Membership Benefits

Why become involved with the James A. Graaskamp Center for Real Estate?

Guest Lecture in the Classroom
The James A. Graaskamp Center for Real Estate brings industry leaders and alumni into the classroom. Guest lectures from executives of prominent corporations and public agencies augment the academic curriculum of our real estate program and allows students exposure to future employers on a regular basis

Recruit New Talent and Present Your Firm to Future Leaders
The Wisconsin MBA in Real Estate is consistently ranked as one of the top three in the country by U.S. News & World Report.  As a result, it attracts the top students from within the U.S and around the world.  Students meet with members during the board meetings held in the fall and spring each year.  The board members’ advice and involvement with the students is one of the features that set our real estate program apart. 

Access to Stimulating Presentations and Panel Discussions with Industry and Academic Experts
Recent panels have discussed such topics as the future of REITs, the effects of fundamental tax
reform on real estate, and the growing impact of land use regulation on property decision
making. Typically, these panels include some members of the board itself, but they have also
included distinguished guests, including senior REIT managers, executives from major real
estate funding sources, real estate investors, real estate securities analysts, and high-ranking
U.S. government officials.

Excellent Networking Opportunities
Board members meet twice a year to network and participate in seminars on important issues
facing the real estate industry. The meetings provide a variety of stimulating programs and
opportunities for industry leaders to connect with one another, as well as interact with faculty
and students.

Access to Nationally Renowned, State-of-the-Art Research
At board meetings, top real estate academics from all over the country present their newest
research, typically before it has been published. For example, past board meetings have featured presentations on: how institutional investors determine the composition of their real estate holdings,
the effect of the aging baby boom population on the demand for retail goods and retail space,
and the extent to which an increase in real estate values can be linked to market fundamentals.

How Does Your Membership Gift Support the Graaskamp Center?

Student Enrichment
The Graaskamp Center supports MBA student enrichment activities such as attendance at the annual ULI conference as well as coordinating international studytrips to China and the MIPM Conference in Cannes, France.

MBA Student Recruiting
The financial support of Board members allows the Graaskamp Center to compete and remain a top-level program. The 2005-06 academic year saw 30 outstanding students enrolled in the Real Estate MBA Program. This is the highest MBA enrollment of all Centers at the School of Business.

Graaskamp Center Operating Expenses
Board membership gifts support the operating expenses for the Center, including marketing and public relations initiatives, student events and other operating expenses.

Top Quality Meeting on Cutting Edge Topics
The financial support of Board members allows the Graaskamp Center to offer board meetings and seminars on important and timely topics in world-class venues