Each summer, students from the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics gain valuable professional-level experience through internships. This year, young scholars were able to traverse the complications of COVID-19 by pursuing an array of internships, externships and other professional development opportunities. Each profile of this series details a Lerner student’s experiences working remotely on business-oriented projects.
Jessica Gittleman, a Class of 2021 hospitality business management major with an entrepreneurship minor, took up a virtual summer internship position for Lee & Associates, a commercial real estate firm.
Q: How did you find out about and choose this internship?
Gittleman: I used my UD network and made various connections with people involved in commercial real estate. Through multiple phone calls and introductions, I was able to land an interview with Lee & Associates NYC.
Q: How did the coronavirus response impact your internship search and working experience?
Gittleman: Coronavirus turned my internship into a remote program. Being remote resulted in being placed in a specific department (office leasing) and being assigned a mentor. Working online included more background research and projects rather than shadowing in-person activities.
Q: What did you learn through this internship that you don’t think you would have learned anywhere else?
Gittleman: I learned how to use a commercial real estate information database, which is a great skill to have in this industry. I also learned how to do market research and create a market report.
Q: What is the most exciting project or task that you have undertaken in your role?
Gittleman: The most exciting project I worked on was creating the quarter two market report. This task taught me a lot about searching for information and working with a team, as all the interns worked together.
Q: What is an example of a time you were able to apply something you learned at Lerner to your role?
Gittleman: Over the summer I continually tried to network with everyone at the company by having multiple phone calls. Relationships are very important in any industry. Lerner has taught me that it is crucial to form relationships with coworkers and other companies within the industry.
Q: How do you think this internship will help you with your professional goals?
Gittleman: This internship has given me a starting point to enter the world of commercial real estate. I was able to learn a lot about the field and meet some very talented people to help guide me as I enter the workforce.
Q: What are your plans or next steps in your career once this internship is over?
Gittleman: My plans are to continue to speak with anyone involved within commercial real estate and grow my network. I also plan to keep learning more about the industry by using online resources.