CREW Network Foundation Awards 30 Scholarships to Commercial Real Estate Students
Scholarship program has granted nearly $1.5 million USD to female students pursuing commercial real estate careers
Lawrence, Kansas, USA – Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Network Foundation has selected 30 female college and university students to receive a total of $150,000 in scholarships for the 2023-24 academic year, in addition to valuable network and career building opportunities. CREW Network Foundation’s scholarship program has granted nearly $1.5 million to 256 female students at 126 universities across 39 states/provinces in the U.S. and Canada since 2008.
The scholarship program supports female students as they pursue university-level education that will lead to careers in commercial real estate. Each student will receive $5,000 USD (or the Canadian dollar equivalent) for tuition and books, a paid internship opportunity, a six-month mentorship with a CREW Visionary, a 24-month CREW Network student membership, a complimentary registration to the 2023 CREW Network Convention, Sept. 20-22 in Atlanta, Georgia, and a $1,000 USD travel stipend for the convention.
“In addition to the scholarship’s financial support, CREW provides these women with opportunities to connect with industry experts and mentors, develop critical leadership skills, and gain knowledge and training that will open doors in commercial real estate,” said Gillian Lawrence, Remington Development Corporation, 2023 CREW Network Foundation Chair. “It is an honor to recognize the excellence and leadership of these talented students and welcome them to our global business network.”
Scholarship funds are supported by the Linda Hollemon Scholarship Endowment and Hall of Fame giving program, as well as personal and corporate contributions.
The 2023 scholars, listed with hometowns, universities, and majors/areas of study, are:
Jacqueline Abnos
Hometown: Kansas City, Missouri
Undergraduate | George Washington University
Focus of study: Business/Finance with concentration in Real Estate
Abnos is a rising senior double majoring in Business and Finance with a concentration in Real Estate and a minor in Organizational Science. She is a mentor in the Real Estate and Finance Alliance and currently serving as President of the Commercial Real Estate Network, a student organization for students interested in Real Estate at George Washington University. Abnos currently holds a Real Estate Salesperson License in the State of Missouri. This past summer she worked as a Construction Services Intern with Greystar and spent the last semester interning with the National Multifamily Housing Council as well as the Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis. She is currently interning as a HUD Underwriting Intern at Walker and Dunlop. Abnos aspires to work within real estate development post-graduation.
Sarah Auer
Hometown: Aubrey, Texas
Undergraduate | Texas Tech University
Focus of Study: Finance
Auer is a junior majoring in finance with a certificate in commercial real estate and minoring in psychology. She serves as Vice President of the TTU Real Estate Organization, New Member Educator for her sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha, and a Rawls College of Business Senator for the Student Government Association. Auer has interned for two summers in the DFW Metroplex at TIG Real Estate Services and aspires to work in commercial real estate brokerage upon graduation.
Kayla Baldwin
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Graduate Student | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Focus of Study: Urban Planning
Baldwin completed her undergraduate degree in Urban Studies and Planning in three years and is currently enrolled in a program allowing her to complete her Master of Planning in an additional year. She recently interned with Power Construction as a Community Development Intern. Baldwin looks forward to exploring opportunities that combine her degree in Urban Planning with her interest in commercial real estate and development.
Francesca Bennett
Hometown: Manhattan Beach, California
Undergraduate | University of Southern California
Focus of study: Real Estate Development
Bennett is a senior at USC obtaining a degree in Real Estate Development with a minor in Finance. She is a CREW LA intern and Executive Board Director for the Trojan Real Estate Association. She recently interned with Rialto Capital as a Summer Analyst, as well as had other real estate focused internships in Affordable Development and Asset Management. Bennett is also an Ambassador for USC’s School of Public Policy to introduce incoming students to the Real Estate Development program. She looks forward to exploring opportunities that combine her interests of Commercial Real Estate and Finance.
Isabella Bernard
Hometown: East Greenwich, Rhode Island
Undergraduate | The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.
Focus of study: Architecture and Civil Engineering
Bernard is obtaining a five-year dual degree in Architecture and Civil Engineering with a minor in Sustainability. She is currently interning with Travis Price Architects and has worked from the start of her undergraduate degree at architecture and construction firms, alongside her coursework and university research. Bernard has also served as President of her university’s Society of Women Engineers chapter and Secretary of the American Institute of Architecture Students. She looks forward to exploring opportunities within the field of commercial real estate that focus on sustainability while combining the innovative fields of design and build.
