Looking Back at 10 Years of Education Projects - What's Our Return on Investment

What started 10 years ago as one architecture studio at the Illinois Institute of Technology has blossomed into an amazing education program - now including 19 schools that include architecture, civil and structural engineering and construction management programs. The investment in each of these programs (formerly known as studios, but which have now morphed into more all-encompassing “education projects”) is enormous. Not only in terms of the dollars invested in each school by the PCI Foundation, but also the time, talent and treasure brought to bear on the projects by the local partners who get involved on each and every program. 

As I look back on the history of the programs, and the evolution of the PCI Foundation, some of the benefits to our industry are apparent right away. Each year, I survey students who have been in the program to learn about how they view their precast concrete experience. Most of them tell us that they have an excellent experience through the PCI Foundation program, and a theme throughout many of the comments is that the precast program is often the highlight of a college career. Answers like this University of Southern California students are not at all unusual. "I think it was a very educational studio and was very well organized. The trips to the precast plant were very motivating and inspiring throughout the semester. The hands-on experience is definitely a must for the coming years!”