University Unveils Newly Renovated Nabholz Lab for Construction and Engineering Students

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has unveiled a newly renovated lab that will provide construction management and civil engineering students with an edge for their future careers in Arkansas’s growing construction industry.

With generous support from Nabholz, the new Nabholz Construction High Bay Lab has been redesigned to provide an upgraded workspace for classes, student projects, and demonstrations for students, faculty, and industry members. The lab is housed on the first floor of the Engineering, Technology, and Applied Science Building at UA Little Rock and was unveiled during a Nov. 18 ceremony.

“UA Little Rock and Nabholz have had a long relationship that Nabholz values greatly,” said Greg Williams, chairman of the board at Nabholz. “In particular, Nabholz has had a wonderful relationship with the Construction Management and Civil Engineering programs. Nabholz was pleased to be the sponsor for the High Bay Lab as it complements not only the knowledge needed for traditional construction but also some of the special skills needed by our Industrial Services team.”

Nabholz donated materials and labor for the lab renovation. In addition, Nabholz has provided a $30,000 donation to maintain and provide supplies for the lab for the next five years.

“A key strength of our construction management and civil engineering programs is the practical applications our students receive in classes and labs,” said Dr. Lawrence Whitman, dean of the Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. “This is only possible with labs that are current and focused on today’s workforce needs. The students, faculty, and I thank Nabholz for this generous gift that has transformed the High Bay Lab for the better!”

Dr. Hollis “Hank” Bray, chair of the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering, said the Nabholz lab will provide a generous space for important classes and competition.

“The lab will support class activities for classes in safety, concrete formwork, steel erection, materials engineering, and others,” Bray said. “The lab will also support important student activities such as the concrete canoe competition, construction shelter competitions, and Steel Bridge competition. The Nabholz High Bay Lab will be available for industry demonstrations as well. The Nabholz gift allowed us to make a major facelift to the 35-year-old laboratory and added much needed additional storage for lab supplies.”

The Nabholz Lab is part of a continuing partnership with construction industry partners in Central Arkansas to provide a great education, learning environment, and career preparation at UA Little Rock. The Clark Project Management Lab opened last fall to provide a place for students to learn about estimating, construction scheduling, project administration, and other important construction management topics. The lab was renovated by Clark Contractors and numerous industry partners.

Students in the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering are highly sought after by industry employers and have a 100-percent employment rate upon graduation.

“We’ve employed many UA Little Rock grads over the years, and they are a critical part of our team as well as our internship program,” Williams said. “It is important to our industry that UA Little Rock maintain a thriving program.”

You can learn more about UA Little Rock’s efforts to provide great learning environments that encourage student success at the Centennial Campaign website.