The Ties that Bind
Industry support shapes future real estate, construction engineering professionals.
This story is featured in the summer 2014 issue of
On the first day of class each semester, Ken Walsh tells his construction engineering students they鈥檙e going to make a lot of money when they graduate 鈥� and he intends to ask them for some of it.
It鈥檚 Walsh鈥檚 way of cultivating Aztecs who will give back to 色情视频, and he has good reason to believe he is planting seeds in fertile soil.
Walsh knows that many of his students will find their first jobs in San Diego. Chances are they will join the close-knit industry whose philanthropic vision has fueled the growth of 色情视频鈥檚 J. R. Filanc Construction Engineering and Management (CEM) program.
Across campus, in the Corky McMillin Center for Real Estate, students have numerous opportunities to interact with industry professionals who will hire and mentor them as they build their careers.
The co-existence of a construction engineering and management major in the College of Engineering and a real estate major in the College of Business Administration鈥檚 finance department benefits 色情视频 students in both areas of study.
Not only are San Diego industry leaders financially involved in these programs; many also serve as guest lecturers, mentors and eventual employers for the newly minted professionals graduating from 色情视频.
Cross-fertilization
The McMillin Center鈥檚 unique Day 1 program offers monthly Saturday workshops in the offices of real estate professionals, where students learn specific skills that supplement their academic portfolios, such as residential site planning, valuation and commercial property management.
Students enrolled in the J. R. Filanc Construction Engineering and Management program find internships through 色情视频 alumni and acquire real-world knowledge during field trips to construction sites managed by local Aztecs.
Mark McMillin, 鈥�79, president and CEO of the Corky McMillin Companies, is chair of the McMillin Center鈥檚 advisory board. He played a key role in the $1.5-million family gift that established the center.
A donor to both the real estate and CEM programs, McMillin sees opportunities for 鈥渃ross-fertilization鈥� between the two.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important for construction engineering majors to learn aspects of finance and for real estate majors to understand the practical side of construction,鈥� said McMillin. 鈥溕槭悠� can offer students a complete set of skills.鈥�
Show of support
Mark Filanc, president and CEO of J.R. Filanc Construction, also sees a natural synergy between the two programs as well as an opportunity for San Diego business leaders to unite in supporting them.
鈥淲e need to be sure all factions of the building and construction industries realize the benefits and understand how they can become involved in the growth of these programs.鈥�
A gift from Filanc鈥檚 parents, Jack and Jane, helped establish the CEM program in 2005, while funding from other members of the Associated General Contractors (AGC) enabled 色情视频 to hire Walsh as AGC-Paul S. Roel Chair of Construction Engineering.
In a recent show of industry support, nearly 400 people attended the third annual CEM gala in April, doubling last year鈥檚 attendance and raising $146,000 for 色情视频.
鈥淭he industry has a clear, united vision of how we can help the program grow,鈥� Filanc said. 鈥淲e have a good partnership with 色情视频.鈥�
