The Journey
I joined the faculty at the Wisconsin School of Business one year ago. For me, it has been a year filled with discoveries, joys, and surprises. Having received such a warm welcome from alumni, faculty, staff, and students, I realized it was high time I sent you all a message of thanks.
First, I am so impressed by our students. They work hard. They pay close attention to the lectures. They ask great questions in class. Sometimes, they even do the assigned reading. And they always light up when practitioners come to visit their classes. I also observe how much they learn from each other– our job as faculty is to create the right environment to make that happen.
Second, I appreciate the wide diversity of teaching and research talent we have in the department. There are so many different teaching styles. Each faculty member uses a unique blend of theory, practice, and experience to convey the vast body of knowledge that a “holistic” approach to the asset class (one of Jim Graaskamp’s favorite words) requires. Our lecturers and tenured academics are amazing people, each with a dedication to teaching that is inspiring to watch.
Third, I am grateful for the staff. The WSB is endowed with dedicated staff who know how to get things done and to show a newcomer the ropes. I don’t love all the procedures we have to follow for expense reimbursement, but I do appreciate that Genie Trewyn and Nick Adams are here to show us what to do. Paul Aylesworth, Tim Carr, Lee Gottschalk, Lu Han, and Greg Reed seem to know every student and are eager to help each one find their way as they navigate their way through classes, interviews, and then start their careers. Being Chair of a large department, like Real Estate and Urban Land Economics, can be a thankless task. So, I’d like to thank Yongheng Deng (stepped down in July) and Chris Timmins (stepped up in August), for doing the hard work of keeping the wheels of education and research turning.
Fourth, I am bowled over by the willingness of alumni and “friends of the program” to offer their time meeting with students, giving guest lectures, developing teaching cases, and joining us in enhancing the legacy of one of the best real estate programs in the country, if not the world. The turnout for the WREAA Biennial was amazing, and the depth of alumni commitment shows up through generous personal gifts as well as corporate sponsorships.
We’ll soon launch the first Real Estate Capital Campaign since the founding of the Graaskamp Center— an initiative devoted entirely to empowering the next generation through student scholarships. Stay tuned to learn more about why this effort matters now more than ever.
Kind regards,
Jacques Gordon, Irgens Executive Director
Graaskamp Center for Real Estate