About Us

From Ashbourne to ULodging: A Legacy of Real Estate, Reimagined for Students

ULodging was born from a deep understanding of real estate and a passion for global education. Before launching ULodging, co-founder Crispin Etherington led the development of over 2.6 million square feet of commercial and residential properties across the U.S. As the founder of Ashbourne Developments in 1996, his projects have included office towers in San Francisco to residential buildings in Washington, D.C. All were designed with long-term community impact in mind.

In 2020, Etherington partnered with Dr. Eugene J. Alpert, a pioneer in experiential learning, to solve a persistent challenge in international education: the lack of reliable, student-focused housing. Together, they envisioned ULodging as a platform that connects universities, housing providers, and students—removing barriers to studying abroad and expanding access to global learning.

Our Mission

ULodging is a dynamic online marketplace designed to support universities, academic institutions, and nonprofits involved in student exchange, internships, and global education. We offer:

• Verified housing listings from accredited providers and institutions
• Free access to post, browse, and connect
• Tools for communication, reservation, and lease finalization
• A collaborative space for student-focused organizations to share resources

We believe housing should never be a barrier to education—it should be a gateway.

Crispin Etherington – Co-Founder & CEO

Crispin Etherington holds a B.Sc. in Real Estate Management from Liverpool John Moores University and is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. His development career spans over three decades and includes landmark projects in the UK, Canada, and the U.S. Prior to ULodging, he spent 11 years providing housing for students in internship and global study programs.

He has served on boards for Johns Hopkins University, Phillips Programs, and the ACE Mentoring Program. He is Chairman of the Annapolis Trust, an organization he co-founded in 2000 to provide financial support to first-generation college students.

Dr. Eugene J. Alpert – Co-Founder

Dr. Eugene J. Alpert was a visionary educator and tireless advocate for experiential learning. Over his 45-year career, he held leadership roles at Texas Christian University, The Washington Center, and the Osgood Center for International Studies. He developed the only academic program tied to national party conventions, pioneered online learning with C-SPAN, and helped write national internship standards.

As founder of the Washington Program Consortium, he united 145 institutions to share best practices and support students undertaking internships in Washington D.C. His final initiative, realized posthumously, was the creation of a dedicated experiential learning center for HBCU students in Washington, D.C.