By Kristin Svenningsen

The Paul Milstein Center for Real Estate is pleased to announce that Lili Luizova ’15, Joanna Wong ’15, and Stephanie Wright ’16 have all been awarded scholarships by the organization WX, New York Women Executives in Real Estate. As part of their scholarship package, they will receive a tuition stipend as well as the opportunity to participate in WX events and its prestigious mentoring program. All three women are focusing their MBA studies on real estate and both Joanna and Stephanie serve on the executive board of the school’s Real Estate Association.

“The WX Scholarship is an invaluable asset for MBA women starting a career in real estate. It’s validation and a ready-made network of successful professionals all rolled into one,” commented Lynne B. Sagalyn, the Earle W. Kazis and Benjamin Schore Professor of Real Estate and MBA Real Estate Program director. “The award has helped so many of our real estate alumni—28 in number since 2004! We are both proud and deeply appreciative of the organization’s commitment to young professionals.”

About the recipients:

Luizova, a true representative of the Global Executive MBA program, lived and worked in Germany and Hong Kong before joining CBS. Leveraging her Masters in Architecture, she focused on business development and acquisition for real estate developers and architecture offices and, most recently, sourced private equity investment opportunities in China for institutional offshore investors. Post MBA, Lili is looking to make New York her permanent base and continue her professional path on the principal side of real estate investment. 

Wong graduated magna cum laude with a BS in accounting from Binghamton University. Prior to Columbia Business School, Joanna worked as a strategy consultant with PricewaterhouseCooper’s Advisory group as well as for her family business. Following CBS, Joanna plans on re-joining her family business, which owns and operates a portfolio of multifamily assets located in downtown, NY. She will be focusing initially on asset management and plans to eventually become involved with acquisitions and development/redevelopment.

Wright, who has recently been elected as the Co-President of the Real Estate Association at the Business School, will join Prudential Real Estate Investors this summer as an associate in their acquisitions group.  In addition to the WX award, she is a Columbia Business School Real Estate Circle Fellow and a PREA Scholarship recipient.  Stephanie most recently served as a Senior Associate with Brookfield Asset Management in New York, where managed equity capital raises for the firm’s $1.25 billion real estate finance fund, $7 billion flagship infrastructure fund and a $1 billion core plus office vehicle. Stephanie previously worked in asset management, investment research and reporting at Jonathan Rose Companies and began her career as a consultant with the boutique real estate advisory firm, The Concord Group. She holds a BA from Yale University and a Certificate in Real Estate Finance and Investment from New York University. 

WX is an invitation‐only association of senior-level women in all aspects of the commercial real estate industry. Its mission is to promote the advancement of women in the commercial real estate industry. Since launching its scholarship program in 2004, WX has awarded over $750,000 in scholarships to more than 100 women at 11 universities and colleges.

Kristin Svenningsen is the Associate Director of the Paul Milstein Center for Real Estate at Columbia Business School.  Prior to Columbia Business School, Kristin worked in Leasing and Operations for S.L. Green Realty Corp.  She holds an M.A. in Higher and Postsecondary Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. 

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