October 7, 2026

For students in Drexel University’s Construction Management program, the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) Region 1 Student Competition has become more than an annual competition, it is a program tradition and an important experiential learning opportunity that challenges students to put their classroom knowledge into practice.

Each year, the competition brings together construction engineering and management students from colleges and universities across the Northeast, including programs in Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia. Student teams compete in categories such as Commercial Construction, Concrete, Design-Build, and Heavy Civil, tackling complex problems developed and evaluated by leading construction industry partners. Most recently, two Drexel teams earned top-three finishes, with the Commercial Construction team taking first place and the Heavy Civil team earning third place. The Commercial Construction team was coached by Construction Management faculty member Dr. Kathleen Short.

Working under demanding, real-world conditions, students must integrate knowledge from across the Construction Management curriculum, analyze complex project information, develop solutions as a team, and communicate their recommendations to industry professionals. The experience allows students to apply skills in areas such as estimating, scheduling, project planning, construction methods, and team management while working against the clock. The competition also creates an important connection between education and industry. Because competition problems are developed and judged by industry partners, students receive direct exposure to the expectations, challenges, and decision-making processes they will encounter as construction professionals.

“The ASC competition has become an important part of our Construction Management tradition,” said Xi Wang, PhD, Program Director of Construction Management. “Our students put tremendous effort into preparing each year, and we are always proud of the way they represent Drexel. More importantly, the competition gives them an opportunity to bring together what they have learned in their courses, collaborate under real-world conditions, and engage directly with professionals from the construction industry.”

Drexel is also looking to expand the interdisciplinary nature of the experience. For the upcoming competition, the Construction Management program plans to recruit Architecture students to join one of its teams, creating new opportunities for students from different disciplines to collaborate in a setting that reflects the integrated nature of today’s architecture, engineering, and construction industries.

Participation in the ASC Region 1 Student Competition complements Drexel’s emphasis on experiential education and gives Construction Management students another opportunity to learn by doing. Alongside classroom instruction and Drexel’s signature co-op experience, competitions like ASC help students develop the technical knowledge, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills necessary to succeed in the construction industry. As Drexel Construction Management prepares for another year of competition, its students will have an opportunity to continue a proud program tradition, learning together, competing against some of the region’s strongest programs, connecting with industry, and, hopefully, bringing another trophy home to Drexel.