Real Estate Scholarships

In 1978, Ross Wheeler created the Urban A. Denker Scholarship Fund on behalf of the Wheeler, Kelly & Hagny Investment Company. Their original scholarship memorialized Urban Denker, former president of the company and a real estate professional with the firm for more than 50 years. Mr. Denker was responsible for the development of many early subdivisions on the eastside of Wichita. Following the passing of Earl Graves, another member of the firm and developer for more than 40 years, the scholarship was renamed the Denker-Graves Scholarship/Fellowship in Real Estate. The scholarship serves as a lasting tribute to Mr. Denker and Mr. Graves and their contributions to the City of Wichita.

The Denker-Graves Scholarship in Real Estate annually supports a student majoring in real estate that demonstrates need, leadership skills, and demonstrates the potential for meaningful contribution to the real estate profession and industry. Scholarship applications are typically due by mid-February each year.

Scholarship guidelines:

1. One (1) scholarship will be awarded annually to a student enrolled full time at Wichita State University in the W. Frank Barton School of Business.
2. No recipient will be excluded from consideration based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, status as a veteran or disability.
3. Recipient must be enrolled in a major with an emphasis in Real Estate.
4. Recipient must have involvement in real estate organizations such as, but not restricted to, the Rho Epsilon Real Estate Fraternity.
5. Priority consideration will be given to overall ability and achievement as opposed to grade point average alone.
6. Priority consideration will be given to leadership qualities, participation and service to the real estate  program, the college and the university, and the student’s potential for making a meaningful contribution to the real estate profession and industry.
7. Award will be made without regard to financial need.
8. The Scholarship Office, a department within the Division of Campus Life and University Relations of Wichita State University, will administer the scholarship and make the award based on the recommendation submitted by the director of the Center for Real Estate and the W. Frank Barton School of Business.
9. The scholarship may be renewed as long as the recipient continues to meet the above criteria.

The J. Roscoe Williams Memorial Scholarship is a permanently endowed gift in honor of the life of Mr. J. Roscoe Williams.

J. Roscoe Williams was born in Harper County, Kan., in 1910. Following graduation from Conway Springs High School, he studied at the American Business College in Wichita. He went to work for Federal Land Bank of Wichita and married Iva Geraldine “Jeri” Chitwood on June 9, 1935. During World War II, he joined the United States Navy and served aboard a tanker for 26 months until he was honorably discharged following the war’s end.

In 1951, Mr. Williams entered the residential field of real estate by assisting with the foundation of Wichita Realty Inc. where he served as the organization’s president until its dissolution. He also served as president of the Wichita Board of Realtors in 1959 and for three years was a commissioner on the local housing authority board. He was a member of the former Wichita Area Homebuilders Association and held life memberships in the National Federation of Music clubs.

In November 1977, Mr. Williams passed away. His wife died shortly thereafter in December. A bequeath from their estate established the J. Roscoe Williams Memorial Scholarship. For many years, this fund has greatly assisted real estate students while perpetuating the memory of Mr. Williams.

The scholarship is meant to support a declared real estate major in their junior or senior year at Wichita State University. Scholarship applications are typically due by mid-February each year.

Scholarship guidelines:

1. A scholarship will be awarded annually to a student enrolled full or part time at Wichita State University in the W. Frank Barton School of Business.
2. No recipient will be excluded from consideration based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, status as a veteran or disability.
3. The recipient must be declared in a major with an emphasis in real estate.
4. The recipient will be of junior or senior standing.
5. The recipient must be in good academic standing in the School of Business.
6. The award will be given without regard to financial need.
7. The Scholarship Office, a department within the Division of Student Affairs of Wichita State University, will administer the scholarship and make the award based on the recommendation approved by the Center for Real Estate.
8. The scholarship may be renewed for one (1) year if awarded to a student at the junior level.

Kevin Polite was born and raised in Wichita, Kansas and received his bachelor’s in marketing from Wichita State University in 1985 and master’s in real estate and marketing from Georgia State University in 1997. While he has lived in Atlanta for more than 30 years, Wichita and WSU have always remained special places to him. He started his own real estate company, HausZwei Homes, in 2011.

By establishing this gift, he hopes to help pave the way for future generations of minority real estate entrepreneurs and professionals and encourage them to explore the vast and varied opportunities that are available in both commercial and residential real estate. Additionally, Kevin hopes his gift will instill and inspire the importance of paying it forward when and if you are able to. His generosity will strengthen opportunities for students in the W. Frank Barton School of Business through need-based scholarship support.

Scholarship guidelines:

1. Scholarship(s) will be awarded annually to an undergraduate student(s) enrolled full or part time at Wichita State University in the W. Frank Barton School of Business pursuing a degree in real estate.
2. No recipient will be excluded from consideration on the basis of age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, political affiliation, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a veteran.
3. Scholarship(s) will be awarded to two students each academic year in the amount of $1,000 per student.
4. Award(s) will be made with regard to financial need.
5. Recipient(s) must meet and maintain the academic eligibility criteria determined by their college.
6. All students are eligible to apply, but preference will be given to an African American real estate student(s).
7. The Scholarship Office of Wichita State University will administer the scholarship(s) and make the award(s) based on the recommendation(s) submitted by the W. Frank Barton School of Business and the Center for Real Estate.
8. The scholarship(s) may be not be automatically renewed but the current recipient(s) may re-apply.

