8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO

SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of report: December 3, 2009

Education Realty Trust, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Maryland	001-32417	20-1352180
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

530 Oak Court Drive, Suite 300 Memphis, Tennessee	38117
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)	(Zip Code)

901-259-2500

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

o                 Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o                 Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o                 Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o                 Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 7.01.  Regulation FD Disclosure.

Education Realty Trust, Inc. today announced the appointment of Randall L. (Randy) Churchey, as President and Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Paul O. Bower effective January 1, 2010. A copy of the press release announcing this appointment is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

In accordance with General Instructions B.2 and B.6 of Form 8-K, the information included in this Current Report on Form 8-K (including Exhibit 99.1), shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing made by the Company under the Exchange Act or Securities Act of 1933, as amended, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.

Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)  Exhibits.  The following exhibit is being furnished herewith to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Press Release, dated  December 3, 2009, announcing the appointment of Randall L. Churchey as President and Chief Executive Officer

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SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	EDUCATION REALTY TRUST, INC.
Date: December 3, 2009	By:	/s/ Randall H. Brown
		Randall H. Brown Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary

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INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Press Release, dated  December 3, 2009, announcing the appointment of Randall L. Churchey as President and Chief Executive Officer

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

EDUCATION REALTY TRUST, INC. ANNOUNCES RANDALL L. CHURCHEY

SELECTED AS PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

- Paul O. Bower to Remain Chairman of the Board –

MEMPHIS, Dec. 3, 2009 – Education Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: EDR) today announced the hiring of Randall L. (Randy) Churchey, 49, as President and Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Paul O. Bower effective January 1, 2010.

Prior to accepting the Chief Executive Officer position with Education Realty Trust, Mr. Churchey served as Interim Chief Executive Officer of Great Wolf Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ: WOLF).  He will continue as an independent director of Great Wolf, where he has served as a member of the Board since 2004.  Mr. Churchey also served from 2006 to 2007 as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Golden Gate National Senior Care (the successor to Beverly Enterprises), the second largest long-term care company in the United States. Mr. Churchey also served as an independent Director on Education Realty Trust’s Board from 2005 through 2006.

Mr. Churchey served as President and Chief Operating Officer of RFS Hotel Investors, Inc., a NYSE listed hotel real estate investment trust, and as a director from 1999 through 2003.  From 1997 to 1999 he was Chief Financial Officer of FelCor Lodging Trust, Inc., (NYSE: FCH).  For nearly 15 years prior he held various positions in the audit practice of Coopers & Lybrand, LLP, including head of the real estate and hospitality practice for the southwest US.  Mr. Churchey holds a B.S. degree in accounting from the University of Alabama, and is a Certified Public Accountant.

“We had a number of well qualified individuals to consider for this position, both internal and outside the Company,” said Dr. John Ford, Director, and head of Education Realty Trust’s search committee.  “The entire Board is confident that Randy Churchey has the experience and vision to lead this Company and create meaningful shareholder value in the coming years.”

Executive recruiting firm Spencer Stuart represented EDR in the search.   

About Education Realty Trust

Education Realty Trust (NYSE:EDR) is a self-administered, self-managed real estate investment trust that owns, develops and manages high-quality student housing communities throughout the United States. Led by a team with over 200 years of shared industry experience, EDR is one of America's largest owners and operators of collegiate student housing. Its portfolio includes 64 communities in 22 states with 37,827 owned and managed beds. For more information please visit the Company's website at www.educationrealty.com.

Contact:

Brad Cohen

ICR, LLC

203-682-8211