Texas Tech Center for Real Estate - Fall 2022 Update

In the words of my colleague, Prof. Carl Pankratz , "The Real Estate Center at Texas Tech is on fire!" It certainly feels that way after an incredible start to the 2022-23 academic school year at the Texas Tech University - Rawls College of Business . I am incredibly proud of the continual progress that our real estate program is making, and that progress is due primarily to our outstanding students and generous alumni.

After the past few years of disruptions, it finally feels like the Texas Tech University campus is back to "normal." Students are fully-engaged in extracurricular activities and the officers of the Real Estate Organization are leading the charge.

I am grateful for the depth of alumni involvement that we are seeing in our real estate program. As we build toward a fully-funded Real Estate Center, it is absolutely essential that we continue to expand our alumni network and create avenues for industry involvement. Ryan Patterson and Matt Peterson have done an amazing job coordinating quarterly happy hours in Dallas, and plans are in the works to expand these to Houston and Austin.

Make no mistake about it, these interactions with the industry are not limited to social and networking events. Our alumni have shown a desire to "get their hands dirty" and dive into our classrooms and student activities. During the first week of Fall 2022 classes, John Brownlee , David Rivero , and Meg Meliet made a trip to campus to speak to all seven (7) of our real estate classes and our REO members. For my FIN4335 (Real Estate Investments) and FIN5332 (Fundamentals of Real Estate) courses, I have paired each of the student project groups with industry mentors to guide them in their analysis of a commercial real estate investment. And our newest faculty member, Carl Pankratz , is involving guest speakers in his classes on a weekly basis.

Our current students are also learning to "pay it forward" by speaking with high school real estate students in the sales agent licensing class offered by Lubbock-Cooper ISD .

Of course, the early highlight of our semester has been the 2022 Stellar REO Alumni Conference. Over 125 students and alumni gathered at the Cotton Court Hotel in Lubbock for a day discussions about commercial real estate assets, markets, and opportunities. Alumni Conference committee members Meg Meliet , Dillon Donald , Kirsten Evans , Trevor Miller , Umair Nasser , Preston Patterson , and Grant R. tirelessly planned this conference, and their execution was flawless. The conference would not have been possible without our title sponsor, Paul Stell of the Stellar Family of Companies, and our presenting sponsors, 仲量联行 , Philip M. Lang of Lang Interests, Madera Residential , 汉斯 and BBG Inc.

The conference started with forty (40) Texas Tech students attending a Student-Employer Breakfast, which provided them with opportunities to interact with company representatives and hear from Brandon Brewer on the value of networking.

After breakfast, Lonnie Hendry, CRE moderated an institutional capital panel among four (4) panelists, Brennan Freedle , De'Juan F. Collins , De'On T. Collins , and James Ray .

Over lunch, attendees had the opportunity to hear from Scott Everett about his professional journey and the path that led him to found S2 Capital. After lunch, Dave Marcinkowski and Dave Gilles spoke about innovations in property technology ("proptech") and how it is changing the commercial real estate industry.

To conclude the day, Paul Stell moderated a development panel among four (4) panelists, Meg Meliet , Kayla Wilkie , Jon Krebbs , and Grant Gafford .

I hope you can see that the Center for Real Estate is truly "on fire" from the energy surrounding our students, alumni, and programs. The most exciting aspect of "fire" is that we are only beginning to see the potential for excellence in our students and alumni.?As we continue building the Center for Real Estate, we will always remain appreciative of your continued support.