Photos by Ralph Freso
Lauren Johnson loved the Grand Canyon University culture immediately when she visited the campus for the first time on a Discover GCU trip.
"Coming from a small town to Phoenix was pretty scary because it was so big," Johnson said. "But GCU really drew me in with the community and Christian lifestyle.”
Aside from the occasional snow in her hometown of Walla Walla, Washington, there was one other thing she noticed was missing when she finally arrived on campus as a student: There wasn't a big real estate focus in her classes, which felt odd to her, since Phoenix has been one of the nation’s hottest residential and commercial markets.
“It's Silicon Valley 2.0 -- the Silicon Desert, they say,” said Johnson, who has a big interest in real estate.
The business management major had a networking professor who introduced her to Danielle Popson, a friend and industry connection.
“(Popson) said, ‘We want you to start a club at GCU. We think this could be really great,’" Johnson said, though she didn't jump at the opportunity right away.
But the more Johnson thought about it, she knew a real estate club would benefit a lot of students, including herself.
“I’m really excited about it. I’m really passionate about real estate and the potential it has for the growth of community and growth of our careers.
“And I think that students, once they're more aware of careers and opportunities within real estate, whether that be within their finance or marketing or business development roles, I think that the industry as a whole is so large, and there are so many facets, that students can pursue a career and be really successful.”
The club’s purpose, said Johnson, is to introduce students to career opportunities in commercial and residential real estate; provide access to institutional education and licensing; connect students with industry professionals through mentorship and networking events; and educate students on a variety of real estate topics, from finance to marketing, through professional speakers, workshops and events.
The first Real Estate Club meeting attracted an overflow crowd at the Colangelo College of Business lobby.
Will Grassel, an attendee who is a freshman mechanical engineering major, is the son of parents in the commercial real estate business in San Diego.
“The housing crisis down there is pretty insane,” Grassel said. “I think understanding things like property development is a good tool to enrich someone.
"And anywhere there's a Christian in real estate, I think there's a potential for good things to happen ...”
Johnson said her motivation to start the club was enhanced by the classes and professors who showed her the “realm of commercial real estate” and spiked her career trajectory.
Johnson is scheduled to graduate in December, but she has already built a foundation for herself and the club. She is serving a full-time internship at CBRE with ambitions to specialize in development and impact communities for future generations.
“I’ve been trying to find out where I fit in best but where I can provide the most value,” Johnson said. “We have some great opportunities.”
The GCU Real Estate Club is sponsored by the Hogan School of Real Estate and the Arizona School of Real Estate.
Secretary/Chief Operating Officer Emma Vandall and Vice President Shaneille Ramos are underclassmen who aim to build the club's foundation.
Club advisor and the business college's Entrepreneurship Chair, Tim Kelley, sees how the club is impacting students.
“Certainly (Johnson's) energy in working in the industry, her internship, and what she’s done, and then recruiting people to be a part of it and setting up a schedule for every single week of every Tuesday at 6 p.m., ... ," Kelley said. "And (organizing) multiple field trips to projects in the community with sponsors and developers that have donated thousands of dollars to fund these events for students -- it’s a key aspect of business and economics that we just haven’t been able to truly back, and now we can."
Johnson appreciates the efforts of Kelley and others to build a curriculum for real estate.
“We’re here to help as much as we can and get students excited because everybody is moving here," Johnson said. "And it’s not just residential. It’s commercial, as well.”
The advent of a mentorship portal designed to connect students with internships and job opportunities will further fortify the club.
“I really learned the industry from the people who know it best, who are working in it,” Johnson said. “And if we can facilitate that for students at GCU, I think it's a win.”
GCU News senior writer Mark Gonzales can be reached at [email protected]
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