The ICSC Foundation is building a pipeline of young talent for the Marketplaces Industry. Scholarships, mentorships and internships offered through the Foundation are vital in drawing the brightest young minds to retail and real estate. Zach Ng, Gregory Hamilton and Jordyn Dellis exemplify the talent that will lead a new generation of the industry, and ICSC members are proud to support them.

Ng interned with Acadia Realty Trust in 2022 via the ICSC Launch Academy and joined the company full-time as an asset management analyst in July, after earning a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in real estate from the University of Miami. He brought a wealth of commercial real estate knowledge and connections within the Marketplaces Industry to the job, thanks in part to that internship and the ICSC Foundation.

Ng had started college knowing he wanted to work in finance and had seen value-creation possibilities working on residential projects with his dad. But he was unfamiliar with the myriad career opportunities within the Marketplaces Industry until he stumbled into a real estate club at school and starting learning more about commercial property. During his internship, he worked with his Launch Academy mentor, Acadia Realty senior director of development and asset management Josh Bissinger, to learn the ropes of real estate finance and management. And through his connections and mentors at ICSC member firms, Ng has met executives from some of the biggest landlord and tenant firms in New York City, rung the New York Stock Exchange bell, gone on property tours and worked in portfolio management spreadsheets. “ICSC is a great place to get your foot in the door for students who don’t already have friends and family in the industry,” Ng said. “It’s hard to break into and figure out how this industry works.”

Gregory Hamilton, a senior at Georgia State University double-majoring in finance and real estate, is another success story. After interning at Wells Fargo this summer, Hamilton has secured a job there and will start after he graduates in May 2024. It’s easy to see why Hamilton is in high demand. He received the ICSC Foundation Kite Realty Group Undergraduate Scholarship in Memory of Savannah Lee for the 2023-24 academic year. “This scholarship was endowed in memory of Savannah Lee, who was known for being a high-achieving trailblazer and goal-driven changemaker at Kite Realty Group,” Hamilton said. “I strive every day to embody those values and to be a leader within my community both in and out of school.”

During his participation in the ICSC Foundation Mentorship Program, he also worked with mentor Maegan Akers, a former ICSC Foundation Mary Lou Fiala Fellow and current general manager at Westfield Fashion Square for Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield. Hamilton also attended ICSC LAS VEGAS in 2023 as part of his scholarship. “Being surrounded by more than 24,000 of the brightest and most innovative minds in the retail and Marketplaces Industry provided me with the opportunity to grow and learn more about upcoming trends, interconnectivity between many different industries and, most importantly, a vast network with access to professionals that truly care about giving back to students looking to enter the CRE industry,” he said.

Meanwhile, Jordyn Dellis, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who is majoring in real estate and urban land economics, is considering a career in retail and real estate thanks to her involvement with ICSC. “ICSC has helped me determine what kind of career I want to pursue after graduation by providing me with opportunities to explore different potential avenues,” she said. “When looking at different asset classes, retail excites me because of its dynamic role … in shaping consumers’ lives.” Through her participation in the ICSC Foundation’s Mentorship Program, Dellis is learning about the different sectors of the industry from mentor Steven Weinstock, a senior vice president for Marcus & Millichap and regional manager of its Oak Brook, Illinois, office. “My mentorship experience has been helpful in having a point person to go to for advice and any questions that I have,” she said.

She also appreciates the ICSC articles, courses and programs that allow students to explore career paths. An accomplished student leader and recipient of multiple scholarships, Dellis received the ICSC Foundation Milton Cooper Trailblazer in Real Estate Award and also attended ICSC LAS VEGAS in May. “I was able to hear from panels of different professionals in a wide range of roles,” she said. “I was also able to make connections with students who have shared their career interests.”

The support ICSC is providing to young talent in the Marketplaces Industry is making a difference. Ng, Hamilton and Dellis are just a few of the many students and recent graduates who have benefited from the ICSC Foundation's scholarships, mentorships and internships.

ICSC members can ensure that students like these have the resources and support they need to succeed by donating to the ICSC Foundation.