Learning construction to change lives

Emily Yeap, Missouri State University Published 1:37 p.m. CT March 16, 2017

Growing up poor and in a family where no one graduated high school instilled in Sergio Lescano a determination to not only better his life, but also to create change in his community.

Lescano, a Missouri State University graduate student in project management, left his hometown of Cordoba in Argentina in 2011. He moved to the U.S. to pursue a bachelor’s degree in construction management at MSU.

Why construction management?

Lescano gained exposure to the construction trade when he volunteered for “Un Techo para mi País” (A Roof For My Country), a nonprofit organization fighting poverty by mobilizing volunteers to build houses and provide social programs for Latin America’s poorest families.

 

“I realized this type of work was what I wanted to do for a career because I could make a difference in people’s lives and in my community. I can use my knowledge and hands to create something from nothing,” Lescano said. “It’s amazing what the construction industry can do, including connecting people with highways, healing people through structures like hospitals, building homes for families and so much more.”

Since opportunities to study construction in Argentina were limited, Lescano looked elsewhere. When he learned about MSU’s construction management program, he knew it was what he should pursue.

Overcoming barriers

Finances were a challenge, but it did not deter him. He spent two years saving money to make his dreams a reality.

“I grew up around people from different social and economic classes and I knew I could attend university and make a better life for myself like so many people around me were doing,” Lescano said. “I had supportive family and friends who encouraged me to be different than the circumstances I grew up in, and there were also people who didn’t want to see me succeed. But that made me work even harder because I believed in my abilities and desired to help people just like my family.”

In the U.S., Lescano’s work ethic and determination paid off as he earned scholarships and secured a paid internship with Killian Construction Company in his senior year of undergraduate studies.

An enriching internship

As an intern, Lescano was able to immerse himself in the construction industry. One of the biggest projects he worked on was the Cox Medical Center South Tower expansion, where he performed tasks such as ensuring specific floors were ready for inspections, preparing close-out documents and estimating.

“I could be found all over the project, working with different people, from the painters to the owners,” Lescano said. “One of my favorite moments occurred at our 5:45 a.m. meetings with the superintendent, foreman, subcontractors, project manager and project engineers. We focused on many topics, including schedules, coordination, quality, safety and more.”

Lescano submitted his internship experience for last year’s Construction Intern Awards, a scholarship program created by HCSS, a construction software company. He was named a finalist and received a $4,000 scholarship. His impressive internship performance also resulted in a project engineer job at Killian.

Giving back

Lescano will graduate this May with his master’s degree. Besides focusing on advancing his career, he says he is committed to impacting the community by continuing his volunteer work with Operation Christmas Child and Habitat for Humanity and getting involved with mentoring students.

“I was inspired by many mentors during my studies, so I would like to make a difference in other students’ lives in this way.”