by Stephen Affanato
Stephen Affanato
For several years, the New England Mechanical Contractors Association has been sponsoring two mechanical engineering student chapters at Northeastern University and Wentworth Institute of Technology.
Over the years, both chapters have met with great success in the Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA) National Contest. Starting in October, the student chapters receive information on a project completed by an MCAA member contractor. The student chapters must put together a full bid package on the project and submit it by mid-December. The bids are then reviewed by the MCAA Career development committee made up of contractor members.
Four student chapters are chosen to present their bids to the committee at the MCAA National Convention. About 25 student chapters submit bids for the contest. Northeastern has made the “Final Four” three times and won the competition in 2010. Wentworth, the newer of the two MCA chapters, has just missed the finals during the last two years. They have placed 5th nationally in 2013 and 2014. This year, Northeastern finished 9th nationally.
New England MCA member contractors also reach out to both student chapters during their co-op terms. Many of the students go to work for a New England MCA contractor during their term to gain field and office experience. This has been an outstanding partnership over the years. Many alumni from both Northeastern and Wentworth currently work at the local firms where they served during their co-op terms.
Northeastern competition participants were Cecily Allen, Emile Bourgeois, Kevin Barnaby, Max Mathey, Jeffrey Evans-Mongeon, Nate Zane, Caroline Hunter and James Oliver.
Wentworth competition participants were Logen Johnson, Wesley Taggett, Michael Sullivan, Jessica Mendez, Alex Rozek, Drew Sylvia, Kendra Deneault, Argenis Martes, Richard Melo and Arthur Lekkas
Stephen P. Affanato is executive vice president of New England MCA / MSCA
