JLL invests initial $25,000 in new endowed fund for Florida A&M University commercial real estate students

 

 LaShawn Bates

 MIAMI, FL – As part of its ongoing efforts to increase diversity and inclusion in the commercial real estate industry, JLL announced that its Florida offices have created a permanently endowed fund with an initial investment of $25,000 to support the education of Florida A&M University (FAMU) students interested in pursuing careers in commercial real estate.

 

Located in Tallahassee, FAMU is the highest-ranked public historically black college and university (HBCU) in the country and the only public historically black university in Florida.

 

FAMU recently celebrated its 134^th anniversary and offers courses that provide a strong foundation for a commercial real estate career.

 

The endowment aims to make transaction roles more accessible to new, early-career women and underrepresented brokers deterred from the industry’s commission-oriented structure.

Christopher (Chris) Drew

“One way our industry can improve workforce diversity is to break down financial barriers preventing someone from pursuing a commercial real estate career,” said Senior Vice President of Market Operations in Florida

LaShawn Bates.

“Our goal is to provide FAMU student with greater early career support as they get started in the industry, and we hope our relationship with FAMU, and this fund will be a recruiting source for us.”      

 

“We want to cultivate a love of commercial real estate with the best and brightest minds in Florida, so establishing this financial relationship with FAMU will allow that talent to find us and vice versa,” added Senior Managing Director Chris Drew, Co-Head of JLL’s Miami Capital Markets office. 

 Larry Robinson

“As a result of the relationships that JLL formed with FAMU students during our work with Project Destined, we wanted a way to impact more students, and, when presented with the chance to expand our relationship with FAMU and its students, JLL was excited to do so.”

 

“Commercial real estate represents a significant area of untapped opportunity for our students. Their drive, creativity and passion to succeed are just some of the assets they will bring to this industry,” said FAMU President Larry Robinson, Ph.D. “We thank JLL for its inclusivity and generosity. This is a sound investment in the future of students.”  

 FAMU Cheer Leaders

“We are turning words into action through all of our overall initiatives and commitment to FAMU students specifically through this scholarship,” Bates said.

 “HBCUs, and FAMU in particular, have a long, rich history of graduating some of our country’s trail blazers. Our hope is that the fund helps inspire a new generation of diverse leaders in commercial real estate.”

 

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Contact:

 

 Kimberly Steele

PR, Americas

JLL

M +1 232 244 9994

JLL.com