Spencer Vickers’ Post

This week has been incredibly enriching as part of my experience in the Project Destined Spring 2024 Internship Program. I had the privilege of attending the  Executive Speaker Series and Team Arbor Realty Trust Mentor Office Hours Session #2. At the Executive Speaker Series, we gained insights into the elements of success in the Commercial Real Estate industry from distinguished professionals such as Price Booker, Michael Kornspun, and Matthew Carrus. Their invaluable tips and tricks left a lasting impression on me. The Mentor Office Hours were equally enlightening, where we had the opportunity to present our investment pitch to our mentors Ryan Kraynak, Christy Cropanese, Carl Koebler, Gillian Harrington, Carolina Conway, and Gianni Ottaviano. Their constructive feedback and insightful advice were truly appreciated. I'd like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Cedric Bobo, Amari Swift, our Division Manager Miguel Rojas, our dedicated Program Managers, Aislin T. and Emicris Crispin Ortiz, as well as my incredible teammates, Alan Frastai, Anna Liu, Bryan Zhang, Chengling Zheng, Dena Zeitoun, Donald Jones, Kristina Nasteva, Lisbeth Hernandez, Raj Chauhan, Sha'Dawn Parker, Tirth Shah, and Chauncy Lewis for their invaluable contributions throughout this week. We're thrilled to take the mentorship and feedback we've received and put it into action as we prepare for the final competition. Exciting times lie ahead! #ProjectDestined #SpringInternship #RealEstateSuccess #realestate #multifamilyrealestate #propertymarket #property #realestateagent #realestateconsultant #housing #commercialrealestate #residentialrealestate #digitalmarketingagency #digitalmarketing #digitalmarketingtips #socialmediamanagement #socialmediamarketingtips #socialmediatips #socialmediatrends #datadriven #communitymanager #videomarketing #Innovation #Management #HumanResources #DigitalMarketing #Technology #Creativity #Future #Futurism #Entrepreneurship #Careers

I'm thrilled to share that Team Arbor Realty Trust emerged in 3rd place in the Valuation and Deal Financing competition during the Project Destined Spring 2024 Internship Program! It was a highly competitive event, and our relentless dedication and hard work have truly paid off. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to our incredible mentors, who played a pivotal role in our preparation: Ryan Kraynak, Christy Cropanese, Gillian Harrington, Gianni Ottaviano, Carolina Conway, and Carl Koebler. Furthermore, we want to express our sincere appreciation to the individuals who have been instrumental in our journey thus far: Cedric Bobo, Amari Swift our Division Manager Miguel Rojas, our exceptional Program Managers, Aislin T. and Emicris Crispin Ortiz, as well as my incredible teammates, Alan Frastai, Anna Liu, Bryan Zhang, Chengling Zheng, Dena Zeitoun, Donald Jones, Kristina Nasteva, Lisbeth Hernandez, Raj Chauhan, Sha'Dawn Parker , and Tirth Shah. Your unwavering support has been the driving force behind our success. I am super grateful to be able to call many of these wonderful teammates my new friends! As we celebrate this achievement, we look forward to continuing our journey in Commercial Real Estate on the path toward ownership. #ProjectDestined #JourneyToOwnership - #Leadership - #Innovation - #CareerAdvice - #Networking - #PersonalDevelopment - #problemsolving - #Marketing - #Finance - #HR - #Healthcare - #Hiring - #JobSearch - #CareerOpportunities - #RemoteWork - #Motivation - #SuccessStories - #QuoteOfTheDay - #Learning - #ProductivityTips - #Entrepreneurship - #Webinar - #Conference - #EventNetworking

As the summer internships begin, I encourage my clients and friends to pass along my information to connect with these great young professionals in our industry. Happy to chat about my path in commercial real estate, how I went from engineering to multifamily brokerage and the synergies. I owe a lot to the mentors I interfaced with early in my career and would love to serve in that role moving forward for this next generation. Always happy to speak, please send them my way! #multifamily #multifamilyinvesting #realestate #realestateinvesting #cushwake

