While construction management has long been a male-dominated field, Chico State women are proving that the future is female. For the first time in Chico State’s history, all construction management clubs are being led by women presidents. 

As the 8th largest major at Chico State, the construction management program emphasizes collaboration and hands-on experience — qualities that create a tight-knit cohort of students within the major. 

“If you can show up and work really hard and try to be enthusiastic, you’ll be welcomed into the community,” said Eva Zauok, president of Design Build Institute of America. 

Kendall England, president of IOTA, added that she finds the construction industry gratifying because there’s a “physical goal” to work toward. She said that watching the advancement toward a mutual goal is one of her favorite parts of the major. 

But being a woman in a male-dominated field has its challenges. Respect isn’t immediately given to women in the field — it’s earned, the women collectively agreed. Some said that respect often takes twice as much effort for women to earn, as men are more likely to doubt the skills and capabilities of a woman than a man on the job site. 

In 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that only 11.2% of the construction workforce is composed of women. 

“You walk into a room, you’re the only woman — of course all eyes are on you,” said Shelby Gustafson, president of the Mechanical Contractors Association of America. “When you’re doing great, they’re celebrating you, but when you aren’t, it’s obvious.” 

Gustafson said that being a woman in the field inherently adds pressure and influences how her performance is perceived. On top of that, having productive conversations with men on the site can often be difficult. 

Jillian Nord, president of the Women in Construction Club, stressed the importance of having confidence in the field. 

While there are bound to be situations where men make awkward comments, Nord said that having the skill of intentionally directing conversation back toward the job is vital. 

Having thick skin aids in developing relationships in the field. It isn’t uncommon for men to occasionally make uncongenial jokes, sometimes drawing women into their line of fire. 

Damarys Mondragon, president of Heavy Civil Construction, said that in order to build those relationships, it helps to know how to crack a few jokes — but to also make sure that they don’t “cross the line.”

“If you aren’t making jokes with the guys, you’re not one of them,” Gustafson said. She said that she’s experienced her fair share of the classic “time of the month” joke during moments when she’s been short-tempered. 

Regardless of the difficulties, the steady upsurge of women entering construction management should help to create space for the future of women in the field. 

“The more women you have in leadership positions, the more other women are going to be inspired by that,”  Gustafson said. “It means that there are going to be more women coming.”

All five women agreed that seeing other women in the industry has helped inspire them to pursue roles in leadership. With more women entering male-dominated fields, the progress being made in this industry might help to inspire change in others. 

“We have a chance now to step into whatever industry we want to,” Zauok said. “You can be more than the traditional path that’s set up for women.”

Lexi Lynn can be reached ar [email protected] or [email protected].