School awards $70,000 in construction scholarships
Monday, December 14, 2020 10:00 AM
News, Academics, Giving Back, Milestones, Alumni
Pittsburg, KS
Seventy students in the School of Construction at Pittsburg State University will receive $70,000 in scholarships for the spring semester.
Tyson Stites, a junior construction major from McPherson, Kansas, was among them and said he’s honored and thankful to receive one.
“I have taken a lot of pride in my grades and have been pretty involved in leadership activities and honor societies, including the Association of General Contractors,” said Stites, who has a 3.98 GPA.
Stites also landed two internships thanks to connections between the school and industry partners. One, with Crossland Construction, gave him the chance to help build a crash testing lab in Wichita, and another, with Conco Construction, gave him the chance to work on the Fidelity Parking Garage in Wichita.
“Both of them were really unique projects and will look great on my resumé,” said Stites, who said he chose PSU for its reputation in construction.
The scholarships were funded by golf tournaments and clay shoots organized by the PSU Construction Alumni Association, a group that has done so for many years.
“The group continues to be a major supporter of the students in the School of Construction, both financially through scholarships and with the internship and employment opportunities they offer our students,” said Professor Jim Otter, who directs the School of Construction. “It’s a win-win for everyone involved.”
That's because the school turns out graduates who are highly sought-after by construction companies like Key Construction in Wichita, where PSU alumnus Scott Casebolt serves as president and is happy to help with fundraising efforts.
“I’ll put the PSU program up against anything else in the country,” Casebolt said. “The education its graduates get is second to none. We also find that the type of students who are drawn to PSU make for a good cultural fit for our company.”
Learn more about the PSU School of Construction and scholarship opportunities.