For our next intern spotlight, we are excited to introduce Hunter Lawson, an incoming senior at Lehigh University majoring in Finance. This summer, Hunter is bringing his talent and passion to our Listed Real Estate Securities team. He is eager to dive into the world of real estate, and we are thrilled to have him on board! Continue reading below to learn more about Hunter: 1. What is the best piece of professional advice you have ever received? I had a professor tell me to “go and get anything you want in your career—whether that be a job, promotion, opportunity, etc.” You must get it yourself because nobody is going to do it for you. Don’t be afraid to ask for things because, ultimately, the worst thing that can happen is that you get a “no.” 2. What inspired you to pursue a career in your current field of study? I realized I wanted to pursue a career in finance, specifically the public side, when I was 16 or 17 years old. I was stuck in my house during quarantine and found myself consuming everything I could about stocks and the market. I read books and watched a ton of YouTube videos every day. It felt like a newfound passion, and I’m so glad I chose this as my area of focus. 3. If you could share some advice with your younger self, what would it be? I would tell my younger self that if something scares you, do it and keep a brave face. A lot of things in your life are not going to be easy or comfortable, but the only way you can get better is to do things that scare you and to stay positive. 4. As a child, what career did you want to have when you “grew up?” Growing up, I always wanted to be a marine biologist. I still find it to be an interesting career and I used to think it would be so cool to study the ocean and the life within it. However, I soon realized that I didn’t like biology and that I have a huge fear of sharks. 5. If you could try something knowing you would not fail, what would it be? I probably would want to go to the Moon or Mars. I don’t have a big interest in space, but seeing either of the two would be something I couldn’t turn down if it were a guaranteed success.  #CenterSquare #SummerInternship #Spotlight

6 useful personal behaviors I’ve instilled during my Woodson Equity internship thus far. 1. Arrive before everyone else; using that quiet time to get settled and focused. Being ready to go as my colleagues arrive sets a productive tone for my day. 2. Breaking my day into hour-long segments. Tracking my activities this way helps me maximize tasks and maintain productivity throughout the day. 3. Use Excel to log my tasks and progress, ensuring everything is organized and easy to follow. Regularly give situational reports my current status on taskers. The work I input into software is almost anonymous, helping my team stay aligned on ongoing projects and responsibilities. 4. Further my connections both in and outside the office. For instance, during my summer I was selected for jury duty in the Northern District Court of Illinois, I met amazing individuals, some whose paths have since crossed with mine during my daily commute. Our mutual commonality in being veterans and working in finance truly demonstrates the power of maintaining connections in unexpected places. 5. Take detailed notes during meetings, tracking key conversations, and sharing those thoughts with my leadership. Asking questions will uncover valuable insights and develop a deeper internship experience. 6. When communicating electronically, always aim for clarity, conciseness, and professionalism. Avoid poor habits like using overly casual language, or unclear phrasing. Review emails and messages to ensure they reflect my best self and convey my thoughts effectively. I’m glad to be apart of this team of skilled individuals while still unraveling so much to learn. #TheWoodsonWay #PrivateEquity #InsideAnInternship

Had a great time hanging out with some of my college roommates this past weekend. While there, I had the opportunity to speak with some University of Massachusetts Amherst students. We talked about internships, recruiting, grad school and so much more. The best part was seeing how engaged they were. I could already see some #futureleaders and can't wait to start #recruiting them! Isenberg School of Management, UMass Amherst #umass, #HR, #executivesearch, #talent, #CHRO, #talentacquisition #talentsourcing #businessschool #accounting

We just wrapped up another great internship with the addition of Luke Brassard to our team this summer. Luke, a graduate of St Sebastian school, is getting ready to start his sophomore year at Holy Cross. The way Luke came across our company is pretty interesting. He originally applied for an internship at the Needham Town Departments, but unfortunately, they didn't have any openings. However, someone from the town suggested him to me, sharing his resume and saying he might be a good fit. The rest is history, as they say. During the three months of the internship, what can we expect from interns? What can we teach them? I think there's a great opportunity to pass on some important lessons. In the end, it's up to the interns themselves to analyze, soak up, and put these teachings into practice. For me personally, I prioritize the following things: 1. Accountability - getting tasks done quickly and efficiently. 2. Resourcefulness - figuring out creative solutions. 3. Planning - like I always say, "proper planning prevents poor performance." 4. Relentlessness - the determination to finish tasks, no matter what obstacles come up. Luke has consistently shown these qualities since day one, earning the respect of our whole team in no time. On behalf of the entire Catalyst Team, we want to thank Luke for his valuable contributions, and we wish him all the best in the upcoming school year. #summerinternship #realestate #careergoals #bostonma

