Real Estate's Future Leaders

Odds are you've spent a recentmuggy weekend attending a graduation or two. (Or speaking at one--we know you read us, President Obama.) Since we were in a scholastic mood, we decided to take a look at how DC's graduate real estate programs made the grade this year--full disclosure, some of them are sponsors, and, fuller disclosure, our grades wouldn't get us into any of them.

• Georgetown

Georgetown's masters in real estate program graduated a whopping89 future leadersin May, which followed the March appointment of longtime Indianapolis mayorBill Hudnut(above) as executive director. Georgetown'sAndrew Lewandowskitells us the finance concentration of the program has become themost popular--over 60 students have enrolled in asummerclassfocusing on advancedfinancial modeling.

• American U

AU's Kogod School of Business MS in Real Estate program (directed by Dawn Eisenberg)graduated eight studentsthis past semester, with 25 more in the program, AU'sLara Klinetells us. The curriculum has students looking at solutions for development in theirown back yard, Lara says; one project found a new use for theMetro bus garageat Wisconsin Avenue, Jenifer Street, and 44th Street in Friendship Heights. "The proposals were, to say the least,varied," she says, from new high-end office to a hotel and moreneighborhood retail. Lara also tells us that many students in the programremain employedwith CRE firms during school, eliminating the need to seek new positions after graduating.

• University of Maryland

20 Terpsreceived degrees this year from U of Maryland's masters in real estate development program, according to directorMargaret MacFarland(far right, at May's graduation ceremony). The students got some real world experience by attending bothULIandICSCconferences, she says, and each graduating studentcompletes anextensive feasibility study(with a developer as their mentor) and present findings to ajuryof real estate professionals. A$1,000 prizegoes to the winner, Margaret tells us.

• Johns Hopkins

Hopkins'Carey Business Schoolhas both full- and part-time masters in real estate programs, andChuck Schilke(right, snapped last summer withDave HowieandNatalie Youngof Thomson Reuters), who directs the part-time program, tells us about65 studentsgraduated this year from both sides. Chuck, who joined JHU from Georgetown inDecember, says the program will soon rebrand itself with a focus oninfrastructure, and byfall 2014should offer courses on infrastructure finance,public-private partnerships, and global cities.

• George Mason

Former BF Saul execBob Wulff(right, joined by adjunct profMark Cummingsof MEC Realty), joined GMU inJanuaryas director of both GMU's Center for Real Estate Entrepreneurship and the MS in real estate development program. He tells useight studentsgraduated in May, and this year's group was a diverse one: students came from as far away asSaudi Arabia,Thailand, andVietnam. Bob's also beaming over the Mason team winningfirst placein the 2013 NAIOP Intercollegiate Challengetoppingsister programsat Georgetown, JHU and UMD.