This annual scholarship was established in 2011 by noted real estate developer and WSU alumnus Stephen L. Clark in honor of his father and in order to support WSU students with a demonstrated interest in a commercial real estate career. The scholarship is awarded by Wichita State University in consultation with the Kansas CCIM Chapter, the preeminent group of commercial real estate practitioners in central Kansas. CCIM stands for Certified Commercial Investment Member, a premier designation for commercial real estate professionals. As a part of the scholarship, the recipient is encouraged to participate in the numerous events hosted by the Kansas CCIM Chapter. Scholarship applications are typically due by mid-February each year.

Scholarship guidelines:

1. One (1) scholarship will be awarded annually to a student enrolled preferably full time at Wichita State University, W. Frank Barton School of Business, Center for Real Estate.
2. No recipient will be excluded from consideration based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, status as a veteran or disability.
3. Preference will be given to a student with demonstrated interest in a career in commercial real estate. Interest can be demonstrated by an emphasis in real estate, current employment in commercial real estate, participation in extracurricular activities related to commercial real estate (e.g., professional real estate student groups), or other evidence as may be provided by the applicant.
4. The Kansas CCIM Chapter may present potential candidates for the scholarship. Such candidates must meet all other relevant guidelines in order to be considered for the award.
5. Recipient will be at least a sophomore in standing. In rare instances, non-degree bound students may be considered for the award (e.g., a recent graduate who will be taking WSU real estate courses to further a career in commercial real estate).
6. Grade point average and other measures of academic performance will be significant factors in selecting the recipient of the scholarship.
7. The award will be given without regard to financial need.
8. The recipient will be expected to participate in Kansas CCIM Chapter events during the term of this award.
9. The WSU Center for Real Estate and the Kansas CCIM Chapter will issue a press release and/or other relevant publicity materials each year when the scholarship is awarded.
10. The Scholarship Office, a department within the Division of Campus Life and University Relations of Wichita State University, will administer the scholarship and make the award based on the recommendation submitted by the W. Frank Barton School of Business.
11. The scholarship will not be automatically renewed, but past recipients are welcome to reapply. An individual student may receive the scholarship no more than twice.

This scholarship honors Nestor R. Weigand, Jr. and Hobert C. Brady, two distinguished members of the Wichita Area Association of Realtors®, both of whom have served as presidents of the National Association. The scholarship was established in 1989 through a gift from Wichita Area Association of Realtors® (now the Realtors® of South Central Kansas). Scholarship applications are typically due by mid-February each year.

Scholarship guidelines:

1. One (1) scholarship will be awarded annually, preferably at the beginning of the fall semester, to a student enrolled full time at Wichita State University in the W. Frank Barton School of Business.
2. No recipient will be excluded from consideration based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, status as a veteran or disability.
3. Recipient must be a U. S. citizen and a Kansas resident.
4. Recipient must be a full time undergraduate student at the sophomore level or above.
5. Recipient must be enrolled in a major with an emphasis in real estate and have a GPA of 2.5 or above.
6. The recipient will be selected by a committee comprised of the President and Executive Vice President of the Wichita Area Association of Realtors and the director of the Center for Real Estate.
7. In any given year, the selection committee may choose not to expend the full amount authorized by the WSU Foundation. At the committee’s option, and with the approval of the WSU Foundation, the unspent portion may be carried over and awarded the following year.
8. The Scholarship Office, a department within the Division of Student Affairs of Wichita State University, will administer the scholarship and make the award based on the recommendation submitted by the selection committee referred to above.
9. Award will be made for a one year period. Former recipients are not eligible to re-apply.

In 1986, Betty Loraine Stauffer established a scholarship in memory of her late husband, Walter. He was a member of the former Wichita Area Homebuilders Association and a well-known local residential developer. The memorial scholarship was created in support of W. Frank Barton School of Business students pursing degrees in real estate and land use economics.

Mrs. Stauffer, herself, was a student of Wichita State University where she completed nearly all the requirements for a bachelor’s degree. She maintained an interest in WSU theatre and art and was very active in the international student exchange program. She typically hosted a student in her own home each year and at one time was a district coordinator for 12 homes. Mrs. Stauffer passed away in January 2006.

The Walter & Betty Stauffer Scholarship supports a student, regardless of financial need, in their studies of real estate and land use economics. The fund was established in 1986 with an initial gift from Mrs. Walter L. Stauffer in honor of her husband. Scholarship applications are typically due by mid-February each year.

Scholarship guidelines:

1. A scholarship will be awarded annually to a student enrolled full or part time at Wichita State University, W. Frank Barton School of Business, in the Department of Finance, Real Estate & Decision Sciences.
2. No recipient will be excluded from consideration based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, status as a veteran or disability.
3. Recipient should demonstrate an interest in pursuing a major with an emphasis in real estate and land use economics.
4. Consideration will be given to high school performance, college potential and leadership qualities.
5. Award will be made without regard to financial need.
6. Preference should be given to students from the State of Kansas.
7. The Scholarship Office, a department within the Division of Student Affairs of Wichita State University, will administer the scholarship and make the award based on the recommendation submitted by the real estate area of the Department of Finance, Real Estate and Decision Science.
8. The scholarship is renewable if the student maintains satisfactory academic progress.
9. It is not mandatory that students repay their scholarship grant, however, recipients should consider the privilege of making contributions to help in the perpetuation of this scholarship fund whenever possible, in gratitude so that others who follow have the same opportunity to use this fund.

The Women in Commercial Real Estate Scholarship is awarded to a female student working toward a degree in real estate who demonstrates an interest in pursuing a career in a field connected to commercial real estate.