By Amber Tillman, 3rd Episcopal District
Third District YPDer Nia Killins is a member of Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Forest Park, Ohio, where the Rev. Dr. Jermaine D. Covington serves as her pastor in the Ohio South Ohio Conference. She is the daughter of Robert and Elodie Killins. Nia is a Construction Science and Management Student at Tuskegee University and recently competed in the National Builders Home/Science Competition in Orlando, Florida.
Universities were given 120 acres of land in Salina, Texas, and were required to identify an opportunity for a large homebuilder to develop the property, build homes, and produce a return on investment. Tuskeegee’s team created a development from start to finish, which included market analysis, site design, product development, estimation, structure, and marketing. It included Construction Science, Engineering, Material Science, and Marketing. Tuskegee University was not only the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to place in the top five but also the first HBCU to win this competition. Nia was one of the team members who presented a proposal to convince the judges that they had a viable project that would meet financial and organizational goals.
Since the competition, Nia has been contacted by several companies, including Skanska, a Fortune 500 Company and one of the 10th largest Construction companies globally, for an internship as a Field Engineer. She also received an intern invitation from the Vice President of Drees Home Construction Headquarters in Washington, District of Columbia, and an invitation from the Vice President, Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer at Messer Construction. Nia had an offer with DPR Construction as a Project Engineer last summer in Dallas, Texas.
Under the leadership of Bishop Errenous E. McCloud, Jr. and Episcopal Supervisor Patricia Russell-McCloud, Esq., the Third Episcopal District is pleased to share this exceptional news, noteworthy accomplishment, and stellar achievement by one of our YPD’ers.
Contributing to this article are:
Amber Tillman, Ohio South Ohio Conference YPD Director
Bria Taylor, Ohio South Ohio Conference YPD President
Sheila Floyd, Third District YPD Director
Andrew Coleman III, Third District YPD President
