Real World Real Estate Experience

By Grace Condon '24, January 25, 2024

Student club travels to New York City to connect with alumni working in the real estate field.

In December, members of the Real Estate Club took a trip to New York City to connect with alumni.

(Photo submitted)

Student clubs at Ithaca College aren’t just great places to meet new people and branch out of your comfort zone. They can also provide opportunities to make career connections with alumni who can open doors for students after they graduate.

That’s why students in the newly formed Ithaca College Real Estate Club embarked on a trip to New York City to visit major real estate firms, tour buildings, and network with seasoned professionals.

Founded in 2023 by Cole Doyon ’25 and Reese Perelman ’24, the aim of the club is to bring together students interested in the real estate business.

Want to Learn More?

Any students interested in joining the club can reach out to Cole Doyon via email at irec@ithaca.edu.The club meets every Tuesday during the semester at 12:10 p.m. in BUS 105.

The two-day trip was sponsored by Ithaca College alums and funds were raised with the help of School of Business faculty. However, the logistics of the trip were student-led.

“We wanted this to also be a bonding trip,” Doyon said.

The first stop was Vornado Realty Trust, where Anthony Cugini ’16 serves as a director. The group was able to tour the company’s Penn 1 skyscraper and see how the company is planning to turn it into an office building of the future

While on the trip, students got the chance to tour real estate firms and discuss ongoing projects. (Photo submitted)

“Physically seeing the building and the vision for it, is so much different than just talking about it,” said Anastasiya Yavorska ’25, who added that the trip deepened her understanding for what she can accomplish in real estate after graduating.

Following the tour with Cugini, the club joined real estate and sales expert Gary Kerper ’80 for lunch and conversation. A former business administration major whose career started in sales, Kerper later transitioned into real estate and he’s now Director of Commercial Leasing at The Durst Organization.

The students met with Jason Frazier ’97, who is a senior vice president at CBRE, a global commercial real estate agency. Frazier discussed his entry into commercial real estate, shared important information regarding the complexity of office leasing, and lectured on the importance of setting up goals one can work toward with consistency.

The club ended their first day by hosting a happy hour meeting, where several additional alums, including Charlie Stephens ’08, and Michael Lohan ’10, came to network and connect over their experience at the college in a more casual setting.

“I feel very indebted to Ithaca College and have the utmost respect and love for all the faculty that’s helped me through the years...A lot of my life is based around my experiences at the college.”

Anthony Cugini ’16

The next day, Lohan and Andrew J. Vecchio ’09 took the students on a tour of a skyscraper penthouse.

The seeds for the trip were planted when Doyon reached out to Cugini for advice on how he could break into real estate. Cugini not only answered Doyon’s questions but was able to introduce Doyon to some more alumni and other professionals in the field.

Cugini had no qualms about sharing his experience with the next generation of Ithaca College students. “I feel very indebted to Ithaca College and have the utmost respect and love for all the faculty that’s helped me through the years,” Cugini said. “I played football while I was there. So my coaches, too, made sure I was on the straight and narrow. A lot of my life is based around my experiences at the college.”

Students got to tour a skyscraper penthouse during the trip. (Photo submitted)

In fact, it was a football connection that helped Cugini as he worked to get his start in the industry. Another former Bomber football player, Andy Ackerman ’04, helped him get his foot in the door.

“He's still my mentor to this day,” said Cugini of Ackerman. “And one of the things he instilled in me is that you have to pass the torch, so those younger than you will be ready to take on the responsibilities you have.”

So Cugini now passes the torch by giving advice to any student who wants to connect with him.

“All this help comes no strings attached,” he said. “The only thing I ask of them is that when they get into a position like I am, that they help others.”

Cugini believes the value of a shared experience like a college education can help anyone in the industry.

“To have that camaraderie and shared background is beneficial for everybody,” he said. “The prospect of it [hiring or working with students] is great.”

“Someone like me in their 50s or 60s can focus on giving back. What good is all this expertise if I don’t pass it on to others?”

Gary Kerper ’80

He also praised Doyon and Perelman for their work in starting the club. “I wish I had the wherewithal to do what Reese and Cole are doing when I was in school,” he said.

It was a New Year’s Resolution two years ago that drove Kerper to give back to Ithaca College and help and mentor students. He had read the book From Strength to Strength by Arthur C. Brooks, which talks about ways to live a fulfilling life. The request to connect with members of the club presented the perfect opportunity to make good on that resolution.

“During different stages of life, you’re focused on different things. When you’re in your 20s and 30s, you’re focused on making money. Someone like me in their 50s or 60s can focus on giving back,” Kerper said, “What good is all this expertise if I don’t pass it on to others?”

“It was an incredible opportunity. In real estate and finance, it’s who you know. You need to have that network to get somewhere.”

Anastasiya Yavorska ’25

The opportunity to tap into the vast IC alumni network and connect with successful professionals was invaluable to the club members.

“It was an incredible opportunity to get my name out there,” Yavorska said. “In real estate and finance, it’s who you know. You need to have that network to get somewhere.”

Collin Feeney ’25, who serves as the head of alumni relations for the club, praised the grads for giving their time to current students.

“They’re all great people, are very helpful, and they love supporting us,” he said. “The biggest thing we learned is how close the alumni are to the students. Talking to them definitely took the pressure off me a little and made me feel confident in what I’m doing.”