Video by Jesse Grace
Hosted by the Colorado State University Department of Construction Management, the 6th annual Women in Construction Management Summer Institute took place June 6-10 on the CSU campus. Twenty-three high school-aged students attended this year’s camp. The recurring theme throughout the five-day program was empowering young women to envision themselves doing anything they set their minds to — including working in the male-dominated construction industry.
This five-day four-night on-campus program is for high school students, aged 15-18 who are interested in architecture, engineering, and construction. Each day participants engaged with professional women representing these industries, as well as college student mentors. Daily explorations helped participants to build their confidence and develop an understanding of construction management, the built environment, and related careers, all while having fun exploring construction-related topics through classes, tours, and hands-on activities.
Construction activities
One opening exercise included using construction plans to build replicas of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge using Legos. They carefully counted the number of bricks required for each pylon, for example, and received a limited number of them in a cardboard box “barge.” Occasionally, teams were given a delay in material delivery or weather complications, to emulate real-life experiences in the construction work environment.
Another popular activity was the “equipment rodeo.” Sunstate Equipment in Fort Collins provided equipment including a mini-excavator, a scissor-lift, and a forklift, allowing the students to get hands-on experience with each type. They also experienced a welding station and saw how drones are used in construction work.
Young women participated in activities including mixing concrete, virtual design, and the equipment rodeo.
The young women also learned how to use computer-modeling technologies employed in the industry through demonstrations of mixed and virtual reality from the industrial technology company, Trimble. They experienced drone flying for use on construction job sites; they toured job sites and heard presentations from women working in the field.
Other activities had the participants making boxes out of wood and industrial pipe, provided by U.S. Engineering, as well as a working concrete lamp — which required them to strip electrical wire, attach a switch, mix and pour concrete, then attach a bulb with a base.
One student mentor, Daisy Dominguez Lopez, observed the smiles on the students’ faces when they turned on their completed lamps. “I felt so proud,” she said. “It took me back to a year ago when I was attending the camp, and now I am a mentor!”
In addition to experiences, each institute attendee walked away with new tools to continue their learning and safety. Milwaukee Tool provided each participant with a complimentary bag of tools, thanks to Regional Manager, Robert Boger. The Department of Construction Management capped off the giveaways with a complimentary personalized hard hat for each participant.
There were sessions on estimating, scheduling, strength-finding, and confidence-building. They heard from a variety of women — including current college students, alumni, and industry members — at a panel presentation and during sessions throughout the week.
For the sixth year, appreciation goes to Dave Woods and the Beavers Charitable Trust. As the lead donor in funding the camp, the Beavers gift ensured that all the young women could attend the institute for a nominal registration fee.
Appreciation also goes to Bill Hazlett and U.S. Engineering, and to Ferguson for providing the industrial pipe for one of the lab projects for the camp, as well as to Fort Collins Habitat for Humanity, which facilitated some hands-on experience for the campers.
Positive experiences
Young women who participated in the summer institute reported positive outcomes: gaining self-confidence, feeling more informed about leadership roles for women, learning that construction is a great field for women, and recommending this program to others.
Participant Frances Hudson said, “This excellent program exposes students to a wide range of disciplines within construction, and there’s no question that you’ll learn something new.”
“It’s a great way for women to gain skills and positive relationships with other women,” added participant, Alyssa Paulson.
Ava Martinez, who was a participant in the camp in 2018 and graduated from the CM Program this spring 2023, assisted with the lab session during this summer’s institute. “The WIC Summer Institute was one of the best decisions I have made,” said Martinez. “It helped guide my decision to attend CSU for the Construction Management Program. Being surrounded by so many inspirational women in construction made such an impact on me as a young woman and helped me to create lasting relationships with women in the industry. I couldn’t think of a better way to end my time at CSU than helping out at the WICM Summer Institute where it all began!”
Mentor and industry member, Alicia Ready, who has been active in the program since its inception said, “The WICSI camp is such an innovative opportunity for young women! Anna [Fontana] does an incredible job providing unique experiences for the participants and providing well-rounded exposure to the construction industry. Every year, the camp brings together such a diverse group of camp participants and leverages women in the industry to interact with the young women. It is so inspiring to see how timid these girls are at the start of the week, and the confidence and empowerment they exhibit by the end of the week.”
The Department of Construction Management is part of CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.
