SaddleBrooke Community Outreach Scholarship Student Brooke Kelley is Breaking Barriers | Community

You typically don’t see a plethora of females in construction careers, but the times they are a-changing. According to a 2023 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), women currently make up around 10.8 percent of the construction workforce in the United States, although this number is increasing, with women in management roles accounting for a larger percentage of the female presence in the industry.

As a member of the SaddleBrooke Community Outreach Scholarship Committee, I am proud to be a liaison to some of SaddleBrooke Community Outreach’s (SBCO) scholarship recipients. One notable student is Brooke Kelley, who is a graduate of Ray High School and has completed her second year at Arizona State University in construction management. Her grades are stellar; she maintains a 3.9 GPA while taking difficult and challenging classes. Her parents are proud of her accomplishments, and I am equally impressed.

Brooke is a young woman on a mission. Her interest in construction careers was piqued during her first year at Arizona State University by a professor who encouraged her to consider a career in construction management. She had prior knowledge of careers in construction—her grandfather was a general contractor. When it was time to declare a major, she understood that she wanted a degree that had excellent job prospects, so she decided on a major in construction management, with a focus on project management. According to Brooke, “The decision to go into construction was a leap of faith for me but I grew to love it, as I put myself out there. Talking and interacting with my peers grew my love for the profession.”

Back in my day, it never occurred to me to pursue a career in construction management, so I asked her if many of her classmates are female. She refuted the old stereotype by telling me that there are a surprising number of female students in her classes, and they are more than just classmates. They support each other and have become friends.

I smiled when she told me that her favorite class was Heavy Construction Equipment. When not studying or completing school projects, she enjoys extracurricular activities such as fencing, Dragon Boat racing on the Tempe Town Lake and activities with the Arizona State University construction clubs.

This summer, Brooke landed an internship with the prestigious Whiting-Turner Contracting Company in Phoenix. She will gain valuable, hands-on experience in managing construction projects. Thanks to her drive, hard work and the help of a four-year scholarship from SaddleBrooke Community Outreach, Brooke Kelley is assured to have a bright future ahead!

SaddleBrooke Community Outreach serves students living in the “Copper Corridor” where SBCO began awarding two and four-year college scholarships in 2001. Scholarships are awarded based on grades, community service and financial need.