Por qué las principales empresas de bienes raíces comerciales están uniendo recursos para reclutar estudiantes-atletas negros

When Darius Livingston graduated from the University of California, Davis, two years ago, he knew his football career was over. Like most of his former teammates — and the majority of college athletes — he wasn't going pro.

En cambio, Livingston se dedicó a los bienes raíces comerciales, gracias a las lecciones que aprendió de un programa de pasantías remuneradas que enseña a los jóvenes estudiantes de color los fundamentos de las finanzas, con un enfoque particular en la inversión inmobiliaria.

El programa, Project Destined, es una plataforma de impacto social fundada por el exdirector de Carlyle Group, Cedric Bobo.

Bobo se hizo un nombre en la inversión inmobiliaria y luego decidió devolver el favor. Lanzó el programa de finanzas en 2016 principalmente para estudiantes de secundaria. Luego lo amplió a las universidades, viendo la oportunidad tanto de pasantías como de trabajos antes y después de la graduación.

Ansiosas por diversificar su fuerza laboral, algunas de las firmas de administración, finanzas y desarrollo inmobiliario más grandes se han inscrito para financiar las pasantías y asesorar a los estudiantes. Eso incluye nombres como Propiedades de Boston, Estrella Gris, Brookfield, CBRE, Equidad Residencial, Quinta Pared, JLL, Skanska, Vornado y Walker & Dunlop.

El programa ha capacitado a más de 5,000 participantes de más de 350 universidades de todo el mundo y se ha asociado con más de 250 firmas de bienes raíces.

And now, it's gearing some of its efforts specifically toward Black student-athletes.

Después de realizar un programa piloto recientemente con estudiantes-atletas de UC Davis, Bobo ha anunciado una asociación con Black Student-Athlete Summit, una organización de apoyo profesional y académico, para ofrecer pasantías virtuales pagadas a 100 estudiantes-atletas de nueve escuelas de la División I. . Incluye 25 horas de formación.

"Program participants will also join executives to evaluate real-time commercial real estate transactions in their community and compete in pitch competitions to senior industry leaders," according to a release announcing the partnership. "The internship includes opportunities for scholarships and networking."

Livingston pasó por el programa piloto de UC Davis en su último semestre de universidad, luego obtuvo pasantías en Eastdil y Eden Housing. Ahora es asociado de adquisiciones y desarrollo en Catalyst Housing Group, una empresa de desarrollo de bienes raíces con sede en California y patrocinador financiero de la nueva asociación.

"I think, for me, it was really a realization that I probably won't be a first-round draft pick, and that's OK," explained Livingston. "It's really being exposed to other opportunities. That's why I'm so blessed to have Project Destined come along and expose me to the commercial real estate industry and the mindset that I deserve to be an owner in the communities that I live in."

That right of ownership has long been Bobo's mantra and was the crux of his pitch as he announced the new arm of his program to hundreds of students at the Black Student-Athletes Summit at USC. He wants them to understand that they can create change in their own neighborhoods by owning and managing real estate. More important, he wants them to know that ownership is possible.

"Our program is not just about how we see you all," Bobo said of the real estate executives who were on hand for the announcement. "It's how you see yourselves."

Si bien la tasa de graduación de los estudiantes atletas negros está mejorando lentamente, muchos estudiantes que recibieron una lluvia de recursos en la escuela tienen dificultades una vez que terminan sus actividades deportivas y se incorporan a la fuerza laboral.

"A lot of these kids may think they're a first-round draft pick, and that is a percent of a percent of a percent of a percent, so it's really being real with yourself and knowing that you deserve much more than what you're simply exposed to, and that's just sports," Livingston said.

El apoyo financiero para el programa proviene de firmas inmobiliarias como BGO, Brookfield, Catalyst Housing Group, Dune Real Estate Partners, Jemcor Development Partners, Landspire Group, Marcus & Millichap, Virtu Investments y The Vistria Group, entre otras.

"The expansion of this platform is a natural evolution of this collective effort and will provide tangible pathways for thousands of Black student-athletes to pursue future careers in commercial real estate," said Jordan Moss, who is also a former student-athlete at UC Davis and the founder and CEO of Catalyst.

Project Destined also has been working with the NBA and the WNBA to give professional athletes more options after they're finished with their athletic careers.

Livingston dijo que cree que los atletas son los mejores empleados.

"We play to win," he explained. "It's the competitive nature. We want to outwork our opportunities."