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NDSCS students from the Architectural Modeling and Design Technology program won 2nd place in the Associates degree program category of the NAHB Student Competition held during the 2023 NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS) in Las Vegas, NV. Their design proposal and presentation were showcased against seven comparable college programs throughout the United States. In total, 63 teams representing universities, community colleges, high schools, and career technical schools across the U.S. participated in the annual student competition.

For more than 30 years, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has held a student construction design competition during the International Builders’ Show (IBS). This annual competition has been a memorable part of the IBS, and gives student members of NAHB the opportunity to apply the skills learned in the classroom to a real construction project. Teams do this by completing a management project and submitting it to the construction company executives who act as judges.

During the fall semester, students form teams and prepare a written proposal to solve real-life construction management problems. Each team is given a design problem and building criteria, and the students were required to produce drawings and sketches to assist in developing the estimate, documenting the quantities, and showcasing their knowledge of the constructability of the home. They were also required to produce a detailed estimate of the required material and labor for their plan, along with a complete construction time schedule for the project (outlining a logical construction sequence). Teams then travel to the IBS and present their solutions to a judging panel of residential construction industry experts. This year’s IBS competition presentations were held January 30–February 1, 2023, where all the student teams presented their project and materials, and answered questions from the judges.

“NDSCS has competed nationally at the International Builders Show for 13 years and we always have awesome lessons to show for the hard work that is put forth. Seeing the students work as a team through the semester while networking and finding solutions to difficult (and real-life) problems that they can push forward to accomplish a big task,” said Lara Lekang, NDSCS Architectural Modeling & Design associate professor. “I’m so proud of what they accomplished and received with their 2nd place spot. We all had a great time in Las Vegas – seeing ‘big, fancy’ homes, the newest technology, and of course the sites of the city. I hope the students remember this time fondly as they grow into young professionals. The construction industry has made it known that they support the student’s hard work and future endeavors!”

Charner Rodgers, Ph.D., chair of the NAHB Student Chapter Advisory Board and construction management professor at the New School of Architecture & Design said of the student competitors, “These students are the future leaders of the construction industry, and they deserve recognition for their impressive commitment to participating in the competition.”

"Student teams networked with other students, industry professionals, and builder members all week long,” said competition consultant, Scott Kelting, Ph.D., Kelting Consulting. “You can really see that this industry is one big community, and how the competition better prepares students for career opportunities in all aspects of home building."

Photo Caption: (Back Row - L to R) Advisor: Lara Lekang, Competing Members: Shayne Hoffman, Brooke Glynn, Madison Semerad, Annah Evavold, Cade Shoemaker (Front Row L to R) Alternates: David Hartung, Rylee Groth, Meghan Roller, Emily Schmidt

North Dakota State College of Science will offer Associate in Applied Science degrees in Precision Agronomy and Precision Agriculture Technician starting in the fall of 2023. Approved by the State Board of Higher Education, the new degree programs are aimed at meeting industry needs and the growing demand among students looking to pursue emerging career opportunities in agriculture.

The Precision Agronomy degree is a two-year, 69-credit program that will prepare students to use precision technology to guide agriculture production decisions. “Graduates will have the ability to use technology like mapping to make the best agronomic choices on their farms or when working with a producer through an agronomy center,” said Craig Zimprich, chair of the Agriculture Department. NDSCS developed the program in response to industry demand for employees with expertise in agronomy and precision agriculture. Currently, the NDSCS Agriculture Department offers emphasis options in agronomy and precision agriculture. This new program will merge the options and expand into a standalone associate degree. The curriculum will include courses in plant and soil sciences, agriculture sales, field crop scouting, software, data management and business management. Zimprich believes the expanded curriculum and standalone degree will attract and graduate more students needed to meet the high workforce demand.

The Precision Agriculture Technician degree is a two-year, 69-credit program focused on agriculture equipment. Students will be trained in selling, installing, maintaining, and troubleshooting precision hardware and software on agriculture equipment. NDSCS worked with industry partners and heavy equipment dealerships to develop the program to meet their workforce needs. Zimprich explained that students will gain an agronomic background with a technical understanding of equipment to fill a void between the producer and the dealership. The curriculum will include courses in agronomy, sales and agriculture business, precision agriculture, and heavy equipment electrical and hydraulics. “When we talk to students about this program, their eyes light up because it’s ag and equipment. There’s a lot of students who like that idea,” said Zimprich.

First-year student Hunter Albert of Barnesville, Minn., will be one of the first graduates in the Precision Agriculture Technician degree program. “I’ve always wanted to be on the technology side of farming, working on equipment,” Albert said. “It’s where the future is in farming.” Sponsored by Titan Machinery, Albert plans to complete the degree requirements next spring.

To prepare for successful careers in the rapidly evolving agriculture industry, students in both new programs will receive hands-on training at the NDSCS Kosel Family Agriculture Land Lab, a 90-acre demonstration farm operated by the Agriculture Department, students, and industry partners. Students will also gain professional experience during a 400-hour paid internship between their first and second years of instruction.

In addition to the two new degrees, NDSCS will continue to offer an A.A.S. degree in Agriculture with emphasis options in farm management, ranch management, animal science, and ag business, along with a certificate in meat processing. More information about the degrees can be found online at NDSCS.edu/Ag.