TULSA, Okla. — The University of Tulsa has established a Real Estate Studies Center to accommodate the more than 100 students already interested in the Collins School of Business.
Professor Megan McCollum, who directs the program, told 2 News this is a space that has been lacking not only at the university but in the state of Oklahoma as this is the first program of its kind in the state.
“We're really excited to be leading the way,” McCollum said. “We're creating opportunities for students, we're creating research opportunities for faculty, and we're also creating opportunities for students and faculty to collaborate on research and contribute to the community.”
One of McCallum's students, John Dalby, took advantage of these opportunities when he enrolled at TU. Dalby said he takes advantage of all resources available to him to be as prepared as possible for life after graduation.
Dalby knew nothing about real estate when he walked into college, but through the classes he’s taken and the connections he’s made, he feels confident in the real estate business at this point in his education, and he attributes that sense of security to putting in the effort above and beyond what was required in class.
“I like to start by listening to what they're doing in real estate and then naturally finding my own path and connecting that to myself and thinking, 'Okay, what do I need to do in my classes at Tulsa and how far do I need to continue to grow to be in their shoes in the future?'” Dalby says. “What I learn here has very real-world applications and I think in 10 years I'll look back on my real estate finance classes at Tulsa and say I learned what I really needed to learn.”
Some of these classes and networking options have been offered on campus in past years, but Dalby said the opening of the center is just another way to give TU students interested in the field a leg up.
Krysten Russell, who works with Concepts Realty and Concepts Builders, agrees.
Russell said she had never heard of such a program and believes that if she had had the option to take courses and have access to experts in this way while in school, it would have furthered her career.
“I think this will be very beneficial to the industry,” Russell said, “informing students of what this career path is, how to get involved, and then giving them the steps to do it here in the region. We've seen growth in Tulsa with Freshman, Tulsa Remote, the medical school here, and a lot of residency programs, and I think this will really jumpstart the industry and bring a really good education and professionalism to the real estate industry as well.”
McCollum said the center will partner with groups around the community to expand the scope of research TU students and professors accomplish, and he said he hopes to attract more people from different departments on campus to the program.
“Whether they decide that's the career path they want to pursue, or they decide they want to be an investor, or they're just wondering how to buy their own home one day, that's valuable knowledge,” McCollum says. “Real estate is really a lens through which to view the entire economy, and it touches everyone's lives.”
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