February 2019

Year-End Campaign Recap

We're one month into 2019 and already off to a great start. Our 2018 year-end campaign was a huge success, raising $17,226, exceeding our goal of $15,000, and, more importantly, helping us reach 344 community members. This is a huge first step towards our goal of connecting 4,000 members of underserved communities with nine footbridges this year. We had 148 donors to our campaign, including our top donors:

Deland & Michael Humpherys
Bob Funk & Bill Weber
Aliese Gingerich
Anthony Emigh
Dan Bontrager
Diane Funk & Earl Gingerich
Dorothea Gingerich
Mark & Inez Houk
Jeff & Mary Sue Welch
JZ Engineering

Thank you again to all our donors for helping us make a difference in underserved communities around the world!

In addition to our year-end campaign, some of our university teams took the opportunity this December to raise funds for their own bridge projects. Congratulations to all our teams, your hard work really paid off (no pun intended).
 

Pennsylvania State University: $2,035
Bucknell University: $700
Duke University: $3,451
University College London: $850
Rutgers University: $909
Cornell University: $2,368
University of Toronto: $432
University of Western Ontario: $105

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Sponsor Spotlight: JZ Engineering

JZ Engineering is a structural engineering and sustainability firm based in Harrisonburg, Virginia specializing in a wide variety of projects ranging from pedestrian and vehicular bridges and building structures to solar arrays and green roofs. JZ Engineering is also incredibly dedicated to contributing their skills, expertise, and passion to helping in their community, both local and global, by dedicating over one-third of their time to non-profit projects. JZ Engineering was a major supporter of the Bridges to Prosperity University Program, supporting eight bridges constructed by five different chapters. We are happy to continue our partnership with JZ Engineering as the main sponsor of the 2018 EIA Bridge Builder Conference and one of the top donors to our year-end campaign. You can learn more about JZ Engineering here: johannzimmermann.com

JZ Engineering, thank you so much for your continued support, it means the world to us!

PS: You can find our very own Bridge Program Director, Ethan Gingerich, talking about his experience working on the WV-VOAD bridge replacement program here.

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Chapter Spotlight: University of Iowa and Cornell University

University of Iowa - Continental Crossings

Cornell University Engineers in Action

This month we are highlighting Daniel Zirtzman, one of the University of Iowa chapter's fundraising leads, and Vanessa Martinez, Cornell's design manager. Check out their features here.

EIA Bridge Program

Dear Bridge Builder Family,

It's official! The Bridges to Prosperity University Program is now the Engineers in Action Bridge Program! We'll continue empowering today's students to become tomorrow's global leaders by building bridges with underserved communities, but now under a new name. This strategic transition will allow both us and B2P to build more bridges and connect more communities! Huge shout-outs to our B2P family for 12 years of love, to our new EIA family for welcoming us with open arms, and to our supporters for continuing to change the world with us, one bridge at a time :) Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter by clicking the links in the bottom menu to keep up with the amazing adventures we have on the horizon!

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Finish Strong

In our last bridge building season with Bridges to Prosperity, we completed eight pedestrian bridges in Bolivia and Swaziland! 

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Bridges completed by the B2P University Program in 2018 (left to right, top to bottom): Misiòn Mayu, Bolivia (University College London and Duke University); Capaina, Bolivia (Rutgers University); Chavarria, Bolivia (University of Alberta); Gonchu Mayu, Bolivia (University of Toronto and University of Western Ontario); Chosco, Bolivia (University of Colorado Boulder and University of Illinois); Endlebemi, Swaziland (University of Colorado Boulder);  Machacamarca, Bolivia (Pennsylvania State University); Kontshingila, Swaziland (Cornell University).

Start Strong

In our first bridge building season with Engineers in Action, we started by hosting all of our university teams at our annual Bridge Builder Conference in Boulder, Colorado. 

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Many of the EIA Bridge Program attendees at our bridge conference in Boulder, Colorado. Photo Credit: Madison Sankovitz

Upcoming Bridges

As summer is quickly approaching, we are busy preparing for many bridges to be built in the coming months in South America and Africa! 11 chapters (from the United States, Canada, and England) will be constructing 9 bridges in two countries: Bolivia and Swaziland. Our Bolivia program remains strong with continual support by our wonderful in-country partner, Engineers In Action. Since the launching of our Swaziland program last year, we have continued working with our partner MicroProjects to take on more bridges that will involve higher numbers of university students and impact communities in other regions of the country. As the 2018 build season kicks off, we encourage you to follow along via individual chapters' social media accounts and this newsletter!

Chapter Highlights

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The University of Toronto chapter had a bridge competition
Facebook:@B2PUofT

The University of Alberta chapter's travel team got together in March to look at practical field challenges such as cutting and bending rebar and tying the rebar cages together
Facebook:@uab2p

The Cornell University chapter raised awareness about their Swaziland bridge by handing out cookies
Facebook:@b2pcornelluniversity

After 12 hours, 25.6 miles, and 5 mountain peaks, plus an untold number of peanut butter sandwiches, the University of Colorado Boulder chapter completed their Walk a Mile in Their Shoesfundraiser
Facebook and Instagram:@CUB2P

The University of Iowa chapter was out enjoying the nice weather during their surveying workshop
Facebook and Instagram: @continentalcrossings

During the first weekend of March, the University of Notre Dame chapter spent Sunday morning learning and practicing some important technical skills during their anchor pour construction workshop
Facebook:@NDSEED

The Rutgers University chapter had their second annual dodgeball tournament on Friday, April 27th
Facebook: @b2p.rutgers
Instagram:@b2pru

The Penn State chapter had a weekend construction seminar and potluck
Facebook:@pennstatebridgestoprosperity
Instagram: @pennstateb2p

2017 B2P University Conference

Outstanding turnout at the 2017 B2P University Conference! Photo credit: Emily Reeve

The second annual B2P University Conference was held at the University of Notre Dame in October, with students and ambassadors from 11 universities in attendance. We were so inspired by the collaboration and innovation between teams. As we looked back on the bridge projects completed in the 2016-2017 build year, we were excited to provide the opportunity for reflection of both our successes and our failures, knowing that we could all learn from each other to propel the University Program forward and continue fighting for our shared mission of providing safe access to isolated communities around the world.

This year's conference, co-sponsored by the University of Notre Dame College of Engineering and Kellog Institute for International Studies, focused on operations both on-campus and in the field to prepare teams for all stages of the project, with workshops that explored a variety of technical and project management issues as well as strategies for respectful community engagement. These sessions allowed builders of past bridges to exchange lessons learned and best practices, while hands-on construction workshops allowed students who have not yet built a bridge to experience first-hand how various elements of a B2P bridge are constructed. The conference also provided numerous platforms to showcase each university team's unique strengths to promote discussion among all participants.

University of Notre Dame 1020 presentation. Photo credit: Maria Krug

During the opening session, each team showcased their chapter and the things they do best through 1020 presentations, a fast-paced informational slideshow. These presentations showcased each team's personality and creativity to kick off a conversation about different ways to successfully run a B2P team and project.

“Sitting amongst some of the most passionate and driven college students I have ever met sparked a fire inside every member of the NDSEED team, motivating us to continue our work of excellence and reminding us of the reason we do this work, to provide dignified human-centered development to those in need.”

— Kaci Heneghan, University of Notre Dame

Read Kaci's story about the 2017 B2P University Conference here.

We wish to thank the many individuals from Notre Dame, Bridges to Prosperity staff, and the University Program Ambassador team who made this conference possible.

Award Recipients

Bridge Builder Team of the Year

University of Notre Dame
 

Bridge Builder of the Year

Sam Sweet
University of Colorado Boulder
 

Parsons University Safety Award

University of Colorado Boulder

Best Photos

Community Engagement

Ryan Gloeckner
Penn State
 

Collaborative Construction

Madison Sankovitz
University of Colorado Boulder
 

Finished Bridges

Osbel Dorvil
Rutgers

Bridge Builder Team of the Year: University of Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame team constructing their 2017 footbridge in Las Pencas, Nicaragua.

The Bridge Builder Team of the Year award is presented to a university chapter that showed excellent overall performance in all aspects of their project planning and execution, as well as thorough understanding and embodiment of the mission of Bridges to Prosperity. Find out more about the University of Notre Dame chapter here.

Bridge Builder of the Year: Sam Sweet, University of Colorado Boulder

Sam Sweet, Bridge Builder of the Year. Photo credit: Madison Sankovitz

The Bridge Builder of the Year award recognizes a university student who showed exemplary leadership and served as the driving force behind a high-quality bridge project. The Bridge Builder of the Year is someone who empowered their peers by example and inspired everyone on the job site. As the Project Manager for the Edlangeni, Swaziland footbridge, Sam led the University of Colorado Boulder team in establishing a program in Swaziland and building Bridges to Prosperity's first footbridge there. Despite many setbacks along the way, Sam kept team spirits high and inspired the team and community to finish the huge bridge that spanned 74 meters with 3 tiers on one side and 3.5 tiers on the other!

Parsons University Safety Award: University of Colorado Boulder

The University of Colorado Boulder was awarded Parsons University Safety Award. Photo credit: Madison Sankovitz

The Parsons University Safety Award goes to the team who best embodied B2P's culture of safety throughout the duration of their project. This award is accompanied by a $1,000 cash prize from Parsons. The University of Colorado Boulder had few incidents and near misses on site and implemented a novel tethering system for fall protection while building 3-tier abutments. They also developed a new fall rescue plan. Find out more about their chapter here.

Best Photo (Community Engagement): Ryan Gloeckner, Penn State

Morning safety meeting begins each day with a dance-off. Kumusenyi, Rwanda

Best Photo (Collaborative Construction): Madison Sankovitz, University of Colorado Boulder

Carrying sand and water was a daily task on the bridge site. Edlangeni, Swaziland

Best Photo (Finished Bridges): Osbel Dorvil, Rutgers

The Palmar Pampa B bridge completed. Bolivia