AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- When Campus Advantage opened its doors for the first time on March 3, 2003, Finding Nemo topped the box office, Saddam Hussein still ruled Iraq and work had yet to even begin on what would become the iPhone.

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A lot has happened in the 10 years since. The company started with just five employees and one client -- a 571-bed property. It now operates 50 student housing communities across 20 states, employs more than 600 people and manages $1.5 billion in assets. Its more than 12,000 units provide housing to 28,000 students.

Co-founder and CEO Mike Peter said Campus Advantage was founded at a time when many student housing companies were focusing on development and acquisition but neglecting the process of managing the student housing experience. Peter and his business partners started the firm to give student residents a living experience rather than just a roof and four walls. That guiding principle still forms the foundation of the company and its approach to doing business.

Peter's own experience as a Resident Assistant while an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin helped form the guiding philosophy of Campus Advantage and shaped the company's vision of providing services to residents as a way to help "create a world where more people are leading successful and enriched lives." The company's highly successful Students First Residence Life Program™ supports that vision by providing residents with the resources they need to succeed personally, academically and socially.

"At Campus Advantage, we don't want to just put roofs over students' heads," Peter said. "We want to help create tomorrow's leaders by providing students with the resources they need to succeed in college and in life."

The company has evolved to offer a broad range of student housing-related services -- from operations and asset management to development, acquisitions and international consulting. For example, over the past 10 years, Campus Advantage's consulting team has conducted more than 160 projects in nearly every state and eight countries, and the company has been involved in more than 60 new development projects.

The company celebrated its 10^th anniversary with a red carpet party and annual awards ceremony as part of its CA 2013 Conference for general managers and corporate employees that was held in Austin at the end of February.

About Campus Advantage
Campus Advantage is an Austin-based real estate firm that offers student housing management, development, acquisition and consulting services. The company works to create winning partnerships between colleges, universities, investors, developers and owners in an effort to help students achieve their academic and personal goals. For additional information, please visit http://www.campusadv.com.

SOURCE Campus Advantage