For the 2026 Spring Semester, the Real Estate Seminar Series is bringing the classroom to life with a lineup of distinguished industry leaders tackling the most pressing and relevant topics in real estate today—from senior housing and affordable development to global capital flows and large-scale residential projects. Whether you’re exploring career paths, building industry knowledge or expanding your professional network, this seminar series offers direct access to leaders shaping the future of real estate. Don’t miss it!
Who Can Enroll? The Real Estate Seminar Series meets on five Fridays throughout the Spring Semester and is open to undergraduates (sophomore standing) and graduate students.
Time: Most sessions run 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: Grainger Hall, Room 3335
Questions? Contact David Sliwicki, Course Instructor, at dsliwicki@wisc.edu
Bonus: Select seminars may include site visits and field trips—details coming soon!
Below is the schedule of speakers and topics.
Real Estate Seminar Series Topics
January 30: The Business of Senior Housing: Demographics, Design & Daily Operations
Chuck Murphy – LCS
Rick Lynn – RL Capital
Senior housing is one of the fastest-evolving real estate sectors, shaped by powerful demographic trends and complex operational demands. This session explores the full lifecycle of senior housing—from development and investment strategy to property types, regulatory considerations, and day-to-day operations. Learn what makes these assets unique, where the biggest challenges lie, and why operational expertise is critical to long-term success.
February 13: Building the Campus of the Future: Real Estate, Infrastructure & Public-Private Partnerships at UW
UW Facilities, Planning & Management Team
Go behind the scenes of one of the largest and most complex real estate portfolios in the state. UW’s Facilities, Planning & Management team will share how the university plans, finances, and maintains its physical plant while leveraging public-private partnerships to deliver new facilities and funding sources. This session offers rare insight into institutional real estate decision-making and large-scale capital planning.
February 27: Global Capital in Motion: International Real Estate Investment Strategies
Brad Olsen, Founder, Atlantic Partners
Why does capital flow across borders—and where is it going next? This seminar examines the motivations behind global real estate investment, today’s international investment climate, and how geopolitical forces shape capital allocation. Through case studies and real-world examples, students will gain perspective on cross-border investing, risk management, and career paths in global real estate.
April 10: Scaling Single-Family Development: From Land Acquisition to the Homebuyer Experience
Chris Ehler, CEO, Veridian Homes
Single-family development at scale requires precision across every phase of the process. This session walks through land assemblage, feasibility analysis, financing, construction, and delivery—highlighting how developers balance cost, speed, quality, and customer experience. Learn how large-scale homebuilders navigate market cycles while meeting growing housing demand.
April 24: Making Affordable Housing Work: Finance, Policy & Real-World Execution
Dan Kroetz, Tyler Sheeran & Chris Jaye – Commonwealth Companies
Affordable housing development is both mission-driven and highly complex. This seminar introduces the fundamentals of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, capital sourcing strategies, and the operational realities developers face. Through case studies, speakers will illustrate how affordable housing projects are structured, financed, and delivered—and why they play a critical role in today’s housing landscape.