Building competition relies on Fresno State students
- Details
- Published on 02/07/2012 - 11:26 am
- Written by Ben Keller
Dozens of business students from California State University, Fresno will exercise their skills in design and real estate when the first Community Facility Challenge kicks off tomorrow in the Henry Madden Library on campus.
Put on by regional nonprofit agency the Northern California Community Loan Fund, the competition will have student teams of 6 to 8 students from Fresno State's Lyles College of Engineering, Craig School of Business and the Department of Art and Design finding ways to place new community facilities in the area.
The challenge begins tomorrow as Fresno State faculty, community leaders and judges representing local business and organizations take part in a planning workshop held from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Henry Madden Library.
Following that, around four or five student teams will spend the next few months working with staff members of the community-based organizations and municipalities that submitted applications on the proposed facilities, including the cities of San Joaquin, Livingston, Atwater and the Tule River Tribe in Porterville.
Together, they will prepare a feasibility analysis that takes into account design studies, construction schedules, budgets and funding sources needed to build the projects.
The teams will then submit a final written analysis for review by a panel of judges on April 11 before they appear for oral presentations on the projects on April 18.
On that day, the winning team will be awarded a $5,000 predevelopment grant from NCCLF to help jumpstart their project, all of which aims to benefit low-income families and communities.
"The whole concept is to provide students from many disciplines with the ability to work together on a particular, which they don't normally get to do," said Alice Rocha, business development loan officer with NCCLF. "The second is to provide municipalities and CBOs with an analysis so they can begin to get funding on their project."
More information is available at NCCLF's website or by contacting Rocha at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (559) 452-0327.
Established in 1987, NCCLF serves 46 Northern California communities with financial education and loans to spur housing developments, businesses and other projects that help the state's neediest residents overcome economic challenges.
