A lot of things played into my experience. A lot of women I know had this happen—choosing a career and starting over again. It was an opportunity to either cower down or reinvent myself. I had to work twice as hard as everybody else to prove myself in the program. The first week, I made a decision that I would have to work harder to keep up with everybody because these were professionals who had industry experience; I didn't even know how to do a bibliography. There were up on technology, and I wasn't.

As far as being a woman, there were more challenges. My personality is pretty reserved, and I was told pretty early on by a professor, “You need to speak up. Spotlight yourself because you're dealing with all these aggressive men.” I felt pretty uncomfortable with that because that wasn't me. I was fighting that battle for an entire year—the public-speaking part of it especially, which I had not done regularly—and having credibility. The professor said that speaking up gives you credibility and confidence.

As women, we tend to diminish our accomplishments, and I saw points where I was doing that. At one point, I was giving a presentation to the class, and the entire class loved it, but I thought I was only about 80% prepared and could have done better. I found myself diminishing my presentation. I don't know if that's a female thing. But it was a one-year program, and you don't have a lot of time to come out of your shell and observe. I saw where all of that was coming from, but it put a lot of pressure on me. One woman in our class was very outgoing and comes across as very confident, and I pushed myself to be more like that. My biggest challenge throughout the year was to prove I was able to be in that room with the men, that I was qualified. No one acted like they were reserved, so if they were, everyone did a good job of faking it.

GlobeSt.com: What opportunities did the MSRE program offer you, and how did the program and the BMC help enhance and propel your career in real estate?

Muniz: I definitely attribute my current success to the program. When I first applied, one of the motivating factors in choosing USD versus NYU was the strong networking community here. USD is highly regarded among real estate companies here in the area, and it played a lot in my decision to attend. I was so impressed with their follow-through and commitment to their students.

Jackie Greulich is a career counselor for the master's program, and she was always available for me to talk about my goals. To get a degree was important to me because of gap in my employment. I felt I was not 100% equipped to show my experience, but networking was important in order to meet people, have them get to know me and my work ethic—what I was about—and convince them to give me a shot. That's why I have my job now.

One of the projects we were given as part of the development class was we had to go out and meet people and have them show us the ropes on this project. Because I was with USD, people opened their doors and said, “Sure come in.” Without that, I don't think I would have had that opportunity. Once I said USD master's program, they said come in. Imet with VPs who came in and went over my proforma, and one of those people introduced me to my current boss. I had applied to this job without that introduction, but without this VP's call, it wouldn't have happened.

I'd never been a good networker before, but they stressed that and said to use it. I go to a lot of conferences in a lot of places, and I know so many people because of my affiliation with the MSRE program and all I've done with them. I got to meet so many people in the year I was there, so many people I know—and whom I don't even know, but had had heard about me. My internship came from USD as well. It was a job at the San Diego Housing Commission, posted on USD's career site. They heard I was an MSRE grad student and took me in quickly. Had I not had my opportunity to work there, I wouldn't have this job now.

There are so many things USD has done for me. The professors' accessibility and willingness to help inside and outside the classroom was amazing—inviting me to board meetings and introducing me to important people in the community so they can get to know who I am. It's unbelievable to me how many times they tried to get me out there to support my goal.

GlobeSt.com: What is the greatest take-away you had from the MSRE program?

Muniz: Have you ever heard of the phrase in real estate, “always be closing”? I've learned through the MSRE program to “always be curious,” to think outside the box. Dr. Miller, especially, did a lot of research, and I edited his real estate sustainability book for the fall and spring semester. The more he exposed me to networking events, the whole gamut of it, just made me want to know more—not just in San Diego, but globally. I went to MIPIM and learned how to blog and did so many things I'd never done before, and that inspired me to want to continue on that path. I have my degree and don't need to research or network anymore because I have the job I wanted from the beginning—exactly the job I had envisioned for myself—yet because of that program, I feel I always need to be learning, to better my community. I don't want to be stagnant like I was before that program. I worked so hard at the program, I don't want it to end; I want to be the best me. The professors just make me want to be a better me. I have a commitment to myself, and I will always be curious, learn more and research more and not be content with what I have for myself.

GlobeSt.com: In what ways do you wish to leave your mark as a woman in real estate?

