Program in Real Estate Cornell University

Industry Seminar

The Cornell Real Estate Industry seminar attracts leading figures from across the industry to share insights with Program students, faculty and Cornell Real Estate Council members. Each week of the academic year industry professionals discuss important issues and developments in their fields and talk about current projects and the career paths that led them to their positions. A question and answer session, with lively exchanges among students and seminar leaders, typically follows the formal presentation and conversation continues at a reception following the seminar.

Throughout the series, one after another, fund managers, developers, investors, bankers, and others talk about their segments of the industry, current topics, and issues—ranging from changes in global capital markets to green developments, new investment opportunities, financing, and structuring strategies.

Bill Sanders, Co-Chairman of the Verde Group LLC, discusses his Verde Group development plans during a fall 2006 Cornell Real Estate Industry seminar.

Hearing from professionals in a variety of industry segments and cities paints a broad picture of an industry that is location specific and can differ considerably from one place to another. It also highlights the variety of careers and companies available to future industry professionals. The range of people and personalities, areas of the country in which they work, and the variety of their work experiences all suggest the wide range of specialties and possible career paths that can be followed in the real estate industry.

Many students cite the opportunity to hear from and get to know recognizable figures from the industry through the seminar series as one of the most valuable aspects of the program. The course is taken during each semester of the program.

A sampling of the industry segments and respective speakers that have appeared in the Cornell Real Estate Industry seminar include:

• A Connected Cohort
• An MBA Toolkit
• Curriculum
  • Industry Seminar
  • Project Workshop
  • Concentrations
• Core Courses
• Dual Degree
• Orientation
• Academics Photos
• Orientation Photos