Illinois Tech’s National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) Student Chapter, participating through the Interprofessional Projects (IPRO) Program, earned the Best Change Order award at the 2026 Electrical Contracting Innovation Challenge (ECIC), held October 4 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team also placed fifth overall among 20 participating NECA student chapters from across the United States.

The national competition challenged students to develop a comprehensive electrical construction proposal for a medical center, incorporating building information modeling (BIM), electrical system design, project estimating, and cost analysis. Teams applied technical knowledge and project management skills to address real-world challenges in electrical construction.

Representing Illinois Tech at the convention were students Tejash Panda (studying Computer Engineering) and Maxwell Niesman (studying Architectural Engineering), along with Dr. Daniel Tomal, adjunct professor, NECA Student Chapter adviser, and IPRO instructor.

The Electrical Contractors’ Association of City of Chicago (ECA) sponsored the delegation’s convention expenses and provided resources to support the student team throughout the competition.

Tomal hopes to continue the project through an IPRO in spring 2027 and participate in the next NECA Electrical Contracting Innovation Challenge.

Congratulations to the students and Dr. Tomal!