OU Center for Real Estate Finance

Who said it was dead week?

Real Estate Careers came alive on Real Estate Exploration Day this week! Covering development, appraisal, legal, brokerage, management and 9 other disciplines, students had a chance to speak with industry professionals and explore the many career paths shaping the real estate world. Huge thank you to the many industry professionals who spent time with our students and inspired them to consider careers in real estate.

A special shout out to the Price Career Center and to UCREW-OKC for helping bring this event to life. No better way to end the academic year than connecting real estate professionals with the real estate leaders of tomorrow!

The 5th Annual Real Estate Panel on Friday, Apr 24, brought together 24 real estate professionals — including notable alumni, industry recruiters, and generous donors — for a dynamic session at the Bolt. This year’s panel included eight veterans from previous offerings of the course. The event featured student project presentations from the Real Estate Finance capstone course, taught by Tom Hooper.

Congratulations to the winning team, 405 Holdings, which consisted of Rylie Wells, Frida Galvan, Joshua Ahmed, and James Wilson. This year’s project was BOK Park Plaza at 499 W Sheridan, OKC.

Thanks to our guests and volunteers for making this such a meaningful event for our students!

The Center for Real Estate Finance is excited to announce that registration is now open for the Mortgage Bankers Association's Certificate in Residential Real Estate Finance.

In collaboration with the Mortgage Bankers Association, this six-week program is designed to equip participants with the knowledge and practical skills needed to pursue opportunities across the mortgage and real estate industry. Through a combination of online coursework, in-person sessions, and industry engagement, participants will gain exposure to key areas such as loan production, underwriting, and other related areas.

Scholarship-supported pricing is available for a limited number of participants. We encourage early registration, as space is limited. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the deadline, May 29th.

Register here for the certificate with the link in our bio!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at [email protected].

Curious about Real Estate? This is your chance!!

Real estate is about more than selling houses. A large variety of real estate professionals are a key part of how you live, work, and play! This is an opportunity to meet real estate professionals from the legal world, development, commercial real estate, brokerage, and management. They are here to share what they do and describe their day-to-day activities!

Attire is business casual and lunch is provided. Mark your calendar for next week, Monday, May 4th between 11:00 and 1:00 to come down to Dodson Lounge and learn more about real estate!

Register on handshake now with the link in our bio!

Great turnout for Price Career Center Dine & Learn last week with JPMorganChase! Students had the opportunity to gain valuable insights into Commercial Real Estate, along with a closer look at upcoming internship pathways with JPMorganChase.

A big thank you to Brandon Scott for sharing his time, experience, and perspectives on careers at JPMorganChase with our students.

Cathy O'Connor joined our Real Estate Modeling/Analysis class last week to discuss her role in shaping many of Oklahoma City’s most significant development projects. As former Assistant City Manager to the City of Oklahoma City and President of The Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City, Cathy helped structure and finance major projects including the Omni Convention Center Hotel and the redevelopment of the Skirvin, a Hilton Hotel.

She now leads COalign Group, where she advises developers, investors, and cities on complex projects. Students in this Real Estate Modeling/Analysis class gained valuable insight on the history of development in the OKC central business district which will aid them in their capstone project.

Good to welcome back Jill Halloran and Pam Thompson with 828 Real Estate LLC back to campus! Pam and Jill provided valuable insights into the real estate sales process during the Price College of Business Foundations of Sales event last week. They also described how real estate sales are different than the sale of other goods and services. With high stakes involved, they emphasized the need for honesty, transparency, and patience when working with clients in residential real estate. Relationships matter! Thanks for sharing your insights with our students!

A great evening last week, at the Find Your Match: Speed Networking event at Price Career Center, where students had the opportunity to connect with professionals across real estate, banking, and finance while building meaningful industry relationships.

We appreciate the continued support of our Finance Board members, Todd McNeill from Gardner Tanenbaum and Amy Bailey from Busey Bank, for taking the time to engage our students.

On behalf of the OU Real Estate Club and the OU Center for Real Estate Finance, we would like to thank Chris Kopecky, Partner and CFO at Jamestown, LP, for his warm hospitality and for leading an outstanding tour of Office at Ponce City Market and other developments along the Atlanta Beltline. Students had the opportunity to see firsthand how transformative redevelopment can occur through the adaptive reuse of historic infrastructure in partnership with local communities and city leadership. The difference between the Atlanta Beltline and Ponce City Market of 30 years ago and the present-day could not be more striking.

During the visit, students also explored Krog Street Market, where they observed dynamic retail and leisure developments positioned directly along the Beltline. Many of these businesses rely heavily on trail-driven foot traffic rather than traditional vehicle access, offering students a unique perspective on urban planning, mixed-use development, and evolving consumer behavior. Thank you to Shak Presswala, CFA and Noah Peeters for the engaging tour and for taking the time to answer student questions.

Lots of walking, lots of touring, and lots of learning made this an unforgettable experience for our students. A special thank you to Wes Heidelberg, VP of Construction at Jamestown, LP, Frances Bohn, Director of Development & Construction at Jamestown, LP, Britni Johnson, VP of Public Relations & Communications at Jamestown LP, Jill Johnson of Atlanta Beltline, Kristin Anunson, General Manager at Ponce City Market, and Laura Redman, Senior Portfolio Manager at Bridger Properties for their time, insight, and support throughout the visit.

At the upcoming Price Career Center Speed Networking event, Gardner Tanenbaum and Todd McNeill will be in attendance. Students interested in real estate are encouraged to stop by and introduce themselves. This is a great opportunity for students to connect and network with industry professionals.

Join us for Speed Networking and connect with employers from a variety of industries — all in one night next week!

📅 Monday, February 9
⏰ 5–7 PM
📍 Dodson Lounge

You will have the chance to meet employers, practice networking, and explore career opportunities. Register on Handshake though the link in our bio!

The OU Center for Real Estate was proud to partner with Carly Richardson and CREW-OKC to host the 2025 UCREW Seminar: Breaking the Glass Ceiling — a full-day professional development experience designed to empower the next generation of commercial real estate leaders.

Through panels, keynote discussions, and networking sessions, students heard firsthand from women who have built careers across the CRE landscape, from development and finance to architecture and construction. Attendees had the opportunity to engage directly with industry professionals, ask questions, explore emerging career paths, and find guidance to inform their academic and professional journeys.