BIG RAPIDS — Ferris State University student Patrick DeWitt is working this summer with Kent Companies, a West Michigan concrete contractor, getting hands-on exposure to two of Grand Rapids’ most visible construction projects: the $175 million Amway Stadium and the newly opened consolidated rental car facility at Gerald R. Ford International Airport.
DeWitt, a Hudsonville native and Construction Management major, rotated through nearly every side of the business during his internship this summer — starting with the safety team, moving into fieldwork with crews, then spending several weeks with Kent’s layout and estimating teams before finishing with project management.
“It’s one thing to study construction management in the classroom,” DeWitt said. “It’s another to see how decisions are actually made, as well as the work needed to build something.”…