Angela Revels
Features Editor
Interested in the real estate world? Students now have the perfect opportunity, thanks to a brand new student organization: the Real Estate Society, founded by sophomore Claudia Kaczmarczyk.
Kaczmarczyk, a finance major from Chicago, started the society just a few weeks ago with the goal of giving students more exposure to the real estate industry, something she’s been involved in for the past two years.
“I wanted to give students the opportunity to have new opportunities that I didn’t get to have,” Kaczmarczyk said.
With her real estate license already under her belt and internship experience in residential real estate, Kaczmarczyk noticed a gap on campus. While other schools had thriving real estate societies, FSC didn’t have a student group focused on the field—until now.
The Real Estate Society aims to connect students with professionals through guest speakers, educational workshops and networking events, and are even plans to help students navigate the process of getting their own real estate licenses.
“We’re trying to form partnerships with local real estate firms,” Kaczmarczyk said, naming Keller Williams and Saunders Real Estate among the businesses she’s already met with. She’s also been networking through CREW Tampa Bay (Commercial Real Estate Women) and hopes to collaborate with the University of South Florida Real Estate Society in the near future.
Even though the society is brand new, it’s already sparked interest.
“Right now we have about 26 students,” she said. “I was walking past the business building and actually saw someone scanning our QR code off a flyer. That was a cool moment.”
While the semester’s end has made it tough to lock down events before finals, the society has big plans for the fall. Kaczmarczyk and her unofficial vice president, junior Josh Burns, are working on potential events with Saunders Real Estate, including a welcome event at their newly renovated office space. She’s also exploring funding options to provide transportation for off-campus networking events.
One of the society’s biggest goals is to make real estate more accessible to students, whether they want to make a career out of it or just understand how it works.
“Everyone has to touch real estate at least once in their life,” Kaczmarczyk said, pointing out how helpful it can be to understand things like the home-buying process, apartment hunting and current market trends.
Workshops will cover everything from studying for the Real Estate exam to navigating first-time homeownership. Kaczmarczyk also wants to bring in professionals who can offer insight into both residential and commercial real estate.
Her advice for students looking to break into the field? Don’t wait. Start talking to people.
“Honestly, just talk to people. Send the emails, get coffee with someone in the industry. Most of the time, people want to help,” she said.
Despite being just a sophomore, Kaczmarczyk is graduating early this December. She is considering pursuing her MBA at USF and continue building her network in the real estate space. She’s already attended several industry events and has had coffee chats with real estate pros across Tampa Bay, just by reaching out on LinkedIn.
“People in real estate really respect young people who are motivated,” she said. “They know the market is tough, and they want to support the next generation coming up.”
Whether interested in flipping houses, leasing commercial space or just want to understand what goes into signing your first lease, the Real Estate Society has something to offer. It’s also a place to meet like-minded students, build a network and figure out your path.
As the society ramps up, expect more opportunities to learn, network and maybe even find an internship — or an apartment.
If students are curious about the world of real estate, this society might be worth checking out. This is a great opportunity for students thinking about getting into Real Estate and getting a head start like Kaczmarcyzk.
