BMC Talks Season 3, Episode 2: Leveling the Playing Field—How the University of San Diego Helps Students Achieve Success in Life

In this episode of BMC Talks, Host Alexander Alemany ’13 (MBA) interviews three University of San Diego Knauss School of Business real estate students: Jacqueline Mercado '26 (MSRE/MBA), William Baumann III '25 and Gabriel Torres '26. In the podcast, they discuss: their personal stories; challenges they overcame before starting their degree; major factors that played an important role in their success; and how the University of San Diego has played a pivotal role in building relationships and providing opportunities for life beyond graduation.  GUESTSJacqueline Mercado ’26 (MSRE/MBA) is a dedicated Air Force veteran. She is expertly trained in logistics and is now navigating the world of commercial real estate as an associate broker with Intersection CRE. Read her full bio.William Baumann III ’25 is an active-duty gunnery sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps, with over 15 years of service. He is currently stationed in San Diego and is pursuing his bachelor’s degree at the University of San Diego’s Knauss School of Business, focusing on real estate and business administration. Read his full bio.Gabriel Torres ’26 is a highly motivated junior at the University of San Diego, majoring in real estate with a minor in finance. He transferred from College of the Canyons, where he earned an associate degree in science and a certificate of achievement in real estate. Read his full bio.HOST Alexander Alemany '13 (MBA) is a USD alumnus and the principal and founder of Hub & Spoke Communities​, a real estate development company that builds mixed income housing in walkable, urban neighborhoods. Read his full bio.   ABOUT THE BMC TALKS PODCASTThe BMC Talks podcast series provides inside access to conversations with an array of real estate professionals to explore the shifts occurring in real estate, technology and society, which are shaping the future of our built environment. Host Alexander Alemany ’13 (MBA) also takes a deep dive into the personal and professional stories behind how his guests became successful and shares their valuable advice to anyone building a career in real estate or business.The BMC Talks podcast supports the mission of the Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate (BMC), to help recruit, educate, guide and mentor a diverse group of real estate students with the goal of facilitating their career pursuits in a socially responsible manner, with a global perspective and in collaboration with the real estate industry.We accomplish this mission through the support of outstanding faculty and professional staff, dedicated career services, scholarship offerings, active industry involvement and outreach and relevant real estate programming. For more information about the Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate at the University of San Diego’s Knauss School of Business, visit www.usdrealestate.com or contact [email protected].