Todd Sirotiak’s class of seniors in construction engineering is getting a chance to practically apply what they’re learning by developing plans for a new Alumni Center.

The class of 25 students was broken into four teams, each with the goal of creating a design for the new building, which will be located at the intersection of Beach Avenue and Country Club Boulevard, said Brian Wessels, a member of the class.

Although the students in the class will not have a say in the final design, they will be able to give input to the Alumni Association.

“The hope is that they will take some of our design concepts and incorporate them in the final design,” Wessels said.

The new Alumni Center, with an expected completion date of 2007, will house Alumni Association offices, meeting rooms and common spaces.

Sirotiak, lecturer in civil, construction and environmental engineering, said the reason for his students’ participation was to prepare them for the future.

“This project opens them up to the same processes that occur in real life,” Sirotiak said.

In the past, his students have worked with the athletic department and the Memorial Union on conceptual projects, Sirotiak said.

Each team will come up with a complete building design, schedule and estimate for the project, said Donavan Smith III, another student in the class. He said the goal was to build a design using ideas from students and alumni.

“We want to incorporate the things people like about campus into the Alumni Center,” Smith said.

Jeff Johnson, president of the Alumni Association, said coming up with design concepts for this building was a good opportunity for the students.

“We agreed that this particular building, since it is a live project, is something we would love to work with the students in the class on,” he said.

Wessels said he believes this is a great opportunity for the students to offer input on a building.

“I’m looking forward to using the facility,” Wessels said.

Sirotiak said when the project is finished, each of the teams will give a presentation of their work and have industry professionals review their designs.