We’re facing a talent gap in affordable housing, and it starts with internships—or rather, the lack of them.   Think about it: How many students do you see actively pursuing careers in affordable housing? 🤔   Not many, right? And can you blame them?   If we’re not offering internships, mentorships, or pathways into the field, how can we expect the next generation to find their way here?   Internships are the bridge between curiosity and career. They introduce young talent to the industry, teach them about LIHTC and affordable housing, and show them they can make a double bottom-line impact: doing good while doing well.   Our expectation is clear: the top developers/owners, lenders and investors in LIHTC should lead the way by having internship programs. If you lead in LIHTC, you should lead in talent.   🚨 Here’s the challenge: If you’re a company in the affordable housing space—developer, syndicator, lender, property manager, nonprofit—step up. Start creating programs to bring students into the fold. Whether it’s summer internships, co-op programs, or even just shadowing opportunities, every effort counts.   Here’s why it matters: 1️⃣ Fresh Perspectives: Students bring new ideas, energy, and tech-savvy skills to the table. 2️⃣ Industry Awareness: Most students have no idea affordable housing careers even exist. Internships make them aware of the possibilities. 3️⃣ Building the Future: The leaders and innovators of tomorrow need their start today.   💡 Need ideas?   Offer an internship in acquisitions, underwriting, property management, policy research, or community outreach. Have them shadow your team during a live deal, assist with market research to analyze local housing needs, or finally tackle that long-overdue project.   We can’t solve the housing crisis without talented people—and we can’t attract talented people if we don’t create pathways for them.   👉 If you’re in the industry, this is your call to action. Let’s build not just housing but careers.   🔖 Tag your company if you’re already doing this or planning to start. Let’s spotlight those taking the lead!   #AffordableHousing #LIHTC #Careers #Internships #TalentPipeline #LIHTCLeaders

Project Destined is a firm that provides Real Estate Internships, they train individuals to enter the real estate industry with internships that help them understand real estate competencies like financial modeling, how to work on live deals, create memos to present in live real estate deals, how to manage a team of individuals to work in the real estate industry. They further help individuals by connecting them to industry professionals in over 250 different real estate companies across America. During my internship, I actively participated in the evaluation of a live real estate deal in Dallas, Texas. I collaborated with a team to analyze the deal and presented an investment memo to real estate professionals from Brookfield and KIMCO. Additionally, I underwent comprehensive training, accumulating over 60 hours, covering various aspects of real estate, including fundamentals, property valuation, deal financing, financial modeling, and market research. One of the significant projects I worked on was with professionals at Invesco. Together, we developed a detailed 5-year cash flow projection for the investment. Furthermore, I was involved in structuring a breakdown of the loan deal, which included a comprehensive cost analysis for value-added improvements and property renovations. This experience provided me with valuable insights into real estate investment analysis, financial modeling, and deal structuring. This internship has proven to be incredibly beneficial for me. It has underscored the importance of being detail-oriented and a quick learner. I've discovered that these qualities not only pay off but also enable me to expand my knowledge beyond my initial responsibilities. #UTDBSFIN, #hireJSOM, #ProjectDestined, #InvescoDallas

5 things you need to consider before going into Real estate (Number 2 is very important) 1. Educate Yourself: Learn the basics of real estate through online courses or books. 2. Build Your Network: Connect with experienced professionals and mentors in the field. 3. Save Up: Start saving for a down payment or consider investment options. 4. Gain Experience: Look for internships or entry-level positions to learn hands-on. 5. Stay Updated: Keep abreast of market trends and regulations to make informed decisions. Ready to embark on your real estate journey? Let's connect and learn from each other's experiences! #RealEstate #CareerAdvice