Through her studies in real estate property management, supported by the Center for Real Estate, Julissa Villalobos found a clear path from the classroom to an internship creating more sustainable and equitable housing in Portland.
“I chose to pursue the Real Estate Property Management Certificate alongside my business studies because it aligns with my long-term goal of one day managing my own hotel,” Villalobos says. “It also provides me with practical knowledge of property operations that I can apply in the real estate projects my father works on.” Combining the certificate with her business degree allows her “to better understand both the strategic and operational sides of real estate.”
Julissa is currently an Emergency Management and Sustainability Intern at Home Forward, where she supports affordable housing communities across the city. In her role, she has been assigned 11 affordable housing properties, 10 of which are now partnered with the Energy Trust of Oregon to analyze and improve energy, water, and waste usage. Her work includes collaborating with residents through educational community events focused on energy use and sustainability, as well as helping develop property-specific action plans tailored to each site.
Her path to Home Forward began with an email from Academic Director and Professor, Michael Havlik, highlighting internship opportunities for students in the Property Management program. “After clicking through every link, Home Forward stood out to me because of its mission and its commitment to reckoning with systemic racism in housing,” she says. “As a Latina, I value working in a space where communities like mine are seen, heard, and supported, and where the organization is actively striving to create more equitable living conditions for its residents.”
The material she was learning in her Property Management classes played a key role in preparing her for the internship. “The courses I have taken for the Real Estate Property Management Certificate have given me strong insight into multifamily and affordable housing,” she says, noting that this background made the transition into her role much smoother because “many of the terms and concepts were already familiar to me.”
Support from The School of Business and Center for Real Estate extended beyond academics. The Career Center assisted with reviewing her resume, and she found professional attire through the Career Clothing Closet for her interviews, resources that allowed her to focus on presenting herself and her experience.
Reflecting on her journey, Julissa encourages other students to take initiative when pursuing internships with real-world impact. “I initially doubted whether my resume was ‘good enough,’” she says. “But when I spoke up and expressed my interest, Professor Havlik was able to support me and recommend me for this role, which likely made a bigger impact than my resume alone.” Her advice is simple but direct: “Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, ask for help, and keep pursuing the opportunities you really want. Persistence and self-advocacy can open doors you might not expect.”
For Julissa Villalobos, the combination of a business degree and the Real Estate Property Management Certificate didn’t just enhance her education, it helped her step into a role where she’s gaining real-world experience, advancing sustainability efforts, and contributing to more equitable housing across Portland.