There are more than half a million Michigan State University alumni worldwide and 232,000 living in the state of Michigan. With that many Spartans, they’re bound to make a big impact on Michigan and the world.
This is true for alumnus Brad Lamberg, president of the County Road Association of Michigan, an organization representing all of Michigan’s 83 county road agencies that collectively manage more than 75 percent of Michigan roads.
Lamberg, who has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in civil engineering from Michigan State University, leads the association’s efforts to promote higher efficiency in the operation of Michigan's county road systems.
When asked about his time at MSU, he said it was enjoyable but challenging. He felt the group projects that centered on team building and problem solving added depth to the coursework by giving opportunities to apply the course material in real ways.
“Spending time with others from different backgrounds, skill levels and personalities requires an MSU student to be patient and stay focused in a dynamic environment,” said Lamberg.
Lamberg’s education is now helping him inform the public of the goals and policies needed to properly fund road infrastructure initiatives for the state. Currently, Michigan is ranked 50th in funding roads and bridges. He likens road maintenance to car maintenance.
“An automobile owner can skip changing the oil in their vehicle – for quite a while, without noticing any negative effects. But eventually, the engine will seize and the results will be catastrophic,” said Lamberg. “The same is true for roads. They can be neglected for a while without any obvious signs of damage, but when the signs do finally show, the outcomes are drastic.”
Lamberg credits his MSU education as being a critical piece for preparing him for his current challenges and opportunities.
“MSU provided me the ‘warm-up’ for the real world, which has proved helpful in variety of ways.”
In 2014, MSU’s College of Engineering undergraduate program was ranked No. 43 in the U.S. by U.S. News and World Report. MSU also ranked 29th out of 100, overall, among the nation’s public universities, in the same report.
To learn more about MSU’s impact on the state of Michigan, visit Mi Spartan Impact.