Natalie Bongirno
Hometown: Naples, Florida
Undergraduate | University of Florida
Focus of study: Business Administration and Real Estate Development
Bongirno is a senior studying Business with a specialization in Urban and Regional Planning. She is also combined Master of Science Real Estate Candidate and will earn her MSRE in May 2025. Throughout her studies, she has completed internships with eXp Realty and LandQwest Commercial Real Estate Services. Bongirno is an active member of UF’s Real Estate Society and Women in Real Estate Society and plans to become a multifamily and residential community developer.
Annmarie Bonanno
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Graduate | Widener University Delaware Law School
Focus of study: Law
Bonanno has worked in the industry as a Licensed Title Agent, Real Estate Salesperson, and Paralegal, with experience in both residential and commercial transactions. She has now returned to school to pursue her J.D., while maintaining her job as a Senior Commercial Real Estate Paralegal. She is a member of the newly founded Real Estate Student Association at the law school, and hopes to practice commercial real estate law in Pennsylvania and Delaware.
Christina Chan
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Undergraduate | University of Southern California
Focus of study: Assets Management
Chan is a senior pursuing a major in business administration and a minor in real estate development. At USC, she is currently the co-president of the Trojan Real Estate Association and a Marshall School of Business student ambassador. Chan has previously worked as a real estate agent in the Greater Houston area, along with having interned at Hines and Blackstone. Upon graduation, she aims to pursue a career in commercial real estate particularly in the hospitality and housing space and aspires to teach real estate to college students.
Liz Dillard
Hometown: Spartanburg, South Carolina
Undergraduate | Clemson University
Focus of study: Finance
Dillard is obtaining a degree in Financial Management with a minor in Accounting. She is the CREW liaison for the Real Estate Club and a founding member of Clemson’s FMA (Financial Management Association) chapter. She recently interned with Truist Securities as a Credit Delivery Summer Analyst. Dillard looks forward to exploring opportunities that combine her degree in finance with her interests in commercial real estate.
Grace Donaldson
Hometown: Toledo, Ohio
Undergraduate | The Ohio State University
Focus of study: Finance and Real Estate
Donaldson is a Scholars student, obtaining a dual degree in Finance and Real Estate with a minor in Leadership Studies. She is President of the Fisher Real Estate Society and the founder of OSU’s Women in Real Estate (WIRE) club, which will become active during the 2023-24 school year. Donaldson is currently interning with JLL’s Capital Markets team in Chicago for the summer of 2023. Her past internship experience has been at Colliers in Columbus and Signature Associates Commercial Real Estate in Toledo. She looks forward to pursuing career opportunities within the commercial real estate sales industry.
Madeline Elson
Hometown: Indianapolis, Indiana
Undergraduate | Indiana University
Focus of study: Finance and Real Estate
Madeline is a junior studying Finance and Real Estate. At Indiana University, Madeline's involvement in IU’s real estate program began with the Real Estate Club. This summer, she has been working as a Development Intern for the Southeast Residential Development Team at Thompson Thrift. In the future, she aspires to create a positive impact in her community through a career in real estate.
Julia Heilman
Hometown: Waterford, Michigan
Undergraduate | University of Michigan
Focus of study: Business
Heilman is entering her junior year and will be obtaining a degree in Business with a minor in Real Estate Development and Sustainability. She is the Vice President of Internal Relations for the Michigan Private Equity Venture Capital Club, a member of Michigan’s Real Estate Club, and a brother of Phi Gamma Nu Business Fraternity. Heilman recently interned with Bloomfield Capital as a Real Estate Private Equity Summer Analyst. She looks forward to exploring opportunities that combine her interest in finance with her interest in sustainable real estate development.
Joy Herrera
Hometown: The Bronx, New York
Undergraduate | Lafayette College
Focus of study: Civil Engineering/International Studies
Herrera is entering her senior year, pursuing a BS/BA dual degree in Civil Engineering and International Studies. She is the Professional Development and Corporate Chair of her college’s Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and has spent the past two summers as a land development intern and a land survey intern. She looks forward to further exploring the fields of land surveying and civil engineering and their potential intersections.
