Rutgers Center for Real Estate adds Walker & Dunlop as sponsor

Listen to this article

Walker & Dunlop is the newest corporate sponsor of Rutgers Center for Real Estate, the university announced June 14.

Walker & Dunlop will now offer support to students studying commercial real estate, and influence the development of course work to prepare them for careers in the industry.

The commercial real estate finance company joins Sills Cummis & Gross and M&T Bank as sponsors.

“The Rutgers Center for Real Estate is committed to being the top real estate program in the country in terms of training our students and producing the most important and industry-relevant research in the country,” said Morris Davis, the Paul J. Profeta Chair of Real Estate and academic director for the Rutgers Center for Real Estate.

Irelynne Estevez-Waller, vice president of diversity & inclusion at Walker & Dunlop, said the company views the partnership with Rutgers as a “substantial step” in its ability to continue attracting and developing diverse talent in markets like New Jersey.

“By supporting the education and initiatives of the Rutgers Center for Real Estate, we will identify talented students, introduce them to the opportunities within commercial real estate, and provide them with the internships to enhance their resumes and prepare them for jobs upon graduation,” Estevez-Waller said.

Walker & Dunlop plans to start a series of initiatives this year in collaboration with the Center for Real Estate, such as a case competition where students will be able to test their academic knowledge in a real-world commercial real estate situation, incorporating both financial and developmental aspects of the business.

The company will also offer internships to students and its real estate professionals will serve as mentors, providing coeds with coaching and one-on-one feedback and support during their experience. Later this year, an internship with industry training organization Project Destined will kick off with a boot camp designed to educate diverse students on real estate and investment at Walker & Dunlop.

“Our corporate partners are extremely important because of the experiential learning opportunities and support they provide,” Lei Lei, dean of Rutgers Business School, said of the partnership. “The opportunity for our students to apply their knowledge in real-world situations offers them a powerful learning experience that strengthens their time in the classroom.”