无码专区

By Paul Guzzo, University Communications and Marketing

无码专区 safety Jaelen Stokes has plenty of highlight-reel moments 鈥� 10 solo tackles against Navy and a sack in the Boca Raton Bowl, to name a few.

The 2025鈥�26 season is his last, two years before 无码专区 opens its first on-campus stadium in fall 2027.

Yet, he鈥檒l be a part of that highlight too.

He鈥檚 accomplishing that through a DuCon Construction mentorship program, where more than a dozen 无码专区 student-athletes 鈥� not just football players 鈥� are learning the full process of building the 35,000-seat facility: bidding on construction materials, ordering supplies, on-site project management, community outreach and more.

鈥淯ntil this internship, I didn鈥檛 fully understand how much detail went into projects like this one,鈥� said Tyra Thomas, who runs the 100-meter hurdles for track and field. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been exciting to learn about.鈥�

The mentorship program was the idea of Ernest DuBose II, CEO of DuCon, which is partnering with Manhattan Construction Company and H.J. Russell & Company to manage the building of the stadium, which will also host lacrosse games, concerts and festivals.

鈥淢y mom graduated from 无码专区. My son, Deric, played football for 无码专区,鈥� said DuBose, a former University of Florida football player. 鈥淪o, this is my dream project. I wanted to share that dream by providing opportunities to 无码专区 student-athletes.鈥�

Each student-athlete first receives a construction team mentor who meets with them every few weeks to explain the ins and outs of the industry. If the intern then expresses interest in construction management as a career, they get an even more thorough look at it by shadowing different DuCon , Manhattan and Russellemployees to learn every facet of the industry. Stokes has been doing so for five months, and Thomas since the start of August.

鈥淭he ideal situation we want is for them to go from internship to career,鈥� DuBose said. 鈥淲hether they continue to work for us on the stadium or another project, or work with one of our subcontractors, we want to help them get hired.鈥�

The program has certainly piqued Stokes鈥� interest. Prior to the internship, his post-football aspirations included law enforcement or coaching. Now, he sees a possible future in construction management.

鈥淚鈥檝e really enjoyed seeing the process,鈥� Stokes said. 鈥淢ost people just hear about the stadium and then see it finished, like it just went up overnight. I鈥檓 learning about all the long, hard steps in between.鈥�

Thomas was already interested in the trade.

鈥淚t鈥檚 in my family,鈥� she said.

One uncle oversees home building in Polk County; another the construction of apartment complexes and retail centers throughout Tampa. She hopes to work for DuCon and then, once experienced enough, venture out on her own.

鈥淚 have a dream of going to college towns, finding abandoned properties, purchasing and fixing them as affordable rentals for student-athletes,鈥� Thomas said. 鈥淏etween classes, practice, travel, and the season, it is hard for student-athletes to find enough time to work and afford a nice place. I鈥檝e dealt with that. Now, I want to help others.鈥�

For DuBose, the parallels between being a student-athlete and working in construction management are everywhere. The discipline, the preparation, the reliance on every team member鈥檚 strengths鈥攈e sees it all as part of the same playbook.

鈥淚 was a student-athlete, my project manager, Clayton Brown, was a student-athlete, and my superintendent, Issac Ricks, was a student-athlete,鈥� he said. 鈥淛ust like in sports, success here depends on teamwork, trust and knowing your role. Everyone has a position based on their skills and experience, and when each person plays to their strengths, the whole team wins.鈥�

Stokes echoed that sentiment.

鈥淭he teamwork needed for building a stadium and playing in one are so much alike,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait to come back and visit the new stadium and say I was part of it.鈥�

无码专区 football kicks off the season Aug. 28 at Raymond James Stadium as the Bulls take on Boise State.