From Kindergarten to Construction Science
Childhood friends cross the stage together as new grads
What started sixteen years ago in a kindergarten classroom at James Williams Elementary School in Katy, Texas, has blossomed into a tight-knit friendship and brotherhood for three Texas A&M University students. Ethan Booth ’24, Ross Mackey ’24 and Sage Salverino ’24, now adults, are both roommates and classmates in the College of Architecture’s Department of Construction Science. The unshakeable trio will now take one more journey together, crossing the stage as they graduate with Construction Science degrees from Texas A&M University, ready to step into their careers, still side by side.
Pee wee teammates
The three friends joined together as youths in and outside of the classroom through sports and their parents’ similarly burgeoning friendships. Eventually the families went on vacations together and the kids spent countless weekends sleeping over up through high school.
“We bonded while playing on the same football team when we were kids. Sage’s dad was our coach,” said Booth. “Our relationship has only grown stronger since then.”
Mackey added, “We’ve definitely gotten to know each other very well over the years. It’s been great that our families get along too. Mine and Ethan’s mom are really close and spend a lot of time together.”
The trio said they are grateful for their long-standing friendship and the unwavering support they’ve offered each other over the years.
“We were never forced to be friends. It was always a choice,” Mackey said. “There’s accountability among us. We keep each other in check.”
It’s a brother-like bond according to the group.
“There’s never any doubt about the type of people they are,” said Salverino of his friends. “There are no surprises in our friendship. We always have someone to talk to.”
College decisions
For Booth and Salverino, the decision to attend Texas A&M was an easy one. Both are second-generation Aggies. Booth followed in the footsteps of his mother, Ashlyn Booth ’93, while Salverino’s connection runs even deeper—both his parents, Nicole (Fodo) Salverino ’93 and Steve Salverino ’91 are Aggies, along with his sister Sophie Salverino ‘21.
Growing up, the three were inspired by Mr. Salverino’s career at Rosenberger Construction. They all cited his success in the industry as a major influence in their own decisions to pursue careers in construction science.
“A&M has a strong construction science program, with plenty of job opportunities for graduates, which stood out to me,” Booth added.
“My dad studied construction here, and I had a lot of friends coming to A&M,” Salverino said. “I’ve worked for my dad since I was 16, so I got to work in the field and loved it.”
For Mackey, the decision wasn’t as clear. Without family legacy to tie him to Texas A&M, he initially considered leaving the state to pursue a degree in engineering.
“I feel like talking to my friends and seeing their passion for Texas A&M really influenced me to change my plans,” Mackey said. “I also grew up building things, and seeing Mr. Salverino’s career, along with Ethan and Sage’s interest in construction science, drove me to choose the same path. I’ve loved it ever since.”
Campus life
During their time at Texas A&M, the trio focused heavily on their schoolwork, but also played 7-on-7 football on the same team and have lived together as roommates.
“We have a lot of fun,” said Booth. “We are practically brothers so living together just makes things easier.”
“We’ve been friends for so long, so no matter what, it’s always a good time. We are never bored, we just hang out or go get food together all the time,” said Mackey.
As students in the same major and taking the same classes, they say they’ve been able to lean on each other for support with classes and assignments. “Personally, I feel more comfortable asking one of the guys for help when it comes to school,” Booth said. “We bounce ideas off each other all the time, but we have different study methods, so we don’t always study together. Plus, we get distracted more easily when we’re together.
“They’ve made the overall experience better,” he said. I think I enjoy college as much as I do because of them. They also really help me decompress on the weekends when I need it.”
Future plans
They each held internships over the past summer, where Booth and Mackey were offered their first jobs post graduation.
All three of the men will be back in Houston post-graduation.
“I’ll be full-time at Miller Builders. They specialize in commercial concrete. First, I’ll train and then eventually start overseeing projects myself,” said Booth.
Mackey will be working as a construction engineer at a Chevron refinery.
“We’re going to move back home with our parents and save money,” he said.
Salverino will be joining his father at Rosenberger Construction as an assistant project manager.
“I’m ready to get out there, take on new challenges, and meet new people. I’m also excited to be home with family and friends,” said Salverino.
