Scholar Program Overview
Commercial Real Estate Leaders Start Here
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 and entrepreneur. Our mission is to prepare women for senior leadership roles in all sectors of CRE. The Goldie Initiative does this by providing scholarship support for graduate study, mentorship, and networking opportunities for women with high potential who are committed to becoming leaders in the real estate industry.
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Glodie Scholars in 2024-2025
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Applicant acceptance rate in 2024
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National universities represented
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Goldie Scholars and Alumnae since 2007
BENEFITS
Your Goldie Scholar Advantage
As a Goldie Scholar, you gain access to a range of benefits designed to support your academic journey and accelerate your career in commercial real estate. From financial assistance to mentorship and professional development, here’s what the program provides:
Scholarship Funding That Fuels Your Future
$7,500 per year, up to $15,000 with continued enrollment. Funds may be used for tuition, course intensives, study abroad, or other accredited programs worth at least 2 university credit hours.
Executive Mentorship From Industry Leaders
Gain a dedicated mentor who is an established executive in commercial real estate and provides personalized guidance, insights and connections to help shape your professional journey.
Tailored Career Development Training
Access workshops and programs designed to strengthen your leadership, communication, and strategic skills while preparing you to thrive in competitive and evolving markets.
Exclusive Networking & Industry Exposure
Engage with a strong network of professionals, alumna, and corporate partners through curated events and opportunities that create lasting connections.
Support for Travel & Growth Opportunities
Receive financial assistance to attend conferences, mentorship meetings, and other professional events that expand your experience beyond the classroom.
ACADEMICS
Transforming CRE Through Graduate Talent
Our program supports women pursuing graduate-level studies in business with a focus on real estate. The degrees our graduates earn include but are not limited to Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Science in Real Estate (MSRE), Juris Doctor (JD) and Master of Urban Planning and Policy (MUPP). We do not accept undergraduate students at this time.
Since 2007, The Goldie Initiative has supported more than 200 Goldie Scholars at top graduate schools across the country and the list keeps growing.
Goldie Scholar Graduate Schools
Subject to change each year. Below is confirmed for the 2025 application.
The Goldie Initiative recently expanded its in-person programming (networking, mentoring, events, etc.) in the Midwest and Northeast regions of the United States. To ensure the best experience possible for all Goldie Scholars regardless of where they are completing their degree, the Initiative will only be reviewing candidate applications from the states listed below. Networking and relationship building are core values of The Goldie Initiative, and we believe the best scholar experiences include the opportunity to participate in-person.
In future years, we may expand our in-person programming. Please fill out this form to help us gauge interest from potential applicants in new states.
Eligible Goldie Scholar applicants must be completing their graduate degree at an accredited U.S. university while living full time for the duration of their time in the Goldie Scholar program in one of the following states: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington D.C., or Wisconsin. Your university does not need to be located in one of these states, but you must live full-time in one of these states while taking classes (in the case of online graduate programs). In-person attendance to your university is not mandatory to be eligible. Proof of residency may be required upon distribution of scholarship funds in September.
Please email Kelsey Cleland, kcleland@goldieinitiative.org , with any questions.
Scholarship Eligibility and Program Participation Requirements:
- Women only. Scholarships from The Goldie Initiative are merit-based and not dependent on applicants’ financial needs.
- UPDATE TO LOCATION ELIGIBILITY: Please review our new eligibility requirements on this page. Only applications from select states in the Midwest and Northeast will be eligible for the Goldie Scholar program. A full list of states and more information is located below. 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 a 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 2025 Goldie Gala on September 18, 2025, our annual signature fundraising event
- Throughout the academic year, The Goldie Initiative hosts numerous networking events big and small. Examples of events include:
- The 2025 Goldie Gala on September 18, 2025, our annual signature fundraising event
- Throughout the academic year, The Goldie Initiative hosts numerous networking events big and small. Examples of events include:
- The 2025 Goldie Gala on September 18, 2025, 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
- 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.
- 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, kcleland@goldieinitiative.org.