Last Thursday, Grossman School of Business alum Kevin Donner ‘98 spoke with students at the latest Alumni Career Spotlight at Ifshin Hall. Kevin talked about his journey from his time at UVM, where he distinguished himself academically and in UVM Men's Lacrosse, to his current position as the Executive Vice Chairman of the Capital Markets Team at Newmark, a global commercial real estate services company.  

Kevin talked about his time at UVM, including how studying abroad helped him find a new appreciation for school and reflecting on how his professors taught him how to learn. He talked about how his time working with the New York Stock Exchange was valuable, but eventually he was looking for a change, and networking landed him a job with a real estate investment bank.  

Students in attendance asked questions about his day-in-the-life in real-estate, and what kinds of job opportunities are in the field. He cited everything from real estate bankers and advisors, to services including procure financing, leasing, property management, project management, and even global occupier services.  

Kevin also shared the pivotal moments that have guided him to his present career accomplishments in real estate. His career advice to students? Take your shot and be willing to take a chance – don't wait for the perfect opportunity, and be willing to take steps backwards, forwards, and sideways. Your first career is not going to be your last one. While in school, everything you study translates into any industry, so while there may be classes you don’t enjoy as much, it’s worth doing the work and look to take one to two key points from each. Work hard, seize opportunities, and network. 

Thank you, Kevin, for joining us!