Shared memories and shared goals

Harold Lander ’13

Tell us about your time as a student.

Studying engineering, I spent a lot of time in the library. Working on problem sets in groups is one of the most present memories of school for me.

Outside of the classroom, I was involved in a few clubs on campus, including Meliora Capital, Mini Baja, and Hillel but most of my time was spent being involved with my fraternity Sigma Epsilon. I made many rewarding, lifelong friendships during my time on campus. I am still in touch with a lot of these friends; I am even going to Israel for one of their weddings next month.

How did your experience at the University of Rochester influence your life? 

The University was an all-around great experience. Studying engineering was something I always wanted to do, and my time at Hajim opened my mind to thinking about and solving problems in new ways. The personalities of my classmates fit well with my personality and allowed me to open up. I was able to find a group of like-minded people and finally settle into myself.

What inspired you to get involved and volunteer?

When I graduated, it was the first year of the Real Reader program — they reached out to me and I was happy to volunteer. This program pairs engineering and science students with professionals to help mentor them about networking, resumes, cover letters, and general professional development. I thought I could help in a meaningful way, and I have continued volunteering ever since.

In college, I didn’t know much about real estate and when I graduated I thought I was interested in finance. After starting my first job, I learned that real estate combines a lot of my interests and is a hiring pathway for engineers. I established the Real Estate Network with my founding co-chairs Neda Levy ’00 and David Swidler ’05 to help current students learn more about this career path and create a new professional community focused on this industry.

What’s the most rewarding part of staying connected with your alma mater? 

I have always found it helpful to network with other industry professionals to learn from a pool of people with diverse backgrounds. Staying connected through the Real Estate Network allows me to grow my network with likeminded professionals and since everyone shares being a Rochester alumni it becomes a lot easier to connect and build lasting relationships.

The Real Readers program is something I wish I had access to during my time as a student. It is rewarding to help students who are where I once was.

What are you looking forward to next? 

Growing the Real Estate Network and seeing where the group can go. We have been gearing up to offer robust programming, including a speakers series, site tours, happy hours, and more. We have received fantastic feedback both from the University and our members about our first formal event, so I can’t wait to make more progress on these offerings.