The Ohio Northern University construction estimating team finished second at the ninth annual Ohio Contractors Association (OCA) Estimating Competition in Columbus, Ohio, on Feb. 27-28.

This marks the second consecutive year that ONU has placed as one of the top two schools in this competition. Last year, ONU captured first.

Thomas Zechman, visiting professor of civil engineering and the team’s advisor said, “The entire faculty at Ohio Northern is incredibly proud of our team this year. It is a young group with only one senior, and they have been working hard all winter. Their hard work obviously paid off. Just to participate, in and of itself, is a tremendous learning experience with practical applications for future employment. Placing so high in the competition against the finest engineering schools in the state made it a fantastic weekend.”

This year’s competition project was the Smolen-Gulf Covered Bridge in Ohio’s Ashtabula County, recognized as the longest wooden covered bridge in the United States. Each team presented their results and answered questions from a panel of judges. The final score was based upon the accuracy of the construction estimate and the professionalism of the presentation.

Competitors included the University of Dayton, the University of Toledo, the University of Cincinnati, Bowling Green State University, Cleveland State University, Youngstown State University, the Ohio State University, and Ohio University. The University of Akron team took first place.

The ONU team is comprised of six civil engineering students: Tyler Bumbalough, a senior from West Liberty, Ohio; Nathan Bair, a junior from Upper Sandusky, Ohio; William Wolfgang, a junior from Beloit, Ohio; Kevin Gilbert, a junior from Cincinnati, Ohio; Nathan Miller, a junior from Fremont, Ohio; and Korey Sarven, a sophomore from Lima, Ohio.

The team was coached by three ONU civil engineering alumni: Craig Wing, class of 1991, Brian Smith, class of 1993, and Brittany Burgett, class of 2008. A banner announcing the achievement hangs in the civil lab hallway of Biggs Engineering Building.

Photo: Making their presentation are, from left, B.J. Wolfgang, Korey Sarven, Nathan Miller and Kevin Gilbert.

 

Published: Wed, 03/25/2009 - 12:13pm