Cornell Launches Program in Hospitality Real Estate Studies
UTICA, NY, October 27, 2008. Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration has introduced a new program designed to prepare students for careers in hospitality real estate and finance.
Available to students in all Cornell schools and colleges, the Program in Hospitality Real Estate Studies provides world-class instruction in real estate investment, finance, consulting and transaction support, as well as in structured finance. Among the program's distintive features are its singular focus on real estate investments and finance and its emphasis on the hospitality industry.
'This program formalizes our longstanding commitment to be the leading source of knowledge about hospitality real estate and finance,' says Michael Johnson, Dean of the School. 'Capital markets are undergoing fundamental changes, as is the nature of real estate ownership. Our School works to remain at the forefront of this knowledge, especially as it applies to the global hospitality industry. We look forward to giving students the knowledge and skills they need to pursue rewarding careers in this field.'
A core component of the Program is the new Center for Real Estate Finance. The Center will sponsor rigorous academic research, disseminate that knowledge to practitioners and provide a forum for the exchange of ideas between professionals, the academic community and students.
The Program also includes a new undergraduate Minor in Real Estate designed to help students build the knowledge, skills and contacts to pursue a career in the field. The minor is fulfilled with a minimum of six courses. In all, students are encouraged to choose from over 40 courses across the university that relate to a career in real estate.
At the Hotel School, courses are taught by faculty members known for their expertise in the field. They are John Corgel, the Robert C. Baker Professor of Real Estate, Jan deRoos, HVS International Professor of Hotel Finance and Real Estate, Peter Liu, Assistant Professor of Real Estate, Daniel Quan, Professor of Real Estate, Richard Penner, Professor, Facilities Management, Planning and Design, Stephani Robson, Senior Lecturer, Facilities Management, Planning and Design, and Dina Marie Zemke, Assistant Professor of Facilities Management, Planning and Design.
Students who choose the Minor may tap into a powerful network to help launch their careers. The Cornell Career Services offices, the School's faculty, and the Real Estate Minor Advisory Board will help students network, find jobs and stay current on real estate markets and transactions. Noteworthy networking opportunities include the Cornell Real Estate Conference held each fall, and the annual Real Estate Career Day, which introduces students to real estate companies and creates forums for companies to provide information about their firms. Many firms also come to campus to interview for summer internships and permanent jobs.
Students will gain further exposure to the field at hospitality finance and real estate roundtables, to be sponsored each year by the Center for Real Estate Finance and the School's Center for Hospitality Research. In addition, program leaders will hold at least two real estate forums each term, enabling students to meet with alumni and explore career options.
'We are building a program that will not only educate students, but give them the resources and relationships they need to launch and propel their careers,' Johnson says.
Graduates of the Program will be prepared for a wide range of professional opportunities. They include asset manager with a REIT or real estate fund, financial analyst with a Wall Street firm or real estate broker, associate with a real estate advisory/consulting firm, loan origination and underwriting manager with an investment bank or pension fund advisor, and real estate developer and owner.
For more information, please contact Ms. Courtney Griffin at [email protected] or 607-255-8383.
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