Welcome our Summer 2025 Interns!

Ada Chan and Eiwa Colburn couldn’t be from more opposite corners of the country – she grew up in New Jersey, he’s from Hawaii – but they’ve come together in the New York office of U3 Advisors as the firm’s latest pair of summer interns. They shared with us a bit about the paths that led them here, what they’re learning from the projects that are keeping them busy, and where their time at U3 may lead them next.

How did you hear about U3 Advisors?

ADA
I recently finished getting my Master’s Degree in City Planning at Penn. One of the Vice Presidents of U3, Shea, taught our first year GIS class, which is how I came in contact with him. During my last semester, he reached out and asked if I had any availability for an internship. I had heard him talk about the firm in passing, and I was struck by how much he really enjoys working there – so I applied!

EIWA

I’m originally from Hawaii and I just moved to New York two years ago. I’m currently at Columbia, studying for a  Masters of Architecture while also pursuing a Masters of Real Estate Development as a dual degree student  there. I’m going on into my third year this coming fall. I heard about U3 from a career fair that the real estate program was having on campus. I looked up all the firms that were coming to the career fair and who was hiring, so I knew who to talk to. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it to U3 that day at the career fair [laughs.] However, I still applied and thankfully they got back to me.

What projects are you focused on this summer?

ADA

I’m mostly on the San Diego project. We’re looking at reactivating its Civic Center complex; currently, it’s sort of underutilized. I’m helping Janne with some urban design work, because right now, we’re trying to come up with intermediate programming before actual renovations and demolitions take place on this site.

EIWA

I am primarily working on the Villanova University project. The University wants to develop some graduate student housing for their campus, because right now they don’t have any. I’m also going to be joining the San Diego project as well, helping with the financial model for that.

How would you describe the culture of the firm to someone who was thinking of applying for an internship next year?

ADA
I think it’s a very friendly environment! Everyone really enjoys their work and everyone’s very willing to help out, help you learn, and see you grow. Even though the office  culture itself is pretty laid back, we’re very serious about the work and really care about the work we do.  

EIWA

The first kind of thing that came to mind was that it’s kind of like a family office. It just seems like a close knit community here at U3, and even though a good portion of folks work remotely, however, we still have a strong collaborative environment.

What do you plan on doing after graduation?
ADA

I want to be in a similar type of space [as U3 Advisors] – very multidisciplinary with people working on a lot of different things in the same office, and with consultants that we can learn from. I don’t know exactly where yet, but I’m very interested in working alongside mission-based clients and on public projects.

EIWA

Since my background is in architecture, I’m still trying to figure out what parts of the development side that I enjoy. However, through  this internship, I have realized that I actually really enjoy being on the client side – being with the folks that have early decision-making capabilities. I’m going to look further into that in the next year or so and then figure out where or how that fits into my plans after graduation. I’m definitely pivoting more towards development after graduation, with a little less like architecture and planning per se, but I’m trying to find a good balance between them. I think my time at U3 has shown me that a great balance is possible, and I’m really enjoying that.