber

Their participation in the NAHB Student Competition not only showcases the talent emerging from our region's construction programs, but also provides them with invaluable, real-world experience and industry connections. Opportunities like this are made possible through the generous support of the BIA Foundation of the RRV and the National Housing Endowment, whose contributions help offset travel expenses and ensure local students can represent out region on a national stage. 

Thank you to the many BIA and BIA Foundation volunteers who generously shared their time and expertise with these students throughout the process. From reviewing proposals to offering guidance and industry insight, your mentorship played a role in helping these teams prepare for competition and strengthen their presentations. Your support helps cultivate the next generation of building industry professionals, keeping our region's talent pipeline strong.

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