Daniel M. DiLella Center for Real Estate at the Villanova School of Business Hosts Largest Undergraduate Real Estate Competition

April 8-9, 2010
Presented by CB Richard Ellis and Delphi Affordable Housing

VILLANOVA, PA – April 5, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — The Daniel M. DiLella Center for Real Estate at the Villanova School of Business will host the first annual Villanova Real Estate Challenge on April 8 – 9. Students from the nation’s top undergraduate business programs—including Villanova School of Business (VSB), University of Pennsylvania, New York University, University of North Carolina, and Florida State University—will compete for up to $10,000 in cash prizes.

Student teams will play the role of commercial real estate developers, presenting their recommendations on the optimal plan and timeline for an actual development project. The case will center on financial analysis, proposal feasibility, and design creativity. Senior executives from leading firms such as CB Richard Ellis, BPG Properties, Ltd., and Standard & Poor’s will critique the student teams on their assessments and recommendations.

Corporate sponsors of the inaugural Villanova Real Estate Challenge include CB Richard Ellis, Delphi Affordable Housing Group, and Ernst & Young.

“Encouraging tomorrow’s leaders and facilitating their professional growth is essential,” said Michael Geoghegan, Vice Chairman, CB Richard Ellis, and Daniel M. DiLella Center for Real Estate Advisory Council member. “Villanova’s Real Estate Challenge will provide the next generation of top industry professionals with a unique opportunity to experience the complexity and challenges of our business. We are looking forward to seeing these young leaders in action.”

According to Shawn D. Howton, PhD, director of the DiLella Center for Real Estate, “the Challenge will provide national recognition for Villanova’s real estate program among both industry and academic audiences. The event will also expose participating firms to the next generation of real estate leaders.”

The Villanova School of Business has been at the forefront of business education since its founding in 1922. Today, VSB is ranked #20 in the nation by BusinessWeek, and serves over 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students in seven business fields. The school is home to five research centers of excellence including the Daniel M. DiLella Center for Real Estate. The mission of the Daniel M. DiLella Center for Real Estate is to support faculty research, teaching, and curricular innovation in the field of real estate.