The first students to graduate from the Virginia Tech Program in Real Estate are entering the industry with breadth and depth in their education, poised to pursue a diverse set of career paths. 

Since its launch in fall 2013, the undergraduate major has grown to more than 120 students, won the Meritage Homes Residential Real Estate Challenge twice, and graduated its first 12 majors in May.

Virginia Tech’s Program in Real Estate is a collaboration of six colleges partnering to offer a bachelor of science in real estate. The interdisciplinary approach draws expertise from a broad range of faculty and academic units across the university. In addition, the program benefits from engaged industry members who regularly interact with students and give guest lectures.

“The real estate classes with guest speakers were my favorite,” said Nicholas John Gratto of Saratoga Springs, New York, a member of the 2015 graduating class. “I appreciated the industry involvement and hearing from actual professionals what they do on a day-to-day basis.”

Nearly 80 percent of the students double major in an area related to real estate, while others complete a minor or create an area of focus working with an academic advisor.

This rich academic program prepares students for a variety of careers as demonstrated by the following examples:

  • Cody Owens of Abingdon, Virginia, who received a Bachelor of Science in real estate, has accepted a position as a valuation assistant with Colliers International in Richmond, Virginia;
  • Aurelia Amoyaw of Manassas, Virginia, completed degrees in building construction and real estate and has accepted a position as a construction analyst in Washington, D.C.; 
  • Nicholas John Gratto of Saratoga Springs, New York completed degrees in real estate and property ,anagement in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, and has accepted a position as an investment services analyst with Prologis in Denver, Colorado;
  • Dan Tue Nguyen of Fairfax, Virginia graduated Summa Cum Laude with degrees in property management and real estate and will pursue a graduate degree; and
  • John Robert Senske, III of Long Beach, California, and Aaron William Allen Steger of Richmond, Virginia, completed double majors in property management and real estate. Senske accepted a position as an associate broker for Colliers International in New York, New York, and Steger is a lease administrator for Lincoln Harris in Richmond, Virginia.

“As you can see from our first class of graduates, our students are well prepared to enter a variety of career paths, said Kevin Boyle, director of the Program in Real Estate. “The broad education we offer is complemented by in-depth study in a focus area where students desire to pursue a career. Students have extensive opportunities to network with industry professionals through internships, classes, and professional events so they enter the employment with the skills and knowledge to make immediate professional contributions.”

Virginia Tech’s Program in Real Estate offers a comprehensive interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science degree that builds on existing strengths in six of Virginia Tech's colleges — the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Architecture and Urban Studies, Pamplin College of Business, College of Engineering, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, and College of Natural Resources and Environment. 

The program’s experiential courses integrate disciplines such as finance, law, construction, and property management by examining commercial, residential, retail, and mixed-use property from initial project conceptualization through sale or management.  

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.

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