Brayden Schmeichel, a Construction Management Technology student at North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS), has been named a 2024 New Century Workforce Scholar and will receive a $1,500 scholarship.

This scholarship program is sponsored by The Coca-Cola Foundation and Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society, and supports students at associate degree-granting institutions on a national scale. Students nominated for the Workforce Pathway should be planning to enter the workforce after completing a certificate or associate degree.

New Century Workforce Pathway Scholars are selected based on their academic accomplishments, leadership, activities, and how they extend their intellectual talents beyond the classroom. Over 2,200 applications were received from students in more than 1,300 college campuses across the country. Only one New Century Workforce Scholar was selected from each state.

Brayden’s selection was based on the score he earned in the All-USA Academic Team Competition, where he was the top-scoring student from North Dakota. Brayden has also served as the Vice President of Service for the NDSCS PTK chapter and helps organize their service learning projects. As a Construction Management Technology student, Brayden recently represented NDSCS at the International Builders Show ® (IBS) in Las Vegas, NV with his classmates.

“Brayden is very deserving of this recognition” said Erin Johnson, the NDSCS Phi Theta Kappa advisor, “I have watched Brayden embrace new leadership roles within our academic honor society and in other campus activities. He is a great representative of our NDSCS student body and demonstrates how students becoming active on campus builds skills and opportunities for their future.”

NDSCS has a long-standing tradition of New Century Scholars, and is proud to count Brayden among the list of high-achieving students that come out of our institution.

Brayden and the other New Century Scholars from around the United States will be recognized in the fall.

The last week of February is a busy week for North Dakota State College of Science students, as it's the last week of classes before spring break. 

For 12 students in the construction management and architectural modeling and design technology programs, it was even busier than usual. Along with their instructor, Lara Lekang, the students traveled to Las Vegas to compete in the International Builders' Show (IBS). 

The students presented projects at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Student Competition while at the IBS.

NDSCS students go through an application process for this project, starting at the beginning of the school year. Their work must be submitted prior to Christmas break at the end of first semester. Once classes resume in the second semester, the students put it all together and start the presentation portion of the project. 

"These projects are a commitment for the students,” Lekang said. “They learn to understand and work through it. It really brings together all the ‘whys’ behind what they are learning in their classes.”

Lekang, a Wahpeton native, graduated from the very program she now teaches at NDSCS. For the past seven years she has been the associate professor/program coordinator in the architectural modeling and design program.

Lekang has brought with her experience from the commercial and residential industry. In the past few years, NDSCS has restructured the architectural program from drafting into 3D modeling. This was driven by the need to keep up with current industry standards. Now, having become a multi-disciplinary program, it allows students to be aware of the different avenues their careers can take.

“Giving students various construction experience builds confidence for when they enter the workforce,” Lekang said.

Students who are selected to compete get a pre-assigned project, often one that has already been fully constructed in the real world. The project expectations are quite involved. It focuses on the construction schedule, estimates, a management plan and detailed drawings. Once it is put together on paper, it is a very thick packet.

“The judges are looking for completeness,” Lekang said. “Accuracy in the students' approach to the problem, the sequence of the schedule and this leads to problem-solving and troubleshooting when things don’t go as planned.” 

Lekang had two teams compete this year and both teams placed. One team took home third place and the other fifth place.

“I am proud of the students' teamwork, efficiency, communication and all the time they put in,” Lekang said. “NDSCS students rose to the occasion.”

When not competing, the students had a chance to see all the IBS had to offer. According to the NAHB, more than 76,000 builders, remodelers, developers and other building professionals filled the Las Vegas Convention Center for the event.

Lekang also uses this event to network with industry professionals who collaborate with NDSCS. Building relationships helps the programs grow and succeed.

“It is eye-opening for students to see how it is all tied together,” Lekang said.

Article published by Bobbi Steffens at Wahpeton Daily News on March 9, 2024.