Dollinger provides $10 million naming gift for USC Price program

USC has received a $10 million gift from David Dollinger to endow the USC Price School of Public Policy’s Master of Real Estate Development (MRED) degree. The program will be renamed the Dollinger Master of Real Estate Development Program, permanently linking one of the nation’s most well-respected graduate degrees in real estate with one of the program’s most distinguished alumni.

“David Dollinger is a highly regarded leader in real estate development and an esteemed alumnus of USC,” said USC President C. L. Max Nikias. “With his exceptional philanthropic support, the university will help prepare generations of students for vibrant careers as real estate developers, while cementing the USC Price School of Public Policy’s place among our nation’s most elite schools in real estate education.”

Dollinger received his MRED degree from USC in 1987, making him an alumnus of the program’s inaugural graduating class.

While the program boasts an alumni network of distinguished real estate professionals, Dollinger is widely celebrated as a leader within the industry for his history of successful research and development (R&D), retail, and office developments in California.

“As an alumnus of the first graduating Master of Real Estate Development class, I am especially honored to name this venerable degree program,” Dollinger said. “The education and training I received through the MRED [program] has proven to be invaluable over the course of my career. The training I gained as an MRED student helped me put together my first real estate deal when I was still a student. I firmly believe the Dollinger Master of Real Estate Development Program is the best real estate degree in the nation, and I am thrilled to invest in this fantastic training ground for future developers.”

After receiving his graduate degree from USC, Dollinger quickly distinguished himself as a visionary entrepreneur in real estate development. He formed Dollinger Properties, a family-owned business focused on the acquisition and development of multitenant industrial and retail properties for long-term ownership. Dollinger is responsible for the development and management of over 60 premier properties in California representing more than 4 million square feet of retail and R&D space. Tenants of Dollinger Properties include a wide range of notable businesses, such as Air Liquide, Samsung, Lockheed, Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, Trader Joe’s and PetSmart.

“We are thrilled to announce this gift in support of the newly named Dollinger Master of Real Estate Development Program, which honors one of the program’s most accomplished graduates,” said Jack H. Knott, dean of USC Price. “This generous gift is an especially significant investment, as David Dollinger is the first USC Price School alumnus to endow a degree program at the school. The naming of the [program] serves as a fitting tribute to David’s legacy at the USC Price School, as well as his commitment to supporting the next generation of leaders in real estate development.”

This transformational gift from Dollinger represents significant support for The Campaign for the University of Southern California, a multiyear effort to secure $6 billion or more in private philanthropy to advance USC’s academic priorities and expand the university’s positive impact on the community and world.

Funds from this endowment will be used to support a variety of key investments in the MRED degree, including: the recruitment of additional adjunct faculty; professional development opportunities for students, including attendance at national real estate conferences and international travel experiences; and alumni activities that will further engage graduates of this program.

The newly named Dollinger Master of Real Estate Development Program is one of the nation’s leading graduate programs in the field. It provides students with a unique interdisciplinary education, bringing together the three main elements of real estate development: design, finance and policy. Students are exposed to the full range of development functions — market analysis, finance and deal structuring, site planning, and project management and operations — and to all product types, such as residential, commercial, retail, office and industrial.

“We are tremendously grateful for this gift in support of the newly named Dollinger Master of Real Estate Development Program,” said Christian Redfearn, director of graduate programs in real estate at USC Price. “David is one of us, a graduate from the very first MRED class in 1987. It speaks volumes to have Dave give back. His endowment will support critical investments in the program, reinforcing the school’s reputation as a pioneer in real estate education and preparing graduates for leadership positions across the real estate profession.”