Pictured, from left, are Micah Hale, head of the Department of Civil Engineering, donors Janet and Sam Alley and Master of Science in Construction Management graduate George Boykin.
During the summer of 2020, U of A alumni Sam and Janet Alley generously donated $2 million to endow the Sam and Janet Alley Master of Science in Construction Management online program, with the first cohort of students beginning the program in January 2021. The 30-hour interdisciplinary master’s degree program recently celebrated its first graduate, George Boykin.
Boykin is the facilities engineering manager for the U of A Athletics. He has nearly two decades of hands-on construction industry experience and is a licensed contractor in the state of Arkansas.
Boykin said the graduate program is an incredible opportunity for students.
“The professors, lecturers and presenters have a wealth of knowledge and decades of experience in the industry, and it shows in the classroom and curriculum,” Boykin said. “I am excited about the momentum this program is already gaining.”
Sam Alley said he has an optimistic outlook on the future of the program.
“It is important that we continue to hire great teachers and bridge the gap between what happens on job sites and what students are learning in the classroom,” Alley said. “Our industry is constantly evolving, and this program should develop with that in mind, offering courses and opportunities for students to address current issues and developments in the industry.”