ASC Students Chosen for Internship with LeChase Construction

Two Alfred State College (ASC) construction management engineering technology students, Zachary Towner, Hamlin, and Andrew Meeder, Dale, have been chosen by LeChase Construction, LLC, Rochester, to work with the company on construction management for the campus student leadership center which is currently under construction.

For the duration of the project, Towner and Meeder will

• become familiar with all construction documents (drawings, specifications);
• become familiar with Change Management System;
• help develop, coordinate, and implement value engineering concepts;
• assist with weekly progress project management and superintendent meetings;
• review the approved door/frame/hardware schedules for accuracy;
• observe site housekeeping and maintenance, as well as tour the site and comment;
• post drawings, addenda, CAD drawings;
• become familiar with the CM responsibilities for encouraging the contractor safety program, make observations, and report to CM;
• provide special sketches of field conditions, for clarification to send to the consultants, attaching photos, sketches, partial copies from design documents or other information that will clarify the communication;
• provide input to LeChase of any new methods as CM based on their college training, suggesting "new" or "improved" techniques that may be implemented by LeChase on the SLC project;
• Phase 2: participate with the campus, NYS Construction Fund, architect, CM and consultants on Phase 2 project meetings, reviews, comments, etc.;
• photograph documentation of the construction site, label photos to meet Fund protocol, and transfer photos to the Fund representative on a weekly basis;
• Intangibles: that is, miscellaneous items as they arise, field measurements, clean trailer, shovel snow, create sketches, field phone calls;
• assist the superintendent in creating a staging and logistics plan for Phase 2; and
• help administer the CM's Web page whereby project documents are shared.

The selection process for the internship was conducted like a typical job search. In order to be considered, sophomore and junior students were required to submit resumes which were reviewed by Andy Smilinich, ASC director of capital projects; Jeff Marshall, associate professor and chair, ASC Civil Engineering Technology Department; and Erin Vitale, associate professor, ASC Civil Engineering Technology Department. Twenty-six students enrolled in construction management classes submitted resumes.

The top 11 candidates of the 26 were chosen for formal interviews conducted by Jim Higgins, project manager for LeChase Construction Services, LLC, and Smilinich. The two students selected for the available positions are both sophomores. Towner and Meeder began work at semester’s end.

The interns will work full time throughout the summer and the equivalent of two or three days a week during the semester.

Towner and Meeder proved they were the right men for the job recently, when they provided information to Higgins regarding a discrepancy they thought they had found in some documentation. After further review with the architect, they were found to be correct and the architect issued a clarification.

“They were completing an assignment given to them, then, voiced their concern appropriately. Both interns have been prompt, professional, and thorough in their assignments. They have accepted and completed each assignment without error,” says Higgins of the two.