Arbor Summer Interns Learn About the Lifecycle of a Loan and Much More
Arbor’s summer internship program is a key part of our ongoing initiative to nurture talent and shape future leaders through programs, such as Fannie Mae’s DUS® Summer Series, and networking opportunities.
DUS® Summer Series Educates Interns on the Life of a Loan
Fannie Mae’s DUS Summer Series, an annual webinar open to employees of DUS lenders like Arbor, is designed to provide education about the broader commercial mortgage industry, Fannie Mae, and its DUS program, while helping participants become aware of opportunities in the multifamily sector. Arbor has played a key role in developing the program, which is available to summer interns and early-career employees, including those who have been with a company for less than one year or have recently transitioned to the multifamily sector.
Interns and Employees Reflect on the Summer Series
Tracy Dennis, Managing Director, General Counsel, Agency and Arbor Private Label at Arbor: “This year, we added a career panel for one of the sessions that included professionals who were in different stages of their careers. We wanted to make sure that the participants could better relate to the professionals, which is why we also made sure to include people who are earlier in their careers.”
Marisa Mamak, Marketing intern: “One of the key takeaways I gained from the DUS Operation Summer Speaker Series is skills for my post-grad life. Speakers in the weekly seminar emphasized the importance of taking initiative and having the willingness to learn. Companies seek individuals who can demonstrate leadership and are eager to grow and develop.”
Jake Borgese, Agency Production intern: “Hearing from professionals across production, underwriting, and other areas has given me a broader perspective on how each position contributes to the loan process and has helped me better understand where I can continue to grow professionally.”
Building a Strong Foundation in CRE Finance
Regardless of the department, Arbor strives to emphasize the importance of growing long-term partnerships, both with our clients and our colleagues. It is a philosophy that extends to all departments, employees, and tasks.
Andrew Maiella, Screening intern: “I’ve gotten to the point where I am screening my own deals that come into my team’s queue, including working with an analyst on screening and quoting two separate 15+ unit portfolios. This is my first internship, so all of it was new when I started, but the biggest thing I’ve taken away is what kills a deal early in screening.”
Ryan DeSimone, Capital Markets intern: “By building different models from scratch this summer, I gained a fundamental understanding of the core differences between Freddie and Fannie pricing and learned how j-spread models draw from active U.S. Treasury curves to adjust to market fluctuations.”
Arbor Colleagues Pay It Forward
Arbor is proud that several colleagues have served as intern mentors over the years, supporting students as they build connections in commercial real estate and helping drive Arbor’s continued growth.
Ryan Kraynak, Vice President, Screening, who is working with four interns this summer, said that he always treats aspiring professionals as if they were new full-time hires.
“I pair interns with analysts in a training program to help them navigate their workbooks, which I’ve found is a more meaningful experience for them,” said Kraynak. “Working with interns for several years has reinforced things that I already knew: that these students are hungry to learn and ready to make an impact.”
Developing Future Talent at Arbor
Kraynak said he’s had interns return to spend another summer at Arbor, and some have been hired full-time.
Joseph Hayek, a Payment Processing intern in Arbor’s Buffalo office this summer, recently accepted a full-time Portfolio Analyst I role in our Portfolio Management department.
“From my first day as an Intern, every question I asked was met with timely, thoughtful guidance, making it easy to learn and grow with confidence,” said Hayek. “The willingness of colleagues to help and collaborate has created an environment where I never hesitate to seek advice or expand my knowledge.”
Anna Weiss Cohen, Screening and Production Management intern, is in her second summer interning at Arbor.
“I came back because I wanted the chance to see a different side of the lending process,” said Cohen. “Last year, I was on the asset management side, tracking loan performance and doing site visits after deals closed.”
“This summer, I moved into screening and production and got exposure to a deal from initial underwriting through credit approval,” she said. “Getting to see both sides of the loan life cycle has helped me build a more complete understanding of the business.”
Visit our Careers page for more information about working at Arbor and to stay updated on job opportunities.
Interested in the multifamily real estate investment market? Contact Arbor today to learn about our array of multifamily, single-family rental, and affordable housing financing options or view our multifamily articles and research reports.