Learning through a different lens: New course offers diverse perspectives & networking for students

A new course, Construction by Women, offered by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is bringing diverse perspectives and a new community to students in a way that’s not for – but by women.

Led by Melanie Taylor, BSCEE’04 and Vice President of Manufacturing at The Boldt Company, in collaboration with Professor Awad Hanna and graduate student Alexa Rademacher from the Construction Engineering and Management Program, the course combines classroom learning with real-life experiences to help future leaders develop skills for success in construction-related industries. 

“The course creates space for professionals to share their experience through the lens of women and provide guidance for students interested in the construction industry,” shares Taylor.

With community building and networking at the top of the list of takeaways from this course, Taylor emphasizes the importance of having the opportunity to do so: “When I was a student, I didn’t realize how important it is to build a network. It’s just not your mindset at the time. You’re thinking about other things, like getting through classes and finals. So, if we can expose students to women in the industry and start building a network for them, that’ll give them a head start in their career.”

Taylor has expanded the course breadth beyond the construction industry to include adjacent fields. Bringing in speakers with architecture, human resources, sustainability, and other professional backgrounds broadens the scope of learning, so students gain a deeper understanding of how different roles have a perspective in real-world construction projects. Altogether, the course has hosted over 30 professional presenters, including many that are alumni, with guest and student interactions ranging from panel discussions to in-person job site tours.

In a recent class, Taylor brought together Badger alumni Katie Coulson (BSCEE ’96, Senior Vice President – Account Manager at Skanska USA) and Laurie Lindborg Parsons (MSCEE ’87, Director at Ramboll) to discuss what it means to ‘give back’ as a professional, touching on examples such as volunteer groups and working with communities whose missions align with their own. For Taylor and professional presenters alike, the experience is nothing short of rewarding.

“The caliber of the students blows my mind. How well-spoken they are, how thoughtful they are, and how well engaged they are. It just feels like they’re way more advanced and much stronger communicators than I was back then.”

As the course winds to a close, the Wisconsin Idea takes center stage, providing students an opportunity to put their education into action by researching a topic of interest, reaching out to professionals in the field to learn more, and sharing their findings with their classmates for the final project.

The course will be offered again during the fall 2025 semester and every fall semester moving forward.

Featured Image: Students in the Construction by Women course stand with Melanie Taylor, Katie Coulson, and Laurie Lindborg Parsons for a group photo in the ME Atrium.