A team of six MBA students from the University of Notre Dame recently participated in the 20th National Real Estate Challenge hosted by the University of Texas at Austin, marking only their second year of involvement. Impressively, the Notre Dame team secured an Honorable Mention and a $2,500 cash prize, placing them in the esteemed company of institutions such as Kellogg, MIT, and Booth, all of whom received accolades for their outstanding performances.

This invitation-only case competition showcased participants selected from the top ranks of graduate real estate programs. These students competed for coveted top honors and cash awards. Judge panels included senior executives from prominent real estate companies across the United States, emphasizing the competition's rigor and prestige.

The competition featured participation from 20 top graduate business programs nationwide. The task was to restructure a portfolio of direct real estate assets exposed to all sectors while concurrently analyzing new equity and credit opportunities in a challenging market environment.

The Notre Dame team was comprised of second-year MBA students Michael Mulroy, Alex Olsen, Rachel Fernelius, and Mac Metzler, along with 1-year MBA student Rameez Bhimji and first-year MBA student Jackie Herrick. Their collective efforts showcased Notre Dame's increased focus on the development of future leaders in the real estate industry.

The Notre Dame team expressed deep appreciation to Professor Michael O'Malley and the Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate for their support and commitment to fostering excellence in real estate education at the graduate level. Gratitude was also extended to the Real Estate Center at the McCombs School of Business, the panel of judges, and fellow competitors for their invaluable contributions to the success of the event.