UAA College of Business and Public Policy

WPMRE Student Receives Travel Scholarship

November 7, 2014

Amanda Doughty, junior at UAA, was one of six students, nationally, to receive a travel scholarship funded by the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM^®) Foundation. The scholarship, aimed at introducing students to the vast career opportunities in property management and real estate, included airfare, lodging, registration, and per diem for Amanda to attend the IREM^® Fall Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida from October 14-19.

Founded in 1933, IREM^® is an international community of real estate managers dedicated to ethical business practices, maximizing the value of investment real estate, and promoting superior management through education and information sharing. Each year, IREM^® hosts a Fall Leadership Conference, bringing together hundreds of members and industry leaders to discuss IREM^® local and national leadership; learn about the industry’s latest trends, issues, and best practices; and connect with fellow practitioners eager to advance their profession and their bottom line.

While in Orlando, Amanda’s agenda included attending national committee leadership meetings, participating in a site tour of a new student housing development at the University of Central Florida (UCF), listening to various panel presentations and education sessions, and even playing in a charity golf tournament. Over four days, Amanda was introduced to many industry leaders, including large company executives, IREM^® leaders and past presidents, and Lori Burger, IREM’s^® new president for the 2015 term.

In Burger’s inaugural address, she outlined IREM’s^® key objectives for advancing strategically as an organization. One objective that Burger stressed was the need to attract, support, and develop young professionals. Burger noted that the average age for a Certified Property Manager is 51 years, and that the development of younger talent was needed to lead the industry moving forward. IREM’s^® focus on this area is encouraging news for students like Amanda and others in attendance from property management programs at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Ball State University, Virginia Tech, and St. Augustine’s University.

As the initiating president of the Property Management and Real Estate Club at UAA, Amanda has worked to see the club recognized as an official IREM^® student club, which will be only the second of its kind in the nation. Club members will be affiliated with the Anchorage chapter of IREM^®, which is part of the Region 12 team along with Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. In Orlando, Amanda was able to meet with chapter leaders from Seattle, Portland, and Boise, and their enthusiasm for the program at UAA was clear.

As this young program continues to grow and develop, it is rewarding to continually see industry leaders from around the nation acknowledge its value and, more importantly, seek out its students for career and educational opportunities.

If you think the Weidner Property Management and Real Estate Program at CBPP might be right for you, email Terry Fields, program director, at tjfields@uaa.alaska.edu for information about advising, additional education resources, and program awards.