When Wrigley McGuire scored a baseball scholarship to Chicago’s Roosevelt University, he knew he hit it out of the park. But, he says, his real winning play was selecting real estate as his major and pursuing his BSBA from Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate’s undergraduate program.
“My mother has worked in commercial real estate her whole career, so I grew up hearing her talk about work. I definitely had an interest in real estate, but what solidified my decision to study it at Roosevelt University was the great catalogue of courses offered,” said McGuire, a native of Tucson, Ariz.
He added, “And it was exciting to be studying CRE in a city like Chicago that is so well-known for commercial real estate. I absolutely love Chicago and had the best experience there.”
But when the Covid-19 pandemic hit during McGuire’s “ninth inning” – his final semester at Roosevelt University – he returned home to Tucson to complete his studies virtually.
McGuire said the robust program at MBIRE prepared him well for a future in the CRE industry, not only because of the classes, but also the relationships formed. “Roosevelt really sets you up for success.”
“One thing I appreciated was how my fantastic professors weren’t only teachers, but also active in the industry, with careers of their own, too,” he noted. “I couldn’t be doing what I am today without everything they taught me.”
One specific class that informed his career path was real estate finance. “Those finance classes and the real estate financial modeling I had the opportunity to do gave me the knowledge and experience to secure a job as a financial analyst with Raytheon Missiles & Defense.”
“Even though it’s not in the real estate industry, I’m keeping one foot in the door and will continue to do deals as a broker with Presidio Management. As of today, I have four commercial listings, including two mixed-use properties,” McGuire said.
“Real estate is the type of industry where the door is always open. There are so many ways to apply the knowledge you earn from a program like the one I graduated from at MBIRE. I am very grateful for all I learned, the connections I made – everything.”