Staff Report

Students at two of Florida’s HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) have been awarded scholarships from Crossman & Company, one of the Southeast’s largest retail leasing, property management and investment sales firms. The Orlando-based company donated to scholarship funds at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach and the Florida A&M University Foundation in Tallahassee.

Scholarship recipients are Florida A&M’s Maya Mitchell and Bethune-Cookman University’s Dorian Mixon.

“Our industry is always looking for students who have excellent grades and other qualifications to become future leaders. Our donations continue a long record of commitment to supporting diversity in the commercial real estate industry through higher education,” noted Crossman & Company President John Crossman, CCIM, CRX.

Crossman & Company’s initiative, now in its third year, helps students acquire a high-quality college education at an affordable cost, develops leaders of tomorrow and connect high performing students with top tier employment opportunities in the commercial real estate industry. “Part of our core values as a company are professional development, education and diversity to develop future leaders in our industry. From fundraising to mentoring and hiring students we go beyond being advocates but actively participate in the process,” Crossman added.

Florida A&M University Foundation, Inc. was established with a specific mandate to serve as a custodian of contributions from the private sector, alumni, friends, and industry. The Foundation receives, invests and administers funds.

Bethune-Cookman University scholarships recognize academic excellence. Their major purpose is to encourage outstanding students and assist them along the path to leadership and service to humanity.

In July 2014, Crossman & Company proposed the “HBCU Real Estate Education Plan.” As a leader in the commercial real estate industry the firm realized that very few HBCU students are offered the opportunity to study real estate as a business discipline. The goal of the initiative is to encourage HBCUs to promote the study of fundamental principles of real estate at a select group of HBCUs in the southeastern United States.

“We are honored to have the continued support of John Crossman and the Crossman family,” said Ida D. Wright; Dean College of Business and Entrepreneurship, 2016. “Bethune-Cookman University has long been recognized by the State of Florida as a Real Estate school and now with the help of Mr. Crossman’s support and generosity we can teach our students like Dorian Mixon the importance of land acquisition and building generational wealth. Dr. Bethune would be quite proud.”

Serving Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, MIssissippi and Virginia, Crossman & Company now has 27.1 million square feet under leasing and management comprising of 347 properties. Crossman & Company has experience selling shopping centers, strip malls, single-tenant, triple-net assets, as well as mixed-use and lifestyle properties.

Crossman & Company has created a Commercial Real Estate Guide about making the right career choices. The free guide is available for download in English, Spanish, Portuguese and now French at www.crossmanco.com.

There are also several educational videos on the firm’s growing YouTube Channel.

For more information, visit www.crossmanco.com or call (407) 423-5400.