The Institute of Real Estate Management Foundation has significantly expanded its collegiate scholarship program in support of its shared mission with the Institute of Real Estate Management to promote real estate management careers among young people. The expanded program was announced jointly by IREM Foundation president Robert Click, CPM, and IREM president Regina Mullins, CPM, during a recent visit with administrators of the Center for Real Estate Education and Research at Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business in Columbus, OH. Some of the Center's students also hold student membership in IREM.
INCREASE IN FUNDING
"We recognize that part of attracting new entrants to the real estate management industry," said IREM Foundation president Click, "is to promote desirable, competitive scholarship offerings particularly at institutions such as The Ohio State University that already have real estate education programs. Consequently, the Foundation has increased its collegiate scholarship funding from under $5,000 annually to upwards of $80,000 in 2008, modified the eligibility requirements for an already existing student scholarship, and established a new one. More specifically," Click added:
* The George M. Brooker Collegiate Scholarship for Minorities, established in 1991 in memory of an African American Certified Property Manager (CPM) Member of IREM from New York City, has been renamed the George M. Brooker, CPM Diversity Collegiate Scholarship and repurposed to increase participation of underrepresented population groups in the real estate management industry. Funding for the scholarship was $4,500 in 2007 and will increase this year to $40,000.
* The IREM Foundation Collegiate Scholarship is newly established, designed to support students pursuing real estate management studies, and also will be funded at a $40,000 level this year.
* Eight undergraduate and four graduate students are expected to be awarded Brooker scholarships this year, with an equal number expected to receive IREM Foundation scholarships.
* Both scholarships are slated to be awarded semi-annually, with Sept. 30, 2008 set as the next due date for applicant submissions.

RELATED GRANTS APPROVED
In addition to the collegiate scholarships, the IREM Foundation recently agreed to underwrite development of an intern guide to promote an internship program recently launched by IREM on behalf of the real estate management industry. To mark the first phase of the program, an internship section has been created on IREM's popular online job board www.iremjobs.org , which enables employers to post internship programs at no cost and permits students to search for positions, upload resumes and apply to postings directly through the site. In other initiatives, the Foundation has funded the revision of a booklet titled Careers in Real Estate Management, and will underwrite the design and distribution to college placement offices of a poster spotlighting real estate management career opportunities.