UTEP Real Estate Students Advance to National Final Six in Debut Year
The Big Picture
UTEP’s first-ever Real Estate Case Competition team advanced to the national final six at the 2025 ICSC Foundation Case Competition — an unprecedented achievement for a first-year team.
More than a dozen universities across the country submitted proposals for the redevelopment of Britton Plaza in Tampa, Florida. UTEP’s team rose through multiple judging rounds to secure a spot among the nation’s top finalists.
Why It Matters
This is the first time a UTEP team has entered the ICSC competition, and making the final six nationally places UTEP alongside large, well-established real estate programs.
The team’s performance underscores:
- The rapid growth of UTEP’s real estate initiatives
- The strength of the mentoring provided by faculty leads Steven Gragg and Zifeng Feng, Ph.D.
- The caliber, discipline, and technical skill of the students who stepped into a national spotlight and delivered
“Moments like this show exactly what UTEP students are capable of when given the platform,” Gragg said. “They set the bar high for every team that will follow.”
What Happened
Representing Hunt Business, the inaugural team included:
- Edgar Salas
- Bryanna Alcantar
- Emily Miller
- Irving Ontiveros
- Edgar Hernández Granados
- Gabriela Yepez
Competing as Star City Investments, the group analyzed redevelopment options for a major Tampa retail center, built a full financial and market model, and delivered a comprehensive investment proposal.
Their work advanced them to the final round in Las Vegas, placing UTEP alongside:
- University of Alabama
- Penn State University
- Texas Tech University
- University of Illinois
- University of Southern California
The 2025 competition featured teams from institutions nationwide, including Houston, UConn, Michigan State, Indiana University, Baruch College, SMU, and others.
