Schack Institute Spotlight: Graduating Student Series – Evelyn Tsai

Evelyn Tsai, who will be graduating with a BS in Real Estate from the NYU SPS Schack Institute of Real Estate, is this year’s youngest NYU graduate at 19 years of age. She is an international student from Taiwan, where her family is involved in real estate development. Here, she talks about her experience at NYU SPS, including her involvement with the Undergraduate Student Council as community service committee chair and serving as the alternate undergraduate senator.

What has been your favorite NYU SPS experience?
Even though our in-person education was interrupted by the pandemic, I am very grateful for my experience at the NYU SPS Schack Institute of Real Estate. Being an international student, it was very important to have the support of all of the wonderful administrators, faculty members, and other students who helped me to find a home here at NYU SPS—especially my adviser Susan McGowan. Our return to in-person classes and events has been amazing, making our senior year even more memorable.

Looking back at your NYU experience, what are you most proud of?
I am so proud that my friends and I have made it through the pandemic and were able to continue to pursue a higher education and earning our degrees on time. Also, I enjoyed my role on the Student Council, for which I helped organize and participated in many events at the School and in the local community. For example, we arranged to have members of the NYU SPS community volunteer at the 2021 NYC Marathon.

What was your favorite class at the Schack Institute of Real Estate and why?
I enjoyed all of my classes at Schack. From the core requirement courses to exciting electives and the incredible “Real World Prudential Center” course, it’s impossible to choose just one favorite because all the learning experiences were super fun, interactive, inspiring, and intellectually challenging. Schack faculty members are prominent experts in the field, bringing in their multidisciplinary backgrounds. They are so approachable to students, so I am very grateful for all of their wonderful support! I have had the opportunity to take several courses each with Professor Shawn Amsler and Professor Mary Ann Hallenborg. I really enjoyed those classes and the insights they provided.

What is something you wish you had known when you started at NYU SPS?
When I came from Taiwan to start at NYU SPS, I was nervous and worried about meeting new friends and being part of a new community, however, this community embraced me from the start. With my family thousands of miles away, the diversity and acceptance at the School helped me to find a piece of home here in New York City.

What are your plans after graduation?
At NYU SPS, through the minors I pursued, I found a passion for psychology, and now I hope to turn that into a career. I was recently accepted at Teachers College at Columbia University and will be pursuing a master’s degree in Cognitive Science there starting this fall.