MSU Construction Management has Successful Turnout at the 2014 MI SCAN Event

Each fall since 1984, AGC of Michigan, a chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America, hosts an event called Student Contractor Awareness Night (SCAN).

By: SPDC Communications

Each fall since 1984, AGC of Michigan, a chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America, hosts an event called Student Contractor Awareness Night (SCAN). This educational event draws participants from all over the state of Michigan to bring together construction-focused students and established construction professionals.

The event was created to enhance student knowledge of the construction industry, to develop contacts with other construction students, and develop networks and contacts in order to explore employment opportunities with construction professionals.

Michigan State University participates in the event annually and the School of Planning, Design and Construction’s Construction Management (CM) Professor, Marcus Metoyer has been involved with the SCAN event for the last several years. He considers this event to be the “most enjoyable event of the year, aside from teaching in the classroom.”

Every year prior, Ferris State University has had the largest number of participants at the annual event. But this year, MSU ended up on top. 

“We finally beat Ferris and had the most students participating at the event,” Metoyer shared with his colleges. A total of 32 MSU students attended the SCAN event this year, with nearly half of them being graduate students, a larger percentage than ever before. He attributes this to an increase in CM graduate students.

Though this year’s participation was outstanding, Metoyer believes that SCAN is an event that every CM student would benefit from attending.

“There are people there with job and internship opportunities,” he explained. “Some students actually get job offerings during the event.”

The SCAN experience consists of two main student events; presentations from company representatives who give students the opportunities to ask questions, and the speed networking activity. The speed networking portion of SCAN allows each student to meet one-on-one with the employers present at the event. “Everyone had a good time, but more importantly, everyone had a productive time,” Metoyer said of the experience.

Metoyer definitely understands the importance of such an opportunity. He is an MSU alumni himself, having received his undergrad in CM at the age 44, and completing his Masters in CM in 1994. Metoyer returned to MSU seven years ago as an instructor.Prior to the SCAN event, an educator’s forum took place, at which three of our Student Builders and Contractors Association (SBCA) officers represented MSU.

“[They] represented us well,” said Metoyer.

The presentation to the forum was given by Tom Lyons, SBCA’s President.

“I think it was a good showing with SBCA being actively involved with recruiting students for the event,” said Lyons of the participation. “It was a great night, everyone had fun, and it was nice to finally beat Ferris State.”

Overall, this year’s event proved to be a bit more work to put together, but Metoyer says it was well worth the effort.

“I don’t like being second in anything,” he explained, and for the first time in Metoyer’s experience at SCAN, MSU was number one.

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