A team of Nebraska construction management students took first place at the ninth-annual Race to Build competition Sept. 11-13 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee.
Nebraska’s team of more than 20 students from the Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction, was advised by Brandon Kreiling, Byron “Rip” Radcliffe Associate Professor of Practice of Construction Management, and Emmeline Lemos Watson, assistant professor of practice.
The event brought together teams from four schools – Nebraska, Appalachian State, Iowa State and Kent State – to compete over three days to build the fastest, safest and most-efficient new homes who build homes that Appalachia Service Project (APS) presented to local families in need.
Receiving houses this year were three families displaced by Hurricane Helene, which almost one year earlier had brought record flooding and devastation to the southern Appalachian Mountains (including parts of North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee).
“I was truly the most excited about being able to do this for that family, and then the family was there with us all three days,” said Ashlyn Richeson, a sophomore construction management student.
The first-place prize included a trophy and $5,000 for the winning school, which the Nebraska team presented to the family that received the Nebraska house. Richeson said that was part of the experience that will remain with her as she looks to her future.
“I (learned) anything is possible that no matter what the scenario is if something goes wrong in one moment that there's a solution. And whatever you’re building impacts people,” Richeson said.
“It gives you perspective. You're doing something bigger than yourself, and you may not see the impact at that moment, but you can see the impact in so many other ways.”
