Preparation, presentation lead MTSU Construction Management team to coveted international title

From left, project teammates Vidal Polk, John Crow, Allison Lampley, Annalise Phillips, Robert Deetjen, Alex Becker, Ronnie Merrill, John Timm, Brian Pierce and associate professor and mentor Duane Vanhook celebrate Middle Tennessee State University capturing the National Association of Home Builders Student Chapters first-place award at the Las Vegas, Nev., Convention Center earlier this year. (Submitted photo by Que Images LLC for NAHB)

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Hard work, impressive preparation and presentation and 10 Middle Tennessee State University Construction Management team members committing 500 to 600-plus hours’ time across two semesters led to winning the National Association of Home Builders Student Competition top award earlier this year.

Considered an international event with college and high school divisions and held in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the city’s convention center, MTSU shined in the main event — the four-year production homes competition that MTSU has won previously. The team finished ahead of Texas A&M and Michigan State.

Middle Tennessee State University Construction Management team members share the spotlight with their counterparts from Tuskegee Institute following the awards presentation at the National Association of Home Builders Student Chapters event earlier this year at the Las Vegas, Nev., Convention Center. MTSU earned the first-place award in the four-year production homes competition. (Submitted photo by Que Images LLC for NAHB)

Dr. Tom Nicholas, MTSU School of Concrete and Construction Management director — Dr. Tom Nicholas

“I am so proud of the NAHB competition team for their big win,” said Tom Nicholas, professor and director of the MTSU School of Concrete and Construction Management. “We believe we have the hardest working students in the country, and they proved that at the competition. The future is bright for our Land Development and Residential Building program.”

Tasks span across market research, land development due diligence, sales, marketing, home design, financial proformas, risk analysis and book design, said junior Ronnie Merrell of Kenton, Tennessee, a construction management major, team leader and MTSU NAHB student chapter president. It is a volunteer-based extracurricular activity.

junior Ronnie Merrill of Kenton, Tennessee, a construction management major, team leader and MTSU NAHB student chapter president. It is a volunteer-based — Ronnie Merrell

“This award within the residential construction industry community is equivalent to winning a bowl championship,” Merrell said. “Very few people across the country in any construction management program have the ability to say they won this award.

“Knowing that it has been a while since MTSU has brought home this award was just unbelievable. The credit really goes to the staff and faculty at MTSU’s School of Concrete and Construction Management. This program is producing top-notch young professionals and this award proves that.”

He was joined on the team by junior Vidal Polk of Smyrna, junior John Crow of Nashville, senior Robert Deetjen of Napierville, Illinois, senior Alex Becker of Mt. Juliet, senior John Timm of Christiana, senior Brian Pierce of Franklin, and junior Joshua Hilliard of Coleman, Michigan — all construction management majors —and junior interior design majors Allison Lampley of Memphis, and Annalise Phillips of Nolensville.

Shown during the National Association of Home Builders Student Chapters annual awards ceremony at the Las Vegas, Nev., Convention Center earlier this year, Middle Tennessee State University residential construction management majors John Timm, left, and Alex Becker, lower right, helped their 10-member team capture the four-year production homes competition’s top award. (Submitted photo by Que Images LLC for NAHB)

MTSU School of Concrete and Construction Management associate professor Duane Vanhook mentored the team.

“They started in September,” said Vanhook. “Ronnie recruited and developed the team. They submitted their project booklet in December, then defended their presentation for 15 minutes at the offices of four local builders, facing intense questioning after that. I’m extremely proud of what they achieved.”

Merrell said that any student interested in home building, no matter their major, is “highly encouraged to join the MTSU NAHB student chapter and be a part of this opportunity in the future. This won’t be the last time we win first place, and it certainly will not be the last time we compete.”

The School of Concrete and Construction Management is one of 11 College of Basic and Applied Sciences departments. For more information, call 615-494-7658.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)