Bradley Riva, ’21
The concept of building something has always intrigued Bradley Riva, ’21. He landed his first job in construction at 16 and graduated with his construction management degree from CMU in 2021. From the start, he has been impressed by just how much goes into creating something unique from the ground up.
Years later, Riva now plays an active role in such creation as a project engineer for Shaw Construction. More recently, he found himself collaborating alongside fellow Colorado Mesa University alumni and current students as they worked on the new campus highlight: The Asteria Theatre.
“The camaraderie comes easy when there is a common connection like that,” said Riva.
The Asteria Theatre broke ground in March 2023 and opened its doors in September 2024 and has already hosted special guests like Neil deGrasse Tyson as well as CMU student productions and community performances. The theatre has helped fill a long-awaited gap in Colorado’s west slope by elevating the arts and entertainment scene in Grand Junction.
For this project, Riva handled documentation and paperwork, procured needed materials and assisted with general day-to-day activities.
“My favorite part of the project was seeing all the finishes going in to create the beautiful space everyone sees now,” said Riva.
That’s one of his favorite parts of being in the construction industry.
“Seeing things come to fruition,” Riva said, “Watching a project go from construction plans to a completed building is satisfying and rewarding.”
While that initial construction gig at age 16 may have helped Riva narrow his career focus, he credits CMU for providing the foundation for his
future success.
“I’ve noticed that a construction management degree from CMU gets you in the door. It also makes you job-ready,” said Riva.
His lessons on scheduling, planning, financial management and documentation of responsibility taught by CMU allowed him to create and maintain the critical skills needed for his position in the field.
Riva believes CMU graduates are ready to “jump in and take off from day one.”