Laura Sayen graduated from The Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate in May of 2018. While working towards her Masters of Science in Real Estate, Laura held full-time positions in Commercial Multifamily Lending with JPMorgan Chase and in Affordable Housing Underwriting with the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA).
Laura’s interest in affordable housing started while she was studying for her Master’s of Social Service Administration (from 2009-2011) at the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration. She realized upon graduation that she lacked some of the formal skills and knowledge needed to fully understand affordable housing, including the ability to analyze the projects for what they are; pieces of real estate.
Laura was drawn to The Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate because of the program’s flexibility for adults working full-time, the incorporation of courses that focused on real estate development and the intersection of the public and private sectors, and the diversity of backgrounds that students brought to the table.
After graduation, Laura transitioned over to U.S. Bank where she is a Project Manager/Underwriter working on Affordable Housing Tax Credit Investment projects all over the country with a focus on Southern California.
Her advice to those considering the program is to dive in and give it your all. Seek knowledge from your fellow students and professors and utilize the networks available. Laura was able to move over to IHDA based on a connection made with a fellow RU alumnus and has kept in touch with many of the individuals with whom she took courses and formed friendships. If someone with a background in Psychology and Social Services can learn proformas and valuation methodologies, let alone graduate with an MSRE, you can too!
