2025 DEI Scholarship Recipients
Bernard Ross and Kyra Petty are the two recipients of the 2025 AANC Diversity Equity and Inclusion Scholarship. The scholarship was established as an opportunity for multifamily housing industry professionals from historically underrepresented populations to participate in education and networking opportunities at the annual AANC Education & Legislative Conference.
Bernard Ross has been in the multifamily industry since 2021, when he was hired by Greystar as a leasing professional. Currently, he is a Leasing Consultant for the Hanover Company in Charlotte. Bernard believes that “DEI plays a vital role in professional development by fostering an inclusive and equitable environment where individuals from diverse backgrounds can thrive. A commitment to DE&I enhances collaboration, strengthens problem-solving abilities, and creates a more dynamic workplace culture. By embracing these principles, organizations and professionals alike can unlock innovative solutions, engage in more effective communication, and build stronger networks. Moreover, DE&I initiatives enable employees to develop their leadership potential by broadening their perspectives and understanding of different cultural, socioeconomic, and personal experiences.”
Kyra Petty grew up in Asheville, with a 12% African American population, and attended North Carolina A&T State University where she was part of the 81% African American student body. She currently is the Small Communities and Rental Homes Leasing Manager for Burkely Communities in Greensboro. Based on her varied experiences, she believes that “DE&l plays a deeper role in my professional development because I now understand and can appreciate the difference between being considered the minority and the majority. Growing up in a city that offered the bare minimum of diversity to then attending a 4-year university offering a new lens of inclusion changed my worldview. DE&I drive the objective of cultivating a collaborative and supportive work environment. I can progress and thrive in my professional development when these initiatives are being met. Evolving is understanding that inclusivity and equity are derived from diversity and it is the way to shift the thought process of being dormant in our ideals.”
Both 2025 Scholarship Recipients will receive paid entry to the 2025 Education and Legislative Conference in Raleigh (May 12-14, 2025), lodging, and a $100 stipend.