University of San Diego Real Estate Students Compete in 2025 NAIOP University Challenge with Visionary Proposal, “PULSE at Mid-City”
A team of eight undergraduate real estate students from the University of San Diego Knauss School of Business represented the Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate at the 2025 NAIOP University Challenge held earlier this month. Competing against peers from San Diego State University’s Corky McMillin Center for Real Estate and UC San Diego’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning, the USD team delivered an innovative development plan, titled PULSE at Mid-City.
Now in its 15th year, the NAIOP University Challenge tasks student teams with evaluating the highest and best use of a real San Diego County site. The competition was co-founded in 2010 by real estate leaders Chris Pascale ‘83, senior vice president at CBRE, Charlie Abdi ’83, president of Finest City Realty Advisors), and Gary Katz, chief investment officer at Presidio Property Trust.
This year’s case study focused on the redevelopment of a 20.583-acre site known as “University Square,” located at 5801-5985 University Avenue in San Diego. The USD team—Grace Cassar ’25, Lucca Deocariza ’26, Danielle Dobler ’25, Matthew Kim ’25, Abigail Muaddi ’25, Armaan Olson ’25, Luke Sampson ’25, and Brynn Schuler ’25—competed under the team’s name “Burnham-Moores Development Partners.”
Their proposal, PULSE at Mid-City, envisioned a transformative mixed-use community centered on connectivity, sustainability, and entertainment. PULSE stands for People, Unity, Lifestyle, Shopping and Entertainment—a concept designed to revitalize the site with walkable spaces, green elements, and community-centered amenities.
Read the team's case.
Prior to the competition, the team completed a preparatory course co-taught by: Stath Karras, executive director of the Burnham-Moores Center; Jake Schwartz ’02, lecturer and president of Urban Coastal Development; and Sean Jones ’10 (MSRE), partner at Urban Housing Partners.
The competition included a comprehensive written report, a private Q&A with a panel of senior commercial real estate executives, and a final presentation held at Torrey Heights by Breakthrough on May 1, before NAIOP members and the broader San Diego real estate community. Projects were judged on financial analysis, development strategy, market research, community impact, and presentation quality.
“Participating in the NAIOP competition was an invaluable experience professionally, academically and personally,” says Danielle Dobler ’25. “The competition opened doors to meaningful conversations and relationships within the industry, offering exposure to professionals and role models I wouldn’t typically have had the chance to meet. These interactions challenged me to apply and expand my academic knowledge in real time, turning theory into practice. As my understanding grew through these conversations, so did my confidence in my knowledge and in myself. The final presentation, where the USD team and I showcased our ideas and the skills, insights and growth gained throughout the process, was an unforgettable experience.”
“Working with our team was one of the best learning experiences I’ve ever had,” said Matthew Kim ’25. “It provided me with both valuable and real-world experience in collaborating with my peers. The experience taught me a lot about the importance of clear and consistent communications, and it was especially motivating to work alongside a team that was just as dedicated and driven as I was. The commitment from the entire group ensured everything came together in the end.”
The competition also gives the students the opportunity to sharpen their skillset and and merge what they learn in the classroom with what they will face when working on projects in their future careers.
“The NAIOP Challenge gives our students the opportunity to merge academic knowledge with applied learning in a real-world redevelopment scenario,” said Karras. “Our team this year prepared and presented a dynamic and innovative proposal that reflects the highest standard of professionalism and creativity. We are incredibly proud of their efforts.”
“The NAIOP competition helped me develop a broad set of skills I will carry forward in my career,” says Dobler. “On the technical side, I enhanced my abilities in financial modeling, market analysis and navigating entitlement and zoning challenges. Equally important, I improved my soft skills, particularly in communication, teamwork and time management.
“My advice to future students on the USD NAIOP team is to take the time to get to know your team members outside of the classroom and build relationships with each other early on,” says Kim. “You will be spending a lot of time together. Having a good foundation helps the group work more effectively alongside each other. It’s also important to use this time to learn as much as you can and to actively network with the professionals and contacts you are introduced to throughout the project. This experience is a great platform for both personal growth and professional development.”
Since its inception, the Challenge has raised funds for student scholarships and offered a platform for future real estate leaders to showcase their skills. This year, the team from SDSU took first place. USD previously claimed first place in 2022, 2019, and 2017. View the history of winning teams from the NAIOP Diego University Challenge.
Image is of the 2025 University of San Diego NAIOP team, pictured from left to right: Abigail Muaddi ’25, Brynn Schuler ’25, Danielle Dobler ’25, Grace Cassar ’25, Matthew Kim ’25, Armaan Olson ’25, Lucca Deocariza ‘26 and Luke Sampson ’25