The program begins this spring with 14 students
The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) has broadened its reach in higher education by introducing its Mortgage Banking Bound (MBB) program at Cleveland State University.
The program, which offers a three-credit undergraduate course on residential mortgage origination and processing, begins this spring with 14 students enrolled for the semester running from January 15 to late April.
The course is an elective for junior-standing and higher students in the Monte Ahuja College of Business.
It combines content from MBA Education’s School of Loan Origination and five self-study, web-based courses to prepare students for careers in mortgage banking, with a focus on loan origination and processing.
“I am excited that MBA’s successful, Mortgage Banking Bound program is expanding to Cleveland State University, offering students a fully-accredited course that kick-starts the possibility of having a fulfilling career in real estate finance,” said Laura Escobar, 2025 MBA chair and president of Lennar Mortgage.
Escobar also expressed gratitude to Professor Debbie Hoffman and the MBA member companies for their time, expertise, and financial support for the program.
Adjunct Professor Hoffman is leading the program. She is a visiting assistant professor of Law at Cleveland State University College of Law.
Select classes will feature instruction from professionals at MBA member companies, including Truist, Rocket Mortgage, Mphasis Digital Risk, LLC, and Union Home Mortgage. Other participating organizations include Rate, Citi, Ruoff Mortgage, NFM Lending, Howard Hanna Financial Services, and The Huntington National Bank.
Graduates of the program are expected to develop skills for entry-level roles and internships in the mortgage banking industry. Additionally, students will gain access to a network of over 2,000 MBA member companies.
In addition to Cleveland State University, the MBB program is offered at Barry University and Middle Tennessee State University, where students can pursue a 100-hour Executive Certificate Program or Level I certificate programs. MBA continues to explore opportunities to expand the program to other colleges and universities.
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