1. Record Attendance Marks the Sixth Washington and Lee Real Estate Forum

Washington and Lee University's Real Estate Forum celebrated a milestone this fall, welcoming a record-breaking 162 alumni, guests and students to its sixth biannual event in Washington, D.C. Held Oct. 8 and 9, the forum drew attendees from 20 states for two days of learning, networking and industry insight.

"The Real Estate Forum is one of W&L's flagship career development initiatives, created to bring alumni together around a shared industry beyond campus," said Barnett Family Dean of Career and Professional Development Molly Steele '04, who offered opening remarks alongside co-chairs Ashley Oakes '17 and David Seifert '06. "Now in its sixth year, the forum has become a model for other successful affinity events, including the Policy Forum in Washington, D.C., and the Energy Forum in Houston. The Real Estate Forum's continued success in fostering alumni connections has set the stage for even more opportunities to engage and strengthen the W&L network across industries."

This year's event, organized under the leadership of Oakes and Seifert, was W&L's largest Real Estate Forum to date. Notably, Oakes came full circle in her involvement, having participated as a student in the inaugural forum in 2016. The host committee, led by alumni including Wes Boatwright '86, P'26, Rob Brown '03 and Colin Connolly '98, P'29, worked closely with the steering committee to design programming that reflected the breadth of W&L's alumni expertise across sectors. The forum has evolved into a cornerstone of the university's professional engagement calendar, an event where industry leaders, emerging professionals and current W&L students connect in an environment that celebrates the liberal arts foundation behind successful business practices.

The 2025 Real Estate Forum kicked off with a compelling keynote from Mike Diverio '05, who discussed the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and real estate infrastructure. Programming for the day included panels highlighting innovation and best practices across key sectors such as hospitality and health care. "The Future of Hospitality," moderated by Taylor Callaham '05, featured senior leaders from Berkadia and Hilton. "New in Office," moderated by Wes Boatwright '86, examined evolving workspaces and the future of commercial real estate. Other sessions showcased industry leaders such as Greg O'Brien, executive chairman of JLL, and Clark Finney '06, executive managing director for JLL's New York City tenant representation team, who explored the growing strength of vertical specialization within the field.

"The Real Estate Forum's continued success in fostering alumni connections has set the stage for even more opportunities to engage and strengthen the W&L network across industries."

~ Molly Steele '04, Barnett Family Dean of Career and Professional Development

After lunch, attendees gained valuable macroeconomic perspectives during a fireside chat with Jonathan V. Gould '01L, the comptroller of the currency, and Alan McKnight '94, the chief investment officer of Regions Bank. The forum concluded with a dynamic discussion on the current credit markets and their impact on real estate investment and development. "Real Estate and the Credit Markets," moderated by Seifert, brought together alumni experts from Colliers and Brookfield Asset Management to discuss capital strategies and shifting investment conditions.

"The forum seems to be growing every couple years, and it does seem like this year there are more bright spots in the industry and a hope for a recovery in value and a positive growth," says Seifert, adding that opportunities like the forum and career trips are bolstered by the university offering real-estate specific courses and the addition of the Real Estate Society, a student organization that manages a portion of the university's endowment to make real estate investments in public equity markets, all of which are underpinned by the university's strong alumni network.

Beyond the panels, attendees enjoyed a lively welcome reception and a networking lunch, giving students and young alumni opportunities to engage directly with seasoned professionals.

"I'm deeply grateful to the alumni volunteers on our steering and host committees, to all of our panelists and speakers and to everyone who joined us for this year's Real Estate Forum," said Lauren Vance, director of business advising and recruitment for the Office of Career and Professional Development. "Working alongside such engaged and generous members of the W&L community is always a highlight, and I'm so glad to see the forum continue to grow and succeed year after year."

As the event concluded with closing remarks from John Jensen '01, executive director of Alumni and Career Services, attendees reflected on the forum's enduring role in connecting W&L graduates across industries and generations. What began as a small alumni gathering in 2016 has become a defining example of the university's alumni-driven professional networks, especially now that the forum is a part of a career trip experience students can attend for the entirety of Fall Term Reading Days. This year, students could join trips to D.C. that explored nonprofits, science and accounting in addition to the field of real estate.

Callie Keller '27, a business administration and Spanish double major from Wilmington, North Carolina, said she appreciated the opportunity to attend the Real Estate Forum and then meet industry professionals in a more personalized way throughout the career trip, which was organized by Vance.

"I was excited about the potential to meet and create connections with professionals in the real estate world on this trip and to learn more about what a potential career could look like," Keller says. "The Real Estate Forum in particular was an awesome opportunity to hear what some of the industry leaders think about the real estate world and its future."

Volunteers

The success of the forum was made possible through the guidance and support of the following alumni:

Host Committee

Wes Boatwright '86, P'26, Avison Young

Rob Brown '03, Arrowmark Partners

Colin Connolly '98, P'29, Cousins Properties

Matt Coursen '03, Jones Lang LaSalle

Page Gostling '01, NY Life Real Estate Investors

Martha Hastings '05, CBRE

Geordy Johnson '05, Johnson Development Assoc.

Jayson Lipsey '01, Compass Communities

Kelly Nagel '00, Edens

Elizabeth Kelsey Scruggs '02, Hilton

Steering Committee (*Co-Chairs)

*Ashley Oakes '17, Tishman Speyer

*David Seifert '06, Velocis

Victoria Coates '15, Morrison Avenue Capital

Clark Finney '06, Jones Lang LaSalle

Henry Grimball '05, Greystar

Walker Helvey '16, Federal Capital Partners

Bo McKown '15, Cushman & Wakefield

Ty Mitchell '16, Mesa Capital Partners

Lawson Neal '13, Eastdil Secured

Kelly Ruffing '18 , Walker & Dunlop

Davis Weaver '18, OTO Development

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