Real Estate Students Learn Networking, Sociability at Tartt’s Wine-Tasting

(from left) Brad Scholhamer, Erin Reebles and Will Rankin

A wine-tasting event was held at the Depot on October 9 where 75 aspiring real estate practitioners networked with University of Mississippi faculty and alumni.

This event came to be thanks to Blake Tart III, University of Mississippi 1984 graduate, businessman and developer based in Houston, Texas as well as the President of Real Estate Advisory Board for the university’s School of Business.

Tartt said, “The biggest goal of the wine-tasting event is to help students find jobs in the real estate. When we first started, we noticed there were a lot of people from small, rural towns who needed to know how to mingle in a formal event. They need to know how to be social for job interviews.”

Students enjoyed learning about a variety of wines: Sauvignon, Rose, Pinot Noir and Cabernet with catering from Woodson Ridge Farms. Dr. Lloyd “Chip” Wade, assistant professor of finance and the head of the Real Estate at the UM School of Business, was in attendance along with Dean Ken Cyree.

(left to right) Dr. Ken Cyree, Dr. Chip Wade, and Will Norton, dean of Meek School of Journalism and New Media

Dr. Wade said, “This event helps students get exposure outside of classrooms. The real estate job market is highly competitive, and we prepare them with mock interviews and with settings similar to the world outside of the classrooms. We realize that many of the opportunities arise from who you know.”

Dr. Wade and Tartt are helping young people such as Sydney Muller, senior double major in Managerial Finance and Real Estate.

“I thought that Blake Tartt’s wine-tasting event was such a great way for students to connect with real estate professionals and have a chance to talk about potential career paths,” said Muller. “The Real Estate Advisory Board was so willing to help all of the students that attended by answering any questions we had and giving us any advice they could about getting into the real estate business.”

Muller enjoyed the educational aspect of the wine-tasting event. “Learning about different kinds of wines was really helpful and something I think will be beneficial for future business social events,” she said. “It was also a great way to brush up on my social skills in a formal setting.”

(from left) Blake Tartt, Savannah Smartt with John Bunten, UM alum and president of Miramar Development

Andrew Shaw is a senior majoring in Managerial Finance, Real Estate and Banking & Finance with a minor in Marketing. He will graduate May 2016. Although Shaw was unable to attend the wine tasting event, but he had dinner with Blake Tartt last Wednesday night.

Shaw said, “(I) I really got to see what a day in his life is and what the real estate industry is like after graduation.”

He said he heard from his friends that the event went over well. “(T)he students were happy to see the alumni support at the event,” said Shaw.

Callie Daniels Bryant is the senior managing editor at HottyToddy.com. She can be reached at callie.daniels@hottytoddy.com.