My interest in construction started as a child with the obsession of Legos. I had boxes and boxes of bricks and panels, and I would spend all day building and modifying magnificent structures – hotels, skyscrapers, houses. I would even build in elevators, stairs, windows, and interior finishes. When I got old enough, I applied my building knowledge to build forts out of scrap wood in my backyard. Without any help, my construction skills developed radically. I started at the age of 8 by making a simple trellis-like structure which was barely a fort, to a full-height water-proof room in my backyard that had a door, electricity, a carpet and wallpaper, when I was 14. I obtained all the material used, typically for free or for a small price, and then pieced everything together. My interest in the forts waned after I built them; I noticed that building was what I enjoyed most.

In high school, I worked for a local general contractor who was re-modeling about 60 apartments in an apartment complex. I ran a crew with four of my friends, and we did various tasks such as demo, painting, drywall, and interior finishes. It was fun to work with my friends, but I was always looking for more responsibilities. As my senior year in high school approached, and it came time to apply for colleges, I knew Cal Poly was for me, but my only reservation was that I had to decide a major before applying. I opened the list of possible majors, anticipating a difficult decision. Agriculture… Architecture… Art… Biology… Business… Computer Science… Construction Management? That was as far as I got down the list. I didn’t even need to see the rest of the majors; I knew it when I saw it and there was no question about it.

My experience with the program here at Cal Poly has been nothing but positive. I started taking classes related to my major my very first quarter at school. I was able to get an internship with Hayward Baker, a commercial ground modification subcontractor the summer after my freshmen year. I learned a lot about the business, but decided I wanted to work for a general, since you are involved with the entire building process, not just a small scope that a subcontractor has. I interned with Clark Construction the summer after my sophomore year, and learned an incredible amount as I helped estimate, bid and win a $145 million airport project. The experience went so well that I was offered a part-time internship position on the $239 million design-build student housing project that Clark has with Cal Poly. I accepted the position and I have been interning part time while going to class full time, and learning more than I ever thought I could.

My studies have been going very well, being on the deans list 4 out of the 7 quarters I have been here, and maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.58. My academic performance enabled me to be part of the Sigma Lambda Chi Construction Management Honors Society. I am on track to finish my Construction Management major and my Business Administration minor in the spring of 2008, making my stay here at Cal Poly only four years. About 15% of Cal Poly students graduate in four years or less; I am determined to be in that 15%, and have consistently taken 20 or more units each quarter in order to achieve my goals.

I contribute my success to the interest I have in my major. It is really easy, since I am studying exactly what I want to be studying, and learning what I want to learn about. My passion in life is to build buildings, always has been, and always will be.