Greystone and Project Destined, a leading social impact platform that provides training in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and real estate, have expanded their partnership with two new engagements to increase exposure and opportunities for emerging leaders in commercial real estate.
This summer, Greystone hosted 15 students in a summer intensive program that introduced high school students from Comp Sci High in The Bronx to key CRE finance topics, as well as matching the students with Greystone mentors to guide them in real-world deal analytics. Comp Sci High students also visited a Greystone multifamily development project in Harlem, NYC to learn how a project progresses from spreadsheets to hammers and to see first-hand how a multifamily property is managed once complete.
This month, Greystone also launched a new bridge career development program open to students at HBCUs and other colleges nationwide. Accepted applicants receive a scholarship for the seven-week program which includes CRE curriculum, mentorship, and site visits to Greystone offices to learn more about the company and the work it does across various business lines – real estate lending, asset management, and underwriting.
Project Destined, founded by former Carlyle Group executive Cedric Bobo, has partnered with over 150 leading real estate firms and over 200 universities around the country since its founding to provide diverse students with paid, virtual internship opportunities where they explore the real estate industry and ownership through live real estate deals in various cities across the U.S.
“In order for students to be successful, they need exposure to the skills and resources needed to build a career in CRE, and our internships programs are designed to do just that, with a combination of curriculum, mentorship, and real-world application,” said Mr. Bobo. “We appreciate Greystone’s entrepreneurial approach in taking students under their wing, going above and beyond, and growing these programs with us as we expand the impact we can have on bringing opportunities to students nationwide.”
“We are so thrilled to build on our successful relationship with Project Destined, which has opened doors wide for CRE career hopefuls, and formed impactful bonds between our mentors and the students, who have shown so much promise for the future,” said Pranika Sinha, Head of DEI at Greystone.