Brooklyn Navy Yard and the Trust for Governors Island launch Real Estate Pathways Fellowship Program for CUNY students

Program will offer students hands-on work experience, professional development, and networking opportunities to help them prepare for a career in real estate and related fields

October 15, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

Photo by Timothy Schenck for the Trust for Governors Island

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Recently, the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (Navy Yard) and the Trust for Governors Island (the Trust) announced a new fellowship program dedicated to helping CUNY students from diverse backgrounds gain the professional skills needed for successful careers in the real estate industry and related fields. Together, the Navy Yard and the Trust will host 8-10 CUNY undergraduate and graduate students during the 2021-2022 school year to help them gain direct work experience while advancing their professional and interpersonal skills.

Upon completing the program, fellows will be helped to secure and succeed in interviews that will allow them to obtain quality employment in a real estate or related field.

The Navy Yard and the Trust have launched a pilot of the fellowship program for the 2021-2022 academic year, and plan to bring on additional public and private real estate development partners to host fellows for subsequent years. The program is designed to target students from diverse backgrounds, including those who are Pell-eligible, students of color, and first-generation college students. Applications were accepted earlier this year and the inaugural pilot program will serve 10 fellows across the two organizations.

“Creating opportunities for New Yorkers at all skill levels to secure good, high quality jobs is our guiding mission, and we are proud to introduce a pipeline dedicated to helping underserved CUNY students land successful careers in the historically tough-to-break-into real estate industry,” said David Ehrenberg, President and CEO of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation. “Starting this fellowship program in tandem with New York City’s economic and real estate rebound creates an unparalleled opportunity for our future leaders to gain the experience and skills they need to excel in our dynamic industry. By working with the Trust, we can ensure our fellows receive robust training and we look forward to seeing all that they accomplish through this program.”

“We’re thrilled to offer this new fellowship program to support the development of career pathways for CUNY students from across the five boroughs,” said Clare Newman, President and CEO of the Trust for Governors Island. “Governors Island offers a unique platform for training the next cohort of urban placemaking professionals, with opportunities to develop skills in open space management, real estate and planning, adaptive reuse and more and it is our goal to provide fellows with the real-world skills they need to succeed in any real estate-related sector. We are grateful for our partners at the Navy Yard for helping us make the future of real estate more representative and accessible.”

In the spring before the final year of their academic program, eligible students can apply to one of the following areas: Construction Management or Engineering, Real Estate, Business Management, Property Management or Horticulture. The Navy Yard and Trust have partnered with CUNY campuses offering relevant degree options, including New York City College of Technology, Bronx Community College, City College, Lehman College and Baruch College to recruit students for the program.

The one-year program will progress through the following phases:

PHASE I:Fellows will participate in a 36-week program, which will pay them to work 25-30 hours per week onsite at their placement organization, while simultaneously completing coursework toward their academic degree.
PHASE II:At the conclusion of their academic program and fellowship, students will receive support to apply to full-time real estate positions within the public or private sector, including resume assistance, interview support and direct introductions.

The Navy Yard and the Trust will launch the next round of applications for the program in the coming months.

The Real Estate Pathways Program is made possible through the generous support of:

CUNY
Dock72 Team (Boston Properties and Rudin Management Company)
Hudson Builders Group
The Liro Group
L+M Development Partners
Plaza Construction
Two Trees Management

About the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation
The Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (BNYDC) is the not-for-profit corporation that serves as the real estate developer and property manager of the Yard on behalf of its owner, the City of New York. BNYDC’s mission is to fuel New York City’s economic vitality by creating and preserving quality jobs, growing the City’s modern industrial sector and its businesses, and connecting the local community with the economic opportunity and resources of the Yard. BNYDC’s vision is a vibrant and dense, modern manufacturing community where businesses are provided the stability needed to invest, grow, and thrive and where diverse job-seekers can come to find a high-quality, middle-class job.

About The Trust for Governors Island
The Trust for Governors Island is the nonprofit corporation created by the City of New York that is responsible for the redevelopment and operation of 150 acres of Governors Island. The Trust’s mission is to realize the full potential of Governors Island for the inspiration and enjoyment of all New Yorkers, demonstrating a bold vision for public space.

For more information, visit www.govisland.org.