Story by Kelsey Hussey
“I chose construction management because I’ve always known it was what I wanted to do,” said Camille Betance, a construction management major at Colorado State University.
“I would not be as happy or as successful as I am now if I didn’t get to be a Ram,” Betance said. “I love this school and all it has done for me.”
Project engineer intern in San Francisco
Entering her final semester at CSU, Betance is a project engineer intern in San Francisco this summer with a construction company called Webcor Builders. She is working on a project at the Moscone Convention Center.
Betance says what she does on the job varies daily. She spends hours in the field working with subcontractors to ensure the project stays on schedule and lives up to the company’s high standards. She helps everyone in the field office as much as she can. For example, she has done layout for ceiling tile, helped determine heights for floor floating, written Requests for Information, helped with the internship program and spent an entire day stripping formwork and framing a storage unit.
“This internship has been an incredible experience. Every day I learn something new,” Betance said.
Betance was exposed to construction at a young age through her father and grandfather. Her grandfather was a carpenter and her father owns a construction company.
“I would spend hours with my grandfather in his garage building anything and everything,” Betance said. “I loved the idea of working hard, and having a tangible finished product that reflected all my effort.”
In her free time, Betance tries to spend as much time with her family and friends as she can. She also keeps herself busy through her sorority, Chi Omega. She was the captain of the Virtual Design in Construction Competition team, which competed spring semester in Reno, Nevada, where she was also introduced to Webcor.
Unique experiences
The CM program gave Betance the opportunity to have unique experiences with many different companies. “Construction allows you to meet some incredible people,” Betance said. “I’ve gotten to work with veterans and people who have been in the industry since they were in high school. Earning an old timer’s respect and trust on a jobsite is an awesome accomplishment.”
One of the recent opportunities Betance participated in allowed her to come to Fort Collins for the duration of a women in construction camp held by the CM program. She was a mentor for the high school girls who wanted to learn about the ins and outs of the construction industry.
Unsure of exactly what she wants to do in the future, Betance takes solace knowing CSU has given her a great foundation and the construction industry is where she wants to be. “I love this industry so I know I’ll definitely work in construction for a long time. It’s about improving our communities, creating jobs, critical thinking and a strong work ethic. It’s a great industry,” she said.
“I met my greatest friends and mentors through CSU and the CM department. I’m excited for what the future holds, and I know whatever I do, CSU will be a part of what I accomplish,” she said.
The Department of Construction Management is part of CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.
