Two Finance Students Honored as Inaugural Scholarship Awardees | College of Business and Economics at CSUF (two-finance-students-honored-as-inaugural-scholarship-awardees)

_{Sarah Stenzel ’24, one of the two real estate-focused Cal State Fullerton students to be honored with a $10,000 scholarship.}

A testament to the stature of the real estate education program at Cal State Fullerton’s College of Business and Economics, The Ferguson Center for Leadership Excellence (CLE), a program under the Ferguson Charitable Foundation which empowers a diverse group of students to secure real estate careers, has selected two CSUF students as inaugural recipients of their annual $10,000 award.

Sarah Stenzel ’24 and Jaimie Chan ’25, both finance students, have been honored as the recipients.

Already, they have benefited as Ferguson Fellows through The Ferguson Centers for Leadership Excellence, which provides tuition support and financial assistance. In addition, the Ferguson program utilizes both its partnership with LifeRamp and Ferguson’s extensive network within the real estate industry to provide individualized coaching, access to complementary real estate training and webinars, access to leading industry mentors, and support in achieving career opportunities.

The Ferguson Fellows have the ability to strengthen their skills through digital training, to network with industry leaders through webinars and a mentor directory, to meet one-on-one with their own certified LifeRamp coach, and to seek out employment opportunities through partnerships with key companies in the real estate industry.

The program has the potential to graduate up to 50 seniors from 25 colleges each year. It is named after Bill Ferguson, who has had a career extending more than 35 years in real estate and is now focused on creating an inclusive future for the profession.

“Being a Ferguson Fellow has been truly transformative to me,” says Stenzel, who is preparing for a career in commercial estate. “Through mentorship, internship offers and abundant networking opportunities, the program has provided invaluable support. As a first-generation student, it has offered crucial guidance in pursuit of my goals. I am deeply thankful to my professors for imparting knowledge and encouraging me to apply for this program. A huge thank you to the Ferguson Charitable Foundation for their belief in me and support as I pursue a career in real estate.”

_{Jaimie Chan, one of the two CSUF students to be honored as inaugural Ferguson Foundation scholarship recipients.}

Chan notes the positive impact on her educational and professional career.

“The mentorship provided to fellows has pushed me to excel in ways that may not have been achievable on my own. All those involved, including peers in my cohort, have provided guidance and encouragement throughout the program. Without the Ferguson Charitable Foundation, I would not have the access or knowledge that helped me create the network I have now. I am eternally grateful for them supporting my education and career, and to the professors at CSUF who brought about the opportunity.”

The two finance student honorees are the latest manifestation of the excellence of the real estate education program at Cal State Fullerton.

A new concentration in real estate, the reestablishment of the annual Real Estate Forum, and expanded networking and mentoring opportunities are among the headline updates in 2024.

The second round of applications for The Ferguson Centers for Leadership Excellence will open in early August 2024 for business students interested in real estate careers and are projected to graduated in May 2027. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required.

For more on real estate education at CSUF or this opportunity, visit the Center for Real Estate online or read more of our articles on real estate.