{"id":19472,"date":"2024-12-11T14:53:56","date_gmt":"2024-12-11T20:53:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.arch.tamu.edu\/?p=19472"},"modified":"2024-12-11T15:21:30","modified_gmt":"2024-12-11T21:21:30","slug":"from-kindergarten-to-construction-science","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arch.tamu.edu\/news\/2024\/12\/11\/from-kindergarten-to-construction-science\/","title":{"rendered":"From Kindergarten to Construction Science"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Childhood friends cross the stage together as new grads<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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 \u201924, Ross Mackey \u201924 and Sage Salverino \u201924, now adults, are both roommates and classmates in the College of Architecture\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pee wee teammates<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The three friends joined together as youths in and outside of the classroom through sports and their parents\u2019 similarly burgeoning friendships. Eventually the families went on vacations together and the kids spent countless weekends sleeping over up through high school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe bonded while playing on the same football team when we were kids. Sage\u2019s dad was our coach,\u201d said Booth. \u201cOur relationship has only grown stronger since then.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mackey added, \u201cWe\u2019ve definitely gotten to know each other very well over the years. It\u2019s been great that our families get along too. Mine and Ethan\u2019s mom are really close and spend a lot of time together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trio said they are grateful for their long-standing friendship and the unwavering support they’ve offered each other over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cWe were never forced to be friends. It was always a choice,\u201d Mackey said. \u201cThere\u2019s accountability among us. We keep each other in check.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a brother-like bond according to the group. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s never any doubt about the type of people they are,\u201d said Salverino of his friends. \u201cThere are no surprises in our friendship. We always have someone to talk to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"1<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

College decisions<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

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 \u201993, while Salverino\u2019s connection runs even deeper\u2014both his parents, Nicole (Fodo) Salverino \u201993 and Steve Salverino \u201991 are Aggies, along with his sister Sophie Salverino \u201821.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growing up, the three were inspired by Mr. Salverino\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA&M has a strong construction science program, with plenty of job opportunities for graduates, which stood out to me,\u201d Booth added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“My dad studied construction here, and I had a lot of friends coming to A&M,” Salverino said. “I\u2019ve worked for my dad since I was 16, so I got to work in the field and loved it.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Mackey, the decision wasn\u2019t as clear. Without family legacy to tie him to Texas A&M, he initially considered leaving the state to pursue a degree in engineering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI feel like talking to my friends and seeing their passion for Texas A&M really influenced me to change my plans,\u201d Mackey said. \u201cI also grew up building things, and seeing Mr. Salverino\u2019s career, along with Ethan and Sage\u2019s interest in construction science, drove me to choose the same path. I\u2019ve loved it ever since.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Screenshot<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Campus life<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have a lot of fun,\u201d said Booth. \u201cWe are practically brothers so living together just makes things easier.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been friends for so long, so no matter what, it\u2019s always a good time. We are never bored, we just hang out  or go get food together all the time,\u201d said Mackey. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As students in the same major and taking the same classes, they say they\u2019ve been able to lean on each other for support with classes and assignments. \u201cPersonally, I feel more comfortable asking one of the guys for help when it comes to school,\u201d Booth said. \u201cWe bounce ideas off each other all the time, but we have different study methods, so we don\u2019t always study together. Plus, we get distracted more easily when we\u2019re together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve made the overall experience better,\u201d 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Future plans<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

They each held internships over the past summer, where Booth and Mackey were offered their first jobs post graduation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All three of the men will be back in Houston post-graduation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be full-time at Miller Builders. They specialize in commercial concrete. First, I\u2019ll train and then eventually start overseeing projects myself,\u201d said Booth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mackey will be working as a construction engineer at a Chevron refinery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to move back home with our parents and save money,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Salverino will be joining his father at Rosenberger Construction as an assistant project manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m ready to get out there, take on new challenges, and meet new people. I\u2019m also excited to be home with family and friends,\u201d said Salverino.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Screenshot
From left: Sage Salverino, Ethan Booth and Ross Mackey at the construction science hard hat ceremony on Dec. 9, 2024.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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 …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1208,"featured_media":19553,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[87,58],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFrom Kindergarten to Construction Science<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Three childhood friends\u2014Ethan Booth '24, Ross Mackey '24, and Sage Salverino '24\u2014graduate together with Construction Science degrees from Texas A&M University, marking the culmination of a lifelong bond. 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