Cedric Bobo

Since 2016, Cedric Bobo’s Project Destined has trained tens of thousands of students from diverse backgrounds for careers in real estate. As of 2024, however, his program has expanded well beyond the industry’s fundamentals, thanks to a robust faculty network, curriculum lineup and sponsorship roster. 

The expansion, too, comes in a chillier climate for corporate diversity programs amid the Trump administration’s regulatory changes designed to curb such efforts. 

Last year, for instance, started with roughly 10,000 Project Destined alums — but ended with 15,000, according to Bobo. As of April 2025, the program has amassed an alumni network closer to 20,000. “Growth and scaling, but also offering more specialized experiences, was really what our 2024 was about,” he said. 

This growth also pertains to Project Destined’s range of real estate specialties, taught online by expert adjunct professors, with in-person components in North America, Europe and Asia. Right now, more than 20 faculty members are building virtual courses in everything from real estate development to senior housing to private credit. Meanwhile, Bobo counts some 250 companies as business partners.  

“What has been amazing over the course of last year is we built 100 specialized programs,” said Bobo, who pointed to fully customized programs featuring a sponsor, a series of speakers and in-person opportunities. “Most of our partners today, they want students building skill sets relevant to their business, which enhances their talent pipeline.”

Consider that private credit course, which, alongside Project Destined’s programs for student athletes and senior housing, most excites Bobo. That’s because it simultaneously fills a void in real estate education — “If you’re a student at most colleges, how do you learn about private credit?” said Bobo — and satisfies the market’s demand for more talent within the sector. 

This market acuity has enabled Bobo to scale Project Destined by tapping into the needs of his corporate partners. Rather than present a partnership as a mere act of goodwill, Bobo specifically asks organizations about the areas in which they’d like to nurture talent. When he began hearing about — yes — private credit, as well as asset management, property management and senior housing, new courses arose from those identified gaps. 

“I’m calling on them every two to three months trying to learn about their businesses,” said Bobo. “Now we’re just building courses and programs in response to their future hiring needs.”