Colgate Real Estate Council

About CREC

The “Colgate Real Estate Council” (CREC) provides an organization for alumni, students, parents, faculty, and staff of Colgate University to develop and maintain relationships with other Colgate University community members active in the real estate industry. The CREC serves as a lifelong resource that promotes personal fulfillment and professional development.

Background

In March 2011, alumni created a LinkedIn group of Colgate alumni working in the commercial real estate business. We named the group the “Colgate Real Estate Council”. By 2013, we organized and formed what would become the first of Colgate’s Professional Networks.

In 2014, Colgate created the Professional Network program to promote:

  • Alumni engagement
  • Cultivation of new professional opportunities for members
  • Support for undergraduate life and career path development

There are currently ten Professional Networks. Each network has varying levels of activity and volunteer leadership, with the Colgate Real Estate Council operating as the most organized community, consisting of active alumni leadership and close ties to an on-campus student group.

  • Common Good
  • Consulting
  • Digital Business and Technology
  • Entrepreneur
  • Finance and Banking
  • Health and Wellness
  • Lawyers Association
  • Marketing, Media, and Communications
  • Real Estate Council
  • STEM

Alumni, faculty, parents, staff, and students are engaged in several ways through the CREC

Events

  • Are held off-campus, on-campus, and virtually.
  • Sometimes feature more than one Network around a common topic.
  • Locations and themes are determined based on suggestions from volunteers, campus leadership, and in reaction to current events and trends.
  • Professional Network events often focus on the identified campus priorities and those priorities should be considered as we plan event topics


Student Life and Career Path Development Programs:

CREC works closely with the on-campus, student led “Real Estate Club”, curriculum includes:

  • Sponsorship of Urban Land Institute (ULI) Foundations of Real Estate Program (FoRE), five module, 30-hour education program and certification
  • LinkedIn “Rock Your Profile” workshops

Programs can take shape through on-campus events in which students meet with alumni in the real estate industry and take a hands-on approach to learning. Examples include:

  • “All Roads Lead to Real Estate” – Annual September Kick-off event
  • Homecoming networking events
  • SophoMORE Connections
  • NYC Student Immersion Trip and CREC Winter Social event
  • Multiple career panel programs – over course of the year
  • One-on-one introductions to industry professionals
  • Mentoring

CREC committees focus on the following areas:

  • Career Advancement
  • Communication
  • Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DEI)
  • Events
  • Fundraising
  • Student Engagement

Current Leadership

Co-Chairs

Thomas Campbell ’00 and Chad Cooley ‘00

Advancement Staff

Jillian Cole ’10, Associate Director, Professional Networks

Advisory

  • Phil Bowman ‘17
  • Alex Budd ‘13
  • Brian Collins ‘82
  • Kevin Danehy ‘83
  • Jenna Gregory ‘11
  • Tama Huang ‘93
  • Peter Smith ‘10
  • Kurt Wright ‘81