Entrepreneur gives $10 million to Sol Price program


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Real estate entrepreneur David Dollinger donated $10 million to grow the USC Price School of Public Policy’s Master of Real Estate Development endowment, the university announced Monday.

The program will be renamed the Dollinger Master of Real Estate Development Program.

Dollinger is the first Price School alumnus to endow a degree program at the school.

The multi-million dollar contribution will be used to recruit additional adjunct faculty and provide professional development opportunities for graduate students, such as funding for attendance at national conferences and international travel, according to a statement released by the USC Price School of Public Policy.

Since 1929, the USC Price School of Public Policy has prepared students for careers in public service in disciplines ranging from real estate to transportation and infrastructure. The Master of Real Estate Development degree program has been offered since 1986.

After his graduation from the first class of the degree program, Dollinger created his family-owned business Dollinger Properties, which focuses on the acquisition and development of multi-tenant industrial and retail properties for long-term ownership. Dollinger has also had experience with developing and managing more than 60 properties and notable businesses in California, including Best Buy and PetSmart.

Dollinger made a contribution to the school because he believes the “Dollinger Master of Real Estate Development Program is the best real estate degree in the nation.”

His donation corresponds with the goals of the university’s campaign program, which aims to advance the university’s academics and global influence by raising more than $6 billion in the coming years through private donations. This is the third multi-million dollar contribution to a USC school in the past month.

Jack H. Knott, dean of the USC Price School of Public Policy, also believes this contribution will serve as inspiration for current graduate students in the Real Estate Development program.

“The naming of the Dollinger Master of Real Estate Development Program serves as a fitting tribute to David’s legacy at the USC Price School, as well as his commitment to supporting the next generation of leaders in real estate development,” Knott said in a press release.