The University of Dayton launched a new credential for undergraduates interested in real estate development. Designed to fit flexibly into any academic track, the certificate can be paired with any major.
"Our students are telling us that they want a clearer path into real estate, and the interest has grown dramatically during the last few years," said Jon Fulkerson, professor and chair of UD's Department of Economics and Finance. "This certificate is a direct response to that demand. It gives students the tools and the connections to succeed across all areas of the real estate industry."
The certificate program is supported by a $120,000 gift from former U.S. Ambassador to Croatia Bob Kohorst. The gift will support a real estate pitch competition, fund student site visits across the region and support capstone projects that students will complete in partnership with local organizations.
The program is supported by Dave Dickerson, visiting executive in real estate at UD. Dickerson recently retired after more than 40 years in real estate and construction, including 14 years as a partner at Miller Valentine Construction and nearly two decades as a founding principal of Gem Real Estate Group. In addition to supporting experiential learning opportunities outside the classroom, Dickerson will teach the Principles of Real Estate class.
The three-course program grew out of conversations with Flyers in Real Estate, a student group formed in 2024 to make connections with and learn from industry professionals.
"Seeing that vision become a reality is incredibly rewarding," said group President Ryan Williams, a senior at UD majoring in finance with the certificate in real estate. "It's exciting to see how the university recognized the growing interest students have in real estate and responded by creating opportunities for us to learn and succeed. This certificate should be a valuable opportunity for students who are interested in real estate as a career and those who just want to have a more well-rounded understanding of the business world."