Cassidy’s first job after graduation was as a leasing agent for an apartment complex. With a bachelor's degree in international relations, he didn't expect to start a career in real estate. He thought that he might work for a government agency, be a diplomat or even be a CIA agent.  

However, the longer he spent working in real estate, the more interested he became in the finance, acquisitions and investing side of things. Political science wasn't going to cut it, he said, so he decided to go back to school for his master's degree.  

Bauer's real estate certification helped solidify his decision, he added.  

"When you start your MBA, all these different doors open up to you, and you're enticed to try everything. It's part of the process," Cassidy said. "There are all these opportunities, so having the Stanford Alexander Center for Real Estate there with a dedicated pathway helped me stay focused." 

He brings that perspective to his mentorship relationships with students. 

"That amount of choice can be very distracting for a young person," he said. "You have unlimited potential, and you have to ask yourself, 'what do you want?' Being older and having lived that, I can help them get to where they want to be or find where they belong." 

Cassidy personalizes a plan for each of his mentees to ensure they are getting the most out of the mentorship. He works with them to better understand the base knowledge they are coming in with and their future career goals. It varies from person to person, he said, but one thing he emphasizes across the board is personal budgeting. 

Everyone should build the confidence to make informed financial decisions, no matter the industry, Cassidy said.  

Many of the students he works with are first-generation, so they might not have an adult in their life who gave them guidance on how to tell if an apartment is too expensive or what kind of loans to take out, he said. He wants to ensure his mentees are set up for success, academically or otherwise.  

Cassidy makes himself available to his students and gives them guidance on whatever areas they want to focus on throughout the mentorship. He considers himself fortunate to continue to be in the position to give back to the community that helped shape him.