Students learn from real estate alumni and business professionals from The Durst Company and Westfield Group.
Last month students from the Dolan School Real Estate Club traveled to New York City for the third annual Real Estate Club Career Day. Club members were invited to visit One World Trade Center and hear presentations from executives from the Durst Organization and Westfield Corporation to learn more about the real estate industry.
The day began when alumnus Jaime Fuertes ’88, MS’90 led the group from Grand Central Station through the Oculus and to One World Trade Center where students enjoyed the view and learned about the Sky Lobby. Soon after, students listened to a presentation from Eric Engelhardt, vice president of Leasing for The Durst Organization, as he discussed the company’s partnership with the Port Authority.
In the afternoon, students heard a presentation from alumna Lisa Cowell Shams ’87, senior executive vice president of Government and Community Affairs and Michael McNaughton, senior vice president of Development, both of the Westfield Group. Students learned more about Westfield’s strategic vision and how Westfield is adjusting its business model to be a more lifestyle real estate company.
Joseph Pisano ’18, president of the club, remarked on a successful day, saying, “Students were able to understand and learn more about one of the most anticipated real estate projects in the Northern Hemisphere (One World Trade Center). I think students benefited from physically seeing and visualizing the adapting retail sector into a more entertainment sector.”
Katsiaryna Salavei Bardos, PhD, associate professor of Finance and advisor of the Club, said, “The Real Estate Club has done an outstanding job connecting with alumni and providing opportunities for students to learn from industry experts about the world’s most exciting real estate projects."
