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NAIOP Supports Rising CRE Leaders Through Diversity Student Scholarship
Six students awarded for academic excellence and their aspirations to forge careers in the industry
In May, NAIOP announced six recipients of its annual Diversity Student Scholarship. The scholarship program supports students who are pursuing a degree in commercial real estate and is a key component of the association’s pledge to advance diversity in the industry.
“Congratulations to all the remarkable scholarship winners. We are pleased to recognize them for their academic excellence and dedication to a career in commercial real estate,” said Marc Selvitelli, CAE, NAIOP president and CEO. “By investing in their futures, NAIOP continues to champion a more diverse and inclusive industry — a critical part of our strategic plan. We look forward to seeing what’s next for their careers.”
NAIOP awarded four $5,000 graduate student scholarships and two $2,500 undergraduate student scholarships to individuals from demographics that are traditionally underrepresented in commercial real estate and whose universities are part of the NAIOP University Membership program.
In addition to the scholarship, each recipient will have the opportunity to make new professional connections and sharpen their commercial real estate acumen with complimentary registration to attend NAIOP’s CRE.Converge 2024, taking place Oct. 8-10 in Las Vegas.
Recipients of NAIOP’s 2024 Diversity Student Scholarship are:
Hrishi Bukshin
Hrishi Bukshin is an undergraduate student in economics and business at the University of Oregon and a member of NAIOP Oregon. He interned as a real estate development analyst for the Brookfield Properties Real Estate Development Cup and joined Walker & Dunlop as a summer analyst, where he worked on multifamily debt processes and credit analysis. He is also participating in Adventures in CRE’s Accelerator Core program.
Bukshin previously worked as an acquisition intern for Lincoln Properties Company, where he delved into market research and underwriting across various asset classes.
Alex DeSouza
Alex DeSouza recently earned his master’s in real estate at the University of Colorado Boulder Leeds School of Business and is a member of NAIOP Colorado. He previously worked with JLL on the capital markets team in Denver, where he assisted with debt and equity placement for clients. In that role, he was able to work on financing deals across the country that covered acquisitions, refinancing and ground-up development.
Roxanne Ibe
Roxanne Ibe is a graduate student in the Master of Real Estate Development program at Iowa State University. She recently started her own real estate development company, Talisman Development Group, specializing in historic building redevelopment projects.
Ibe began her commercial real estate career with a bachelor’s in architecture from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, then worked in construction for eight years doing a mix of architectural design, preconstruction, estimating and project management. Her love for historic buildings grew over her five-year role as part owner and co-developer of two large adaptive reuse projects of historic buildings in her hometown of Peoria, Illinois. After completing her MRED degree, Ibe plans to pursue her MBA with a concentration in real estate finance.
Luke Lonneman
Luke Lonneman is an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in real estate and business management at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business Indianapolis. He is a member of NAIOP Indiana. He is vice president of the Indiana University Indianapolis Real Estate Club, an Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Top 100 student and a Harold E. Eisenberg Scholar. He was a junior developer intern at Sullivan Development this past summer.
Jeanette “Jaye” Nelson
Jaye Nelson is a graduate student in the Master of Real Estate Development program at the University of Maryland and a member of NAIOP DC/MD. She holds an MBA from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business and is an art director who fosters a collaborative environment while achieving exceptional results. Leveraging design expertise and historical research, she conceptualizes original visual solutions, uncovering untapped potential for impactful multimedia solutions. Her real estate investment interests have led her to pursue a career path in real estate development. She was part of the Maryland team that won the 2024 NAIOP DC/MD Capital Challenge.
Revati Rajwade
Revati Rajwade is a graduate student in the Master of Real Estate Development and Design program at the University of California, Berkeley and a member of NAIOP San Francisco Bay Area. After several years of work experience in the real estate and architecture industry in India, Rajwade joined the MREDD program to augment her skill set and gain a holistic understanding of real estate development and its financial aspects. Prior to moving to the Bay Area, she managed a diverse portfolio of residential, commercial and mixed-use projects. Following the MREDD program, Rajwade aims to enhance functionality, prioritize sustainability and ensure equitable development.
