The Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate (MBIRE) at Roosevelt University in Chicago celebrated its 25th Annual Real Estate Gala on Oct. 22, raising $283,000, the most money raised by the event in its 25-year history.
Funds from the milestone event will go toward supporting scholarships, student programming, career development initiatives and industry engagement opportunities for MBIRE students.
“Thanks to the generous support from gala attendees and sponsors over the past 25 years, we have raised more than $6 million and helped more than 400 students graduate from our undergraduate and graduate real estate programs,” said Collete English Dixon, executive director of MBIRE. “They are doing exactly what the founders, advisors and board members of the institute hoped they would do: become leaders in the real estate industry in Chicago and beyond and make a difference in the communities they touch.”
The evening event honored 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award winner Robert “Bob” Wislow, chairman and chief executive officer of Parkside Realty Inc., and 2026 Rising Star Award recipient Melanie Jefferies, owner and principal of Milhouse Development and chief operating officer of engineering services at Milhouse Engineering and Construction.
MBIRE supporter Richard “Rick” Whitney, principal and vice president of FitzGerald, which has been a longtime gala sponsor, emphasized the institute’s value to the real estate industry and future workforce. “The Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate is a strong pipeline for talent,” said Whitney during the event. “It benefits firms like ours while helping educate and prepare the next generation of real estate professionals, which is just one of the reasons why we’re involved.”
The evening also featured two major announcements that underscore the institute’s commitment to real estate education. English Dixon unveiled plans for a new MBIRE graduate certificate program focused on housing and community development, scheduled to launch in fall 2027. The program will provide students with specialized knowledge in the policies and practices shaping equitable housing development and neighborhood investment.
She also announced MBIRE’s inaugural Chicago Housing Summit, scheduled for March 18, 2027, at Roosevelt University. Building on the institute’s Fogelson Forum series, the summit will host industry leaders, policymakers, housing agencies and community development organizations to address Chicago’s housing challenges amid federal policy shifts. Practitioner-led discussions will cover affordable housing finance, preservation of naturally occurring affordable housing, housing policy, density and strategies to expand supply.
“We are always evaluating our curriculum to make it timely and forward-thinking, and looking for opportunities to give our students a competitive edge,” said English Dixon. “This new graduate certificate reflects the institute’s commitment to social equity and social justice by preparing students to help address the challenges related to housing access and equitable community development that’s affecting not just Chicago, but most cities nationwide. Meanwhile, the Chicago Housing Summit is a rare and exciting opportunity to bring together our students and industry leaders for a full day of conversations and presentations focused on the challenges and opportunities of creating, preserving and expanding attainable housing in our city.”
