The Allan L. Berman Real Estate Development Institute celebrated its 10th anniversary on Oct. 18 with the creation of an annual daylong conference devoted to exploring the latest developments in the field. In the process, the institute brought together graduates, current students, faculty and nationally recognized experts and industry leaders.

"It is very rewarding for the faculty and advisory board to see how successful our graduates have become--owners of firms, executives in regional real estate organizations, leaders in economic development agencies," says Michael Anikeeff, director of the Berman Institute and chair of the Real Estate Department. "It is also interesting to see how the network that our students established when they were here continues to help them succeed after they graduate."

Established in 1991, SPSBE's Real Estate Development Institute was created after the family of Allan L. Berman contributed $1.3 million to Hopkins in 1989. Part of the gift went to fund a new degree program, the master of science in real estate, which began accepting students in 1991. It is the region's only degree program for real estate professionals and one of the few master's programs of its kind in the country. The first graduates received their diplomas in 1993. The program has produced 221 graduates to date, and currently enrolls more than 200 students.

The degree provides students with a broad-based understanding of real estate investment, development and management. A comprehensive core curriculum covers the many facets of the real estate industry, including market analysis, design, construction, investment analysis, finance and land-use regulation. Among its innovative initiatives is the first-ever graduate program to focus on the business of seniors housing and care, now a multi-billion-dollar industry.

Martin Millspaugh, chair of the institute's advisory board, says, "The closeness of the contacts the institute has and continues to develop with leaders in the community helps to strengthen the future of the profession by providing ongoing guidance and participation in academic programs.

"The experience of leaders in the field adds to the educational value for our students, and to the content of our future research and graduate-level programs," adds Millspaugh, who is vice chair of Enterprise Real Estate Service Inc. of Columbia.

Claudia Pleasants, who has a master's degree from the institute and is vice chair of the advisory board, says that the recent selection of the institute as an honorary member of the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate--joining such nationally recognized programs as MIT, the Wharton School and New York University--shows that the Hopkins program is being recognized widely for its excellence.

Highlights of the anniversary celebration included panel discussions addressing capital flows, real estate development and brownfields development; a poster session showcasing the research of current students; and banquet speaker Anthony Downs, a leading authority on real estate and urban affairs and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington.