Jan. 28, 2025
After rocky start to his education, Ferris State grad Griffin Nowell builds a new life and a career in construction
Never a strong student in high school, Griffin Nowell was once unsure what his future would hold. But as a recent graduate of Ferris State University’s Construction Management program, he’s ready to hit the ground running with a new life and career.
Recent Ferris State University graduate Griffin Nowell set to build a new career in construction.
“I feel extremely well prepared for a career in construction thanks to the hands-on education I received at Ferris,” said Nowell, 24, who earned his bachelor’s degree in December.
Nowell’s career officially kicks off this month when he begins his new role as assistant site superintendent at First Companies, a growing West Michigan construction management firm. Nowell received the job offer after successfully completing an internship there last summer.
“I was part of a crew that built a really unique, three-story boutique hotel in Ada,” Nowell said. “It was a great opportunity for me and I’m very excited to be begin my career there.”
The Construction Management program is part of Ferris State’s College of Engineering Technology, in the School of Built Environment and is accredited by the American Council for Construction Education.
The program is recognized as a national leader in this high-demand field and a first choice for firms seeking project management or site supervision talent in the commercial, industrial or residential sectors of the construction industry.
Ferris State students regularly secure jobs well before graduation and — like Nowell — wear their construction firm's hard hat instead of a graduation cap at commencement.
Graduation was not something Nowell, a St. Joseph native, thought could happen a few short years ago.
After graduating high school in 2019, he enrolled and quickly dropped out of community college. He then hoped to join the U.S. Navy but was unable to serve because of Type 1 diabetes.
Nowell worked a series of odd jobs, including a stint at a restaurant in his hometown. That work during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic made him eligible for free community college with the Futures for Frontliners scholarship. Nowell took that opportunity to enroll at Southwestern Michigan College.
It was the start of a whole new life for him.
“Futures for Frontliners was very beneficial because cost was a big barrier to attending college,” he said. “I was able to take a lot of my general education classes at Southwestern and then transfer to Ferris to complete my degree.”
At Ferris State, Nowell was able to offset his tuition costs with several Transfer Scholarships and Pell Grants.
Nowell said his Ferris courses were challenging, but interesting.
“The thing that really helped me get through is the professors are very knowledgeable and up to date with current trends in construction,” he said. “They keep you on the cutting edge.”
Nowell is proud to be a Bulldog and would recommend Ferris State to anyone interested in a leadership role in the construction industry.
“It's just it's a good time to get into the field … there's a lot of opportunity out there,” he said.