The Story of Us: Celebrating the Baker Program in Real Estate Class of 2024
With proud smiles and teary eyes, friends and loved ones watched as graduates crossed the stage to receive their Master’s Degree in Real Estate. In a ceremony where academic achievements shared the spotlight with heartfelt moments, Cornell’s Baker Program in Real Estate commemorated its Class of 2024 in an unforgettable way.
A Celebration of Gratitude and Community
This year’s ceremony was much more than “Pomp and Circumstance”; it was a celebration of our graduates and those who walked with them every step of the way. Faculty praised graduates for completing their Master’s program and paid homage to professors, administrators, parents, siblings, alums, and friends who helped make this accomplishment a reality. Partners and spouses of graduating students were individually acknowledged by name, recognizing them as honorary members of the 2024 cohort.
Another particularly touching moment was when the children of graduates, fondly referred to as the program’s “Baker Babies,” were invited on stage. The Syarifuddin family, with two children, and the Alvarez del Castillo family, two expecting parents, were given graduate goodie bags to celebrate the occasion.
Abdullah Syarifuddin (left) and Ricardo Alvarez del Castillo (right) pose with their families, who have been instrumental in their endeavors.
Reflecting Back and Looking Onward
In addition to messages from Stuart Rosenthal, Chair of the Paul Rubacha Department of Real Estate, and Chris de Mestre, Professor of Practice, students were left with final words of wisdom. As Cody Danks Burke, Director of the Baker Program, aptly noted, “Years after you graduate, the financial models and the real estate cases will be a bit foggy in your memory, and what I taught you in my transactions class will have evolved, but you will always remember and cherish your experiences here with others and the life-long relationships you’ve developed during your time at Cornell.“
Stuart Rosenthal (right) provided kind remarks with other distinguished faculty members for the celebration.
Presenting the Class of 2024
Congratulations to our graduates! Your journey at Cornell has equipped you with knowledge, memories, and relationships that will last a lifetime. We encourage you to stay connected with the program, continue supporting your community, and share your success stories with us.
Ricardo Alvarez del Castillo
Jennifer Andrea
Ariadne Billy
Grace Chen
Daniel Chen
Melanie Gonzalez Mujica
Rane He
Alice Hu
Rohit Kharche
Vedant Khatod
Austin Kim
Christian A. LeBlanc
Marco Matius
Adnan Solanki
Abdullah Syarifuddin
Roberto Teran Alcantara
Una Wang
Dharma Wibowo
Chloe Xiang
Derek Yen
Bernice Yu
Faculty members pose with the Baker Program in Real Estate Class 2024.
The Baker Program in Real Estate is one of the premier institutions specializing in real estate education. With the most prominent full-time real estate faculty, a proven track record of career success, and a network of partnerships spanning the globe, our two-year residential graduate program equips students with the tools they need for a rich future in commercial real estate development and investment. Our unique blend of real-world learning, international experiences, and a robust curriculum ensures our graduates are well-prepared to significantly impact the industry.
