Ryan Austin spent his last semester at Concordia interning for The New Home Company (NHC). During his internship, Ryan was a part of an important transition for the company: NHC when it went public.
"Everyone in the company was very excited and enthusiastic," said Ryan. "It was awesome listening to the partners explaining the process of going public as well as future plans for the company." Based in Orange County, NHC went public with an initial price of $11 per share, which has since increased to $13.75 as of September 2014. Projections for the next year top $17, according to CNN Money.
Going public allowed NHC to receive new capital that will fuel large projects and growth in the quickly advancing company. This transition "sharpened the company", stated Ryan. Ryan witnessed everything that transpired within the company during that time. He recalled that, "It inspired everyone in the company to continue working their hardest and at their best."
Ryan landed an inside look at this corporation while he worked alongside its employees and leaders. "This internship has taught me that there are so many elements that go into running a successful business," Ryan said. "I have been exposed to different departments which make up a homebuilding company." The welcoming attitudes that Ryan encountered made him recognize that, "I was an intern by title, but I felt like I was part of the company."
For Ryan, what stood out about this internship was the real world experience. The experience of having a boss, delegating tasks, and balancing competing deadlines helped him transfer his academic studies to direct application in the business realm. "My favorite part was going and actually visiting the real estate projects," revealed Ryan. Seeing the homes in Dana Point, Irvine, and San Juan Capistrano gave his job in accounting new purpose.
Ryan's inspiration to continue to pursue his accounting education stemmed from this exciting internship that Concordia faculty were instrumental in setting up. All business majors are required to intern with an innovative company before graduation. Faculty members like Dr. Mark Fawaz, professor of Business Administration, who found Ryan his internship, strive to send students to cutting-edge businesses like NHC. This internship often acts as a catalyst in a student's future career.