NEWiRE's commitment to developing emerging leaders

A first-year New England Women in Real Estate (NEWiRE) member recently expressed how awestruck she was at her first NEWiRE event. She described what a privilege it was to be surrounded by so many accomplished women in the industry to whom she now had access—women who are brokering some of Greater Boston's largest real estate deals, underwriting millions of dollars of transactions, serving as partners of top legal firms or as principals of their own companies. It was not merely their success that amazed her, but the fact that they were willing to network, share their stories, and offer advice. NEWiRE is a unique organization comprised of women from a variety of commercial real estate disciplines. NEWiRE members recognize the importance of supporting emerging female leaders, and seasoned members enthusiastically accept the responsibility to mentor junior members. They remember what it is like to launch a career and overcome obstacles, while building confidence, expanding your network, and letting your voice be heard. NEWiRE's commitment to developing emerging leaders has connected the organization to the local student community. The NEWiRE Educational Foundation was established in 2009 to support the NEWiRE Educational Scholarship. The Foundation awards this scholarship to a female student who has a demonstrated interest in the commercial real estate industry, and is entering her junior or senior year of undergraduate school or entering or enrolled in a graduate program at an accredited college or university based in New England. This year's scholarship recipient, Jennifer Wong, was recognized at NEWiRE's luncheon program on May 24th at the Four Seasons Hotel. Wong will be a junior at Boston College, working towards a degree in economics with an interest in pursuing a career in commercial real estate upon graduation. Wong worked in the real estate industry during the summer of her sophomore year, and enjoyed the fast paced work environment. For Wong, it's not only important to work in a field to which she can add value, but she also wants to have a career that is challenging and enables critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills. Wong considers NEWiRE a resource that can provide reassurance and support to young women entering the real estate industry. NEWiRE's popular networking golf tournament, now in its 16th year, raises money to support the Educational Foundation Scholarship. This year's event, coordinated by a dedicated committee led by Gayle Bourdeau and Angela Parziale, will be held on October 1st at Brae Burn Country Club in Newton. For more information about the annual golf tournament and a complete listing of our events, please visit our website at www.newire.org. Holly Nelson is the managing director at TriSail Capital Corporation/BAML and the 2012-2013 president of New England Women in Real Estate (NEWiRE).