1. Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project. Write two or three sentences describing the main activities your STEP Signature Project entailed.

I had the pleasure of interning with The NRP Group LLC in multi-family real estate development. I was able to gain knowledge on the process of developing both affordable and market rate housing through shadowing project managers. My tasks consisted of helping with a low income housing tax credit application and doing research toward their Healthcare and Housing Initiative. I also had the opportunity to shadow developers to experience their day-to-day looking for sites and being active in the community. 

2. What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project? Write one or two paragraphs to describe the change or transformation that took place.

Going into this internship I was nervous, because I did not have any prior knowledge of real estate. However, I was proud of myself for stepping outside of my comfort zone. I had no expectations other than learning a lot of new information and networking. Once I arrived at NRP I was overcome with gratitude. I could not believe that I had come across this amazing company as a public health student. 

I went into the summer with a goal to learn something new everyday. I was always excited to go to work, and that showed me that when you have a passion for something it will definitely create motivation. Throughout the summer I found that I was able to use my public health background and lived experiences to relate to the technical side of affordable housing. This allowed me to provide a different perspective to developers as well when they discussed their reasoning behind selecting affordable housing sites. By the end of the program, I was so proud of myself. I had proven that I could do anything I put my mind to as long as I put forth the effort. Overall, this experience changed my career trajectory and showed me that I can create the career that I want.  It also affirmed that it is okay to pivot professions and try something new. There are no rules saying that you are confined to one career and one profession. This is my life, and I am creating the lifestyle and legacy of my choice. 

3. What events, interactions, relationships, or activities during your STEP Signature Project led to the change/transformation that you discussed in #2, and how did those affect you? Write three or four paragraphs describing the key aspects of your experiences completing your STEP Signature Project that led to this change/transformation.

Throughout the summer I shadowed a different project manager every week to learn about their daily tasks. I was able to sit in on all of their meetings as they kept track of multiple projects at different stages in their designated region. Attending these meetings with architects, engineers, finance executives and other teams exposed me to the in-depth process of development. I was able to learn from each part of the company to see how they all came together as a team to get a project on the road to construction and lease-up. This experience gave me my base knowledge of development, and helped me to feel more acclimated to the pace of work. It also gave me a space to have conversations with professionals and not be intimidated by a title. I felt like I was able to be myself in the corporate environment. 

After shadowing for a few weeks I had the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. with two of the project managers to see the construction sites and leased up apartments in the area. We spent two days riding around with local developers to learn about the market rate and affordable sites. During this trip I was learning from the perspective of the developer, and I was getting to see how they make decisions on what is a good neighborhood for an affordable or market rate site. I started to apply the knowledge that I had learned in the office, and I felt really good about being able to hold a conversation and actually understand the work that was being done.  

Another moment during my internship that was transformative for me was my week with the developer that works in Ohio. We spent a lot of time out of the office driving around to sites in both Cleveland and Columbus. As a native of Cleveland, Ohio this was very personal to me to see the affordable sites that would be built in the neighborhoods I had grown up in. Everything had come full circle in that moment, because I was on my old street talking about city master plans and city revitalization plans. I was standing in my purpose. I knew that this was the work that I wanted to do in my community in the future, and this internship gave me the push I needed to see that it was possible.       

4. Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life? Write one or two paragraphs discussing why this change or development matters and/or relates to your academic, personal, and/or professional goals and future plans.

This change of pace was significant in my life, because I felt like I was walking in my purpose this summer. I felt like I was taking the steps to an alternative career path. While some days were really challenging and I had feelings of impost er’s syndrome, every morning I still woke up feeling excited to be in the office. I felt like I was creating the life that I have envisioned for myself. I love healthcare and I am very passionate about affordable housing. This company is doing the work to build affordable housing while combating the social determinants of health in the community. They helped me get a better idea of a career that would align with my passions.

After taking in the knowledge that I obtained this summer, I have been interested in the career of a developer. I want to revitalize Black and Brown neighborhoods in Cleveland, Ohio through affordable housing and health education and prevention. I want to use my education to pour back into the communities that poured into me as a child. I plan to use the connections that I made this summer to guide me on the path towards my main career goals. My ultimate goal in life is to create generational wealth and create a legacy, and a career in real estate will put me in rooms with the people who know how to obtain that. I am optimistic about what is next after graduating in the Spring of 2022!

Touring the construction site of  affordable apartments and town homes in Cleveland, Ohio. 

Celebrating National Intern Day! NRP Group’s internship has been rated one of the Top 100 Programs.