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Peter Benson, a concrete industry management major at ��«Ӱҵ, topped 13 other competitors to win the 2025 Weatherton Award at the World of Concrete contest in Las Vegas Jan. 20-21.

The competition requires students to make an 8-minute presentation on an internship, capstone project or research project with judging done by a panel of industry experts.

Benson, a senior from Sioux Falls, gave a presentation on his summer 2024 internship at Buffalo Ridge Concrete, a local ready mix concrete producer. He spent the summer delivering concrete, which, he noted, “is a bit out of the norm for internships.”

The SDSU program began in fall 201 and Benson is the first Jackrabbit to receive the honor, program director Tim Hostettler said. Emma Roth competed last year in the school’s first year to participate in the contest and finished second, earning a $1,000 scholarship.

Hostettler said SDSU sophomore Kate Connor also did  “exceptionally well” in her presentation, but World of Concrete hasn’t announced full results.

Benson has worked in the construction industry since high school. He had a summer 2023 internship with CemCast Pipe and Precast in Hartford doing everything from finishing concrete to making mix designs. 

World of Concrete is the industry’s only annual international event dedicated to commercial concrete and masonry construction industries. The Las Vegas event has been an annual trip for a group from the SDSU’s concrete industry management program. This year 10 students accompanied Hostettler. Industry support covers their expenses.

The contest was limited to the five universities with concrete industry management programs supported by the contractor’s association. They are Cal State-Chico, Middle Tennessee State, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Texas State University and SDSU.

The award is named after Big Bob Weatherton, who is credited for inventing the articulating boom truck for concrete pumps.