Anneke Hoskins
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Graduate | University of Cincinnati
Focus of Study: Architecture
Hoskins is entering her second and final year of her Master of Architecture degree. Her focus of academic study is historic preservation and how the restoration of aging buildings can affect the development of both real estate and communities nearby. Professionally, she has worked on many exciting projects such as an addition to a 150-year-old church, hospitals, education facilities, and renovations at Smithsonian museums. She looks forward to delving further into the field as she moves on to the next steps in her career after graduation.
Yentell James
Hometown: Waldorf, Maryland
Undergraduate | North Carolina A&T State University
Focus of study: Double Major Business Management and Marketing
James is obtaining degrees in Business Management and Marketing. She co-founded the Aggie Real Estate Society and is an intern at the North Carolina A&T Real Estate Foundation on her campus. James recently interned with Kearney as a Business Analyst. She looks forward to exploring opportunities that combine her degrees in management and marketing with her interests in commercial real estate. Long term, she plans on pursuing a career in Real Estate Consulting.
Abrielle Jensen
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Undergraduate丨Brigham Young University
Focus of study: Finance
Jensen is currently in her final undergraduate year, pursuing a degree in Finance. Throughout her academic journey, she has actively engaged in leadership roles, serving as the Co-President of BYU's Real Estate Association and previously holding a similar position in her university's Women in Finance Association. This summer, she interned with Blackstone's New York office as a Summer Analyst, where she was a part of the Real Estate team. Looking ahead, Jensen is eager to continue pursuing opportunities that synergize her finance expertise with her passion for commercial real estate.
Siena Mauvais
Hometown: Englewood, Colorado
Undergraduate | University of Colorado Boulder
Focus of study: Finance and Real Estate
Mauvais is a fourth-year undergraduate student and proud member of the Leeds Scholars and Honors programs. She is interested in commercial real estate brokerage and development and is currently interning at JLL as an Investment Sales Analyst on the multi-family team. Last summer, she interned at Westside Investment Partners, a CRE development firm in Denver. Mauvais is in the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and a member of the Real Estate Club.
Sarah McDowell
Hometown: Kansas City, Missouri
Graduate: University of Southern California
Focus of Study: Master of Real Estate Development
Prior to USC, McDowell had six years of experience as a mechanical engineer designing HVAC. As a licensed engineer, she worked for Arup, an international company, on a variety of high-rise mixed-use, office, and hospitality projects. She transitioned to sustainability and energy consulting for the past two years advising companies, schools, and municipalities on energy saving and decarbonization strategies. She earned a bachelor's degree in physics from Loyola University Chicago and a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Melinda Montes
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Undergraduate丨Georgia State University
Focus of study: Real Estate
Melinda is entering her last semester at Georgia State’s Honors College and Robinson College of Business, obtaining a business degree in Real Estate. She is the current Director of Operations of The Commercial Real Estate Group at GSU and recently interned with Brookfield Properties as a Logistics Intern. She looks forward to exploring opportunities that combine her experience and interests in commercial real estate as she embarks on a dynamic and fulfilling career in the industry.
Sara Olefsky
Hometown: Naperville, Illinois
Undergraduate | Iowa State University
Focus of study: Finance
Olefsky’s most recent internship experience is in the finance department of a multifamily commercial real estate firm. She has past internship experiences at a fintech company as well as in wealth and investment management operations. She has been President of the Iowa State Finance club, and a Business Learning Team Peer Mentor for incoming freshmen. Additionally, she has spent two academic semesters abroad in Amsterdam and London.
Jessie Pan
Hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia
Graduate |Columbia University
Focus of study: Architecture
Pan is entering her first year at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, obtaining a Master's degree in Architecture. She has an undergraduate degree in architectural studies from the University of Toronto, where her commitment to sustainable design led her to pursue an Environmental Studies minor and enroll in the Certificate in Sustainability of the Built Environment. Pan was also a research student at the Design for Climate and Comfort Lab. These experiences provided her with a comprehensive and interdisciplinary framework for her future endeavors in architecture.
Mariko Pallarito
Hometown: Littleton, Colorado
Undergraduate | University of Colorado- Boulder
Focus of study: Finance and Real Estate
Pallaritoa is senior currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree with dual emphasis in Finance and Real Estate. Outside of her classes, she serves as the Co-Vice President for the CU Real Estate Club, works part-time on campus, and recently completed a semester-long case competition series. This summer, she is interning at Ares Management. She looks forward to exploring opportunities that combine real estate and finance.
