Lee & Associates of Western PA President, Amy Broadhurst, joined Duquesne University’s First-Year Innovation Experience Real Estate Panel to discuss career paths, industry change, and how students can begin building experience now.
For students considering a career in commercial real estate, the path can begin before graduation. It might start with a conversation, a campus event or an internship that opens the door to a new part of the industry.
That was one of the messages Amy Broadhurst shared with students at Duquesne University’s Palumbo-Donahue School of Business during its First-Year Innovation Experience speaker series. The October 2026 Real Estate Panel brought together professionals from brokerage, construction and capital markets to discuss careers and the changing real estate business.
Broadhurst, president of Lee & Associates’ Western Pennsylvania office, joined Cheri Bomar, executive vice president and general counsel at Hardy World, LLC, and Bryan McCann, senior vice president of capital markets at Colliers. Patrick Sentner, Duquesne’s director of the Real Estate Program and executive vice president of Occupier Services at Colliers in Pittsburgh, moderated the panel.
The discussion covered career paths, skills needed to succeed, challenges facing the industry and opportunities likely to emerge over the next five to ten years. Panelists also reflected on mistakes, what they might do differently as first-year students, and how students can begin learning about commercial real estate while still in college.
For Broadhurst, returning to Duquesne carried a personal connection. She graduated from the university in 2006 and was involved in the initial planning for its new real estate program. Launched in the 2026–27 academic year, the program is designed to pair coursework with industry projects, networking, competitions and career guidance.
“Real estate plays a vital role in shaping our communities,” Broadhurst said when Duquesne announced the programs. “Having a university-based program rooted in Pittsburgh is particularly meaningful, as it will help create a pipeline of skilled professionals who can build upon the region’s transformation and continue economic development.”
Start exploring while you’re still in school
Broadhurst encourages students to take advantage of opportunities to meet professionals and explore different parts of the business early.
“Start engaging now,” she advised. “There is a lot of opportunity to take advantage of in this industry.”
Her experience is one example of how a career can develop through different opportunities and areas of interest. After graduating from Duquesne with a bachelor’s degree in economics, Broadhurst earned her master’s degree in real estate from Texas A&M University. Her experience has included site selection and asset leasing, agency and occupier services, and local and multi-market brokerage, with a primary focus on industrial and flex properties.
She encourages students to use college as a time to learn what they enjoy and where they might contribute. They do not need to have their entire career mapped out before they begin; each experience can help them understand the industry and their own interests.
Build skills by paying attention and following through
The panel’s discussion of success in commercial real estate included both technical and interpersonal skills. Broadhurst highlighted listening, follow-up, strategic thinking, analytics, and the ability to build relationships.
Students can develop these skills in a variety of settings. Asking thoughtful questions and listening closely helps them learn from others. Following up after a meeting or introduction can turn a brief interaction into an ongoing professional connection. Analytical and strategic thinking grow through coursework and hands-on projects, especially when students connect information to a real business question.
Broadhurst also encourages students to be curious about the work behind business decisions. Understanding why data, systems and processes matter can help them see how individual tasks support broader business needs. That curiosity can help turn information into insight.
Prepare for an industry that keeps changing
The panel also addressed how new technologies, including AI, are changing business. Broadhurst sees these developments as an opportunity for students to apply their education to new and evolving needs in the industry.
Technology is one part of preparing for the future, but it works alongside the human skills that support relationships and good decisions. Students who can work with data, think strategically, listen carefully and communicate well will be better positioned to adapt as tools and business practices change.
The students’ engagement made an impression on Broadhurst, as did the number of young women in the room. In an industry where women have historically been underrepresented, she values opportunities to connect with young women and help them see commercial real estate as a place where they can build successful careers.
Supporting the next generation of talent
Lee & Associates views engagement with students and universities as an investment in the future of commercial real estate. Students do not need prior commercial real estate experience to start a conversation.
Internships and part-time work can help students try out different roles, while job shadowing and conversations with professionals can offer an introduction to areas they may not have encountered in class. The goal is to learn, ask questions and stay open to possibilities.
Commercial real estate is a relationship-driven business. Connections made through school, internships and professional events can help students learn about the work and meet people who can offer perspective as their careers take shape. That early exposure is one of the reasons the firm’s Pennsylvania offices created a research-based internship program. The program introduces students to market research and data while giving them exposure to brokerage, marketing, operations and other parts of the business.
For students, the panel’s central message was clear: commercial real estate is a broad, evolving field, and there is value in exploring it early. Ask questions, follow up on connections, and look for opportunities to learn by doing.
The Lee & Associates Pennsylvania offices welcome opportunities to connect with students, faculty, and university programs interested in commercial real estate careers and industry partnerships. Students interested in future internship opportunities can learn more about the program by clicking on the link below.