Eleven MRED (Masters of Real Estate Development) students presented their fall 2018 capstone projects on December 16, to a jury of real estate professionals from around the area, as they competed for the Colvin Institute’s first place cash prize of $1,000.
Congratulations to Catherine Ryckman, first place winner of the Colvin Capstone Competition, for her project, Vivus, Bladensburg, Md. Second place went to Mithila Mattoo for The Leaf & The Nest, Washington, D.C., followed by Nick Finelli in third place with his project, Liberty Center. An honorable mention went to Charles Pitts for The Station at Georgia Avenue, Washington, D.C.
The capstone course is a semester-long feasibility study. A mentor or program director selects the site and each student researches and prepares a real estate report that encompasses a development or redevelopment proposal, a marketing poster and a PowerPoint presentation. At the panel presentation, students get a real taste of what it would be like to pitch their project to investors.
Judges included Van Anderson, Revere Bank, Rockville, Md.; John Lin, CapStar Commercial Realty, Gaithersburg, Md.; Carrie Fischer, Audubon Enterprises, Washington, D.C.; Rameez Munawar (MRED ’14), Columbia Property Trust, Washington, D.C.; Christopher Early, Michaels Development Company, Washington, D.C.; and poster judge, Katie Sipos (MRED ’18), The Tower Companies, Rockville, Md.
Thank you to our mentors Seydina Fall, Adanson Hotels and Resorts; Jessica Jones, Community Preservation and Development Corporation; Margaret McFarland, Emeritus Professor, UMD and Adrian Washington, Neighborhood Development Company. Additionally, thank you to the architects for designing the posters and project images including: Adam Beauregard, Harold Webb, Kyle Huck, Anthony Pins, Nicole Hinkle, Emily Broxmeyer, Jack DeVilbiss, Sam Englehart, Pedro Camargo and Juhi Goel.
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Students receiving their Master in Real Estate Development:
Toussaint Farwell
Nicholas Finelli
Elizabeth Hawley
Catherine Inniss
Chatchai Lohhoh
Mithila Mattoo
Jeffrey McNeil
Charles Pitts
Catherine Ryckman
Ebony Stocks