ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Real Estate Students Advance to National Final Six in Debut Year
The Big Picture
ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½’s first-ever Real Estate Case Competition team advanced to the national final six at the 2025 ICSC Foundation Case Competition — an unprecedented achievement for a first-year team.
More than a dozen universities across the country submitted proposals for the redevelopment of Britton Plaza in Tampa, Florida. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½’s team rose through multiple judging rounds to secure a spot among the nation’s top finalists.
Why It Matters
This is the first time a ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ team has entered the ICSC competition, and making the final six nationally places ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ alongside large, well-established real estate programs.
The team’s performance underscores:
- The rapid growth of ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½’s real estate initiatives
- The strength of the mentoring provided by faculty leads Steven Gragg and Zifeng Feng, Ph.D.
- The caliber, discipline, and technical skill of the students who stepped into a national spotlight and delivered
“Moments like this show exactly what ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ students are capable of when given the platform,” Gragg said. “They set the bar high for every team that will follow.”
What Happened
Representing Hunt Business, the inaugural team included:
- Edgar Salas
- Bryanna Alcantar
- Emily Miller
- Irving Ontiveros
- Edgar Hernández Granados
- Gabriela Yepez
Competing as Star City Investments, the group analyzed redevelopment options for a major Tampa retail center, built a full financial and market model, and delivered a comprehensive investment proposal.
Their work advanced them to the final round in Las Vegas, placing ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ alongside:
- University of Alabama
- Penn State University
- Texas Tech University
- University of Illinois
- University of Southern California
The 2025 competition featured teams from institutions nationwide, including Houston, UConn, Michigan State, Indiana University, Baruch College, SMU, and others.
