Published September 23, 2019
The University of Louisiana Monroe welcomed some familiar faces to campus recently
when members of the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors visited to present
a check to the ULM Foundation for the School of Construction Management. The donation,
made annually by the licensing board, was for $154,815.58.
PHOTO: The University of Louisiana Monroe School of Construction Management recently received
a contribution from the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors for $154,815.58.
Pictured, from left, are, ULM President Dr. Nick J. Bruno, Allen Otts of the ULM Foundation,
Vic Weston of the licensing board, Dr. Ed Brayton, director of the School of Construction
Management, Garland Meredith of the licensing board, Dr. Ron Berry, dean of the College
of Business and Social Sciences, Trent Livingston of the ULM SOCM Industry Advisory
Council and Michael McDuff of the licensing board.
Emerald McIntyre/ULM Photo Services
A press conference was held in the Media Room with ULM President Nick J. Bruno greeting
the special guests.
“The construction industry has been very good to this university and been very good
to the training of construction professionals throughout the state. We certainly appreciate
what they have done,” Bruno said. “We’re very proud of 0ur school of construction.
We have many notable alums spread across the state and the country who have contributed
greatly to the building of our nation.”
Vic Weston with the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors, thanked Bruno,
Dr. Ed Brayton, ULM Endowed Chair for the Contractor’s Education Trust Fund and director
of the School of Construction Management, and the ULM SOCM Industry Advisory Council.
Weston said he was asked recently about his role in supporting construction management
programs in higher education. He responded, “I’m the industry. The universities are
my producers. They produce the end product that I need in the construction industry.
At ULM they do a heck of a good job.”
“What this industry and the university has done is quite frankly, implemented a lifesaver,
in training construction managers. The old weathered, beat-up construction superintendent
with big gnarly hands who can tie a rebar, can weld, can run a crane, can run a trackhoe,
(but) that keyboard, that’s not for them. On-time delivery of materials, I mean you
don’t stop a train. These guys, these construction managers are just absolutely fantastic,”
Weston said.
Michael McDuff, also of the licensing board, said the funds are contributions from
contractors who support the educating and training of construction professionals.
“We’re bringing funds that are voluntarily donated through the contractors licensing
board, but our industry gets behind it. Competitors got together and said this is
what our industry needs to do,” McDuff said.
The donations made to ULM have gone toward technology improvements, faculty recruiting
and program development.
“I am so proud of ULM for what you all have done,” McDuff said.
In the four years Brayton has been at ULM there have been many advances in the program,
much of it thanks to the generosity of the licensing board.
“We have high speed computers now, we’re doing 3D drawings, we have the latest surveying
equipment,” Brayton said. “They’ve made the program so that we can provide a world-class
education for the students. It’s been these contributions that have made this program
great.”
The School of Construction Management is in the College of Business and Social Sciences.
Founded in 1966, the SOCM became the first accredited construction program in the
United States by the American Council for Construction Education in 1976 and continues
to maintain that accreditation.
Since 2014, the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors and Contractor’s Education
Trust Fund has contributed more than $750,000 to the ULM SOCM for program development,
facilities, technology and equipment.
For more information on the ULM School of Construction Management, visit https://www.ulm.edu/cbss/construction/.
