UNM Student Details Experience as a 2025 CREW Network Foundation Scholarship Recipient

In 2025, UNM student, Krista Garnand, was named a recipient of the Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Network Foundation student scholarship, a prestigious award granted to just 40 students across the United States and Canadian provinces. Krista was the only student from New Mexico selected and received a $5,000 scholarship, along with a six-month mentorship with a CREW Visionary, a CREW Network Student membership, and the opportunity to attend the 2025 CREW Network Convention, held October 8–10 in Austin, Texas.

Krista is currently a fourth-year student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in architecture with a minor in business management at the Anderson School of Management. She shared that her career path is rooted in her passion for design and creativity, paired with an equally strong interest in working closely with clients. For Krista, architecture is not only about creating buildings, but about developing designs that resonate with the people who use them.

Alongside her studies, Krista works as a student intern at Dekker, a local architecture firm. It was her coworkers who encouraged her to apply for the CREW scholarship, which required multiple essays and letters of recommendation. Additional guidance came from her participation in the Anderson School of Management Career Fair during the spring semester, where she connected with a previous CREW scholarship recipient who offered valuable advice on the application process.

Reflecting on her experience, Krista emphasized the impact of the CREW community and the opportunities it has opened for her.

“CREW itself is a really great organization,” she said. “I didn’t realize that when going into something like this, there are so many people that are willing to help you in your career and kind of push you forward.”

Attending the CREW Network Convention in Austin in October was a particularly meaningful experience for Krista. She had the opportunity to meet fellow scholarship recipients and accomplished professionals from across the commercial real estate field.

“It was really nice getting to go to Austin and being around like-minded people,” she said. “Meeting all the professionals in the field, especially women, and seeing how accomplished they can be and how they balance their work life and their family—it really opened up a whole new world of opportunities that I didn’t really know were out there.”

Originally from Santa Rosa, New Mexico, Krista explained how her hometown has shaped her aspirations to combine commercial real estate and architecture to help drive sustainable economic development in small towns.

For Krista, the scholarship represents more than financial support. It marked a turning point in her professional development and confidence as she prepares to enter the field of architecture and commercial real estate.

When asked about advice she would give to other students, Krista remarked, “Take every opportunity that is given to you. Just really make those connections with people. Those connections are really going to take you far.”

Krista is expected to graduate this May and expects to attend graduate school to receive her Master’s in architecture.