Fitch Irick Corporation recently participated in a series of spring career events that brought our team to campus to meet students, share industry insight, and discuss what purpose-driven careers can look like in the affordable housing and real estate sectors.
Across three events, we had the opportunity to speak with students from a wide range of majors and backgrounds, including those exploring real estate, property management, finance, operations, technology, and community-oriented work. These conversations matter because the future of housing depends on capable, mission-aligned professionals who understand that strong operations and thoughtful investment can help deliver stability for residents and long-term strength for communities.
Meeting Students Where Careers Begin
Career fairs and department-hosted events are often where students connect classroom learning with real-world possibilities. For Fitch Irick, they are also a chance to introduce students to the breadth of opportunities within a vertically integrated real estate investment manager. Many students arrive with a narrow view of “real estate” that centers on sales or brokerage. We appreciate the chance to broaden that perspective by sharing how real estate investment, development, and day-to-day operations intersect, especially within multifamily rental housing.
Our team discussed how affordable housing and workforce housing rely on more than a single discipline. Successful communities require collaboration across property management, compliance, resident experience, maintenance operations, accounting, asset management, and development. That blend of skillsets creates an environment where early-career professionals can grow quickly while contributing to work that is tangible and community-centered.
Virginia Tech: Business Horizons Spring Career Fair
At Virginia Tech’s Business Horizons Spring Career Fair, Fitch Irick connected with students across multiple majors. Because the fair welcomed a broad range of disciplines, the conversations were equally diverse, ranging from operational career paths to internships and early-career roles that comprehensively support housing communities.
Our Talent Acquisition Manager, Allison Clay, spoke with more than 40 students during the event. Many were interested in how to start building relevant experience, what skills transfer well into the housing industry, and how professional growth can accelerate when you join an organization that offers exposure to multiple parts of the business. We were glad to share how Fitch Irick supports professional development and how early roles can contribute to long-term community stability.
Winthrop University: Spring Career & Internship Fair
Fitch Irick also attended the Spring Career & Internship Fair at Winthrop University, where we again had the chance to meet students from all majors and discuss internships, career opportunities, and long-term growth within our organization.
Real Estate and Property Management Career Event: Blackwood Department
Our third event was the Real Estate and Property Management Career Event hosted by the Blackwood Department of Real Estate and the Property Management Program. This setting created a focused environment to speak with students already interested in real estate and property management as a long-term career track.
Allison Clay attended alongside Regional Manager Shenica Henley, who shared real-world perspective on leadership, resident service, and operational performance within multifamily communities. Students asked questions about the skills that make someone successful on-site and across a portfolio, and how leadership develops over time through accountability, communication, and problem-solving.
For students considering property management, it was valuable to hear how the work extends beyond leasing and maintenance coordination. Strong property management is a key driver of housing quality, resident satisfaction, and long-term asset health. In affordable housing in particular, it requires care, compliance discipline, and an ability to serve diverse households with consistency and respect.
Why These Conversations Matter to Our Mission
Fitch Irick is headquartered in Charlotte, NC, and our work is grounded in a long-term commitment to better communities by providing quality affordable housing to residents in need. When we meet students, we are not only filling roles. We are inviting the next generation to contribute to a field where outcomes matter, where stable housing is essential infrastructure, and where professional excellence translates into real-world benefit.
We also shared how the industry includes specialized areas such as Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) programs and other tax-advantaged financing structures that help make affordable housing possible. Students often find this side of real estate especially interesting once they realize how finance, compliance, and operations come together to support housing access.
Continuing the Conversation
We are grateful to Virginia Tech, Winthrop University, and the Blackwood Department of Real Estate and Property Management Program for hosting well-organized events and welcoming employers who want to invest time in students’ growth.
For students who met our team and want to stay connected, we encourage you to follow Fitch Irick’s updates and explore future opportunities to learn more about internships and career paths. Whether your interests are in property management, real estate operations, compliance, resident-focused service, or investment and development support, there are many ways to build a meaningful career while contributing to stronger communities.