UA Little Rock’s AGC Student Chapter Honored with National Award
The Associated General Contractors (AGC) Student Chapter at UA Little Rock has been recognized with a national award for its outstanding work.
“This national recognition highlights the dedication, hard work, and leadership of our AGC students,” said Dr. Hank Bray, chair of the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering. “Our students have built a strong, engaged student chapter that exemplifies excellence in the field and loves working with our industry partners. We are incredibly proud of their achievements and look forward to seeing their continued impact on the industry.”
The AGC student chapter received the National Outstanding Student Chapter Award for New/Emerging Student Chapter for 2024. This award recognizes new and emerging chapters that are successfully building membership and engagement, increasing their involvement in the construction industry, and partnering with their local AGC chapter.
UA Little Rock’s AGC student chapter stood out for its innovative approach to member engagement and its commitment to building a strong foundation in the construction industry. Since its inception, the chapter has effectively utilized partnerships with industry leaders and AGC Arkansas members to enhance educational experiences for its members, provide opportunities for professional growth, and create meaningful connections within the construction community.
“I believe we won this award because of the tremendous work we’ve done networking and organizing events that create lifelong connections between our students and the companies that shape our industry,” said Cheyenne Smock, a sophomore construction management major from West Fork and president of the AGC student chapter. “The work that Jill Cates put in before me, and the work I’m continuing as president, will hopefully keep our student chapter among the best in the industry.”
A Winning Event: Taste of Mardi Gras
The AGC student chapter earned national recognition for hosting the 2024 Taste of Mardi Gras Festival in partnership with AGC Arkansas. The event provided a unique opportunity for UA Little Rock students to connect with local contracting companies in a relaxed, social atmosphere—building relationships that could lead to future job opportunities.
The festival featured live music, a costume contest, a photo booth, baggo boards, and a food competition celebrating Southern, Cajun, and Creole cuisine. The response exceeded expectations, with 16 teams and 144 attendees, along with 14 sponsoring companies that donated prizes or funds to support the event. Riggs CAT generously provided its Timberlands Lab, classroom, and parking lot as the event venue at no cost.
In total, 28 AGC student volunteers helped run the festival, raising nearly $5,000 to fund student travel to AGC CLC Leadership Development Conferences and the annual AGC National Conference. Several students even received job offers at the event, and interest in the AGC student chapter grew significantly among UA Little Rock students.
National Recognition and Convention Invitation
As part of their award, the AGC student chapter will receive a $2,000 cash prize and an opportunity to showcase their achievements by presenting a five-minute overview of their award-winning project at AGC’s Annual Convention April 9 in Columbus, Ohio. The chapter will receive four free student registrations and a $1,000 travel stipend to attend the event.
Convention attendees who will represent UA Little Rock are graduates Jill Cates (Baldwin & Shell), Hunter Cameron (Nabholz), and Matthew Eustace (Lexicon), as well as Harrison Hestir, senior construction management major and AGC treasurer, and Stuart Scheiderer, faculty advisor to AGC.
Several members of AGC Arkansas will be in attendance to support the student members at the national conference.
“The success of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s AGC Student Chapter is a shining example of how emerging student chapters can grow their membership and deepen their involvement in the industry,” AGC Arkansas President Brad Spradlin said. “We are excited to see the continued contributions of this talented group of future construction leaders.”
Scheiderer credited much of the chapter’s success to Cates, the 2023-24 AGC president and a 2024 UA Little Rock graduate who now works as a field engineer at Baldwin & Shell.
“Jill was an outstanding student who took the student chapter from scratch and built it into what it is today,” Scheiderer said. “She came up with the idea for the Mardi Gras event and handled the planning and logistics to make it a success. She also spearheaded the Topping Out Ceremony, coordinating and organizing nearly every aspect. She was the best ambassador for the program and student chapter that I have ever worked with.”
At the Taste of Mardi Gras Festival, contractors set up booths—or “floats”—and competed for trophies in categories such as Best Chicken Dish, Best Sausage Dish, Best Seafood Dish, and Best Cocktail. Live music was provided by Kordsmeier, and students and contractors had the chance to compete in friendly games of baggo.
“I’ve never seen a group of students so proud to be part of an industry—and they absolutely should be,” Cates said. “Construction is a field with opportunities for people of all backgrounds. At the end of the day, we support each other. This award represents that spirit in our student chapter.
“We come from different backgrounds and experiences, but we all share a common goal: to build the future of America. It’s an invigorating and empowering feeling. I believe this award will continue to inspire students to get involved, be part of something bigger than themselves, and make a lasting impact on the industry.”