March 17: The University of Guelph’s Real Estate and Housing Program Celebrates 20 Years with Industry Gala
On Wednesday, March 19, students, faculty and alumni from the University of Guelph’s Real Estate and Housing (REH) B.Comm. major will join industry professionals at The Ritz-Carlton in Toronto to celebrate 20 years of real estate education at Guelph. Hosted by the Real Estate and Housing Student Association (REHSA) and Allied Properties REIT, along with several other industry sponsors, the gala evening will welcome 150 people and include a formal dinner and lively panel discussion featuring top industry leaders.
This panel discussion will focus on education, sustainability and urban intensification in the GTA. Panelists will include: Stephen Diamond, Diamondcorp; John Gillanders, &Co Architects; John O’Bryan, CBRE; Stephen Sender, Scotiabank; Glenn Way, GWL Realty Advisors; and Michael Emory, Allied Properties REIT.
"I am thrilled that the REHSA has taken the initiative to recognize the 20-year history of the Real Estate and Housing program at Guelph,” said Professor Jane Londerville. “I have been at the university since 1993 and we are proud of the evolution of this program and the great alumni it has produced."
One of only a few programs of its kind in Canada, REH is designed to qualify graduates to meet the high demand of employers in the real estate industry. Students are prepared for professional positions in the private and public sectors, as well as graduate studies in business, planning and the social sciences. The gala will be the largest event for the Real Estate and Housing major and will solidify the reputation of the program with the Toronto real estate industry.
According to Michael Emory, President and CEO of Allied Properties REIT, the program’s graduates enter the workforce prepared with knowledge and skills that allow them to move upward quickly. “Allied started hiring REH graduates several years ago to fill entry-level positions. Not only did they bring a solid base of real-estate knowledge to their jobs, they brought a strong work ethic and a very positive attitude. As a consequence, they’ve progressed rapidly within our organization, taking on more senior roles. Our interest in, and support for, the REH program stems largely from the quality of its graduates. We fully expect to hire many more going forward.”
The gala evening is the result of months of planning and fundraising by the REHSA. Due to the success of their efforts, the full cost of the event has been covered. In addition to dinner and discussion, it will also provide a valuable networking opportunity for all attendees.
“The purpose of this event is to celebrate the longevity of the University's REH program, and to bring together its students, as well as members of the real estate industry, including alumni of the program,” said Marco Elia, REHSA Vice-President and fourth-year REH student. “The organization of the event took place over the course of several months by the members of the REHSA who seek to maintain their relationship with the industry and continue the legacy of the program.”
The REH program at the University of Guelph is part of the College of Business and Economics and is designed to provide the necessary theoretical and practical education to enable students to have a thorough knowledge of all aspects of the industry and the capability to complete sophisticated financial analysis.