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Date 7-18-06
Contact David Tisdale 601.266.4499
WITH PHOTO
Hattiesburg—The University of Southern Mississippi’s
School of Construction received a $136,000 gift Monday in support
of its construction management program, the only dually accredited
construction management program in the country. The school plans
to expand the program by offering online courses in the near future.
Desmond Fletcher, director of the School of Construction, met with
members of the National Association of Home Builders Monday at the
James Lynn Cartlidge Forrest County Multi Purpose Center to accept
the gift, which came from the association’s disaster relief fund.
Fletcher said the impact of Hurricane Katrina has dramatically
increased the demand for well-educated construction managers for
the recovery effort. A primary goal of the School of Construction
at Southern Miss, he said, is to increase the number of graduates
to help meet this demand.
“With gas prices and recovery efforts a major impediment for many
potential students, the residential construction program at the
school will use this generous gift from the National Association
of Home Builders Disaster Relief Fund to support our online outreach
effort to help reduce the shortage of qualified managers,” he said.
“We really need to incorporate online classrooms into the residential
construction program because the traditional physical classroom
environment encumbers non-traditional students who are currently
working or in military service. The online format also benefits
residents on the (Mississippi) coast in a cost-effective manner.”
Fletcher said plans also include establishing a center for disaster
response information, which will assist in organizing resources
for the residential construction community following hurricanes
and other natural disasters.
The residential construction program comprises a myriad of sub-disciplines,
including land acquisition and development; building design; construction;
and real estate finance and marketing. It is designed to prepare
students for entry-level positions in the management of the entire
home building and marketing process, from land acquisition and development,
through project planning and execution, to the marketing of finished
homes.
Career paths for graduating students include, but are not limited
to, the following:
- Residential Homes Builder/Constructor
- Residential/Single-Family Homes Project Manager
- Land Development Project Manager
- Residential Land Planning Manager
Bobby Rayborn, a Southern Miss alumnus from Jackson who serves
as director of the National Home Builders Association Disaster Relief
Fund, said the Southern Miss construction management program can
be a key element in restoring residential property in the areas
affected by Hurricane Katrina. “This is going to help bring more
talented young people into the residential construction industry
at a time when they are desperately needed,” Rayborn said.
For more information about the School of Construction, call 601.266.4895
or visit http://www.usm.edu/construction/.
Click
to enlarge
Southern Miss School of Construction Director Desmond Fletcher,
far left, accepts a donation of $136,000 from Southern Miss alumnus
Bobby Rayborn, far right, director of the National Home Builders
Association Disaster Relief Fund. Also on hand for the presentation
were, second from left, Thom Arnett, president of the Hattiesburg
Home Builders Association; center, Lamar Evans, executive officer
for the Hattiesburg Home Builders Association; and right, Marty
Milstead, CEO of the Home Builders Association of Mississippi. (Southern
Miss Public Relations photo by David Tisdale)
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