Written by: Emma Showe
Emma Showe is a student at Texas Christian University studying Finance with a concentration in Real Estate. She interned with Colliers | Columbus this summer on the Operations and Construction teams. Keep reading to get Emma’s take on how her internship helped her grow in her career.
Has your internship allowed you to network with other real estate professionals? If so, in what ways?
Yes, absolutely! Throughout my time at Colliers this summer, I have had the opportunity to network with so many departments in the organization. Outside of my work within operations and construction, there have been many ways to network. For example, interns had the chance to connect and be mentored by employees in different departments. Using this opportunity, I made connections and learned more about brokerage and property management. When I reached out to one of our property coordinators, she allowed me to sit in on meetings, learn the property management software and even go on property visits. By broadening my network and developing relationships within these other departments I got a wider look at commercial real estate and built relationships amongst many departments.
What has been your favorite project to work on throughout your time at Colliers?
My favorite project to work on this summer has been creating fun in the workplace. Throughout the summer, I planned events to enhance engagement and connection within departments, employees and interns. Some of my favorite events to plan were the intern mixers, where interns could share their experiences, as well as company-wide events such as the Company Picnic and Career Day. Seeing these events foster relationships made me admire Colliers’ company culture.
What has been the biggest learning lesson you will take away from this internship?
Something I learned that our CEO, Rich Schuen, preaches is the importance of asking questions and staying curious. Especially as an intern, I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do after college. However, when Colliers celebrated asking questions, I not only learned more about commercial real estate, but also got a better idea of what each specific job entails. I got to learn more about the different facets of commercial real estate, work-life balance and people’s personal experiences in their careers. After this internship, I am asking more questions than I did when I started and I will continue to stay curious as I navigate my career path.