January 21, 2026
By Alfred State Spokesperson Paul Welker
Alfred State recently placed third in the nation in the 2025 National Student Design-Build Competition sponsored by the Design-Build Institute of America. The Pioneer Design-Build team advanced from DBIA’s Liberty Northeast Region along with seven other regional teams from across the country and was selected along with teams from Florida and California, to present their proposal at DBIA’s Design-Build Conference & Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The competition provides an opportunity for students to display their collaborative design and construction skills by competing nationally against other student teams. It encourages students to not only demonstrate their knowledge of design-build but also use their skills and creativity to set them apart as future design-build leaders.
Architecture and Design Professor William Dean advised the design-build team, which included architecture students Jessica Budd (Fairport, NY), Fernanda Ceja (New Rochelle, NY), Selena Fullone (Webster, NY), and Connor Welsh (Staten Island, NY), and architecture/construction management student Owen Lantiegne (Lafayette, NY).
“This is the second time in three years that Alfred State has placed in the top three nationally in this competition, and Owen’s steady leadership provided continuity from last year’s region-winning team. The student’s work ethic, collaboration, and level of preparation were exceptional, and I was impressed with both their submissions and the final presentation,” said Dean.
Two weeks before the submission deadline, teams received a request for a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) that contained preliminary project requirements. The successful regional submission allowed the team the opportunity to respond to a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Governor John Dutton III Memorial Airport, Terminal ‘B’ Phase 2 Expansion Project in Bozeman, Montana. The RFP entailed the preparation of a proposed design, construction schedule, and estimate for the $59 million project, and the students “interviewed” against teams from California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo and the University of Florida.
In preparing for the competition, the team met with a team of design professionals from Azar Design Co PC led by architecture advisory board member Gwen Howard, AIA, Senior Vice President of Architecture (Buffalo, NY). Howard and her team provided valuable insight into the design of airport facilities and gave the students a foundational understanding of the necessary details to create winning SOQ and RFP submissions. The team also received generous financial sponsorship from CPL, Popli Design Group, MRB Group, Rozzi Architects, and SWBR.
“This competition provided our team with a unique opportunity to compete in a collaborative, real-world project environment,” added Lantiegne, who served as the team’s project manager. “By working closely with faculty advisors and industry professionals, the team applied technical knowledge while developing leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills. Our first-place regional finish led to a great opportunity to present our project to a panel of industry professionals and ultimately finish third in the nation. This success reflects the collective effort, diverse viewpoints, and dedication of each team member. The experience continues to positively influence the team’s professional growth and readiness for future careers in the design and construction industry.”
