Article by Phoenix writer Cassandra Odudukudu ’24:
From the construction of the Firebird Center of the Arts & Athletics, an innovative idea emerged: the Construction and Project Management Course. This course, run by Mr. Kenneth Conrade, is a fairly new elective at Kellenberg that started last summer with the beginning of construction of the complex.
The Construction and Project Management course has an average of 60 students per session. These dedicated students gather in the early mornings to start class.
These classes are an hour long with the first half reserved for informational videos and notes. The students then set off with their trusty hardhats to visit the active construction site to learn of what is currently being worked on as well as the successes and challenges of the week from the project manager and site supervisor.
Throughout the course, professors and workers in the fields of construction come in and talk about their experiences and give advice to students. For example, Dr. Jim Powers, a professor at the New York Institute of Technology, came in and did a joint class with his students and Kellenberg students on the construction site.
Senior Sydney Reichel, a student in the elective, noted, “The course was very insightful, and
it helped open me to a new career path that I wasn’t previously considering.”
The Construction and Project Management course was originally implemented to help senior students find potential career choices in engineering, architecture, or even law. However, in hopes of aiding more Kellenberg students in their strive for success, this course has later been expanded to include members of the junior class.
There are future plans for the course to extend into this spring and summer to allow for the participation of lowerclassmen students who are interested in this field of work.
Students interested in taking the Construction and Project Management Course can contact Mr. Conrade for details.
