By Manikka Bowman
Project REAP is conducting a research project to assess its impact on our alumni's career development in commercial real estate (CRE). The information will help us gauge the overall impact of our mission to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the industry.
We will launch a nationally disseminated survey to over 1,700 REAP alums in mid-October. In addition, the research firm, Rivera Consulting Inc., will conduct qualitative interviews with REAP alum. The quantitative and qualitative findings from the research will be released via a report in acknowledgment of REAP's 25th anniversary.
REAP's impact will be evaluated on four levels:
Reaction – the experience of alumni during and after the Academy
Learning – the knowledge gained via the Academy in the following core subjects: investment, real estate development, finance, innovation, and career development
Behavior – if and how alums leveraged the knowledge gained through the Academy to pivot into CRE. Did the education increase their willingness to explore opportunities and ability to pursue a career in CRE?
Results – measures the ROI on the alums' REAP experience. What was the long-range impact of their experience and investment in REAP? How did REAP aid their pursuit of obtaining a job and/or entrepreneurial opportunities? Did the REAP experience lead to professional changes?
We are grateful for the REAP alums who volunteered their time to help shape this process. The team looks forward to engaging our REAP network in this way to understand REAP's impact on CRE over our 24-year history.