Summer Internship Spotlight: Dan Macdonald (MBA’24): Jubilee Housing

Each year, Georgetown McDonough students spend their summers in Washington, D.C., across the nation, and around the world working in corporate, nonprofit, and government organizations. Meet a few of our graduate and undergraduate students in our 2022 Summer Internship Spotlight series.

Tell us about your summer internship.

Through my internship at Jubilee Housing, I was able to become involved in various development projects which included major renovation projects for Jubilee’s properties. I was able to shadow career real estate professionals and learn about the development industry and how they make a project come together. Additionally, I was exposed to the dynamic aspects of the real estate development industry, especially with the specific requirements for projects in the Washington D.C., area. I was also fortunate enough to engage with many leaders in the D.C. real estate sector through various meetings, informational interviews, and site tours.

How did your internship relate to your professional or personal interests? 

Coming from the military, real estate is a major career pivot for me. I went into this opportunity ready to learn and absorb as much information about real estate development as possible. I personally learn best by doing, so this internship was an incredible opportunity for me to get involved and develop some experience prior to starting my MBA journey at Georgetown McDonough.

How did you find the internship?

I am extremely grateful to Georgetown McDonough’s Steers Center For Global Real Estate for facilitating this opportunity and to Jubilee Housing for allowing me to join their team this summer.

What’s the most interesting or impactful thing you worked on during your internship?

The most important thing I saw was how much of a “people business” real estate is. Whether it was a development director coordinating countless meetings with architects, engineers, and construction managers to ensure the project is on time, or simply getting to know the tenets to better assist them, real estate truly is a people business. I also learned so much about Jubilee Housing’s mission and the magnificent work they are doing in the community. I was fortunate enough to meet and work with various members of their team, and I believe their mission to provide deeply affordable housing and build better communities is truly incredible. 

What did a typical day look like?

During my internship I was fortunate enough to work directly with Jubilee’s Director of Real Estate Development, so I was able to participate and assist in various synchronization meetings with construction managers, architects, and engineers. Additionally, I would conduct market research and facilitate permits for the company’s various development projects. One other great part about this internship was that Jubilee introduced me to various leaders in the Washington, D.C. real estate industry and facilitated site tours, all to assist my professional development as I pivot into real estate.

What advice do you have for other students?

Never feel afraid to reach out! Putting yourself out there for new and unfamiliar opportunities may be daunting, but never underestimate how much people within your network or at McDonough are willing to help if you ask.  I left the Army earlier this summer, and immediately reached out to the Steers Center for guidance on how to better position myself for a career change into real estate.  Without doing that, I would have never received this opportunity prior to starting my MBA.