Debbie Philips has worked for the University of Connecticut Real Estate Center since September 2000. Debbie started working under Director CF Sirmans and continued with Interim Director John Clapp and Director John Glascock. For 21 years, Debbie managed the day-to-day needs of the Real Estate Center, including implementation of budget line items and the hiring of graduate and undergraduate student workers.
Under the direction of the Directors, Debbie was instrumental in starting and carrying out programs such as the annual golf tournament, annual banquet, student case study competitions, Argus Student training, Excel student training, and the annual New York City alumni reception. She also coordinated student industry field trips to New York, Boston, Hartford, and Stamford. Debbie worked with industry professionals in the delivery of the Capital Markets’ lunches and continuation of the Commercial Real Estate Conference for continuing education credit. She also carried out the continuation of alumni events such as the football event and annual basketball lunches and receptions. Debbie coordinated events such as the 50th anniversary academic symposium and banquet, and she also worked with Fannie Mae and the Appraisal Institute Foundation in coordinating the 2018 DC Housing Symposium. These, among other activities, enhanced the student experience and encouraged alumni and industry involvement.
Debbie managed the logistics and paperwork for many visiting scholars and worked with the RE Society student group. She also assisted John Glascock with the graduate and undergraduate online classes during Covid. She was instrumental in working with Dave Reilly and the Cornerstone class as she transported students to the weekly classroom meetings in Hartford and Glastonbury before it became an official UConn course.
Debbie is known most for her day-to-day work with the students and alumni in job placement and career guidance, as she was instrumental in the placement of hundreds of interns and full-time workers. She has worked closely with alumni and industry partners in meeting the real estate hiring needs in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and beyond. Most recently, Debbie was instrumental in alumni placement at Hutensky, Arbor Realty Trust, and Valbridge, Berkeley Partners and TA Realty. She has had the privilege to work with companies such as AEW, Altus, Barings (formerly known as Cornerstone), Boston Capital, CIGNA, CBRE, Corridor Companies, Cushman & Wakefield, Fitch Ratings, Freddie Mac, HIMCO, Kroll Bond Ratings, Liberty Bank, Pennwood, PGIM, Richman Group, SITUS AMC, UBS, Vesta Corp, Voya Financial, Wells Fargo, and Walker & Dunlop, to name a few.
Throughout Debbie’s UConn career, she worked with faculty, students, alumni, and the industry to foster the partnerships that served all. Debbie’s open approach demonstrated her priority of building relationships and her quick, courteous responses became a valued trait. Though Debbie is retiring from UConn, her legacy will carry on through the students, alumni, and industry, in which she loved and served so well. Please join us in supporting Debbie’s legacy
