Partnering with Pulte
LSU Finds a Helping Hand in Construction

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Ken Naquin, President, Construction Industry Advisory Council; Zaki Bassiouni, Dean, College of Engineering; Joel Freedland, Pulte Homes; Harriett Pooler, Development Officer, LSU School of Veterinary Medicine; Jeff McLain, Vice President for Development, LSU Foundation.

June 2006 — When you have built more than 400,000 homes, you know a thing or two about building something worthwhile. Pulte Homes, Inc. has, for more than 50 years, been a leading company in residential home construction, building houses in 28 states. Now, Pulte Homes is interested in a different type of building – building partnerships with LSU to help both the University and Pulte’s goals as an organization.

Pulte’s involvement with LSU shows the many ways in which an organization can get involved with our University community and create a better environment for business and industry here in Louisiana.

It started with Pulte’s $300,000 donation to the LSU Department of Construction Management in October of 2005. The donation aimed to improve the quality of instruction in one of LSU’s top professional training areas, targeting the area of faculty support within the Department of Construction Management. With Pulte’s gift, LSU will be able recruit and retain the best construction management instructors for its students.

“Pulte Homes’ generosity directly impacts students here at LSU,” said Maj. Gen., USMC (Ret.) William G. Bowdon, president of the LSU Foundation. “Keeping and recruiting the best faculty will keep LSU’s Department of Construction Management among the top programs in the U.S.”

But more than a matter of money, it is Pulte’s level of campus involvement that sets it apart. Its CEO, 40-year-old Richard Dugas, is an LSU alumnus. At the time of his selection as CEO by Pulte Homes (2003), Dugas was the youngest CEO employed by a Fortune 500 company. In 2005, Dugas was a featured speaker in the LSU Flores MBA Program's Distinguished Speaker Series, sharing his ideas and insight as one of the youngest professionals to hold the CEO position in the United States.

Interaction between professionals and students is a key element of an effective partnership between universities and industry. Through this sort of communication, students and faculty can gain input on what companies are seeking from prospective employees, and corporations can get an idea of the academic integrity of an institution.

It is clear that LSU and Pulte like what they see of each other. LSU Career Services Director Mary Feduccia describes Pulte Homes as one of the companies that most aggressively recruits LSU’s campus. “They’ve been very active on the LSU campus, recruiting students in construction management and business,” she said. “They offer internships and full-time positions with excellent growth potential. They’ve been very supportive of Career Services, and this year they were recognized by Career Services as a Star Employer.”

Pulte’s staff even endured an overnight bus ride from Tampa, Florida, to Baton Rouge to be here in time for LSU’s 2005 Fall Career Expo. Air travel had been disrupted at that time due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina.

“We have been very pleased with the caliber of students we have hired from LSU in the past,” said Elaine Kramer, vice-president of Leadership Development and Training and chairman of Pulte Homes’ Charitable Giving Committee in October of 2005. “We believe (giving to LSU) can have an impact by helping even more students succeed in a rewarding career in residential construction.”

Whether through monetary support, mentorship opportunities, or recruiting activities, LSU and Pulte Homes are forging a model relationship between university and industry. The future of corporate involvement in education relies on more than just funding. It is two-way communication and planning that allows both sides to make the most of what each other has to offer.


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