Baton Rouge Community College (BRCC) has received a donation of $158,979 from the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) and the Contractors’ Education Trust Fund. The donation was presented during the LSLBC's September board meeting, marking the ninth consecutive year BRCC’s Construction Management Program has been a beneficiary of the fund. BRCC is one of only four institutions in the state to receive this year’s donation, awarded annually to select colleges and universities that meet LSLBC criteria.
“We are grateful to be recognized by the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors and deeply appreciative of their support, which will enhance our Construction Management program,” said BRCC Chancellor Dr. Willie E. Smith. “It’s an honor to be among the few institutions chosen in Louisiana, and this recognition speaks volumes about our faculty’s dedication to elevating the lives of our students and in supporting our industry partners.”
LSLBC has donated over $3 million to date to BRCC that has allowed the college to enhance and grow the educational experience for our students through scholarships, equipment upgrades, and other essential resources for the program. Recently, BRCC used funds provided by the LSLBC to completely overhaul a lab, with brand-new computers and cutting-edge software installed specifically for Construction Management students.
BRCC’s Construction Management program has continued to grow since its inception in 2009. The program is accredited by the Board of Trustees of the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) and is valid through July 2027. BRCC’s Construction Management program is the only two-year accredited program in Louisiana and one of only 15 two-year degree programs in the country to achieve accreditation. The program consists of 60 credit hours of coursework that includes materials and methods, print reading, estimating, safety, construction law, surveying, planning/scheduling, and project management.
“Our Construction Management program continues to expand, and the college is positioning itself to become one of the nation’s top programs,” said BRCC Construction Management Program Manager Gery Frie. “We’re currently developing plans for a new construction trades outdoor training lab, and this generous donation from the Contractors’ Educational Trust Fund will help us better prepare our students to meet the future needs of the construction industry.”
In addition to the LSLBC donation, BRCC recently received the prestigious Gable Grant award of $850,000 from the Lowe’s Foundation in July, which will enhance the college’s Construction Management Program.
With support from both the Gable Grant funding and the LSLBC donation, BRCC will develop and build a state-of-the-art Construction Trades Outdoor Training Lab that will also support the college’s new plumbing training program.
The Construction Management program is open to all students and can be completed in as few as four semesters. Students graduating from the program will earn an Associate of Applied Science in Construction.