A symbolic piece of campus real estate

Jeffrey Soliman, BComm 08, president of VA Capital — a leading commercial mortgage firm in Quebec — and long-time champion for students entering the commercial real estate field, has deepened his commitment with a $50,000 gift to Concordia’s John Molson School of Business.

His latest contribution will provide flexible resources to enhance student initiatives and emerging priorities.

In recognition of his generosity, the last available study room on the third floor of the Molson Building was named in Soliman’s honour — a gesture that carries special meaning for someone who has built his career in real estate. “It represents a meaningful piece of real estate on campus,” he says.

Motivated to stay involved

Soliman’s connection to Concordia began well before his gift. As a young alumnus more than a decade ago, he helped establish the Concordia Real Estate Club (CREC) to bridge the gap between students and an industry that can be difficult to navigate without guidance.

“This was long before Concordia had a minor in real estate,” he recalls. “The lack of information or guidance in the commercial real estate industry is what motivated me to get involved.”

What began as small, informal panels “in a room at the university” soon evolved into major events featuring leading industry professionals. As CREC grew into a powerhouse, Soliman continued to mentor students and help open doors across the sector.

He recalls a turning point: “I was speaking at a CREC event at the Ritz-Carlton, sitting on a panel with colleagues. I looked around and thought, ‘This is amazing — they’ve done so well. My time here is done.’”

Soliman shifted his focus towards experiential learning. He became title sponsor of the John Molson Undergraduate Case Competition (JMUCC), one of the largest undergraduate case competitions in the world, which brings more than 200 top students from 20-plus international business schools to Montreal annually.

This year, he expanded his title sponsorship to the John Molson Competition Committee (JMCC), which trains hundreds of Concordia students to compete around the world.

“It’s thrilling,” Soliman says. “I get my team involved. We’re about 20 people at the office, we get to judge competitions and mostly appreciate experiencing the high caliber these students bring to the table. We’re in for a very exciting year with both associations.”