The University of Maryland’s School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation welcomes Dr. Maria Day-Marshall, a 30-year veteran of housing policy, government and finance, as the new director of the school’s Real Estate Development Program [MRED]. Day-Marshall was most recently the interim executive director and general counsel for D.C.’s Housing Finance Agency. She has held leadership, development and advisory positions for several housing and financial groups, including Fannie Mae and the Columbia Equity Financial Corporation, and served as Treasurer, Deputy Treasurer and Debt Manager for the District of Columbia. Day-Marshall has garnered a number of awards for her work and commitment to public service. She holds a Juris Doctor from the Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America, and a Master of Laws in Taxation from the Georgetown University Law Center.
Day-Marshall is not a stranger to UMD’s campus or the real estate program; she has taught a graduate-level course on capital markets and real estate investments for nearly a decade. Her depth and breadth of experience in real estate development and government policy position her as an expert in the rapidly-growing D.C. region, affording students valuable perspectives on complex topics, such as affordable housing, government finance and debt management.
Day-Marshall takes over program responsibilities from Dr. Margaret McFarland, who was the founding director of the real estate development graduate program. Launched in 2006, UMD’s program was only the sixth program of its kind in the U.S. Says McFarland, “I am so delighted that the MRED program will continue to evolve to best serve students and the real estate industry under the capable hands of an admired colleague such as Maria Day-Marshall.” McFarland will continue her position as Director of the Colvin Institute until her retirement in February 2018.
“Maria has been a wonderful asset as an adjunct professor and member of the Colvin Council of Advisors and we are thrilled to have her in this new role,” said Sonia Hirt, Dean of the School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. “She is an incredibly accomplished individual who will continue to build the first-class program Margaret has developed during her tenure.”