Students build connections with Lobo Builders

A new student group at UNM seeks to create a network for soon-to-be building industry entrepreneurs.

Lobo Builders is branching out to a diverse student resource in order to build upon their goals and visions of success in business.

Mercedes Morton, secretary and treasurer for the Lobo Builders, said the name might confuse people. The organization spans out to a wider career group rather than just the laborers who carry out the constructions.

“We are more of a networking career group for anyone remotely interested in any aspect of the building industry, whether that be drafting or design, architecture, loans or finance, subcontracting, construction and engineering,” Morton said. “We are here to get students connected.”

As an employee for the Home Builder’s Association, Morton said there is an under-representation of younger people in the association’s events.

“The connection that we are trying to make with the HBA is in order to bridge the gap between the ages. That was the strongest push for why we started the student chapter at UNM originally,” Morton said.

Levi Green, president of Lobo Builders, said the chapter will give students direction within a broad spectrum of industry opportunities.

“The students will have real life experiences and involvement with the community as well as with industry leaders. If you can get that guidance while you are going through the theoretical topics at UNM, you then get a solid understanding of what it is you are doing,” Green said.

It is fundamental to interact with marketing, financing and other professions at UNM for success in the building industry, he said.

“There is a whole team underneath the construction that is often overlooked,” he said. “Lobo Builders may seem one-dimensional but at the end of the day Lobo builders is team member based; it’s the networking and the team that makes a company.”

Morton said that in January 2015 the Lobo Builders will be presenting a project proposal at the International Builder’s show for the Residential Construction Management Competition.

“The RCMC is established to give students an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to solve construction related problems and to compete with other institutions offering a bachelors degree,” Morton Said.

Albert Villescas, team leader for the RCMC competition, said this event will also be a good example for prospective members of the kind of connections and opportunities that the Lobo Builders provides.

“We are doing the finance, marketing, management, cost analysis, scheduling — the whole nine yards for this proposal,” Villescas said. “Almost all the schools here can be a part of what we are doing. The more schools we can reach at UNM, the better.”

Specifically, the engineering department works to be involved with industry, however, there is a lack of communication between contractors and UNM industry-oriented students, he said.

“By going through the Lobo Builders students can actually know the owners of the companies, not just some peon in the HR department who doesn’t care about the number on their résumé,” Villescas said. “When students are looking for a job after graduation they will have that personal connection already, and I think that is the most valuable thing you can get out of this program.”

Mateo Rocha is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @DailyLobo.

What: Presentation with Louis Gibney

When: Dec. 1 at 4:30 pm

Where: Student Lounge of the Centennial Engineering Building