Grambling State University and Arizona State University recently teamed up for an informational session concerning real estate classes taken through ASU that are credited to GSU’s students' transcripts.
This panel conducting the session in the GSU Nursing Building auditorium on March 7 included event moderator Murphy Cheatham, a 1998 GSU graduate who is a real estate finance and fintech executive; Dr. Mark Stapp, director of Real Estate Programs at Arizona State’s W.P. Carey School of Business; Wayne Brown, founder and senior vice president of Brown Builders Inc., a development and property management company in Bossier City, Louisiana; Clifton Johnson, a 2002 GSU graduate and owner of Titan Realty Group; and Bonnie Moore, a 1979 GSU graduate who serves as director of Community Development for her native city of Shreveport, Louisiana.
The session held in GSU’s Betty E. Smith School of Nursing Building Auditorium spotlighted the university’s partnership with ASU’s W.P. Carey School of Business that enables eligible students from Grambling State to take real estate classes through Arizona State and have credits for those courses transferred to their Grambling transcript. The classes include Real Estate Fundamentals, Real Estate Appraisal, Real Estate Law, Real Estate Land Department, and Real Estate Investment.
Stapp pointed out the classes are offered online and are scheduled according to the students’ convenience.
“The five classes are offered via zoom. When setting up the schedule, the student’s Grambling existing schedule is taken into consideration, and we also work around the difference in time zones,” Stapp said.
Stapp challenged students to have an insatiable thirst for learning.
“Be a lifelong learner — do not stop learning,” Stapp said.
The program has already seen two students from Grambling enrolled in the ASU program — K’tricia Borum, a Mass Communication major with a minor in Marketing, and Kimberly Jackson, a Management major.
Borum said she was thankful to her professors who made her aware of the program and also provided her perspective on the program.
“I was not aware that even as a Mass Communication major, I could take Real Estate courses through ASU, therefore I would like to give credit to my teachers and thank them, especially Mrs. (Susan) Wiley (Student Success Instructor and lecturer with the Management and Marketing Department at GSU). For me, this program provides an opportunity like no other, and when opportunity knocks you open the door,” Borum said.
Jackson expressed her appreciation for GSU’s administration for making the program available.
“My favorite aspect of the program is the administration,” Jackson said. “They have been very helpful. At first, it was difficult to enroll because classes clashed with my Grambling schedule, but the administration worked with me until we found a way to make it work. I highly recommend that eligible students apply for the course.”
Grambling’s Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Connie Walton said that as administration they are looking forward to having more students take advantage of the partnership.
“We are hopeful that next fall we will have 15 to 20 students taking the Real Estate courses through this partnership,” Walton said.
GSU President Rick Gallot Jr. was thankful to Grambling alumnus and Arizona State University for making the partnership possible.
“To Mr. Murphy Cheatham II and our friends at Arizona State University, thank you for the investment of time and treasure in making these opportunities available for our students here at Grambling State University,” Gallot said.
Students who attended the information session said they were inspired to enroll in the program.
“I think this is an awesome opportunity for students and I definitely want to enroll before I graduate,” said junior marketing major Kayla Wiley.
“I am a graduating senior, so I still have to find out how I can apply and enroll. I will certainly be in contact with the relevant personnel,” said criminal justice and sociology major Skyy Harrison.
Wiley said the immediate response to the session explaining the program was strong.
"The response to the real estate information session has been great,” Wiley said. “Ten students are already planning to take the Real Estate Fundamentals course in the fall. The valuable knowledge, experiences and words of wisdom shared by our real estate experts introduced our students to various career opportunities in this field."
The program is open to all majors. For now, it is available in the spring and fall semesters. Interested students in enrolling may contact Wiley at email@example.com.