Luke Thesier, a construction management technology (CMT) major from Purdue’s Polytechnic Institute, wants to eventually be the one “running it all” when constructing buildings. In addition to the sticks and bricks, the CMT program at Purdue taught Luke about installing piping, electrical components, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), so that he can eventually bid for work after graduation.
In addition to his academic pursuits, Luke is an active member of the Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA) and is the director of marketing for the Steps to Leaps Students initiative, a campus-wide initiative that provides students with tools, resources and support to master the five pillars of student success – leadership, networks, grit/resilience, well-being, and impact. Luke feels these pillars comprise the five foundational blocks that are essential for students to grow. He loves teaching other students how to incorporate the pillars into their daily lives. The club has only been in place for a few years, but he has loved watching it impact others.
As early as high school, Luke was lucky to find a lifelong mentor in one of his teachers (who also happened to be his neighbor!). This mentor helped Luke recognize his passion for the construction field and find an internship to teach Luke foundational skills in construction, professionalism and email writing skills. In addition, Luke found a desire to create an impact by volunteering for the National Honors Society serving veterans and senior community members where he lives.
When Luke started his college career at Purdue in the fall of 2020, he found that he was one of only a few CMT students attending classes in person. His core classes were online like everyone else’s, but his CMT classes were not as easily translatable to online work. It was a big eye-opener for Luke when the sophomore year started, bringing a new perspective of what Purdue’s college life has traditionally looked like.
This year, Luke participated in an internship where he was able to take on an entire sector of a construction area. His role was to oversee all the work that needed to be done in that space. He ensured all the scheduled jobs were lined up correctly so that nothing went wrong. Not everyone gets an opportunity to oversee a project such as this at a young age and Luke was honored to be a part of it. He said it helped him learn from his mistakes and become a better contractor.
Where well-being comes into play, Luke says he likes to work out, stay fit, and try to pay attention to what he eats. On the weekends, Luke enjoys going to concerts and hanging out with his friends to achieve balance with his academic life. When asked what he would recommend for others who are looking for well-being tips, he highly recommended they think about exercising, too!
We asked Luke if he had any final thoughts for other students at Purdue wanting to make an impact.
“If you want something, go after it!” Luke advises. “Get out of your comfort zone!”
