Schack Institute Spotlight: Graduating Student Series - Miranda Chen

Miranda Chen will graduate with a BS in Real Estate from the NYU SPS Schack Institute of Real Estate. During her time at NYU SPS, she was involved in the Schack Real Estate Club and the Stern Real Estate Group, served as a social impact consultant with NYU Net Impact - N.I.C.E. Consulting, and was a committee member for Schack’s National Women in Real Estate Symposium. Chen, who also represented NYU at the 2021 Mulroy Real Estate Challenge, where her team reached the semi-finals and helped spearhead the creation of an Undergraduate Women in Real Estate (UWiRE) group at NYU SPS, shares her thoughts on her experiences at the Schack Institute of Real Estate here.

What has been your favorite Schack Institute of Real Estate Experience?
My favorite experience at Schack, SPS, and NYU has been getting to know (and make friends with!) people from all walks of life. What I loved about being here was the fact that there is no typical “NYU student;” everybody comes from a different experience and has other interests, hobbies, and perspectives on life. As somebody who loves meeting and learning about people, earning my degree at Schack has provided me with an unparalleled environment to broaden my horizons and interact with students who challenge my perspectives and opinions. I have made many friends from the various situations I was involved in at Schack and across NYU, relationships that I cherish deeply.

Looking back at your NYU experience, what are you most proud of?
I am most proud of becoming involved in issues that I care about instead of just doing extracurricular activities for resume building. I have loved getting engaged in topics ranging from sustainability to diversity and women’s advancement in the workforce. I plan to remain involved with these issues post-graduation.

What was your favorite class and why?
While I have loved many of my classes at NYU (especially those at Schack), my favorite one has been a Gallatin interdisciplinary seminar called “The Politics of Work,” which I took with Professor Rosanne Kennedy during the spring semester of my sophomore year. As somebody who has diverse interests beyond real estate, her class opened my eyes to issues I had not previously considered and changed my perspective on many aspects of life I take for granted. I enjoyed the material and loved the debate and open-ended discussions in each class. I made many of my closest friends in that class, and I would highly recommend any seminar she teaches to all students, regardless of their major.

What is something you wish you had known when you started the Schack Institute and NYU?
Something I wish I had known before I started at NYU is that it’s much easier to build a community than you often hear about. I have found that people at the Schack Institute, SPS, and across the University are warm and always open to connecting and making new friends— you just can’t be afraid of reaching out first! I am proud that I will graduate having built and surrounded myself with a community that inspires and supports both me and others, and I am eternally grateful to NYU for providing me with that environment and opportunity.

What are your plans for after graduation?
After graduation, I will be returning as a full-time analyst to Deutsche Bank’s Commercial Real Estate Group in New York, where I interned the previous summer. While graduation is undoubtedly bittersweet, I am excited to stay in the city and I am looking forward to starting the next chapter of my life!