Key Takeaways
- • Marquette University launches the Real Estate Asset Program (REAP), a $1 million student-managed investment fund designed to provide undergraduate real estate majors with hands-on experience in commercial real estate investing and asset management.
- • The program claims to be the first classroom-based, student-run undergraduate real estate investment program in the United States, differentiating Marquette's real estate curriculum from peer institutions.
- • Initial cohort of 8 to 10 students will begin in spring 2022, working directly with an investment committee of industry professionals to make equity investment recommendations and manage investor reporting on actual deals across the country.
- • Vito Taphorn, former managing director at CIBC US with commercial real estate loan origination and credit management experience, has been appointed director of the program, bringing institutional-grade financial expertise to student operations.
- • Program eligibility is restricted to real estate majors beginning in their junior year, positioning applied learning as a competitive differentiator in undergraduate real estate education.
Summary
Marquette University's College of Business Administration is launching the Real Estate Asset Program (REAP), a novel educational initiative that integrates live capital deployment with undergraduate instruction. The program will operate a $1 million investment fund managed by 8 to 10 undergraduate students beginning in spring 2022, representing what the institution claims is the first classroom-based, student-run real estate investment program at the undergraduate level in the United States.
The pedagogical structure pairs students with an investment committee of seasoned professionals to evaluate and execute equity investments in commercial real estate assets nationwide. Beyond deal sourcing and underwriting, students will assume responsibility for ongoing investor reporting and asset management duties—functions typically reserved for institutional asset managers or investment firms. This applied learning model extends beyond traditional case study methodology, exposing participants to real capital allocation decisions, fiduciary responsibilities, and portfolio management workflows.
Andy Hunt, director of Marquette's Center for Real Estate, emphasized the program's strategic positioning: "Applied learning is the future of education in real estate, and Marquette is the first program in the nation offering this at the undergraduate level. REAP's applied learning model will further set Marquette's real estate program apart from other undergraduate programs, leading to more successful graduates, more engaged alumni and more supportive industry partners."
Vito Taphorn, named program director, brings substantive industry credentials to the initiative. Taphorn most recently served as managing director at CIBC US, where he originated commercial real estate loan activity, managed customer relationships, and monitored credit quality—experience directly applicable to the investment decision-making and risk management components of the fund. The program will remain available exclusively to real estate majors beginning in their junior year, establishing prerequisite academic standing for participation.
This initiative reflects a broader institutional investment in real estate education infrastructure at Marquette, positioning the university to attract talent and deepen relationships with industry practitioners who may serve as mentors, investors, or future employers of graduates.
The pedagogical structure pairs students with an investment committee of seasoned professionals to evaluate and execute equity investments in commercial real estate assets nationwide. Beyond deal sourcing and underwriting, students will assume responsibility for ongoing investor reporting and asset management duties—functions typically reserved for institutional asset managers or investment firms. This applied learning model extends beyond traditional case study methodology, exposing participants to real capital allocation decisions, fiduciary responsibilities, and portfolio management workflows.
Andy Hunt, director of Marquette's Center for Real Estate, emphasized the program's strategic positioning: "Applied learning is the future of education in real estate, and Marquette is the first program in the nation offering this at the undergraduate level. REAP's applied learning model will further set Marquette's real estate program apart from other undergraduate programs, leading to more successful graduates, more engaged alumni and more supportive industry partners."
Vito Taphorn, named program director, brings substantive industry credentials to the initiative. Taphorn most recently served as managing director at CIBC US, where he originated commercial real estate loan activity, managed customer relationships, and monitored credit quality—experience directly applicable to the investment decision-making and risk management components of the fund. The program will remain available exclusively to real estate majors beginning in their junior year, establishing prerequisite academic standing for participation.
This initiative reflects a broader institutional investment in real estate education infrastructure at Marquette, positioning the university to attract talent and deepen relationships with industry practitioners who may serve as mentors, investors, or future employers of graduates.
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