Unlocking Opportunity — How the BMC READI Program Opens Doors to Real Estate for High Schoolers

When many high-schoolers think about possible careers, real estate rarely tops the list. But the Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate (BMC) is changing that for students participating in its Real Estate Awareness and Discovery Initiative (READI). Launched in 2022, READI aims to demystify the real estate industry and give youth a real shot at exploring it as a fulfilling, viable career path.

Originally launched with just one partner organization, the Barrio Logan College Institute (BLCI), the program has quickly grown to include several educational and youth-support nonprofits including Project Next, Junior Achievement, and Nativity Prep. This rapid expansion has been made possible thanks to commitment from local real-estate companies and generous support from donors like BMC Policy Advisory Board member, Dennis Cruzan.

"Commercial real estate offers many diverse career opportunities that are rarely seen by students in underserved communities.  As a commercial real estate owner/executive, I have tried various ways to reach into these underserved areas to attract talent into our industry…..and, wasn’t very successful.   The READI program is a huge step forward with this goal by planting seeds with high school students in these areas and providing insight and connections to commercial real estate as a career option." -Dennis Cruzan, Principal and Founder at CRUZAN

Program Growth

The program's reach has grown but so has the BMC's commitment to the initiative. In 2025, the READI program graduated six cohorts of 15 students each, and the BMC onboarded new team member, Junie Nechita as its Senior Coordinator of BMC Operations and READI Programming.

The Real Estate Awareness and Discovery Initiative (READI) is more than a career-exploration program — it’s a bridge. It connects bright middle and high school students with real estate professionals, gives them exposure to a wide range of career paths, supports them with resources, and helps shape a more inclusive future for the industry in San Diego.