On behalf of Weidner Apartment Homes’ charitable efforts, the company’s Chairman and Founder, Dean Weidner, received the 2021 Outstanding Philanthropist of the Year award from the Alaska Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. The award honors an Alaska individual or family with a proven record of exceptional generosity demonstrated by their outstanding civic and charitable endeavors that encourage others to be philanthropic.
Weidner Apartment Homes’ was recognized for its longstanding commitment to supporting the University of Alaska Anchorage’s (UAA) Bachelor of Business Administration in Management program by developing the Weidner Property Management and Real Estate (WPM+RE) Program in the UAA College of Business and Public Policy. Coupled with an in-depth, comprehensive course curriculum, the WPM+RE program has created incredible opportunities for students through offered job shadowing, paid internships, and attendance at local and national industry events.
The company’s commitment to the curriculum’s development and success has resulted in a thriving property management program that offers two academic credentials. The first is a four-year BBA Management degree with a Property Management and Real Estate concentration, and the second is a Real Estate minor. Weidner Apartment Homes’ investment in providing top-tier education for future property management professionals aligns with its Vision, Mission, and Values statement of valuing personal improvement through continued training and education.
Weidner Apartment Homes’ contributions have been used to develop and offer unique and renowned academic courses and credentials that are nationally recognized by organizations and recruiters. The WPM+RE program also provides over $450,000 in direct student awards for tuition assistance and travel assistance to experience industry events, establish an endowed professorship at the college, and ensure sustainable faculty support into the future.
Dean Weidner and his wife, Ana Weidner, are both committed philanthropists and continually seek opportunities to better the communities Weidner Apartment Homes serves. So, in addition to the WPM+RE program, Weidner has made additional contributions to UAA through an investment in the construction of the Weidner Center for Real Estate Management. The Weidner Center is a tech-driven classroom and hub designed to foster productivity and collaboration amongst WPM+RE Program students.