Real Estate Companies Offer Students Real-World Experience

The Carter Real Estate Center at the College of Charleston School of Business is infusing experiential learning into its Real Estate Market Analysis course this semester through a collaboration with local real estate firm Carolina Retail Centers and the Charleston office of national commercial brokers, Marcus & Millichap.

Students will compete to develop a competitive market analysis that determines a best use and possible tenant for two land parcels located in North Charleston.

Val Nasano, a principal at Carolina Retail Centers, has wanted to work with CofC students since participating in a student Q&A last year.

“I saw some real energy and creativity in the students and thought incorporating them would provide a fresh approach to our project,” says Nasano.

Ani Paulson, broker associate at Marcus & Millichap and graduate of the College of Charleston School of Business, is also assisting with the project and is looking forward to tapping into the next generation of industry professionals.

Students will be broken up into five groups and each group will be given a specific tenant type to target such as retail, restaurant and fast food, office and industrial.

The project was created with the School’s motto, “ready to work” in mind.

“It is imperative for today’s students to be able to hit the ground running upon graduation,” says Elaine Worzala, director of the Carter Real Estate Center. “Projects that incorporate the industry provide the experience and tools needed to maximize student potential and future success.”

To successfully complete the project, students will interview professionals in the commercial real estate field, conduct data and marketing research, and produce a full marketing presentation culminating with judging at the end of the semester in December. Winners will be determined by a separate panel and prizes will be awarded.

The Carter Real Estate Center turns students into industry experts, ready to work in an increasingly competitive field. A collaboration among students, faculty and industry leaders – the center prepares students for success with practical solutions and real industry insight.