McKenzie Pearson
Hometown: Wayzata, Minnesota
Graduate | University of Minnesota
Focus of Study: Environmental Engineering
Pearson recently graduated summa cum laude from Valparaiso University with a BS in Environmental Engineering and will be starting her first year at the University of Minnesota pursuing a master’s this fall. She is currently working as an intern for Geosyntec Consultants and has enjoyed getting experience in brownfield redevelopment projects. She is passionate about environmental remediation and aspires to be a leading professional at the intersection between real estate and environmental consulting.
Madison Psinas
Hometown: Pekin, Illinois
Graduate | Judson University
Focus of study: Architecture
Psinas is an Associate of the American Institute of Architects, an alum of Tau Sigma Delta (Architectural Honors Society) and has experience managing and selling commercial property. She is currently employed at Farnsworth Group Inc., a multi-disciplined national design firm in the United States and is eager to continue learning about the intersections of the architectural profession and commercial real estate.
Madison Ross
Hometown: Dallas, North Carolina
Undergraduate | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Focus of study: Real Estate Development
Ross is entering her senior year, pursuing a degree in Management and Society with a minor in Real Estate through Kenan-Flagler Business School. This summer, she is interning at Medalist Capital, a real estate financial services company that specializes in mortgage banking. Ross is an active member of the UNC Real Estate Club and earned a certificate for Financial Analysis with Real Estate Modeling in 2022. She is interested in how real estate development can impact living conditions in low-income countries.
Courtney Scheepers
Hometown: Amanzimtoti, South Africa
Graduate | George Mason University
Focus of Study: Master’s in Real Estate Development
Scheepers is a Senior Project Engineer at the engineering firm Gordon and pursuing her master’s in real estate development. She is an active student member in CREW NoVA and part of the CREW NoVA Professional Development Committee. Her background is in Civil Engineering for the land development industry and she is responsible for managing all aspects of project tasks including county site plan approval, permitting, internal and external coordination and construction administration. Scheepers looks forward to learning more about other areas in commercial real estate and how it can better suit her current role.
Emily Shih
Hometown: Cary, North Carolina
Undergraduate | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Focus of Study: Corporate Real Estate
Shih is a senior at UNC Chapel Hill studying business and economics with a concentration in real estate. She has interned with Berkeley Capital Advisors, Kane Realty Corporation, and is currently a summer analyst at Wells Fargo’s CRE in NYC. She loves the fast-paced world of real estate finance and plans to pursue it as a full-time career.
Mia Soto
Hometown: San Diego, California
Undergraduate | University of San Diego
Focus of study: Real estate Development
Soto is majoring in Real Estate and minoring in Leadership Studies. Born and raised in San Diego, she developed a deep appreciation for the built environment and its impact on communities from an early age. This led her to pursue a career in real estate, where she hopes to make a positive difference in people's lives through thoughtful and sustainable development. Soto is the President of USD’s Real Estate Society and serves on the executive boards of her sorority, Pi Beta Phi, and professional business fraternity, Phi Chi Theta. She has served as a marketing/social media manager for multiple real estate companies and is currently interning with Hammer and Hampel, a real estate investment group. She hopes to pursue a career in commercial development, construction, or brokerage.
Gwyneth Thomas
Hometown: Ft. Wright, Kentucky
Undergraduate | University of Cincinnati
Focus of study: Real Estate and Finance
Thomas is obtaining a dual degree in Real Estate and Finance with a minor in Architectural Studies. She is the incoming President of the University of Cincinnati Real Estate Association, after serving for the last year as Internal Vice President. Other significant campus involvements include Lindner Ambassadors, and membership in Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity. Thomas has interned with real estate firms Fischer Homes, Bellwether Enterprise, and most recently Viking Partners as an acquisitions intern. She looks forward to exploring additional opportunities in real estate that combine her analytical and creative interests.
Anna Turco
Hometown: Hartland, Wisconsin
Undergraduate | University of Wisconsin - Madison
Focus of Study: Architecture
Turco recently graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Interior Architecture from the University of Wisconsin. She has an interest in designing and renovating commercial buildings that bring positive change to surrounding communities and environments. Turco is excited to join the CREW Network of amazing women who will broaden her knowledge in commercial real estate and support one another in growing both academically and professionally.
