By Jeff Murphy, December 1, 2023
Construction management professionals who took part in the 2023 fundraising golf tournament
at Adams Pointe Golf Club in Blue Springs, Missouri, benefitting the University of
Central Missouri’s Construction Management program included, from left, Emilia Rivera,
E&K of Kansas City; Adam Hammeke, Performance Contractng, Inc.; and UCM alumni Steven
Crosley, McCownGordon Construction, and Caleb McCandless, The Builders, a chapter
of the Associated General Contractors.
WARRENSBURG, MO – Members of the University of Central Missouri Construction Management
Alumni Committee have turned a popular pastime into a highly successful philanthropic
opportunity. By hosting golf tournaments for seven consecutive years, the committee
has raised $303,761 to help fund student scholarships and other opportunities to aid
and advance UCM’s Bachelor of Science in Construction Management program.
Jason Schram, a 2008 program graduate and member of the golf tournament planning committee,
said fundraising efforts grew out of a desire to engage Construction Management alumni
in activities that would bring program graduates together while also generating funds
that benefit students and meet various academic needs. The idea to establish golf
tournaments, which have taken place in two Missouri cities, came from the Construction
Management Advisory Board. This group of professionals in the field include Schram,
who has served on the board since 2015. He currently works as Senior Estimating and
Preconstruction Manager for A.L. Huber, a general contracting company in Overland
Park, Kansas.
“In 2016, we had a number of alumni who were on the advisory board. We saw other universities
that had Construction Management programs with very engaged alumni, so we worked to
put together an alumni group within the advisory board,” he said.
In cooperation with the UCM Alumni Foundation, the new board committee has initiated
philanthropic opportunities to build a scholarship endowment that so far has made
possible six financial awards over the past four years to help make students’ education
more affordable. Alumni have also created a quasi-endowment, which can be coupled
with grant and state money for capital improvements that benefit the Construction
Management program, and have established a smaller but separate fund to help advance
the program. These two funds cover items such as technology, recruitment, professional
development for faculty, student organization support, and money for furnishings,
supplies and materials.
Two annual golf tournaments have helped grow all of these funds. The inaugural golf
tournament in the Kansas City area took place on May 20, 2016 at Stone Canyon Golf
Club in Blue Springs, Missouri. With the exception of 2020, during the pandemic, the
Kansas City area tournament has taken place annually since then. Two years ago, the
group added a second tournament in Columbia, Missouri. Schram said these events support
the endowment through team entry fees, company sponsorships, and raffles for prizes
such as food and beverage coolers, gas grills, lawn chairs, power tools, and an assortment
of other items.
The golf tournaments are open to everyone, however, Schram estimates an average of
50 to 60 percent of the participants are UCM alumni. He said the committee and the
Alumni Foundation Events team “cast a broad net” to engage alumni, current students,
and representatives of major construction companies to participate. Such events provide
opportunities for students to connect with potential employers, and for employers
to develop relationships with individuals who are seeking future internships and jobs
in construction management.
“The construction industry has a tremendous demand for graduates of this program,
and you’ll find these graduates across the country,” Schram said. “There will be national
companies and firms that are recruiting, and, on occasion, we will have a national
firm that participates simply because they want exposure to students. We always try
to have student teams, including SOCM (Student Organization of Construction Managers)
at the events so that they have exposure to the different companies that are hiring,
as well.”
Joining Schram on the Construction Management Alumni Committee are advisory board
members Brian Roth, ’02, senior project manager, LEED AP for McCownGordon Construction,
Shawnee, Kansas; Matt Osborne, ’04, general manager for Performance Contracting, Inc.,
Grandview, Missouri; and Brad Schoen, ’03, senior preconstruction director at McCarthy
Building Companies, Inc., Kansas City. In addition to supporting the golf tournaments
through their volunteer efforts, these committee members engage in advisory board
efforts that are currently under the leadership of Kevin Uhl, a 2009 graduate of the
Construction Management program from Lee’s Summit, Missouri. In addition to his full-time
job in management/business development for Meyer Brothers Building Company in Kansas
City, Uhl has served as the board’s president for the past two years and was recently
re-elected for another two-year term. In this capacity, he helps provide guidance
to ensure the academic program prepares students to succeed in their professional
careers.
“It means a lot for me to be able to give back to the program. It shaped and guided
my career to provide a way of life I never thought possible as a kid,” said Uhl. “I
have a little family in America and am the first person in my family to even go to
college. So, to give back to a program that gave me the opportunity today is very
fulfilling.”
Expressing her appreciation for the commitment of these university graduates, Tiffany
Cochran, ’05, ’23, senior director, events and alumni engagement, noted, “The UCM
Alumni Foundation is honored to work with dedicated alumni who unselfishly give their
time. Anyone can contribute to their program or interest area. Please reach out to
alumni@ucmo.edu if you are interested in getting involved.”
Speaking about the value of the advisory board and its committee’s support, Jeff Robertson,
dean of UCM’s College of Health, Science and Technology, noted, “Their enthusiasm,
dedicated engagement with corporate sponsors, business and alumni, as well as financial
support are supporting the unique curricular laboratory and field experiences needed
for a successful construction management career.”
He added, “The extra funds will also be combined with two external grants to facilitate
renovation of the TRG (T.R. Gaines Technology Building) Building to provide unique
spaces and synergistic opportunities for Construction Management, Engineering Technology,
and Safety Sciences.”
While Construction Management alumni have continued to give back to their alma mater,
Schram said the group is considering new opportunities to serve students in the program.
The date for the next tournament in Kansas City was recently set for June 7, 2024,
and although plans are not finalized, program alumni are considering a possible golf
tournament in the St. Louis area.
Excited about the possibility to extend golf tournaments to the opposite end of the
state, Schram said, “There are a lot of Construction Management grads there…We’ve
kind of been pushing to the east, and we’ve had a lot of success in pulling in St.
Louis contractors to the Columbia tournament.”
Individuals who want to learn more about UCM’s Bachelor of Science in Construction
Management are encouraged to visit the program website.