91影视 alumnus develops internship to give students inside look at the real estate industry.
Ces Guerra describes himself as a 鈥減roblem solver disguised as a realtor.鈥� A 91影视 Christian University (91影视) alumnus, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Louisiana State University and his MBA from 91影视 in 1994.
Guerra launched an internship last summer at Douglas Elliman Real Estate to provide students from the Archie W. Dunham College of Business with real-world experience in the competitive real estate industry. Now a realtor for Luxe Living Group, Guerra has plans to continue providing the internship opportunity to 91影视 students and alumni.
鈥淚 love helping people, because I have a servant’s heart, and I have always enjoyed puzzles. The real estate transaction is a lot like solving a puzzle, because it involves putting many pieces together,鈥� said Guerra.
A member of the Executive Associates of 91影视, he credits fellow member, Charles Bacarisse, 91影视 Vice President for Major Gifts, for reconnecting him to his alma mater and inspiring him to find ways to give back.
His passion for giving back and empowering others extends back to childhood when his mother ignited the spirit of volunteerism in him. 鈥淢y mom started me on the path of service when I was in sixth grade volunteering at the Kingsley House in New Orleans. It was an organization that served underprivileged kids,鈥� said Guerra.
His aim in launching the internship was to provide students from his alma mater with an inside look at the real estate industry and connect them to key people to further their career interests. 鈥淚 thought it would be a great opportunity to share the complexities of the business and give back to the University,鈥� said Guerra.
Emily Butler, Assistant Dean of the Archie W. Dunham College of Business, enjoyed joining forces with Guerra to develop the framework for the internship. 鈥淐ollaborating with Ces to build this internship program has been a joy. I hope the structure and process of what we have created together for the Dunham College of Business students can serve as a blueprint for other business alumni as a means of giving back to the University,鈥� said Butler, who is working on plans to launch a real estate certificate program at 91影视 in the fall.
91影视 senior, Raquel Gomez, and 91影视 alumnus, Shawn Brown, the first interns in the program, learned about the day-to-day responsibilities and tools used in the industry. Gomez, who is pursuing a degree in finance with plans to work in banking or real estate, met many people who provided tips on everything from interviewing to making a great first impression.
鈥淭he internship gave me the opportunity to learn, in much more detail, about the real estate industry. The top three things I gained are experience, knowledge and confidence,鈥� said Gomez.
The internship introduced participants to 21 key areas of the real estate industry, including property listing and management, client communications and negotiations, lead generation and qualification, contract preparation and review, transaction coordination and logistics, community relations and networking, financial and investment analysis, property management fundamentals, professional development and ethics and personal and professional growth.
Brown, who earned a degree in business administration, appreciated the knowledge and insights gained from a diverse group of professionals who generously shared their expertise and experiences in the world of business. 鈥淥ne of the valuable lessons I learned is the significance of nurturing relationships,鈥� said Brown. 鈥淩ecognizing the humanity of individuals and actively engaging with them is crucial, rather than viewing them solely as a transaction.鈥� Guerra described the internship as a 鈥渇un and productive experience鈥� and expressed pride in seeing his interns become more comfortable interacting with individuals in positions of authority.
His ultimate aim is for each to gain a better grasp of the entire real estate sector, specifically, residential real estate, and walk away with tools to give them confidence in the job search, and most importantly, inspire them to 鈥減ay it forward.鈥