PCSD

Who did you meet with today?

Today we met with Gregory Hunter, Albero Beroul, Amber Merrigan, Rebecca Scalfaro, Benjamin Lewis, Shelia Mellenthin, and Morgan Parker. They provided insight into their current occupations.

Where do they work? What does the company do?

All of the experts we met work side by side at Colliers. While they all have different positions, they all get along as a big friend group, with Gregory having a lead role as Vice President, Albero being the Operations Manager, Amber stepping up as a representative for landlords and tenants, Rebecca offering herself as a backup broker and assistant for all sorts of tasks, Benjamin being one of thirteen research analysts, Sheila demonstrating her skills as Marketing Manager, and Morgan working as another competitive research analyst. Colliers serves as a top nationwide and international commercial real estate company, offering a broad range of services, including real estate brokerage, property management, capital markets, engineering, and investment management, serving property owners, occupiers, and investors.

What did you learn today? What were some highlights?

Today, we learned just how important each individual’s role is, how everyone pulls their own weight when it comes to real estate as well as how Colliers offers its services to a diverse clientele, including small businesses, schools, individuals, government agencies, and global brands. Some highlights we experienced include getting to know a part of the Colliers team and learning about each of their members’ personal hobbies and interests, as well as how their life changes guided them to where they are today.

What insight did you gain into the field of real estate development?

An insight we gained into the field of real estate is how locations influence the property’s value and development progress, and how the teamwork of brokers, data analysts, and property managers is needed to finalize deals and manage properties. We also learned about the importance of meeting with clients and seeing to their requirements.

What did you find the most interesting about the real estate field after today?

Today’s most interesting thing we learned was how important it is to pick a site, different clients change the requirements that must be met as well as how, if a broker meets with an industrial client, then they will pass that client to an industrial broker.

Photos: Alexis Melgar, Fall Intern | Jennifer Afdahl Rice, Blueprint | Colliers

Who did you meet with today?

Today, we met with Keivan Abidi, Mary Grace Houlihan, and Jennifer Afdahl Rice, who helped us understand their roles and experiences. They provided a small tour of the office building and insight into this journey.

Where do they work? What does the company do?

Keivan, Mary Grace, and Jennifer all work at the company, Blueprint. Keivan and Mary Grace have the roles of Project Directors, while Jennifer is the Executive Director. Blueprint is a full-service nonprofit real estate development firm. This company partners with charter schools to improve learning environments and even create new ones, in order to give more learning opportunities for all students of all backgrounds in different communities, mainly under-resourced ones.

What did you learn today? What were some highlights?

Today, I learned more about what we interns will be engaging in during our time with Blueprint, from the scheduling and the people we will be meeting with. A highlight was learning more about the people we met with today and even each other [the other interns] to build connections.

What insight did you gain into the field of real estate development?

Insight that I have gained into the field of real estate development is that the projects have more to them than one may think. With people in more specific fields and their teams working together, this is what ensures a successful outcome. Moreover, the development process can take a long time, taking up to 2-3 years, and it can be very costly depending on what is wanted.

What did you find the most interesting about the real estate field after today?

After today, I found it interesting how there are multiple groups of people involved in real estate development, such as the roles of the broker, investors, architects, etc. Also, I was interested in the different kinds of analysis that are done to ensure a site is feasible, taking many aspects into account to finalize the development, such as what needs to be done and its surrounding area.

Who did you meet with today?

We met with Sherise Henderson, who gave us a tour of Ednovate Brio. Later that day, we also met with some members of the Blueprint team.

Where do they work? What were some key highlights?

Sherise is a senior project manager at Blueprint. Artika Art & Architecture is the company which designed the school building. They also participate in other areas, such as construction administration. Some highlights of our visit to Ednovate Brio were seeing the final stages of construction and observing the unique layouts of each room. One of my favorite rooms was the presentation room, which is not designed like a traditional auditorium. 

What insights did you gain into the field of real estate development?

From my experiences on other sites, including today’s visit, I learned that teamwork is crucial for completing projects efficiently. I also realized that architects often face challenges that require them to take a different approach than their original plans.

What did you find the most interesting about the field trip after today?

It was interesting to see how the team overcomes building challenges. Analyzing the blueprints created by the architects, who invested their creativity and time into the layouts, was really nice. It was amazing to walk through what started as just ideas.

📸Victor Cobos-Carreño, Summer Intern