Education Realty Trust 10-Q 2009 Q1 Quarterly report

EXHIBIT 32.1

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO 18 U. S. C. SECTION 1350,

AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO  SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

In connection with the Quarterly Report of Education Realty Trust, Inc. (the “Company”) on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2009, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Paul O. Bower, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certify, in my capacity as an officer of the Company, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1350, as adopted pursuant to § 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:

(1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

(2) The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

Date: May 8, 2009.

/s/ Paul O. Bower    

Paul O. Bower  

President, Chief Executive Officer and

 Chairman of the Board of Directors    

In accordance with SEC Release No. 34-47986, this Exhibit is furnished to the SEC as an accompanying document and is not deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933.