Baruch Business Students Excel in Real Estate Competitions

January 23, 2026

Baruch College undergraduates from the Zicklin School of Business captured top honors at two regional real estate competitions last semester, showcasing their industry-ready skills.

Representing the William Newman Department of Real Estate, the teams delivered sophisticated development proposals, rigorous financial modeling, and polished presentations at the NYU Schack Creative Opportunities in Real Estate Competition (CORE) and Monmouth University’s Kislak Real Estate Institute Challenge.

Applying Classroom Skills to Real-World Situations

A five-person team, advised by Professor Robert Buchsbaum, took first place at NYU’s competition, earning $10,000 and finishing ahead of more than 45 teams from across the nation.

This group—Viktar Kolatau (Real Estate ’26), Samantha Brownlie (Real Estate ’26), Kareena Ramsaran (Finance ’26), Yancel Tejada (Finance ’26), and Maria Manukovskaya (City College of New York)—stood out as the competition’s only undergraduate finalist, facing graduate teams from NYU and Columbia.

At the Monmouth University competition, the Baruch team—Mehanad Kaid (Finance ’27), Franklin Calderon (Real Estate ’27), Natalie Wicik (Real Estate ’27), and Samuel Pitchkhadze (Finance ’27)—finished in fourth place.

“These competitions push students to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to real-world situations,” said Yildiray Yildirim, director of the Steven L. Newman Department of Real Estate. “They gain exposure to industry standards while building confidence and professional networks.”

Industry-ready Strategists  

At NYU’s CORE Competition, the team analyzed the Blumenfeld Development Group project The Smile. Over two-months, students created innovative, stakeholder-driven strategies to enhance the residential asset’s financial performance, market positioning, and social impact.

They were required to think like developers, investors, operators, and community advocates, mirroring the pressures of professional real estate decision-making.

While the NYU competition emphasized strategic positioning and social impact, the Monmouth University competition focused on rigorous investment analysis and deal structuring. There, the team tackled a complex site that included a 73-unit affordable housing obligation within a 300-unit market-rate apartment development in Hillsborough, N.J.

Students conducted market, zoning, and valuation analyses, developed a comprehensive proposal, and presented investment recommendations to industry judges that emphasized both economic viability and neighborhood revitalization.

Experiential Learning Opportunities

Baruch’s participation in both competitions underscores the College’s commitment to experiential learning and professional development.

“Baruch students consistently show they can compete with anyone,” Yildirim stated. “Their performance in these events demonstrates the rigor of our curriculum, helping them be career ready once they enter the workforce.”

Learn more about Baruch’s real estate department.

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