Alabama’s real estate program takes on new name after donation from alumni
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The real estate program at The University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Business has a new name thanks to one family’s generosity.
The Rance M. Sanders Real Estate Program, which includes an all-new undergraduate major, has been named in recognition of a $5 million gift from UA alumni Rance M. Sanders and Angie L. Sanders of Vestavia Hills.
“I want to give students two things: one is access to a good education, and number two, we want them to get the very best professors and experience hands-on learning to hone real-world skills, within the real estate program. We just see so many students who are promising, who are capable, but are struggling financially. To be able to give them a hand and make a difference in whether they can stay in school or not — that really means a lot.”
Rance M. Sanders
Sanders is president and CEO of The Sanders Trust, LLC, a healthcare real estate firm with properties across 30 states. He has been a fixture in the Birmingham real estate community for more than 40 years and is a pioneer in the national healthcare real estate industry.
Rance M. Sanders Real Estate Program
Over the last five years, UA’s Culverhouse College of Business has experienced a 300% increase in students pursuing a real estate minor.
Students in the new real estate major will learn to develop, purchase, sell, lease, appraise and manage real estate.
The Sanders’ gift is expected to expand learning opportunities that enhance their skill sets through real-world applications, creating funding allocations for:
- Students and advisors to participate in real estate-focused case competitions annually
- Students to participate in Live-Work-Play opportunities annually
- Students and an advisor to attend conferences annually
The university says the Sanders are a longtime supporter of Culverhouse. The Rance M. Sanders Endowed Real Estate Scholarship, established in 2007, currently awards approximately $7,500 to as many as six students each academic year.
“Rance often shares that it was here at Alabama where he learned the value of preparation, perseverance and showing up, even when it wasn’t easy. That credo carried him through law school, into business, and into a life of purpose. And today, he and his wife Angie are giving back in a way that reflects their belief in the power of education.”
Kay Palan, Culverhouse College of Business Dean
Sanders is a member of The University of Alabama’s President’s Cabinet and is a board member of the 1831 Foundation.
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