By Mira Radovich, Senior Contributing Writer
After successfully completing Rio Salado College’s two-course Insurance Studies Summer Camp program, Kristi Lawhead realized she wanted to learn more.
So when Lawhead heard about Rio’s Real Estate: Prelicense certificate program through a social media post, she jumped at the chance to enroll.
“I have always been interested in real estate and love looking at historical homes and going to open houses,” Lawhead said. “And I was very happy with Rio’s insurance program, so I thought I would give the real estate program a try. I also liked that it could be completed quickly and online.”
The Real Estate: Prelicense program is made up of two 3-credit courses and a half credit contract writing seminar.
The program is designed to prepare students to meet the requirements to take the Arizona State Real Estate Salesperson's Exam.
Lawhead enjoyed the program and the people she met, from staff, instructors and fellow students.
“The courses for real estate were great,” Lawhead said. “We would meet one night a week from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Our instructor was excellent and always made time for questions. I was able to take all three courses back-to-back. For 34 weeks, we all became a real estate family.”
Lawhead said she learned about more than just real estate in the program.
“The courses are so much more than real estate,” Lawhead said. “They covered history, law, finance, and even discussed the importance of having a will. I feel like the information learned in these courses would benefit any career.”
Online learning was an important aspect of the real estate program for Lawhead, who is juggling school with caregiving responsibilities.
“I have been taking care of family issues,” Lawhead said. “My mom is in hospice with end stage dementia. With online classes, I can do school work anytime I want to. If I cannot sleep, I can jump on the computer and work on my assignments or simply prepare for the upcoming assignments.”
Lawhead’s routine worked perfectly. She excelled in her classes, joining the Rio Salado chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society. She just completed her Associate in Applied Science in General Business, and will be celebrating that achievement at Rio Salado’s commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 2, 2024 at Arizona Financial Theater in Phoenix.
She will be pursuing another associate degree Rio while also studying for her real estate licensing exam.
“The cost and convenience of Rio Salado is excellent,” she said. “I really enjoy Rio, and would recommend Rio to future students because it is a great school. The instructors and staff are helpful and want to see you succeed, and the variety of classes is fantastic.”
For now, Lawhead is grateful she saw the social media post that put her on track for a new career.
“I have been looking for a career, not just a job,” Lawhead said. “These courses helped me figure out what my passion is. I am confident I will be successful, and I look forward to seeing this all come to fruition.”
The Next Real Estate Certificate Cohort Begins April 30
The first class for the next Real Estate: Prelicense cohort is REA179 Real Estate Principles I. Section #17327 runs from April 30-Aug. 17, and meets via Zoom on Tuesdays from 5:30-8:30 p.m. If you are interested in the program, or have questions, please contact Accounting and Small Business Faculty Chair Dr. Lily Davidov at lily.davidov@riosalado.edu.