Author: Travis Tate

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Shop Spotlight: Cement Finishers, Laborers One Bucket at a Time

Cement finishers used their collective thinking cap to finish a summer job at Fred H. Turner Student Services Building, along with plenty of help from F&S construction laborers. The goal: get cement into the basement through an underground entrance. Mission very possible. Picture a Cement Truck Picture a cement truck. It has that giant spout to spread the viscous compound directly where there’s a street … Continue reading Shop Spotlight: Cement Finishers, Laborers One Bucket at a Time

Travis Tate
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Shop Spotlight: Sheetmetal Workers

You want real power? Try stepping (safely!) into an air handling unit (AHU) running full bore in the bowels of the Beckman Institute. The 1.46 inches of static pressure within the AHU is strong enough to knock you over when stepping through the doorway – if you’re close enough, it’ll try to drag you in. The small room features one thing: a giant fan whirring … Continue reading Shop Spotlight: Sheetmetal Workers

Travis Tate
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INSIDER Magazine: ECIP Awards

F&S Utilities & Energy Services (UES) performs some of the most important work on campus, producing and distributing steam, water, and electricity across 24M gross square feet, more than 600 buildings, and to a ‘town’ of more than 50,000 students and 10,000 employees. So, when building experts and facility managers perform renovations, retrocommmissioning, or other work that reduces energy consumption, recognition is in order! The … Continue reading INSIDER Magazine: ECIP Awards

Travis Tate
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INSIDER Magazine: African American Heritage Trail Unveiled

By Rebecca Bigelow Local Black history and the history of campus intersect in Champaign-Urbana. It’s no wonder then that several stops on the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail tell the story of both. The trail committee collaborated with the university to ensure that several of these stories are memorialized around campus. Brent Lewis, university landscape architect, and Don Gerard, construction project coordinator represented F&S … Continue reading INSIDER Magazine: African American Heritage Trail Unveiled

Travis Tate
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INSIDER Magazine: Great Graduations

F&S helps set the stage for when students receive their diplomas and celebrate during Commencement. The Public Functions team manages work orders to deliver and setup what is needed during the many, during the many small convocations taking place in auditoriums across campus. These include Smith Memorial Hall, Foellinger Auditorium, Lincoln Hall, the Activities & Recreation Center (ARC), and even off campus at the Virginia … Continue reading INSIDER Magazine: Great Graduations

Travis Tate
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INSIDER Magazine: Learning and Labor

When Logan Fisher came to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in fall 2023, he didn’t really understand what F&S did…now, after time as a student employee, his future career as an architect will call on the memory of positive impact he personally left to future students, faculty, and staff. Fisher worked with coordinator of special programs in building maintenance Patrick Wood and sign shop foreperson … Continue reading INSIDER Magazine: Learning and Labor

Travis Tate
Alma Mater Learning and Labor handshake
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An RFP For All

There’s a lot going on at F&S, and there’s just as much with all the vendors who F&S contracts to do construction and maintenance work. An important request for proposals (RFP) is open now, and for a short time more, for businesses to partner with F&S construction services. And core to the mission of the university, and at F&S, is attracting vendors owned by underrepresented … Continue reading An RFP For All

Travis Tate
Signage throughout halls of PPSB
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Students at Work with F&S

F&S employs more than 1,000 highly-skilled and dedicated workers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. A small portion of that workforce comes from students working in a field close to what they study academically. The week of April 8-12 was declared National Student Employment Week by the National Student Employment Association (NSEA). See below for tremendous success stories from four 2024 student employees, and how … Continue reading Students at Work with F&S

Travis Tate
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Abbott Power Plant Welcomes Girl Scouts: 2024 Edition!

Abbott Power Plant generates steam, electricity, and for some local girl scouts, memories from their tour of the one-of-a-kind facility. Associate professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) in the Grainger College of Engineering, Ashlynn Stillwell welcomed dozens to Abbott on a Saturday morning, and introduced the basic science behind the functions of Abbott, and the importance of safety on premises. Stillwell has led the … Continue reading Abbott Power Plant Welcomes Girl Scouts: 2024 Edition!

Travis Tate
Tool room
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Shop Spotlight: Tool Room

How does the F&S Tool Room operate? Andy Harpst, Tool Room supervisor: In the Tool Room, I recommend, determine, and procure tools, technical equipment and safety/personal protective equipment needed to satisfy the job requirements of journeymen in all crafts and trades within F&S. I also recommend modifications to equipment and tools.  These decisions on tools and equipment are procurement-based on intensive research and knowledge involving the … Continue reading Shop Spotlight: Tool Room

Travis Tate