The Goldie Initiative Scholarship Program
The Goldie Initiative offers a prestigious leadership program designed to develop the next generation of women executives in the commercial real estate (CRE) industry. The Goldie Initiative was founded by Goldie B. Wolfe Miller, a renowned commercial real estate broker
Our program supports women pursuing graduate-level studies in business with a focus on real estate. The types of degrees our graduates earn include but are not limited to Masters in Business Administration (MBA), Masters of Science in Real Estate (MSRE), JDs, Masters of Urban Planning (MUPP), and more. We do not accept undergraduate students at this time. Founded in 2007, The Goldie Initiative has assisted over 170 Goldie Scholars® at the following graduate schools, and continues to grow:
- Roosevelt University’s Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate
- DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business
- The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
- Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University
- McCormick School of Engineering at Northwestern University
- Pritzker School of Law at Northwestern University
- James A. Graaskamp Center for Real Estate at The University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business
- University of Notre Dame
- IIT-Chicago Kent College of Law
- Gies College of Business at University of Illinois
- Northeastern Illinois University’s College of Business and Management
- University of Michigan Ross School of Business
- University of Michigan Law School
- Loyola University Chicago School of Law
- Cornell University
- University of Illinois at Chicago
- Georgetown University
- The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
- Harvard University
- MIT
- Iowa State University
- Candidates from schools not on this list are encouraged to apply! Please note location eligibility.
Benefits of The Goldie Initiative’s Scholar Program:
- $7,500 per year, up to $15,000 depending on continued enrollment. In addition to general graduate school tuition, funds may be used for course intensives, study abroad programs, and other non-traditional course offerings, provided that the courses fulfill a minimum of 2 university credit hours at the enrolled institution.
- Assignment of an Executive Mentor who is a senior industry professional in the field of commercial real estate.
- Customized career development training.
- Exclusive networking opportunities and exposure.
- Financial assistance for the cost of travel for non-Midwest Goldie Scholars.
Scholarship Eligibility and Program Participation Requirements:
- Women only. Scholarships from The Goldie Initiative are merit-based and not dependent on applicants’ financial needs.
- UPADATE TO LOCATION ELIGIBILITY: Please review our new eligibility requirements on this page. Only applications from select states in the Midwest, Northeast, plus Florida, will be eligible for the Goldie Scholar program. A full list of states and more information is located here. Contact info@gbwmi.org with questions.
- Bachelor’s degree awarded from an accredited college or university.
- Enrollment at a U.S. accredited graduate school at a university.
- Maintenance of good academic standing.
- Continuous enrollment in a graduate degree program pursuant to your university’s financial aid enrollment requirements.
- Commitment to participate in communication with
assigned mentor on regular basis. - Scholarship funds are limited to 2 years, however once accepted to the program, Goldie Scholars® may continue to participate in all other activities until the conclusion of their graduate studies.
- Regular attendance to Goldie Initiative events.
- The 2024 Goldie Gala on September 19, 2024, our annual signature fundraising event
- Throughout the academic year, The Goldie Initiative hosts numerous networking events big and small. Examples of events include:
– August: School Year Kickoff
– September: Goldie Gala
– October: Mentorship Workshop
– November: Exclusive event with Goldie Gala Shero winner
– December: REFF Holiday Pre-Party
– January: Career Development Session
– February/March: Recruitment events
– April: Leadership Development Session
– April: Breakfast with Penny Pritzker
– May: Goldie Initiative Impact Summit
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- Attendance at non-Initiative industry networking events and/or school networking events. If you are unable to attend Goldie Initiative events, you will need to compensate with additional industry networking events.
Consideration Criteria:
As we build each Goldie Scholar cohort, we seek the most promising students in terms of intellectual strength, demonstrated leadership potential, and personal experiences and contributions. We base our evaluation of criteria on the totality of information available.
No single factor—whether your college performance, essays, interview, letters of reference, or work experience—is decisive. We consider each application holistically, and take into account factors such as your background, experiences, perspectives, goals, aspirations, values, and accomplishments.
In assessing applications, we assume the following:
- No two applicants are the same, so we must pay careful attention to each applicant.
- Past actions usually are the best predictor of future behavior.
- How you have developed your talents is as important as what you have accomplished.
- Taking into account the above assumptions, our Scholarship Selection Committee is seeking applicants who can fulfill the following:
- Demonstrated strong intellect with effective written and oral communication skills and a mastery of critical thinking skills.
- Three (3) years of work experience in the commercial real estate industry or other relevant work experience in the real estate industry is preferred.
- Scholarship renewal is dependent upon student meeting all program requirements.
Please reach out to Program Director Kelsey Cleland with any questions, kelsey@gbwmi.org.