Students from historically underrepresented and marginalized groups are getting financial support and real estate mentoring opportunities from a new paid internship program sponsored through a partnership between Windermere Real Estate and the University of Washington College of Built Environments (CBE), according to a press release from the school. 

The eight-week Aspire internship program, launched  on July 13, focuses primarily on the single-family and multi-family residential real estate market in the Seattle area. Eight students were accepted into the program and will work 25 hours a week to learn skills in sales, marketing, leadership and more. 

Windermere is funding $5,000 scholarships for each of the interns. Windermere president, OB Jacobi said in a written statement that the partnership continues the longstanding relationship between Windermere and UW. That partnership has been going strong since the first Windermere Cup Rowing Regatta in 1987. 

“After learning about Windermere’s commitment to increasing diversity within the real estate industry, Renee Cheng (Dean of the College of Built Environments at the University of Washington) approached us with an opportunity to partner with the College of Built Environments on the Aspire internship program,” Jacobi said in the press release. “Our goal is to inspire interest and engage students of color in the wide variety of careers and leadership opportunities available to them in real estate.”