Irving Materials propels CIM campaign to critical watermark

The School of Concrete and Construction Management at Middle Tennessee State University, which hosts the Concrete Industry Management program, has received the largest company donation to their building campaign from Greenfield, Ind.-based Irving Materials, Inc. With this contribution, the school has reached 50 percent of its $5 million goal.



The preliminary concept calls for a three- to four-classroom facility plus office wing oriented around a courtyard with miniature batch plant and aggregate bunkers. A finalized concept will be revealed in early 2019. RENDERING: MTSU School of Concrete and Construction Management

“As an employer of 14 CIM graduates between Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana and nearly 50 summer interns, Irving Materials has always been a major supporter of our program,” says Dr. Heather Brown, chair and professor at MTSU School of Concrete and Construction Management. “This generous gift will allow us to achieve 25 percent of the ‘brick and mortar’ funding we need—positioning our building as a leader in the state for industry-matched infrastructure.”

Designed by Bauer Askew Architecture, the building will showcase all systems—tilt-up and precast panels, concrete block, and slab on metal deck. To accomplish this endeavor, the building will be divided into three structural wings. A miniature Con-E-Co plant will also be on display, and full-size ready mix trucks will be brought on campus for various testing and projects.

A joint initiative between MTSU and leaders from the concrete industry, the CIM program provides students opportunities to enter a broad field that has an urgent need for skilled professionals. MTSU is the first university to integrate a technical education in concrete with business and communication skills needed to advance in the industry.

“Irving Materials greatly benefits from the efforts of CIM by employing graduates whose pride in their work make our company better every day,” says Irving Materials South President Kevin Swaidner. “This is in no small part due to the foundation they received at MTSU.”