Civil and Construction Engineering students at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock have much to celebrate as they set a new record for their performance on professional certification exams.  

The Associate Constructor exam is an eight-hour test from the American Institute of Constructors, while the Fundamentals of Engineering exam is a six-hour exam administered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying.

The 12 UA Little Rock students who took the exam had a 100 percent pass rate for the Associate Constructor exam and a 92 percent pass rate for the Fundamentals of Engineering exam.

This year’s graduates are the closest a class has come to having a 100 percent pass rate on the Fundamentals of Engineering exam at the time of graduation. It’s a goal Dr. Nick Jovanovic, coordinator of the architectural, civil, and construction engineering programs, hopes next year’s students complete.

“Passing the exams validates the quality of the CVCE (Civil and Construction Engineering) program,” Jovanovic said. “It demonstrates that our graduates satisfy, not only our own local standards, but also national standards.”

Passing the exams allows graduates to immediately apply for the Engineering Intern Licensure with the state of Arkansas and the Associate Constructor certification from the American Institute of Constructors. Completing the exams is the first step in becoming certified professional constructors and licensed professional engineers.

This year’s UA Little Rock success rates far exceed the national pass rates for civil engineering students who take the exam. The 2016 national pass rate was 67 percent for the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, according to the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying. Meanwhile, the spring 2017 national pass rate for the Associated Constructor exam was 70 percent.

The 2017 Civil and Construction Engineering graduates include Abdulaziz Alanazi, Daniel Blair, Julian Castillo, Jeff Choate, Fidele Kabera, Matt Mitchell, Ross Phillips, Drew Potter, Norbert Rungano, Dylan Singleton, and David Stinnett.