Real Estate in Malaysia

Patronas Towers (Iconic Symbol of KL)

The end of the Spring Semester has come to an end. No more finals and group presentations to complete. No more Starbucks and Caribou Coffee runs. It all seemed to go by so quickly. Well for most students the last week of finals was a deep sigh of relief. While for others it was just the last stepping stone before graduation. While many of my fellow colleagues were preparing to walk across the stage in their graduation regalia, a group of 10 students, including myself, and a professor were flying over the Pacific Ocean. Where were we heading you may ask....Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Each summer, the Belk College of Business sponsors two week-long study abroad programs. In the past, students traveled to Argentina, Dubai, and Moscow to name a few. This year's programs took place in Germany and Malaysia.  I was fortunate to participate in Dr. Dustin Read's Real Estate course to Malaysia. The 9-day tour allowed students get a rare but "inside" look into a young and developing country. (Malaysia received its independence from Britain in 1957).  We meet with executives at PWC, Sime Darby, Cagamas, CB Richard Ellis, JPPH, and the U.S. Embassy. In addition, we participated in various day tours of KL and its surrounding cities and states.

Malaysia was a welcoming country. The presentations were thorough and gave such a detailed picture on Malaysia's Vision 2020 and ETP programmes.The environment was just gorgeous and peaceful. You could truly see that the country is making great progress with its infrastructure and the likes while maintaining its natural resources. The food was absolutely amazing.  All the ingredients were fresh and natural.   Side note* I quickly became addicted to anything Mango. Mangoes are indigenous to the area and after having FRESH juice... I was hooked!

Lastly, I must say that I could not have studied with a better group. We were all from various academic and professional backgrounds within the BCOB and University of Maryland. The diverse backgrounds led to dynamic Q&A sessions that I truly believed surprised some of our presenters. 

I would HIGHLY recommend all BCOB graduate students to consider participating in one of these courses during their program. It is a priceless opportunity....and besides it looks good on the resume.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

The end of the year

It is that time where the academic year finally comes to a close. It is also the time where some students release a deep *sigh* of completion and prepare for Graduation this Saturday.

This has been a busy year for me as a first year MBA candidate here at the Belk College of Business. UNC Charlotte and the city of Charlotte has treated me well. The City of Charlotte has allowed me to immerse myself in Southern culture and enjoy the hospitality. I've been fortunate to attend numerous social and business events to network with fellow GW alum, UNC Charlotte students, business professionals, and native Charlotteans.

The Belk College of Business MBA program and faculty truly challenged my mind for the last year. I climbed through the cobwebs that began to settle in and reactivated my passions, interest, and ideas. Through my program, I have had the opportunity to change, enhance, and add to my career goals.

It has been a great year. Now off to culminate my semester with my study abroad trip to Malaysia. See you in 2 weeks!

Football Week

April 28th was a momentous day in Charlotte, NC. Two headlines were made within hours of each other both pertaining to the American tradition of football. The first was on our home turf, literally, at UNC Charlotte while the second took place a couple hours later with the Carolina Panthers.

April 28th is a day that will go down in history for UNC Charlotte. UNC Charlotte hosted its first tailgate for our inaugural football team. The tailgate hosted well over 3,000 students, faculty, staff and alumni all pumped and geared for the main event, the groundbreaking ceremony for our new football stadium. The 15,000 seat stadium is expected to host UNC Charlotte's new tradition beginning Fall 2013.  The complex will included a field house, 2 practice fields, and press box to name a few. In addition, the 15,000 stadium can also be expanded to host 40,000 patrons.  The ceremony included remarks from Chancellor, Philip Dubois, head coach, Brad Lambert, and Director of Athletics, Judy Rose to name a few. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend but from the pictures, quotes, and news articles. It sounds like the event was an absolute blast and a success.

The second milestone was for the city of Charlotte. The Carolina Panthers picked the NFL Draft #1 pick Cam Newton QB from Auburn. Morehead Street was lined with Carolina fans hours before the draft to support the Panthers and to anxiously the Draft. I can tell you one thing. I am looking forward to the 2012 season!

Have a great week!