Our spotlight this issue is on George Pratt, a member of the spring 2025 Costello College of Business MS in Real Estate Development (MRED) graduating class. George obtained his undergraduate degree in economics at Sewanee: The University of The South in 2017 and soon thereafter started his professional career with Elm Street Development, where he was project manager for land development.
George, while working at Elm Street, what prompted you to return to school?
At the time of my application to George Mason, I had been working in land development for seven years and had gained an understanding of “how” the process worked. I really wanted to find a program that could give me the tools I needed to understand the “why.” I felt a master's degree in real estate development would be a great complement to my practical work experience and take my career to new heights.
Why did you select Costello’s MRED program?
After researching the programs offered by other universities in the region, I selected George Mason because:
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It was 100% in the classroom taught by in-person professors as opposed to other programs where courses are taught remotely or by hybrid. With real estate being an industry heavily reliant on interpersonal relationships and face-to-face interaction, I wanted a master’s program where learning required close interaction with faculty.
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As a bonus, George Mason's courses also required strong interaction among students. Most courses involved case studies that required students to form teams to solve problems and make presentations. I believed getting to know my fellow students through classroom teamwork would provide better networking experiences than online or hybrid programs.
Now that you are at the end of the program, which courses did you find most rewarding?
I especially benefited from three courses: Real Estate Investments, The Development Process, and Law & Entitlements taught by professors Gross, Hassinger, and Nishanian, respectively. Each was taught by senior real estate professionals with extensive real-world experience in the subjects taught. In other words, the people involved in the Costello program stood out to me as doers, not just teachers.
Building networks can be a valuable takeaway from graduate school. Did this happen at Costello?
Yes, I have been able to grow and strengthen my network with George Mason students, alumni, and real estate industry leaders. The strong involvement of George Mason’s MRED alumni base and benefactors leads to frequent and regular opportunities to network and socialize through events, seminars, lectures, and extracurricular activities. This type of involvement and effort from the program’s graduates exemplified the strong sense of pride shared by those who completed the MRED program.
The Center for Real Estate Entrepreneurship (CREE) provided me with what I saw as the strongest opportunity to capitalize on expanding my network with people who carry influence and industry knowledge. CREE is directly connected to the MRED program, and its board members (32) are all successful industry leaders in the local and greater real estate community. Interacting with this group of proven professionals provides a lifetime network. Of all the comparisons between different master’s programs, the CREE board, its members, and their involvement in the MRED program stood out as added value that was not matched by other schools in the region.
What are your plans after graduation?
I recently started with Mixson Properties as a director of the Charleston regional office where I will manage day-to-day development and construction operations and lead efforts to pursue new acquisitions. Mixson is a young, 3-year-old startup company that started in Charleston, South Carolina, with one office building and from there expanded to the East Coast into ground-up development and acquisition/repurposing of existing properties.
Congratulations! How does this new position align with your long-term goals?
I’ve always had an itch for the entrepreneurial side of real estate, and changing from a well-established firm to a young company in its growth stage provides me with an opportunity to chase my entrepreneurial passion.
Did the MRED program help you land this position?
It did, because the courses were very in depth while maintaining a general focus on the total development process—from entrepreneurship/risk mitigation to land acquisition to design through finance, construction and disposition or asset management—which added to my development tool kit. The MRED program also exposed me to more sectors of real estate than I focused on in my job. In short, George Mason made me a more well-rounded and attractive candidate for Mixson.