Muniz: I'm not sure if this relates to just being a woman, but I'm looking into establishing a scholarship at USD for women. I'm still in the thought processes of it—I'm not sure if it should be for women or just for USD because I'm so appreciative of what USD did for me. I want to believe that men have just as good experiences there in the MSRE program as I did.

But for women in particular, I want women to just always sit at the table. Don't sit at the back—sit front and center, and assert yourself. It's easier said than done, but don't assume you're not invited to the table. Some women assume they're not important enough. At this company, I am the most junior person here, but those people sometimes bring a whole new perspective on things. Don't be afraid to offer your opinion and just sit at the table—you belong there. If you're hired at your company and have the position, you have the credibility.

I don't feel worthy sometimes, and I have to remind myself that I have the job and don't sit at the back of the room as though I'm not as important as everyone else. I have to constantly talk to myself like that. As a woman who put my dreams aside for my husband and family to be best overall person to support other people, I say don't give up on yourself.

My husband is about to retire; I don't have to work; I didn't have to go back and get my master's, but I always thought I'd have a powerful career. Before I did the program, when my son was applying for college, I was telling him what he needs to do to be desirable, and he asked me if I did that, and I gave him a bunch of excuses for why I didn't follow my dream. So, I took my own advice and took the painful GMATs—that was very challenging. There are a lot of women in the military especially who stayed home and travelled with their husband and think, “I'd love to do that, but I'm too old, my husband's retired and the kids grown.” Don't give up on yourself. Just because you're a woman doesn't mean you're done.

SAN DIEGO—“My biggest challenge during my year in USD's MSRE program was proving to myself that I deserved to be in that room with the men,” Michelle Muniz, an executive in real estate development for Affirmed Housing, tells GlobeSt.com. Following the Burnham-Moores Center's recent Women in Real Estate Conference here, we spoke exclusively with Muniz, who graduated this year from the MSRE program at the BMC at the University of San Diego's School of Business, about what it was like to be a female student in such a male-dominated environment.

GlobeSt.com: What was it like to be a female MSRE student pursuing a career in real estate?

Muniz: I remember that the first day I attended class was very intimidating. There were only two other women in the class, 20 students total. I am 43, so I believe I was the oldest in the class, and that played a part in it being intimidating as well.

Deciding to go back to school after almost 20 years, being in a room full of young men and these amazing professors well known in their industry and facing a new career was all very intimidating. I kept thinking I don't know much about this, and I felt like I would get eaten alive. The first day set me up mentally and emotionally, and I felt like I needed to toughen up really quickly. That was a big challenge for me. My husband was active-duty military, I had been travelling with him and hadn't worked for eight years and we have three children.

A lot of things played into my experience. A lot of women I know had this happen—choosing a career and starting over again. It was an opportunity to either cower down or reinvent myself. I had to work twice as hard as everybody else to prove myself in the program. The first week, I made a decision that I would have to work harder to keep up with everybody because these were professionals who had industry experience; I didn't even know how to do a bibliography. There were up on technology, and I wasn't.

As far as being a woman, there were more challenges. My personality is pretty reserved, and I was told pretty early on by a professor, “You need to speak up. Spotlight yourself because you're dealing with all these aggressive men.” I felt pretty uncomfortable with that because that wasn't me. I was fighting that battle for an entire year—the public-speaking part of it especially, which I had not done regularly—and having credibility. The professor said that speaking up gives you credibility and confidence.

As women, we tend to diminish our accomplishments, and I saw points where I was doing that. At one point, I was giving a presentation to the class, and the entire class loved it, but I thought I was only about 80% prepared and could have done better. I found myself diminishing my presentation. I don't know if that's a female thing. But it was a one-year program, and you don't have a lot of time to come out of your shell and observe. I saw where all of that was coming from, but it put a lot of pressure on me. One woman in our class was very outgoing and comes across as very confident, and I pushed myself to be more like that. My biggest challenge throughout the year was to prove I was able to be in that room with the men, that I was qualified. No one acted like they were reserved, so if they were, everyone did a good job of faking it.

GlobeSt.com: What opportunities did the MSRE program offer you, and how did the program and the BMC help enhance and propel your career in real estate?

