Students Get Hands On Experience at Gage Brothers

Tom Kelley, vice chairman of the PCI Foundation and president of Gage Brothers in Sioux Falls, South Dakota has worked with the Precast Studio at South Dakota State University for the last four years. He shares some of his experience with the students here:

What I really like about this studio is that we work with the students directly, and they have a hands-on experience.  

When South Dakota State University (SDSU) first started the studio, the students went to a little town called Mobridge, SD. The town had a summer festival, but it never had a stage. The students designed one using precast. We helped them. Then they drew the piece drawings, they came down to our plant and helped make the pieces. And the kids all erected the project. It was a year plus long project with a ton of learning by the students.

The school built a new architecture school building shortly after the studio started - and Gage Brothers sold them