The Real Estate Club at ASU is a newly established club that aims to help students interested in learning more and eventually working in commercial real estate.
The club was founded last semester and became a W.P. Carey School of Business-affiliated club this spring semester. They focus on networking, social hours and getting students out of the classroom and into the field through monthly networking events, professional speakers and job opportunities.
“(Keegan and I) had gotten our internships just through knowing people. That’s really what the real estate business and most specifically what the commercial real estate business is. It’s based on who you know,” said Kyle Duffy, a senior studying business law with a minor in real estate and the vice president of The Real Estate Club.
The idea of starting the club began when Keegan Schenk, a senior studying organizational leadership and the president of the Real Estate Club, wanted to join a club that focused on networking and bonding over interest in real estate, but couldn't find a single running organization.
“When I first started getting into clubs, I kind of thought there would only be one for each thing. There’s multiple finance, sales and other clubs, but we’re the only real estate club,” Schenk said.
Currently, ASU offers a master of real estate development, an undergraduate minor in real estate and a real estate graduate certificate.
With commercial real estate being one of the top money-making industries in Arizona, Schenk thought it was important to provide a way into the industry through networking and learning about the different career paths for those interested.
“We know that real estate is one of the biggest industries there is, especially in Phoenix. It’s one of the biggest markets. There are a ton of people working in real estate, and I was kind of dumbfounded by the fact that there are no clubs for students here. That was where there was a big opportunity for us to make our footprint,” Schenk said.
The real estate club currently has 50 to 60 consistent members, with a total of 220 signed up on Sun Devil Sync who receive emails of guest speaker events, property tours and market updates.
As the organization established itself as an ASU-affiliated club, Mark Stapp, who is the executive director of the master of real estate development program, became the club's primary advisor. Wimberly Doran, who is the assistant director of real estate programs, works with Stapp as another advisor of the organization.
“Mark and Wimberly have been great. They’ve been very helpful and they’re very happy that the club’s back and it’s rejuvenated. They’re pleased that we’ve been getting good crowds,” Schenk said.
Around 2017, the former ASU real estate club was disbanded because there was no solid student leadership to pass it off to. One of Schenk's and Duffy's goals is to make sure the club continues to pass leadership down so ASU students can profit from the club for the foreseeable future.
Harry Su, a junior studying business, is a member of the executive board who hopes to keep the organization running by continuing his leadership.
“I live my life off the words and this career lives off the words 'It's not about what you know but about who you know,'” Su said. "There are so many great candidates and kids that I've met that have no idea they can be super successful in this career path, and I want to make sure they have that same opportunity that I had."
As of now, The Real Estate Club is learning the ins and outs of becoming an established club within the ASU community.
Any ASU student interested in real estate can join the club. The Real Estate Club will be hosting its next guest speaker event on April 3, featuring local real estate agent, Dylan Wright who will speak on his experience as a residential realtor and working with Airbnb.
Edited by Sadie Buggle, Jasmine Kabiri and Anusha Natarajan.
Reach the reporter at croblesr@asu.edu and follow @roblesruizcris on Twitter.
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