This spring, students from the Steers Center for Global Real Assets ventured beyond the Hilltop to gain first-hand exposure to real estate and infrastructure markets across Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, and Sweden. Through immersive treks supported by industry leaders and Georgetown alumni, students encountered diverse investment strategies, sustainable development models, and the complex policy and legal frameworks that shape global assets. These experiences serve as a cornerstone of the Center’s commitment to experiential learning and a truly global business education.

Puerto Rico: Immersive Learning in Hospitality and Public-Private Development

In early May, six undergraduate and four MBA students traveled to Puerto Rico for a three-day trek centered on resort and hospitality development. Hosted by Federico Stubbe (B’98), CEO of PRISA Group and Steers Center Executive Committee member, the group toured PRISA’s landmark developments, including Distrito T-Mobile and the Dorado Beach Resort.

Students engaged with local leaders such as Marcos Rodriguez-Ema (SFS’78), former chief of staff to Governor Luis Fortuño (F’82), and attorney Ismael Herrero (B’82, L’85), gaining insight into the island’s legal and economic development landscape. A visit to a PRISA-developed Hilton dual-branded hotel currently under construction — one backed by the Steers Private Fund — provided a direct link to classroom concepts in action. From the TASIS School to Orlando Health Dorado, students witnessed how real estate investment can transform communities. The trip concluded with a conversation with PRISA founder Friedel Stubbe, who emphasized the values of service, discipline, and impact that drive the firm’s mission.

Sweden: A Model for Sustainable Infrastructure and Innovation

The Global Real Assets students embarked on a week-long trek to Stockholm, Sweden, to explore the intersection of sustainability, infrastructure, and real estate in the Nordic context. The experience offered a panoramic view of cutting-edge practices in climate-aligned development and industrial decarbonization.

At Wood Sickla, students toured a mass timber project by Atrium Ljungberg that integrates technology and sustainability in urban placemaking. EQT Partners offered insight into institutional infrastructure investment across climate and digital sectors, while Stegra’s presentation on its green steel plant in Boden demonstrated the scale and ambition of emissions-reducing industrial innovation.

The trip included meetings with a wide array of firms — Newsec, Heimdal Nordic, Castellum, Infranode, among others — covering topics from wave power to energy storage, urban regeneration to social infrastructure. Each interaction deepened students’ technical fluency and strategic perspective in the evolving real assets space.

London: Real Estate Investment Through a Transatlantic Lens

MBA students from the Steers Center spent time in London meeting with leading firms to understand how European markets differ from those in the U.S. Through site visits and strategy discussions with RevCap, BGO, Hines, and others, students explored regional trends, regulatory nuances, and investment models unique to the UK and continental Europe.

A highlight was the visit to Grosvenor, where students toured historic assets in Mayfair and Belgravia and heard how the firm approaches stewardship and long-term value creation. A visit to Grosvenor’s South Molton development and upcoming revitalization of Grosvenor Square brought these strategies to life. As first-year MBA student Scott Cohen (MBA’26) reflected, “It was such a unique opportunity to visit London to learn about these firms and their approaches to real estate. I don’t think I would’ve had an opportunity like this if it wasn’t for the Steers Center.”

Expanding Perspective: The Importance of Global Experiential Learning

Each of these treks embodied the Steers Center’s mission to prepare students for a globalized industry through experiential learning. Rooted in Georgetown’s Jesuit tradition and emphasis on global business, the experiences expose students to diverse markets and cultures while deepening their understanding of the global forces shaping real assets. In doing so, they advanced both their professional development and their capacity to become principled leaders in a global business landscape.