MANHATTAN, Kan. – (KSNW) — The Associated General Contractors of Kansas student chapter at Kansas State University spent its annual winter break service project helping a tornado-impacted community.

This year, eight students and two faculty advisors traveled to Mayfield, Kentucky for a six-day service trip. Mayfield was hit by a deadly EF4 tornado in December of 2021, leaving many residents with severe damage to their homes. The K-State student chapter has organized and participated in service work trips for over a decade.

The K-State group was hosted by the Murray State chapter of the Associated General Contractors group, which also joined in the cleanup efforts. The experience not only allowed the K-State students to serve others but also gave them hands-on experience with work of this nature, according to Shannon Casebeer, associate professor, and Jim and Carolyn Grier construction science chair, and faculty adviser for the Associated General Contractors of Kansas student chapter.

“It was a cool experience for our students to serve others and gain hands-on experience with work like this,” says Shannon Casebeer, associate professor, Jim and Carolyn Grier construction science chair and faculty adviser for the Associated General Contractors of Kansas student chapter. “The opportunity to make new friends and build future professional connections in the industry with the Murray State group made the trip even better.”

The trip was made possible through donations from BHS Construction, Central Consolidated, Eby Construction, JE Dunn, Kelly Construction, Key Construction, McCownGordon, Swinerton Builders, Walters-Morgan, and Whiting-Turner.

The K-State students who participated in the project were Ben Husband, a senior in construction science and management from Garden Plain; Noah Bartel, a sophomore in construction science and management from Hillsboro; Peter Bishop, a sophomore in construction science and management from Olathe; Abby Collins, junior in architectural engineering, and Nicholas Divilbiss, senior in architectural engineering, both from Overland Park; Levi Johnson, senior in architectural engineering from Salina; Taylor Case, senior in construction science and management from Russellville, Missouri; and Madelyn Salmonowicz, senior in architectural engineering from St. Louis, Missouri.

The trip provided K-State students with an opportunity to not only serve others, but a chance to gain real-world experience, while also building relationships and connections in the industry.