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Shoulder to shoulder with the Crossland family and dozens of other Crossland employees who also graduated from Pitt State, he watched as the building he helped construct was formally renamed the Crossland Technology Center.
At the same time, the College of Technology, which is housed in the massive building, was formally named the Crossland College of Technology.
“It's truly a full-circle moment for me. Back then, we were a small company, but I recognized what a significant project this was for the company,” said Schnurbusch, who graduated in 1994 with a degree in Construction Management.
“The fact that we now have our name on the building is amazing to me,” he said. “I remember feeling honored just to have been part of building it, and now, seeing the Crossland name on it is an incredible accomplishment.”
The new name honors all Crossland employees who graduated from Pitt State, said President Dan Shipp, during a ceremony that featured remarks by Crossland CEO Ivan Crossland Jr., Kansas Board of Regents President Blake Flanders, Regent Blake Benson, and PSU Foundation Chairman Gary Tredway.
“We take great pride in our partnership with Crossland, which runs deep throughout our community and region,” Shipp said.
The new name also honors the countless contributions the company has made to the university.
“Crossland has changed students’ lives with scholarships and internships, hired our graduates, given financial support, and provided us with their industry expertise and service,” said Vice President for University Advancement Kathleen Flannery, who also is president of the PSU Foundation.
“In short, Crossland has shared time, talent, and treasure, and this recognizes and honors their legacy,” she said.
When the 278,000-square foot building was finished in 1997 at the corner of Ford and Rouse streets, it was the first of its kind and the largest in the Midwest.
It was also a pivotal moment in Crossland’s history as a company.
“It was a huge deal to us at the time to win that project -- I knew that, even as a young kid just starting out,” Schnurbusch recalled.
The $25 million project was four to five times larger than any project Crossland had built before, which felt significant to its employees.
Like Crossland Construction, the Technology Center and the College of Technology have been impacting the Southeast Kansas economy – and beyond – in a big way ever since.
A report from Fall 2023 to Spring 2024 shows a total of 90 graduates of the Construction Management and Construction Engineering Technology programs were employed by 52 companies, 29 of which have headquarters or do their primary business in Kansas.
Data kept from Fall 2012 to Spring 2024 show a total of 852 were employed by 264 companies, 140 of which have headquarters or do their primary business in Kansas.
Since its construction, thousands of graduates also have been educated in the Technology Center for careers in Automotive, Career and Technical Education, Electrical, Graphic Communications, Human Resources, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, Plastics, Technology Education, and Wood Product Manufacturing. Many of the programs are unique in the region and the nation.
Among those graduates is Ivan Crossland Jr., CEO of the Columbus, Kansas-based company started by his dad, Ivan Crossland Sr., in 1977.
Ivan Jr., who earned a degree in Construction Engineering from Pitt State in 1984, described the university’s Construction programs as having been “a cornerstone for Crossland’s success.”
“This partnership is about making sure the university knows we’re behind it 100 percent now and in the future,” he said. “PSU graduates have contributed to the growth and success of Crossland and the industry. That’s a testament to the strength of Pitt State’s programs.”
About 400 Pitt State alumni have helped build the company to what it is today.
They “always fit our culture, and bring a strong work ethic in addition to academic knowledge,” Ivan Jr. said. “In our company, people with those attributes hit the ground running, grow, and succeed here.”
Patrick Crossland, who earned a degree in Construction Management from Pitt State in 2000 and now the company’s chief development officer, said everyone at Crossland feels “incredibly honored to see our partnership recognized in this way.”
“More importantly, this is a significant milestone for our employees who are PSU graduates. They have been the lifeblood of our company,” he said. “Naming the building and the college signifies our ongoing support and appreciation for the high level of talent and dedication that PSU graduates bring to our company."
“From the very beginning, our dad instilled in us the importance of lifelong education,” Patrick said. "We have always prioritized education, investing in our people and their potential. Seeing this building named in honor of our employees and the commitment to education and professional development aligns perfectly with our dad’s vision for our company. We are here to support Pitts State and make sure these programs continue to lead the way."
Founded in 1977 by Ivan Crossland Sr., Crossland Construction has grown from humble beginnings in a family garage to a nationally ranked construction firm, now ranked No. 55 in the U.S., with nearly 2,000 employees across 11 offices in 7 states.
With strong in-house capabilities in concrete, steel, and carpentry, Crossland stands out for its hands-on expertise and dedication to problem-solving, taking on diverse projects ranging from entire school and medical campuses to civil, community projects, and roadways.
Crossland has maintained a family-oriented culture while expanding significantly over the years and recently was certified as a Great Place To Work®.
Crossland Construction recently was selected by a competitive bid to build Pitt State’s reimagined Kelce College of Business building in downtown Pittsburg.
Construction on the Technology Center began in 1994 and was completed in 1997. It is the largest building on campus and one of the largest in the region.
U.S. Sen. Bob Dole played a key role in securing funding for the Technology Center. In 1990, he announced that $6 million had been appropriated for the project, and in 1991, he announced that another $4 million had been secured.
The CTC has multiple wings, including the City of Pittsburg Technology Building, the Gene Bicknell Tech Building, the Sen. Robert J. Dole Technology Building, the Gov. Bill Graves Technology Building, and the Gov. Joan Finney Technology Building.
The CTC has approximately $16 million worth of equipment for students to use in their practical training.
