This fall, the Construction Managment program launched their capstone project, a 30 by 80 feet stage running along the west side of Heckert-Wells Hall. The project has been titled ‘The Oval Stage’ and construction began on Oct. 19th and will be ongoing until Dec. 4th.
This project is more than a traditional classroom assignment, according to Chad Crain, one of the two assoicate professors from the School of Construction that are overseeing the project.
“Traditional classroom learning often focuses on individual topics such as estimating, scheduling, blueprint reading, safety, materials, or project management. While these are important skills, they are usually taught separately,” Crain said.
He continued to explain what makes this a different kind of assignment and what is expected out of the students.
“A capstone project integrates all of these elements into one comprehensive experience,” Crain explains. “Students must: interpret construction documents and specifications, prepare estimates and budgets, develop project schedules, coordinate materials, labor, and equipment, address safety requirements and industry standards, solve real construction challenges as they arise, communicate with project stakeholders, and present professional documentation and project outcomes.”
Crain shares that throughout the duration of the project, students have learned that every stakeholder gets input.
“…Students learned that every stakeholder brings different goals, expectations, and perspectives. They had to communicate clearly, ask questions, provide updates, and adapt to feedback while maintaining progress toward project objectives,” Crain stated. “This experience reinforced the importance of professionalism, active listening, and relationship-building.”
The values that Crain wants to emphasize are the ones that these individual students will bring with them throughout their careers.
“Perhaps most importantly, students learned the value of accountability and responsiveness,” Crain shared. “In a real-world project environment, delays in communication or misunderstandings can affect an entire team. Navigating these challenges helped students develop confidence in their ability to work effectively with clients, contractors, suppliers, and project stakeholders.”
Serving as assistant superintendent on the capstone project is senior Eli Cunningham.
Cunningham has already secured a position with Beran Concrete in Wichita, they are the company assisting PSU School of Construction with the Oval Stage.
“We realized that we needed extra help for the concrete placement, when we realized the scope of the work and talked about our conceptional design and what we were gonna do there; Beran Concrete was who came first to mind to me and our team,” Cunningham said. “…We’ve worked with them before and it just makes things simpler through contracting them, and knowing those guys would be willing to help out, and they’re donating all their labor to the school.”
With the construction being in the heart of campus, being completed by Pittsburg State students and affecting every Gorilla, Cunningham pointed out the safety measures that are being prioritized by him and his team.
“Before breaking ground for this project, we were sure to talk over what our safety plan was to Dr. Newsom and all the other people in our initial meetings,” Cunningham said.
The Oval is one of the most iconic parts of Pitt State campus, and Crain illustrated that this project is highlighting historic preservation and the educational value of this addition.
“The approach has been to respect the history and traditions of the Oval while incorporating features that support the needs of today’s students and campus events,” Crain said. “That means carefully considering materials, scale, aesthetics, accessibility, and functionality so the finished project feels like a natural extension of the space. Rather than creating something that looks entirely new or out of place, the goal has been to blend modern design elements with architectural and landscape features that reflect the university’s identity,” Crain said.
Looking ahead, Cunningham put the stoplight on future construction students, when they walk across the Oval to the new stage, years from now, for an event.
“I hope that they realize, if they are in construction specifically, that they can do jobs like this in senior projects; that they can make an impact,” Cunningham said.
Crain says that if even one student feels that impact, the project has served its purpose.
“Years from now, when students gather for concerts, celebrations, and campus events on this stage, I hope they see more than just a structure. I hope they see a lasting example of what can happen when education, innovation, and community come together,” Crain said. “If this project inspires even one future student to dream bigger, take on a challenge, or leave their own mark on the university, then this team’s legacy will extend far beyond the stage itself.”
Aside from just the real-world and industry lessons that the construction students are gaining alongside this project, Crain wants them to realize this unique opportunity that they have been given, that many students will never receive.
“Not many students have the opportunity to point to a permanent structure on campus and say, ‘I helped build that,’” Crain shared.
Along with a transformative opportunity comes the pride of a lasting legacy they are leaving behind.
“I hope they take pride in knowing they’ve made a lasting contribution to the university” Crain said. “Years from now, when they return to campus with their families or professional colleagues, they’ll be able to visit the Oval and see the tangible results of their hard work. That’s a unique legacy and a reminder that the skills they developed at Pittsburg State can have a meaningful and lasting impact on the communities they serve.
