Alumnus Alex Perry Maintains Strong USD Connection

Alumnus Alex Perry Maintains Strong USD Connection

Alex Perry

“It started with a conversation.”

For Alex Perry, graduation from the University of San Diego seems like a while ago. A lot has changed since 1997 when he was completing his undergraduate studies. However, Perry hasn’t gone far, remaining connected to the campus through its Professional and Continuing Education (PCE) program and the Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate.

Background

Originally from Seattle, the Southern California weather and an ability to attend the “best school in San Diego” appealed to Perry. He loved the opportunities the campus community provided.

“I was involved in a lot of things. Rugby for a couple of years, writing and photography for the newspaper, and I also helped start a student scholarship fund,” he said. “My biggest involvement was with Outdoor Adventures as a student guide and I loved that. It was a big part of my experience at USD.”

Still reminiscing about his undergraduate years, Perry is amazed at how connected the university community was and continues to be.

“The one thing that stands out the most is the people,” says Perry. “It’s the friends that I still have that I met the first day of school and it’s the administrators I still stay in touch with today. It was just about the people.”

Graduating in 1997 with a BA in Interdisciplinary Humanities, Perry credits the campus environment for fostering in him the drive that has led him to where he is today.

“I think it was the opportunities that were available within the campus to learn and lead, and the people who recognized those abilities and fostered them in me. That really made a difference.”

A USD Connection

Although Perry graduated from USD over a decade ago, he remains an active member of the Torero community. Currently vice president and corporate real estate manager with Northern Trust, Perry has served on the USD Alumni Board of Directors (2005-10) and served as Board president (2007-2009). Perry also continues to give back to the university as a member of the Emerging Leaders Council.

However, what Perry loves most is his opportunity to teach in the PCE and Burnham-Moores Real Estate Finance, Investments and Development certificate program. This past fall he taught a course called Real Estate Asset Management. For Perry, his idea of a class on asset management began as a conversation, and evolved into an approved curriculum.

“I love teaching. It’s the ability to get back on campus and bring something I’m passionate about to the students,” says Perry. “I’ve always been involved in something on campus, and it was a way I could bring it to USD. I love it.”

The course provided students with a foundation to real estate management, introducing different perspectives, approaches, strategies, key concepts and practices.

“This includes discussions around development of investment criteria, management of risk, management of land and property, strategies for maximizing value and investment, and the assessment of investment risk and return. The course examines these themes through a number of lenses, comparing and contrasting the similar and sometimes divergent interests of these ownership or management entities.”

For Perry, the ultimate goal is to introduce the students to different positions and perspectives. “I think the biggest impact for the students is hearing real-world stories, going through case studies, and trying to solve real problems.”

Thinking Differently

The PCE program brings every kind of local real estate professional into the classroom and the USD community, which is something Perry believes can help students long after the program has been completed.

“What is really valuable is getting people from the business community on campus and making an [impact] on how students think and learn,” he says. “They leave the class more knowledgeable and empowered. They learn to think, to appreciate others, to utilize the resources around them, and to approach things differently.”

For Perry, he strongly believes that the campus Changemaker mentality cultivates students’ individual talents and puts them on a pathway to being future leaders.

“I really believe the university is creating the leaders of tomorrow and these students have the ability to be Changemakers, but more importantly, they’re an inspiration for all of us to make the world a better place.”

— Allyson Meyer '16