LOS ANGELES – August 15, 2023 – Sixteen new graduates took the next step in advancing their real estate careers with the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate’s Ross Program, as the institution – which was founded 30 years ago – continues its mission to educate and empower underrepresented women and minorities in the commercial real estate industry. The new alumni join over 1,000 Ross program graduates, highlighting the success of the program and its ability to provide critical real estate development and finance skills.

"By immersing students with real-world, practical scenarios from the field, the Ross Program equips aspiring real estate practitioners with the tools to propel their careers and enhance their expertise in the realms of real estate finance and development," stated Richard K. Green, the director of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate. "For the last three decades, this program has prepared participants to navigate the complex landscape of the real estate industry, arming them with invaluable skills and insights to excel in their professional journeys."

In 2013, the program was named honor of the late Stan Ross, a renowned icon in the accounting and real estate industry, who played a key role in funding the program's endowment and served as an outspoken role model for both students and professionals in the industry. In the aftermath of the Rodney King verdict and the ensuing civil unrest in 1992, the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles (CRA) and USC recognized an urgent and unprecedented need for skilled real estate professionals to aid in the rebuilding of South Los Angeles. The CRA observed a lack of minority developers and, in collaboration with community leaders and USC, devised a program with the aim of fostering diverse talent in the field of real estate development. This led to the founding of what became the Ross Program, contributing to 30 years of education, empowerment and celebration of diversity within real estate at its highest level.

The following graduates for the 2023 summer session received the crucial skills to navigate affordable housing, office, retail and mixed-use spaces. Graduates include:

Dennis Avila, Asset Management Analyst
Paula Brown, Founder and Principal, Millennial Estates
Susan Burroughs, MHA, Fache, Healthcare Executive
Stefano Coaloa, Owner, Elcano Construction Inc/Elcano Development, Inc.
Chelsea Everett, Management Consultant Manager, Accenture
Ruby Harris, Senior Director, Capital Solutions and Partnerships Enterprise Community Partners
Michelle Iarusso, Founder, Iarusso Legal APC
Jasper Joseph, Real Estate Broker & Co-owner, JD Emory, Inc.
Kalli Knight, Senior Associate, Colliers
Myles Mckee-Osibodu, Owner & President/CEO, M.O. Consulting, LLC
Roy Payan, Public Policy Expert, Disability Rights
Blake Taylor, Property Accountant, Asereth Medical Services, Inc.
Gabriela Vega, Community Development Manager, Decro Corporation
Christopher White, Lineman, Southern California Edison
Raekwon Williams, Rotational Program Analyst, Asset Management, TIAA
Kathlyn Wilson, Marketing Director, Skanska

The Ross Program continues to arm professionals with advanced real estate fundamentals and enables members of underrepresented groups and those that invest resources in emerging communities to further their careers. In the program’s 2023 summer session, 71 percent of graduates were African American, 59 percent were women and about 24 percent were Hispanic.

For more information or to apply for the 2024 Winter session, please visit https://lusk.usc.edu/ross.