11-09-2026
Over fall break, the Dean V. White Real Estate Finance Program took 20 students north to the Windy City for its annual Chicago Trek. The two-day trip included visits to some of the world’s top commercial real estate firms, tours of Chicago’s hottest new office towers, and a networking reception with professionals, many Purdue alumni.
The trek began at McDonald’s world headquarters, where students learned how the fast-food giant manages their vast real estate portfolio and franchising models. In addition to meeting with the real estate team, the students were given special access to the archives, where decades of McDonald’s memorabilia and promotional items are protected and cataloged.
The group then traveled to 150 North Riverside to meet with Riverside Investment & Development. The presentation covered how the site was selected and prepared, and all the engineering and financing hurdles that required unique solutions. The first day’s company visits ended with a panel discussion featuring young professionals at Harrison Street Asset Management.
Students spent Monday night networking at the distinguished Chicago Club during a student-alumni reception, co-hosted by the Dean V. White Real Estate Program and Marc and Jessica Muinzer. Purdue alumni from all around Chicagoland were at the reception to meet and mentor students. Throughout the evening students had one-on-one conversations with industry professionals about their experiences, and received useful career advice.
The second day began with students learning the history of the hotel where they stayed during a meeting with Murphy Real Estate, redevelopers of Voco Chicago Downtown. It was a busy morning, with visits to the top global firms, LaSalle, Cushman & Wakefield, and JLL, where they heard from several amazing alumni and gained insight into different areas and careers within commercial real estate. The group also toured the Bank of America tower at 110 North Wacker, which has some of Chicago’s newest and best office spaces.
The trek concluded back with Murphy Real Estate at the historic Old Cook County Hospital, now the Hyatt House/Hyatt Place Chicago, where students learned about adaptive reuse and incentives available to redevelop historic properties.
