Strengthening the Foundation: CEE Unveils New Tishman Construction Management Program

Launching the first Construction Management graduate program in the world in 1954, the University of Michigan CEE department has established itself as a key player in construction research and education. That leadership position will be further enhanced, thanks to a significant gift from John Tishman (BSE EE ’46, D. Eng Hon. ’00).

The Tishman endowment will support a world-class, innovative educational and research program, named the Tishman Construction Management Program. Tishman is widely credited with creating the profession of Construction Management (see sidebar). T he gift and enhancement of the current construction program come at a critical time. The construction industry's demand for highly skilled, broadlytrained professionals has been consistently high in recent years. That demand will only climb in coming years, with the rapidly growing need for infrastructure development and renewal, both in the United States and abroad. The new Tishman Construction Management Program (TCMP) is well-positioned to meet the challenge. "This gift gives us the opportunity to capitalize on our strong background and strengths in Construction Management," said Associate Professor Vineet Kamat. "And now is an opportune time because we know demand for the best and most qualified professionals is going to be high."

Spanning Disciplines

The TCMP includes several components, including new courses and opportunities for students that reflect the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of Construction Management and that reflect where the field is headed both in research and professional practice. The program follows a model created by Tishman himself, which not only emphasized innovation but also the recognition of Construction Management as a distinct profession requiring breadth and depth of knowledge across multiple disciplines. "The skills and knowledge required by qualified construction managers today—and even more so of the future—are by definition crossdisciplinary," said SangHyun Lee, assistant professor. "The U-M has expertise in many of these areas, including highly-ranked architecture and business schools, and we're strong in the sciences and in other fields of engineering as well. This distinguishes U-M from other university Construction Management programs, and this gift makes it possible for us to leverage all of that expertise."

Industry Alliances

Active engagement with industry is a cornerstone of the new TCMP. Through the U-M Construction Industry Alliance (UMCIA), graduate students will have many opportunities to interact with industry and gain hands-on practice experience via projects and internships. Industry partners, likewise, will benefit from working closely with—and potentially recruiting—highly-motivated students, guest-lecturing, providing input on the curriculum and helping refine research directions in order to solve specific, practice-oriented problems. "The Industry Alliance offers a forum and a platform for open discourse among industry, students and faculty," said Lee. "We are going to the next level in terms of emphasizing the many integral connections among research, education and practice."

Amplifying Opportunities

Funds from the Tishman endowment will enable a variety of related activities in addition to supporting both master's and doctoral level students. "Mr. Tishman is passionate about Construction Management, and believes that U-M already has a strong foundation from which to serve as the place to train the leaders and best in the construction industry," said Nancy Love, department chair. "This is truly a unique opportunity for the Department." The first TCMP graduate students will enroll in fall 2012.