Building Houston’s Future

The end of an academic year calls for a celebration, and that is exactly what the Bauer College Stanford Alexander Center for Real Estate (SACRE) recently did to honor their students and industry partners.

Each spring, the program organizes the event that offers the chance for people in the SACRE community to connect and recognize each other’s accomplishments.

This year saw the launch of the MS Real Estate degree, more than $322,000 worth of scholarships awarded, property tours with top-listed commercial real estate groups and on-campus industry events.

First graduating MS Real Estate cohort.

First graduating MS Real Estate cohort.

“I’m happy that we have a program that puts students in the center of this growing industry,” said Bauer Dean Xianjun Geng. “The combination of faculty power, staff members and donors are what push the success of this program.”

By actively engaging with the real estate community in Houston, SACRE stands out as a program that is actively making a positive impact on the city’s growth, said Halliburton Real Estate Services Vice President Maggie Hatfield-Hartley. Students are entering the workforce with a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of commercial real estate thanks to the hands-on experience they’re getting, she added.

At this year’s end-of-year celebration, special thanks went out to just a few industry partners who give back their time through career fairs, networking events and internship placements to the betterment of students’ education.

The Professional Organization of the Year award, that honors the level of company involvement throughout the year, was presented to the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), Houston Chapter.

From left to right: Bauer Dean Xianjun Geng, IREM Association Director Pamela Vargas, IREM Committee Chair Sarah Thibodeaux, IREM Committee Co-Chair Ashley Barras, IREM President Lillie Norton, IREM Executive Director Lindsay Konlande and SACRE Executive Director Keith Richards.

From left to right: Bauer Dean Xianjun Geng, IREM Association Director Pamela Vargas, IREM Committee Chair Sarah Thibodeaux, IREM Committee Co-Chair Ashley Barras, IREM President Lillie Norton, IREM Executive Director Lindsay Konlande and SACRE Executive Director Keith Richards.

IREM has consistently hosted events, classroom visits and networking opportunities for students, said SACRE Program Director Miranda Torres. She added that as a program, they schedule property tours throughout the semester for students to get their “boots on the ground,” and this year, IREM reached out to them to coordinate an exclusive tour with a property managed by Metro National.

IREM Houston president Lillie Norton said she has seen the impact SACRE has had on the city’s real estate industry through its efforts to train young graduates who are eager to work in property management. It is one of the reasons they are inspired to give back, she added.

“Receiving this award is an incredible honor,” Norton said. “To be honest, it’s a little emotional. It’s a wonderful program with excellent students, so getting to be a small part of that is a privilege.”

SACRE also introduced a new award at this year’s ceremony: Mentor of the Year.

Since its inception in Fall 2024, their mentorship program has helped prepare students for a career in commercial real estate by pairing them with an industry professional who they shadow for a semester.

Binnacle Development Senior Investment Officer and Bauer alumnus Christopher Cassidy (MBA ‘16) has been supportive of the mentorship program since it began, generously donating his time and resources in helping students succeed every semester.

It is for that reason that he was named Mentor of the Year, said SACRE Program Director Zach Schmidt.

“Bauer changed my life, so I want to be there for the students that need or want help,” Cassidy said. “It feels very good to be in a position to give back. Time is very valuable and I’m happy to give it.”

From left to right: SACRE Program Director Zach Schmidt standing with Mentor of the Year recipient Christopher Cassidy (MBA '16).

From left to right: SACRE Program Director Zach Schmidt standing with Mentor of the Year recipient Christopher Cassidy (MBA '16).

He has been extremely impressed with the level of industry-ready students he has worked with, he added. He said he is consistently advocating for people to look for interns from the SACRE program because they will be blown away by how advanced they are.

To learn more about SACRE and ways to get involved, visit: Stanford Alexander Center for Real Estate | UH Bauer.