Summer Internship Spotlight: Will Dolenshek at Silverwest Hotels, LLC

I sought out the CU MBA program because of its fantastic Graduate Real Estate Center that offers a specialized real estate track for anyone looking to make a career in real estate investment and development. After my first year, the CU Real Estate Center has not disappointed – offering numerous treks, mentors, and events for ways to get involved. 

For the summer between my first and second years, I’ve found an internship with Silverwest Hotels, LLC. Silverwest is a hotel investment firm that buys underperforming hotels, renovates them, then brings them up to stabilized operation before selling them to realize a return. Specifically, my responsibilities as an intern are wide ranging - from running potential acquisitions through our financial model to gauge returns, to market and brand analysis, to ad hoc spreadsheet modeling for renovation budgets, loan draws, or whatever else is needed on a given day. I can’t emphasize enough - as many others already have - the importance of finding a good summer internship. So far, I’ve learned a spectacular amount of insight into the real estate profession and functional ability that can only be touched on in the classroom. 
 

That’s not to say the classroom learning doesn’t play a role, as I’m leaning heavily on the finance material that we covered in our first year. Time value of money, discount rates, and levered internal rates of return come up daily. On the fun side of things, there’s definitely a work life balance struck by companies here in Colorado. Between conducting investment deals, we also find time for FIFA World Cup matches in the conference room, departmental golf outings, and drinks after work. Also, Silverwest’s location in Cherry Creek, conveniently allows me to take the bus/ride my bike to work daily, which is fantastic. There’s nothing like living out the Colorado outdoor lifestyle.