TAMPA, Fla. (October 12, 2017) —The University of South Florida (USF) Real Estate Society is pleased to announce that since its first meeting in the spring of 2016, the new student organization has grown its official member count from 15 to 174 members, an increase of over 1000 percent in less than two years.
Noah Shaffer, a founding member and the organization’s current president, sees a direct correlation between the buzz surrounding the white-hot Tampa Bay Real Estate market and an increased interest in the Real Estate Society.
“Our goal is to promote the commercial real estate industry as an exciting and often-overlooked career option for business students. We’ve made our mission student-centric, with a focus on giving students the opportunity to apply leadership techniques, and the ability to learn and advance their career potential,” Shaffer explains, “this organization is providing students with access to industry-leading professionals, engaging internships, and jobs with well-above average earnings for undergraduate business students.”
Consequently, the commercial real estate industry has been extremely responsive to the increase in interest amongst students at USF. Companies want to hire local talent, and USF is now providing them with driven, capable candidates.
“USF’s metropolitan location in central Florida makes it easy for students to connect with the market and local business leaders,” says Dr. Greg Smersh, a former CCIM course consultant and finance professor who teaches real estate courses at the Fowler Avenue campus.
Each month, keynote speakers from across the real estate industry discuss topics that range from Larry Feldman’s River Walk Tower project, to John Crossman’s “Career Killers, Career Builders”. These monthly meetings provide students unparalleled access to real estate professionals and a venue to ask questions, form lasting relationships, and gain an understanding of the commercial real estate industry.
The wave of eager real estate professionals committed to the success of a real estate program at USF has led to the formation of a Real Estate Advisory Board during the Fall 2017 semester. The Board consists of leading members and firms from the Tampa Bay area and across the state. Advisory Board members have access to the top students at USF, the Muma College of Business, and a growing number of other industry leaders as the program expands.
Mickaela McNatt, Vice President and COO of the Real Estate Society, believes that the proximity of USF to the offices of the advisory board members will help USF students be proactive in expanding their knowledge of real estate. “We have invited professionals who are not only leaders in their perspective specialties, but are genuinely altruistic and want to improve the Tampa area by giving their time to helping students grow personally and professionally.”
Active participation in this organization enables students to develop their knowledge of real estate, interact confidently with professionals, and obtain exciting job opportunities before they graduate. The incredible professional experiences and knowledge that students gain as members of this group truly set them apart from their colleagues.
The first hand interaction with industry professionals has instilled a passion for real estate in the student members of the USF Real Estate Society. This passion has morphed into self-motivated interest in learning more about real estate, and is the driving force behind the organic and exponential growth of the organization at USF.
About the USF Real Estate Society
The USF Real Estate Society is a student organization striving to educate students about the various fields of real estate, while providing the industry with motivated and competent talent. Although students may graduate each year, the mission of the society is to ensure that its legacy of educating students about the real estate industry is passed on. To learn who is involved or learn more about the USF Real Estate Society, please contact resociety.usf@gmail.com or visit resocietyusf.com once the site is launched in November 2017.