JLL Women in Real Estate 2023-2024 Recipients Revealed

TORONTO, March 11, 2024 – Celebrating the fifth edition of the JLL Women in Real Estate Award, JLL has partnered with leading Canadian universities to encourage female students looking to pursue commercial real estate careers. The JLL Women in Real Estate Award is granted to deserving recipients that have demonstrated good academic standing, leadership and involvement in their communities as selected by their respective schools.

“JLL is proud to celebrate the remarkable achievements of women in commercial real estate and continues to foster an inclusive culture, opportunities for professional growth and empower women to excel at every level of the industry”, said Diane Cunha, Head of Human Resources at JLL Canada. “This award not only enables us to empower deserving women to thrive in commercial real estate but also fuels our excitement to extend this opportunity to an even wider array of candidates in the future.”

“As a steadfast advocate for progress and growth, JLL remains committed to shaping the future of our industry by investing in top talent and nurturing their success,” said Paul Greven, Head of Legal at JLL Canada. “We take immense pride in our enduring partnership with universities across Canada year after year.”

JLL Canada is proud to recognize the following:

Alberta School of Business

Dayna Nelson

Bachelor of Commerce, Major in Business Economics & Law, Minor in French Language & Literature

“I would like to sincerely thank JLL for this generous award and the opportunity they are creating for women in the real estate industry. I received this award at a time when I had just recently purchased my first piece of real estate and it made a tremendous difference in the number of hours I had to work while taking a full course load in school. Real estate has always been of interest to me and post-graduation I hope to attend law school with a focus on property law."

Ted Rogers School of Management, Toronto Metropolitan University

Marisol Rivera, Bachelor of Commerce, Real Estate Management

"I would like to express my gratitude and sincere appreciation for supporting JLL for supporting my studies with the JLL Women in Real Estate Award. Receiving this award has not only allowed me to put more of my time and effort into studying and helping my family, rather than burdening them with tuition fees but has also tremendously helped with my goal of continuing my studies within a graduate program. At present, I am majoring in Real Estate Management and hope to minor in Geography, graduating in 2024. I am hoping to pursue a graduate degree related to Sustainable Development and later wish to study Real Estate Law, with the goal of entering the field of commercial real estate management and sustainable development. Few things in life are more important than a good education. Truly, thank you for supporting my efforts to attain my education!"

UBC Sauder School of Business

Anikha Khan, Bachelor of Commerce

“I am truly honoured to have been selected as a recipient of the JLL Women in Real Estate Award. This prestigious scholarship will help ease the financial burden of university, including my student exchange semester in Sydney, Australia next term and ultimately, contribute towards achieving my educational and professional aspirations. I am grateful that my academic dedication has been recognized in this very meaningful way. This award motivates me to continue doing my best, reinforcing my commitment to becoming successful in this field. I'm currently pursuing the Real Estate specialization at UBC Sauder and eager to continue gaining the knowledge and skills needed for this dynamic and evolving field. Growing up in Vancouver surrounded by beautiful new buildings and having numerous family members in the industry fueled my interest in real estate. Real estate's transformative power to shape communities is what excites me the most. After graduation in 2025, I hope to pursue a career at a local commercial real estate development company. The JLL Women in Real Estate Award is so impactful because it provides empowerment of female students pursuing careers in this traditionally male-dominated field. Once again, I would like to express my deepest gratitude for this generous contribution to my future. I am excited about the journey ahead and hope to create a positive impact in the real estate field and beyond.”

Kimberly Kavlekar, Bachelor of Commerce

“I am thrilled and grateful to have been selected for the JLL Women in Real Estate Award. Thank you so much to the JLL team for giving me this honour. This award will go a long way as I am currently in my third year and I plan to attend Law School after I graduate. My ultimate goal is to practice Commercial Real Estate Law. This scholarship means so much to me and will play a huge role in supporting my current and future academic goals. I chose to study real estate because of its interdisciplinary and dynamic nature. Particularly, my passion for addressing homelessness and promoting affordable housing fuels my commitment to harnessing real estate knowledge as a catalyst for positive change. I want to create sustainable solutions that contribute to community well-being. I understand that real estate is still a male-dominated industry, but I am committed to leveraging this opportunity to contribute to the progress of women in real estate. My involvement at UBC Sauder stretches from case competition planning to leading the Commerce Community service in volunteering initiatives for students, and fundraisers for charities. I have been volunteering since I was 10 years old, and it is something I value deeply. I strive to give back in every aspect of my life and hope to use business as a force for social good in my future career in real estate. With the support of JLL, I am inspired to leave my mark on the real estate landscape, working towards a future where women's contributions are not only recognized but celebrated as integral to the industry's success.”

Concordia University- John Molson School of Business

Julia Serpente, Bachelor of Commerce, Major in Marketing, Minor in Real Estate

“I am honoured to have been selected as a recipient of the JLL Women in Real Estate Award! Receiving this award motivates me to further my studies and work hard towards achieving my career goals. I am thankful to JLL for creating this award and inspiring the future leaders of the real estate industry.”

Justine Yelle, Bachelor of Commerce, Major in Finance, Minor in Real Estate

“I am extremely grateful to be a recipient of the JLL Women in Real Estate Scholarship. Receiving this scholarship is not only an incredible financial support but also a profound validation of my efforts and aspirations as I finish my studies. I would like to extend a warm thank you to JLL Real Estate for their valuable commitment to encouraging women within the real estate sector.”

Dayne Lebans, Major in Marketing, Minor in Real Estate

“I am honoured and grateful to be a recipient of the 2023-2024 JLL Women in Real Estate Award. This award has allowed me to focus more of my time on my schooling and athletics over the past year. After graduation this spring, I will be continuing my studies at Concordia University as a master’s student in marketing. I hope to apply my marketing knowledge to the development side of the commercial real estate industry. Thank you to JLL for supporting women in the field of real estate and promoting an inclusive workplace.”

Catherine Ferland, Bachelor of Commerce, Major in Finance, Minor in Real Estate

“I am sincerely grateful for being awarded the JLL Women in Real Estate Scholarship. With this generous support, I am excited to utilize the funds to advance my education and pursue my passion in the real estate industry. Your investment in my education fuels my determination to excel and make meaningful contributions in the industry.”

Université de Montréal

Meredith Nana, Master's in urban planning.

“I am very grateful to JLL for demonstrating its confidence in my potential. This scholarship is a real encouragement to persevere in my studies and make a place for myself in the real estate industry.”

Haskayne School of Business

Katie Faerge, Bachelor of Commerce, concentration in Real Estate Studies

‘I would like to extend my gratitude to JLL for this award. I am incredibly excited to be a part of the community of students entering the field of real estate and look forward to empowering other women in the industry. This award will enable me to dedicate more time to my studies, community engagement and building connections within the real estate industry during my final year of university.”

JLL Canada congratulates the 2023-2024 recipients of the JLL Women in Real Estate Award and looks forward to supporting more candidates in the future.