UC civil engineering student inspires young women in construction
Gracie Hill is a second-generation Bearcat
From a young age, Gracie Hill was inspired by her father's career in the construction field. He earned his construction management degree from the University of Cincinnati's College of Engineering and Applied Science, and growing up, Hill knew she wanted to follow in his footsteps.
Gracie Hill (left) was inspired by her father to study at UC as a Bearcat. Photo/provided
The family history, combined with the opportunities that awaited her in the top-ranked co-op program, are what led Hill to UC for her civil engineering degree. In her three years as a student, she's wasted no time making an impact on campus and in the construction industry.
"The possibilities are endless with civil engineering," Hill said. "I really liked what my dad did and appreciated how broad civil is."
Coming from a family that moved around a lot during her childhood and teen years, Hill gained valuable life skills early on. She lived in several U.S. states, Guam, and Washington, D.C., before she came to Cincinnati. Hill quickly became well versed culturally, experiencing different populations around the world and learning to connect with people in many places. At UC, these skills translated into Hill's eagerness to get involved in several organizations, holding leadership roles and acting as a mentor for young women and girls in the construction industry.
Accompanying her campus involvements, Hill, under the guidance of Emeritus Professor George Suckarieh, has developed a website that aims to recruit, retain and promote the success of women in the construction industry. This website will serve as a resource for women and employers alike in the Greater Cincinnati area. Suckarieh, Hill's mentor, was also her father's professor while he was a student at UC.
"There's a global population of women that we can attract that hasn't been tapped into yet," Hill said. "There is a severe labor shortage in the industry, and we need more people to come in, especially women because of their tendency to be detail-oriented."
The pair (Hill and Suckarieh) were inspired to conduct this research in response to their own life experiences, Hill as an up-and-coming woman in the industry and Suckarieh as the father of a young woman in the industry.
I really want to make an impact in the industry because there are so many people involved in it. We need building to survive in society, and it's an industry that's mission critical.
Gracie Hill UC civil engineering student
Gracie Hill has spent her co-op rotations in Washington, D.C., at DPR Construction. Photo/provided
In her research, Hill found that less than 15% of the construction industry is made up of women, even though women comprise nearly half of the nonfarm labor force. There are several influential factors leading to this gender gap, including bias, negative perceptions and isolation in group settings, Hill's report explains. Hill's methodology for this research included preliminary literary analysis before conducting a survey and interviews of various stakeholder groups in the industry. She conducted interviews with professionals in the industry who held positions ranging from CEO to managers, to human resources directors and recruiters, and created a 20-question survey that was sent to dozens more people in the area.
"It was definitely new to me, especially interacting with so many people. It was a little intimidating, but Dr. Suckarieh is a great mentor and really helped me, especially when talking to industry professionals," Hill said.
After sending out the survey and conducting the interviews, it took months of analysis work to break down the data and draw conclusions from what they received. The feedback they gathered taught Hill a lot about how to take someone's experience and formulate strategies to help them to succeed.
Gracie Hill (far left) is an active member of UC's Construction Student Association. Photo/provided
"I really want to make an impact in the industry because there are so many people involved in it. We need buildings to survive in society, and it's an industry that's mission critical," she said.
Hill came to UC to follow in her father's footsteps, but quickly paved a path of her own. He encouraged her to get involved with Construction Student Association, something she did her first year, and it became a family for her on campus. In her own words, she has loved her experience as a Bearcat.
Along with her involvement in Construction Student Association, she has benefited from UC's co-op program. Co-op is built into the CEAS undergraduate program, giving students like Hill industry work opportunities where they alternate between semesters in class and semesters working. Hill has worked as a co-op at DPR Construction in Washington, D.C.
Featured image at top: Gracie Hill poses with her mentor, George Suckarieh, in front of a presentation screen with their project on it. Photo/provided
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