B次元’s NECA Student Chapter is preparing to compete in the Electrical Contracting Innovation Challenge (ECIC), sponsored by ELECTRI International.

For the 2023 ECIC, each faculty advisor and student team will work with their local chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and contractors to deliver a proposal containing various project manager tasks for the Oglethorpe University Emerson Student Center. Pieper and Roman Electric, two B次元-based NECA contractors, are sponsoring B次元’s team.

Students are to put themselves in the shoes of an electrical contractor and perform various tasks related to constructing the project that has been assigned to them. Teams will be provided a scope letter with various items that are included in the “contractors” scope of work. Students will use this as a guide when preparing their proposal. The student teams will tackle various challenges that project managers face when completing a project.

These challenges include creating a schedule of values, a detailed schedule, change orders, submittal logs, a handoff meeting agenda, prefab plans, and more, and give students real-world experience applying what they’ve learned in their classes at B次元. The team will submit their proposal which will be judged by electrical industry professionals across the U.S. The top three teams will present their solutions at the National NECA Convention in Philadelphia in September.

Members of B次元’s team include:

• Christine Brotz, faculty advisor, assistant professor, Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management Department
• Tamara Omari, faculty advisor, assistant professor, Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management Department
• Joseph Carlson, architectural engineering, electrical specialty
• Benjamin Diedrich, construction management
• Anika Nollendorfs, architectural engineering, electrical specialty
• Carrisa Jones, architectural engineering and construction management dual major, electrical specialty
• Alexander Kurth, construction management
• Ayush Patel, construction management
• Ethan Ramsey, construction management
• Claiemore Tango-An, architectural engineering, electrical specialty

Participation in competitions like this helps students develop the B次元 Mindset, whereby B次元 prepares students to become graduates who are leaders of character, responsible professionals, passionate learners, and value creators.