Ferris State University construction management students have been contracted by the City of Big Rapids to build a pavilion in Northend Riverside Park.
The American Associated Construction Students organization is the lead team on the project, with about 12 members currently having a hands-on part of the building process.
ACS is open to all construction management students at Ferris, currently boasting 70 active members.
The group has a community service orientation, completing at least two community service projects in the local area every semester.
Included in this community service is a highway clean-up project that the group does every year.
These service projects allow students to get hands-on experience in construction while helping the community where they work and live.
ACS also makes at least two site visits to active construction sites each semester to experience the work in a live environment.
The project began when the City contacted the service chair of ACS with a request to build a disc golf pavilion for the Ferris Disc Golf Team.
Assistant Professor Jeremy Horton has been assisting ACS with the project since March.
“The City of Big Rapids knew that we did projects like this, and they wanted to build a pavilion at North End Park for the disc golf team,” Horton said. “They thought it would be perfect to integrate the Ferris State construction program into this.
The city contacted ACS in March and began discussing plans for the pavilion.
Horton included that he assisted with drawing up the plans for the pavilion, but beyond that, students were hands-on with speaking with city officials, deciding on building material, putting in orders and now putting the pavilion together.
Horton further explained that ACS service projects are just one aspect of the hands-on learning experience that the university provides.
“In the first couple of years, they do a lot of hands-on work,” Horton said. “We have a lab here where they build a house indoors and they pour concrete. I think that sets Ferris apart a little bit with the management degree they get here.”
Construction management junior Ethan Slock serves as the community service chair for ACS.
According to Slock, the project offers a great opportunity for students to get real-life experience in the field.
“It’s the first opportunity I’ve had to help lead the project, whereas in internships I’m just kind of supporting the team,” Slock said. “We do the house lab every semester. It’s structured and planned. With this project, myself and others have realized that problems come up that need to be solved.”
Slock also mentioned that the project allows the volunteers to practice skills not yet learned through the Ferris lab, such as setting up trusses.
First-year radiography major Calece Cory expressed the importance of being involved in the community in which you go to school.
“I think it’s good to be involved, if you have the time and your grades are good,” Cory said. “I think it would be good to in the future, have for your kids. I helped do this, and it shows that you were involved.”
The project is expected to reach completion in late October or early November.
Currently, volunteers are awaiting the arrival of supplies that were delayed.
Once the supplies arrive, volunteers will work on putting the exterior parts of the building on.
The city will hire other companies to complete roofing, but volunteers will have the opportunity to install windows and add finishing touches.
Materials for this project have been sourced locally, provided by Big Rapids Lumber & Hardware.
Construction management students interested in joining the organization and participating in similar projects can contact the president of ACS, Blake Thomas.