When Sal Zotti ’25 arrived at TCNJ, he was already chasing real estate deals and dreaming bigger than most. He picked up a residential real estate license during his freshman year, and by the summer had closed on his first property — a $400,000 townhouse in Bridgewater, New Jersey. But it wasn’t until he launched the TCNJ Real Estate Club that his passion turned into a professional path.

Last month, the finance major turned his tassel and accepted a full-time role at Deutsche Bank, where he’ll work on structured credit (debt instruments backed by real-estate mortgages). It’s an opportunity he credits largely to the experience, skills, and networking he built through the club he founded — and to the mentorship of professor Eric Szabo ’97, whose expertise in mortgage-backed securities played a pivotal role in shaping Zotti’s academic and professional journey.

“Engaging with faculty and pushing myself to create the club really helped,” Zotti says. “It was all about being proactive in going after what I wanted. I hope that having that mindset going into working at the bank will continue to pay off.”

Zotti was drawn to real estate investing for the tangible nature of the field.

“I like how someone can look at a dilapidated property and see value where others can’t,” he says. “And by putting in capital, you can have a direct impact on the community.”

He launched the club three years ago to provide students with hands-on exposure to the industry. At its heart is a case competition, in which teams of students supported by faculty and alumni mentors attempt to value and create a development plan for a real-life property.

This year’s challenge involved an 80,000-square-foot industrial property in Hamilton, New Jersey, with five suites — three of them occupied — and a five-acre lot that could be developed into an additional asset. The winning team proposed keeping the original structure intact but building a subdivided shallow-bay warehouse on the vacant lot to generate additional income.

The challenge, which included $5,000 in prize money, was designed in part by Jeremy Neuer ’96, a senior managing director at Jones Lang LaSalle Capital Markets (who was also one of Zotti’s very first guest speakers for the club) and judged by a team of college alumni.

The mentorship and connections the competition provides have helped launch careers. Past winners have gone on to roles at Morgan Properties and Newmark CRE.  

For Zotti, the experience with the club helped him land a summer internship at Deutsche Bank, which ultimately led to his full-time offer.

“Experience in a deal-based environment like real estate will serve as a strong foundation as I start my new role,” he says.

— Michael Blanding