Muniz: I definitely attribute my current success to the program. When I first applied, one of the motivating factors in choosing USD versus NYU was the strong networking community here. USD is highly regarded among real estate companies here in the area, and it played a lot in my decision to attend. I was so impressed with their follow-through and commitment to their students.

Jackie Greulich is a career counselor for the master's program, and she was always available for me to talk about my goals. To get a degree was important to me because of gap in my employment. I felt I was not 100% equipped to show my experience, but networking was important in order to meet people, have them get to know me and my work ethic—what I was about—and convince them to give me a shot. That's why I have my job now.

One of the projects we were given as part of the development class was we had to go out and meet people and have them show us the ropes on this project. Because I was with USD, people opened their doors and said, “Sure come in.” Without that, I don't think I would have had that opportunity. Once I said USD master's program, they said come in. Imet with VPs who came in and went over my proforma, and one of those people introduced me to my current boss. I had applied to this job without that introduction, but without this VP's call, it wouldn't have happened.

I'd never been a good networker before, but they stressed that and said to use it. I go to a lot of conferences in a lot of places, and I know so many people because of my affiliation with the MSRE program and all I've done with them. I got to meet so many people in the year I was there, so many people I know—and whom I don't even know, but had had heard about me. My internship came from USD as well. It was a job at the San Diego Housing Commission, posted on USD's career site. They heard I was an MSRE grad student and took me in quickly. Had I not had my opportunity to work there, I wouldn't have this job now.

There are so many things USD has done for me. The professors' accessibility and willingness to help inside and outside the classroom was amazing—inviting me to board meetings and introducing me to important people in the community so they can get to know who I am. It's unbelievable to me how many times they tried to get me out there to support my goal.

GlobeSt.com: What is the greatest take-away you had from the MSRE program?

Muniz: Have you ever heard of the phrase in real estate, “always be closing”? I've learned through the MSRE program to “always be curious,” to think outside the box. Dr. Miller, especially, did a lot of research, and I edited his real estate sustainability book for the fall and spring semester. The more he exposed me to networking events, the whole gamut of it, just made me want to know more—not just in San Diego, but globally. I went to MIPIM and learned how to blog and did so many things I'd never done before, and that inspired me to want to continue on that path. I have my degree and don't need to research or network anymore because I have the job I wanted from the beginning—exactly the job I had envisioned for myself—yet because of that program, I feel I always need to be learning, to better my community. I don't want to be stagnant like I was before that program. I worked so hard at the program, I don't want it to end; I want to be the best me. The professors just make me want to be a better me. I have a commitment to myself, and I will always be curious, learn more and research more and not be content with what I have for myself.

GlobeSt.com: In what ways do you wish to leave your mark as a woman in real estate?

Muniz: I'm not sure if this relates to just being a woman, but I'm looking into establishing a scholarship at USD for women. I'm still in the thought processes of it—I'm not sure if it should be for women or just for USD because I'm so appreciative of what USD did for me. I want to believe that men have just as good experiences there in the MSRE program as I did.

But for women in particular, I want women to just always sit at the table. Don't sit at the back—sit front and center, and assert yourself. It's easier said than done, but don't assume you're not invited to the table. Some women assume they're not important enough. At this company, I am the most junior person here, but those people sometimes bring a whole new perspective on things. Don't be afraid to offer your opinion and just sit at the table—you belong there. If you're hired at your company and have the position, you have the credibility.

I don't feel worthy sometimes, and I have to remind myself that I have the job and don't sit at the back of the room as though I'm not as important as everyone else. I have to constantly talk to myself like that. As a woman who put my dreams aside for my husband and family to be best overall person to support other people, I say don't give up on yourself.

My husband is about to retire; I don't have to work; I didn't have to go back and get my master's, but I always thought I'd have a powerful career. Before I did the program, when my son was applying for college, I was telling him what he needs to do to be desirable, and he asked me if I did that, and I gave him a bunch of excuses for why I didn't follow my dream. So, I took my own advice and took the painful GMATs—that was very challenging. There are a lot of women in the military especially who stayed home and travelled with their husband and think, “I'd love to do that, but I'm too old, my husband's retired and the kids grown.” Don't give up on yourself. Just because you're a woman doesn't mean you're done.