what were your RESPONSIBILITIES as an intern?

I was an Asset Management Intern at Harrison Street, a real estate private equity firm headquartered in Chicago. My responsibilities included developing capital call materials to fund asset buildouts, creating disposition memos that recommend sale strategies for existing investments, and collaborating on presentations for investors. The role consists of analyzing asset-level financials, modeling and presenting projected returns, contributing to the firm's overall goal of maximizing returns across the firm's portfolio.

What was your favorite/most memorable part of your internship

My favorite part of my internship was getting closer with my fellow GWI Scholars, interns, and professionals at the firm through social and community events. Harrison Street hosted a firmwide event at Windy City Smokeout, a country music festival, and it was very memorable to enjoy live music while bonding with members at the company. The firm culture is very collaborative and community-based, which I have really enjoyed! Another memorable moment was a roundtable chat with the CEO. It was a great experience to speak with the founder and leader of the firm, and learn from his wisdom.

Walk us through a day in the life of your internship?

I arrive at the office at 8:30am, get a drink from the barista, and head to my desk. I work on my current project, which is either a Capital Call or Disposition. Throughout the day, I attend meetings, such as the weekly Investor Committee Meeting, Asset Checkup, Coffee Chats, and networking roundtables. For lunch, my fellow interns and I like to try different food places near the office (Chicago has a great food scene!). After lunch, I get back to the desk and continue working on my project into the evening, with meetings usually scheduled. On certain days, the Asset Management team has volleyball games after work, and it has been fun to attend. Overall, each day is different, and I have learned a lot!