ADI Scholarship Recipient Spotlight – Levana Lott
Levana Lott first learned about the appraisal profession during her first year taking community college classes. She was interested in the field and felt it would be a good match, but the apprenticeship-style path and uncertainty around finding a supervisor made it feel like a risk. Instead, Levana went on to pursue other opportunities. Years later, while refinancing her home and researching, Levana came across information about the Appraiser Development Initiative® (ADI) program. As she learned more about the profession, she saw appraisal as a field where she could contribute and make her voice heard.
Before entering the appraisal profession, Levana worked as an administrative assistant in a hospital electronic records software department. Her experience in retail tax preparation reinforced the importance of l documentation, regulatory knowledge and ethical boundaries.
Levana began her appraisal journey through the ADI program, completing her first set of courses. The ADI scholarship reduced financial risk and provided support through the Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal (PAREA) program.
PAREA helped Levana build momentum and opened the door to new opportunities. Through the program, she was introduced to a local supervisor who recognized the value of her experience and offered her an opportunity to join the team. Mentorship has played a meaningful role in Levana’s journey. Through ADI, she was paired with an experienced industry mentor who met with her regularly via Zoom to provide guidance and answer questions about her coursework. Levana says the support was invaluable, helping connect classroom concepts to real-world situations and reinforcing her learning.
If it’s a career that you’re interested in, pursue it. There might be obstacles, but overcoming them can strengthen your skills and abilities.
As Levana progresses toward licensure, she is energized by the variety and analytical nature of property valuation. She enjoys identifying the details that make each property unique. After a year and a half of persistence, new opportunities emerged, including her current role, expanded industry connections, and possibilities discovered at a recent appraiser conference.