The Goldie Iniative

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.

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) and Masters of Science in Real Estate (MSRE). We do not accept undergraduate students at this time. Founded in 2007, The Goldie Initiative has assisted over 90 Goldie Scholars at the following graduate schools:

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 and McCormick School of Engineering at Northwestern University
James A. Graaskamp Center for Real Estate at The University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business
University of Notre Dame
Pritzker School of Law at Northwestern University
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 School of Law
Benefits of The Goldie Initiative’s Scholar Program:

$15,000 scholarship for two (2) academic years, split evenly between semesters, trimesters or quarters (maximum of $5,000 annually). 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. Mentor assignments have been shown to lead to post-graduation job placement.
Customized leadership development training.
Exclusive networking opportunities and exposure.
Scholarship Eligibility and Program Participation Requirements:

Women only. Scholarships from The Goldie Initiative are merit-based and not dependent on applicants’ financial needs.
Bachelor’s degree awarded from an accredited college or university.
Enrollment at an accredited graduate school at a university in the Midwest, USA. Attendance at program events in Chicago, as well as a Chicago-based mentor assignment, will necessitate proximity to Chicago.
Maintenance of a 3.25 grade point average on a 4.0 academic scale for the duration of the program participation period.
Continuous enrollment in a graduate degree program pursuant to your university’s financial aid enrollment requirements.
Submission of online progress reports on a regular schedule.
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.
Attendance:
The 2020 Goldie Gala on September 17, 2020, our annual signature fundraising event
Throughout the academic year, The Goldie Initiative hosts numerous networking events big and small. Goldie Scholars are required to attend at least five (5) Goldie Initiative events:
– August: School Year Kickoff

– September: Goldie Gala

– October: Leadership Development Session

– November: Exclusive event with Goldie Gala Shero winner

– December: REFF Holiday Pre-Party

– January: Leadership Development Session

– February/March: Recruitment event

– April: Leadership Development Session

– April: Breakfast with Penny Pritzker

– May: Goldie Scholar Luncheon

– More event opportunities TBD

At least five (5) non-Initiative industry networking events and/or school networking events. If you are unable to attend at least five(5) 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.
A minimum of three (3) years’ 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; a regular online reporting schedule will be established with each scholar.