UC alumnus returns home to build new college of business

The University of Cincinnati is constantly changing. With the Nippert Stadium and Fifth-Third Arena renovations, new residence halls and the construction of a new business college, UC improves its footprint every day. One College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) alumnus is right in the middle of this transformation.

Erik Bowersock (construction management '16) is assistant superintendent at Turner Construction Co., the company overseeing construction of the new Carl H. Lindner College of Business. Bowersock serves as mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineer on the project.

Prior to this assignment, Bowersock worked in Lexington, Ky, with several healthcare construction jobs. That all changed with the new business college.

"When I was told I was coming back to UC, I was pretty excited," said Bowersock. "It's nice to be home."

Though Bowersock is originally from the Columbus area, his time at UC brought him closer to the city of Cincinnati, injecting a passion for the city and its people.

As mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineer on the project, Bowersock ensures equipment like air handlers, electrical transformers and switchgears all work correctly when added to the building. He also helps coordinate the day-to-day operations and manage workers on site.

He is excited to be a part of such an interesting project. Danish firm Henning Larsen, the design architect of the project, incorporated many unique features into the design of the building, including a curtain window wall that covers the front of the structure, two courtyards and two skylights, all of which will help bring natural light into the building.

"It is going to light up like a Christmas tree," Bowersock said.

The roof is also unique in its design, layered with offset surfaces and abrupt angles. Though it may seem random at first, the roof design complements the sidewalk patterns that stretch across UC's campus.  Bowersock calls the new building "the missing piece of the puzzle" that connects west campus, which primarily serves undergraduate students, to UC's medical campus, about a mile up the road.

Bowersock shared all this and more last month at a tour and talk he gave to UC's Construction Student Association chapter, a student group composed of more than 225 members. Bowersock led a tour of the facilities, discussing the history of the design, the construction process and the advanced tools and technology Turner uses on the project. He also shared his personal story at UC, highlighting the transition from college to the professional field.

Featured image at top: Erik Bowersock overlooks UC's Engineering Research Center from a floor on UC's Lindner College of Business construction site. Photo/Corrie Stookey/CEAS Marketing.