USC ROSS PROGRAM IN REAL ESTATE EXPANDS FOCUS ON DIVERSITY IN 30TH YEAR
Created in response to the civil unrest of 1992, the program adjusts brand to promote inclusiveness among all professionals seeking to support urban communities
LOS ANGELES – RealEstateRama – The University of Southern California Ross Program in Real Estate, founded by USC and the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles (CRA) in response to the 1992 civil unrest that followed the acquittal of officers involved in the Rodney King beating, enters its fourth decade with a renewed focus on training professionals to build in underserved communities.
The program was founded at a time when South Los Angeles faced an unprecedented and immediate need for experienced real estate professionals to aid in its rebuilding. Since its launch in 1993, more than 1,000 people have completed the Ross Program. In the most recent session – Winter of 2022 – the class had an average age of 36 years old. Half of the enrollees were African-American.
Given this tradition, the program became known in recent years as the USC Ross Minority Program in Real Estate. However, since the program was created to provide an executive education experience that brings together professionals from diverse backgrounds to address the challenges of bringing life-changing developments to underserved communities, the name is changing so as to welcome ready to take up its mission.
“We want to signal the inclusiveness of our program,” said Richard Green, director of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate, which oversees the Ross Program. “We want to ensure that anyone seeking to do this important work – regardless of race, gender identification, and geography – feels welcome to join the program, learn from it, and contribute to the community because of it.”
The program title continues to ensure the inclusion of all professionals seeking to propel the program’s societal goals. It’s hoped that the re-brand will re-welcome a broader group of change-makers. The most recent class’s composition was five percent Middle Eastern and five percent Caucasian.
Applications are now being accepted for the summer session, which will begin in June. For more information or to apply, please visit https://lusk.usc.edu/ross.
About the USC Lusk Center: The University of Southern California Lusk Center for Real Estate seeks to advance real estate knowledge, inform business practice, and address timely issues that affect the real estate industry, the urban economy, and public policy. The Lusk Center produces relevant and timely real estate research, supports educational programs for students and executives, and convenes professional forums that bring together academics, students, business executives, and community leaders. For more information, please visit www.usc.edu/lusk.
