Empowering Tomorrow’s Real Estate and Construction Management Business Leaders in the Classroom of the Future
Welcome to the Marion J. Crean Collaboratory
Transforming the Educational Experience
Collaboration + Laboratory = Collaboratory
The Collaboratory is a networking center where students in the Burns School learn by connecting, engaging and interacting with DU alumni and real estate and construction professionals from anywhere in the world without leaving campus.
It makes the difference between students who have simply earned a degree and those who can hit the ground running to bring greater value and readiness to the companies and agencies they go to work for.
Who better to demonstrate the effect and influence the built environment has on the learning environment and student experience than the Burns School of Real Estate and Construction Management?
Above: The Liquid Galaxy is a key feature designed to encourage innovation, collaboration, communication and creative problem solving in an age of information and ever-changing dynamics.
Nurturing Lifelong Learning Journeys
Your support ensures the maintenance of our innovative classroom, where advanced technology continuously inspires and empowers students.
How It’s Making a Difference
ENGAGING EDUCATION
Burns School Professors teaching classes in the Collaboratory
Jeff Engelstad, PhD, CCIM
Real Estate Financial Analysis, Income Property Finance
Eric Holt, PhD
Construction Building Systems, Intro to Architecture & Design Management, Construction Estimating
Todd Johnson
Residential Development
Vivek Sah, PhD
Real Estate Capital Markets, Real Estate Investments
Daniel Trujillo, PhD, LEED AP BD+C
Legal Issues and Risk Management, Sustainability and LEED
“The Advisor Network is the essence of what makes the center so special. It is a place where students and professionals can come together, share ideas and grow both personally and professionally.”
David Waterman
(BSBA 2022)
“It’s been a long time coming and I think it will have an amazing effect for the students and people who want to collaborate. It’s so applicable to today—the technology and the way people learn.”
Nello Gonfiantini III
(BSBA 1976, MBA 1977)
“You can get a lot of geospatial data around the property and start determining who the product is, why people would live there, what they want, what their needs are. It’s going to really transform how I teach.”
Eric Holt
Assistant Professor
COMPETITION ENVIRONMENT
Race And Case
Winter 2022
Sherman Miller
Fall 2022
NAIOP Internal
Fall 2022
“Digital technology is going to transform the world. Real estate is no exception, but we are prepared. Our students will walk out of here with state-of-the-art knowledge about how technology in real estate development and construction management will play in the field. The Collaboratory is a game changer. This is going to take our real estate program to the next level.”
—Vivek Choudhury, PhD, Dean of the Daniels College of Business
INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT EXPANSION
MiTek
2022
Demonstration
Housing Innovation Alliance
2023
Annual Conference
MEET SOME OF OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERS
Reserve our State-of-the-Art Classroom
Step into the future of collaboration and innovation by reserving our state-of-the-art 21st-century classroom as a platform to connect with our esteemed faculty and exceptional students, fostering a dynamic exchange of insights and opportunities. Your partnership not only enriches education but also fuels the synergy between industry expertise and academic brilliance. The Marion J. Crean Collaboratory is primarily dedicated to serving the Burns real estate program and hosting industry events that play a crucial role in enhancing the real estate and construction student experience.
Interested in learning more? Contact Peter Guthrie.
Elevating Real Estate Education Where Innovation Meets Infrastructure
Help Sustain the Collaboratory
Support the seamless integration of cutting-edge technology into our 21st century classroom, ensuring that every student’s learning journey is enhanced by innovation and preparedness for the digital age. Your donation paves the way for a dynamic educational environment where technology transforms education. Your support of $3500 or more will make your organization a member of the Daniels Corporate Partners Program, an esteemed group of 70+ organizations committed to Daniels and its mission.
Thank you for your continued support!
The Back Story and Vision
In September 2013, as Barbara Jackson, PhD, took the helm as director of the Burns School, she began meeting with recent alumni from the program who had been working in the industry for 1–8 years.
One of the common themes, especially among those who had graduated, worked for a number of years, and were now starting their own companies, was the desire to better connect with seasoned alumni. Many mentioned that starting a new company was “scary business,” and they all recognized the value that having greater access to experienced professionals would provide.
Consequently, Barbara started meeting with more senior alumni, particularly donors who had supported the program over the years. In one such meeting, the donor reminisced about what he would have given to have had access to the wisdom of veteran professionals when he was trying to navigate the trials and tribulations of the business and avoiding pitfalls over the years. It was in that conversation that the idea of the Collaboratory was born.
RECM Alumni Nello Gonfiantini (Class of 1977) jump-started the vision by setting up an endowment to honor his mentor, Professor Mike Crean and the Burns School of Real Estate & Construction Management. At his good friend, Dr. Crean’s request, this endowment was directed to support the launch of the Marion J. Crean Collaboratory to honor of Mike Crean’s mother, Marion.
“The Collaboratory is an ideal venue for leaving a legacy to both my mother and to the Burns School, where I spent 44 years of my professional life and career as a professor.”
—Michael Crean, PhD
“If it weren’t for Mike Crean and the Burns School, I would have never gone into real estate, and real estate has been very good to me. I started the Collaboratory Endowment to honor “Crean” in a way that will serve generations of DU students to come. If he impacted your life like he did mine, then I hope you will become a contributor to this larger-than-life space to honor a larger-than-life guy.”
—Nello Gonfiantini III
WE BELIEVE IN MAKING A DIFFERENCE ONE STUDENT AT A TIME
In recognition of and with sincere gratitude to those who helped make the Marion J. Crean Collaboratory possible
Founding Partner
Nello Gonfiantini, III BSBA ‘76, MBA ‘77
Founding Contributors
Daniel B. BSBA ‘10 & Kyndal H. MBA ‘11 Close
Stephen M. MS ‘02 & Amy Farnsworth
Brent M. Forsberg MS ‘21
Roderick F. Gilbert BSBA ‘84
David J. Karimi-Asl BSBA ‘18
Gregory Y. Bsba ‘92 & Stacey A. Lubar
Lauren And Brian Waterman
David K. Waterman BSBA ‘22
Supporting Partners
Kevin M. BSBA ‘78, MBA ‘79 & Catherine A. Crean
Hank BS ‘79, MBA ‘81 & Dr. Cheryl Saipe
Paul & Joann Tyson
Sustaining Partners
Rifkin Bennis Family Foundation
James T. BSBA ‘74 & Ann Bishop BA ‘73 Lampman
Glenn R. BSBA ‘74 & Jan H. MA ‘90 Mueller
Charles Pankow Foundation
Marc & Nancy Taxman
Dedicated June 3, 2022
The Waterman Family
Advisory Network Collaboration Hub