In Memory of Rena Sivitanidou

Associate Professor Rena Sivitanidou of the School of Policy, Planning, and Development passed away June 30, 2000, after a short illness.   She is survived by her husband, Petros Sivitanides, her mother, and her brother and sister. 

Prof. Sivitanidou was an outstanding teacher, researcher and collegue.  She holds the distinction of having won the Planning and Development Outstanding Teacher Award for every one of the 8 years she taught at USC, and her reputation for teaching excellence was recognized far beyond USC.   Her contributions to the Master of Real Estate Development program centered on the magnificent way in which she taught market analysis.  She also took great pride in teaching students of planning and development at all levels.

Prof. Sivitanidou was passionate with helping us understand better the nature and dynamics of land rents.  She has authored and published numerous papers on this topic, and her publications appeared in the top journals in the field.  Her research is well known as being creative, rigorous and applicable to real estate development.  She was a leading scholar in USC’s Lusk Center for Real Estate.

Rena Sivitanidou was a member of the American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association (AREUEA), Regional Science Association (RSA), Regional Science Association International (RSAI), and the American Real Estate Society (ARES).

She was a highly respected colleague, and most of all, a good friend and mentor to large numbers of students.  She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

A memorial scholarship fund to support outstanding Master of Real Estate Development students is being established in her name.