Luke Freeman, Finance Major, Texas Christian University

“You never know how someone you treated with kindness and honesty will show up in your life down the road. The most attractive investment opportunities are not always about finding the perfect asset but understanding the circumstances of the seller.”

When you arrived at TCU, you were open to exploring different paths, can you walk us through how you evaluated your interests and what ultimately drew you toward real estate and financial services?

When I arrived at Texas Christian University, I was open to exploring a wide range of paths within finance and didn’t have a clear idea of what career I wanted to pursue. Growing up in a high growth area played a big role in shaping my interests, and I’ve always tried to pair that with a willingness to listen, learn, and take advantage of opportunities as they come. One of the most impactful experiences was working as a commercial banking credit intern, an opportunity I pursued through a connection with a friend who had previously held the role.

That experience drew me further into financial services, as I was able to analyze how different businesses operate while also learning how lenders assess and mitigate risk across various business models. At the same time, I’ve always had an interest in real estate, especially growing up in North Dallas and watching the city continuously grow and evolve. Seeing that level of real estate development firsthand made it clear to me that it was an area I wanted to better understand and be a part of.

You’ve been actively involved in the TCU Real Estate Club, what have been some of the most valuable experiences or takeaways from the speakers, case studies, and networking opportunities?

The TCU Real Estate Club has been one of the most practically valuable organizations I've been involved in, and it does an exceptional job of helping students find internships while also providing opportunities to learn and grow throughout their professional real estate journey. Throughout the semester, the club regularly hosts meetings where DFW real estate companies are brought directly to campus to share more about their firms and the types of roles they hire for, giving members direct access to some of the most active players in the local market.

The highlight of my experience so far was attending my first TCU Real Estate Board Conference, where students had the opportunity to connect with members of TCU's Center for Real Estate board alongside seasoned professionals from across the DFW area. We kicked off the evening with open networking before breaking into three roundtable discussions. Events like the board conference not only deepen your understanding of finance and real estate but also give you the chance to shake hands with some truly knowledgeable and accomplished professionals in the industry.

As VP of Advancement working with alumni and underclassmen, how have you approached building connections on campus, and what have you learned about leadership and networking through that role?

A lot of this starts with how my parents raised me, and I want to give them credit for instilling one of the most important qualities I carry into every interaction: simply being kind and cordial to everyone you meet, regardless of whether they are in your organization, your friend group, or someone you've just crossed paths with. I've found that consistently showing up that way has made it much easier to have genuine conversations with people beyond just a surface level, and it has also positioned me as someone others feel comfortable coming to when they need help or guidance.

That foundation has carried directly into my role as VP of Advancement, because I believe that in order to lead effectively, people need to feel open and comfortable enough to talk to you. I'm a big proponent of leading by example, and for me that means not only being kind to everyone I meet but also always making the honest decision, because I think integrity is something people notice over time and it motivates those around you to hold themselves to the same standard. At the end of the day, you never know how someone you treated with kindness and honesty will show up in your life down the road, and I think that is always the best reason to present yourself with character in every interaction.

Your internship with Sunflower Bank gave you exposure to commercial banking and credit, what did you learn about financial services through that experience, and how did it shape your career interests?

Sunflower Bank was one of the most fortunate opportunities I pursued, as it laid the foundation of my financial acumen, fed my curiosity about how different businesses operate, and deepened my interest in the nature of lending. As interns, we were encouraged to sit in on nearly every company meeting and client call, rotating through different lending groups each week across the full ten weeks, which gave us a front row seat to how the bank functioned from the inside.

Building on that, being tasked with constructing credit memos and reviewing decks submitted by prospective clients gave me the chance to dig into various business models and evaluate their strengths, weaknesses, and what was driving them to seek financing in the first place. That balance between protecting the institution and serving the client was something I found both challenging and genuinely fascinating, and it became clear to me that this was an area I wanted to continue pursuing further in my career.

As an incoming 2026 Summer Analyst at Koch Real Estate Investments, you’re preparing for an exciting next step. What stood out to you about that opportunity, and what are you most eager to learn from the experience?

What stood out to me about Koch Real Estate Investments was the people, the culture, and the reputation they have built in the industry. Through coffee chats and conversations, I connected with professionals who had done really well but were still down to earth and willing to teach. I also liked that there is a younger core within the team, which creates an environment where you can learn quickly and be involved early on. On top of that, the amount of deal flow and exposure they get makes it a great place to develop a strong understanding of the business.

I am most excited to learn how deals actually come together on the principal side and to better understand all the moving pieces behind an investment. There are so many different dynamics in real estate that I am still learning, and I am always looking to sharpen my knowledge. I see this as a great opportunity to get hands on experience and continue building a strong foundation in the industry.

Through events like the TCU Board Conference and conversations with professionals, what aspects of the real estate market or investment strategies have stood out most to you so far?

One of the most memorable takeaways from the TCU Real Estate Board Conference came from an individual at Crescent Real Estate, who shared how his team acquired a mixed-use office and multifamily property during a period when the office sector was struggling in the wake of the pandemic. What made the deal particularly compelling was that they purchased it from a closed end fund that needed to liquidate its assets, which allowed them to acquire the property at a favorable price simply because the fund had to close and return capital to its investors. I thought the strategy was sharp on two levels.

First, the decision to own two different asset classes within one property created a natural diversification, and in this case the multifamily component served as a hedge to help preserve the overall value of the property if office remained suppressed or weakened further. Second, identifying a motivated seller in a closed end fund needing liquidity was a niche but incredibly effective way to find value in the market. That conversation stuck with me because it showed how the most attractive investment opportunities are not always about finding the perfect asset, but about understanding the circumstances of the seller and having the conviction to act when others might hesitate.

To wrap up on a lighter note, outside of school and internships, what do you enjoy most about fishing, and how does it help you stay grounded?

Fishing has always been one of my favorite ways to decompress, and what draws me to it most is the combination of being out in nature and the pure anticipation of not knowing what you might pull up, or whether you will catch anything at all.

There is something about sitting in a scenic setting, completely oblivious to what is beneath the water, that allows me to clear my head in a way that very few other things can. At the end of the day, it is one of those things that genuinely recharges me, and I always come back feeling more focused and ready to go.