Walker & Dunlop, Inc. announced today that it has partnered with North Carolina Central University (NCCU) School of Business to launch its forthcoming real estate MBA program. NCCU, a top historically black university, prioritizes the development and growth of talented minority students – a mission that aligns with Walker & Dunlop's commitment to forming meaningful relationships with organizations providing innovative opportunities to diverse communities.
Walker & Dunlop will be fully engaged with NCCU Business faculty and students in helping to develop a best-in-class real estate program. Walker & Dunlop subject matter experts will offer to teach or co-teach classes, provide professional resources and mentorship for students interested in real estate, and provide summer internship opportunities. Additionally, Walker & Dunlop will sit on NCCU's Board of Visitors within the business school.
In support of the program, Walker & Dunlop will provide two, year-long academic fellowships for the next five years. The fellowships will cover tuition and full room and board for two MBA students focusing on real estate who might not otherwise have access to the program.
"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with North Carolina Central University. The university's commitment and excellence in training the next generation of black leaders and developing innovative programs that provide young leaders with new career opportunities, aligns with Walker & Dunlop's DE&I mission. We strive to make a significant impact on the professional growth of the NCCU students and provide them new and exciting professional opportunities in commercial real estate," commented Jason Golub, Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Walker & Dunlop.
"Partnering with Walker & Dunlop to advance our real estate MBA program and offer fellowships to students is going to have a lasting impact. The program will provide our students with educational and real-world experience that has the potential to shape the trajectory of their careers. We are excited to see how our relationship with W&D continues to progress," added Anthony Nelson, Dean of NCCU School of Business.
Walker & Dunlop is committed to being a diversity and inclusion leader within the commercial real estate industry. Our goal is to create a company and industry that reflects the diverse composition of the neighborhoods in which we work and live, and to make community partnership an integral part of how we do business and how we innovate. To this end, we continue to build upon our comprehensive diversity & inclusion blueprint, which includes building a pipeline of diverse talent within the industry as well as working to increase Walker & Dunlop's minority and female representation in leadership positions by 2025.
For more information on Walker & Dunlop's diversity and inclusion blueprint, please read the following press releases:
- Walker & Dunlop Launches Innovative Diversity Initiative
- Walker & Dunlop Commits to Innovative New Black Equity Certification Program
- New Internship Program Creates Opportunities for Underserved Youth
About Walker & Dunlop
Walker & Dunlop (NYSE: WD), headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, is one of the largest commercial real estate finance companies in the United States. The company provides a comprehensive range of capital solutions for all commercial real estate asset classes, as well as investment sales brokerage services to owners of multifamily properties. Walker & Dunlop is included on the S&P SmallCap 600 Index and was ranked as one of FORTUNE Magazine's Fastest Growing Companies in 2014, 2017, and 2018. Walker & Dunlop's 1000+ professionals in 41 offices across the nation have an unyielding commitment to client satisfaction.
