Creating Results: Jacob Schaffer ’23 SBE, ’24 MRED

Seven Questions with Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Built Environments Student Jacob Schaffer

 
“Building trust with my professors and asking them for critiques and helpful feedback has proven to be one of the defining attributes of CAPLA.”

 
Jacob Schaffer came to the University of Arizona from Highland Park, Illinois, after his father, a UArizona alumnus, forwarded him information about CAPLA. The combination of sustainable built environments and real estate development piqued his interest, and he has been creating results ever since.

Learn more about Jacob and his CAPLA experience:

What brought you to the University of Arizona to study sustainable built environments?

I decided to attend the University of Arizona to study Sustainable Built Environments (SBE) because I was intrigued how real estate development would be impacted by the evolving sustainable movement in the United States. I remember my father, who is a Class of 1993 UArizona alumnus, forwarding me articles and information about the CAPLA programs when I was a junior in high school. Like many young students, I did not know what I wanted to do in college. However, there was a new program at the time called SBE and it caught my eye. I remember seeing a possible area of interest in real estate development and knew at that moment what I wanted to do. I was directly admitted into CAPLA and, with faculty support, I am proud to say that I will be graduating the UArizona this May with a degree in Sustainable Built Environments, emphasis real estate development!

Additionally, I will be receiving my Master of Real Estate Development in May of 2024, as the faculty and staff recommended me as a candidate for accelerated master’s program entry. This has allowed me to take master’s level classes in my senior year that will count towards my MRED degree.

What do you like best about the SBE program?

What I like most about the Sustainable Built Environments program is the knowledgeable professors, smaller class sizes and individualized attention from faculty. My comfort level to ask questions and develop personal relationships with faculty was enhanced. The professors always work closely with us on design showcases, projects and capstones. Building trust with my professors and asking them for critiques and helpful feedback has proven to be one of the defining attributes of CAPLA. Faculty excel in educating us about the various concepts and examples of how sustainable built environments are actualized. They also welcome and integrate feedback from students. This has been particularly helpful with my real estate development projects. 

What has been your biggest challenge at CAPLA, and how have you overcome that challenge?

I think that the COVID-19 pandemic was the biggest challenge I have had to face. It was an abrupt transition that most of us were not prepared for. The change to online classes was challenging. Distractions would make it difficult to focus during the online courses and especially hard to communicate with professors and other students on Zoom at the same time. However, the CAPLA administrators and faculty worked tirelessly to ensure that students were comfortable in this new environment. Professors were always willing to make themselves available for office hours, which tremendously helped through this challenging time.

What has been your biggest challenge outside of CAPLA related to your life, and how did you overcome that challenge?

My biggest life challenge outside of CAPLA was transitioning to a large university across the country with no friends and limited support, further complicated by the onset of COVD-19 restrictions. Getting acclimated to a new environment, meeting new peers and balancing my studies with extracurricular activities proved to be a challenge. In addition, time was needed to adjust to the online learning environment. Attending class, connecting with professors, participating in activities and talking with my parents helped me overcome the anxiety and the insecurity I was experiencing.

My father would remind me that nobody cares about your perceived shortcomings. “Nobody cares if you learn differently; in the end all that matters are results,” he said. “It doesn't matter how long it takes you to get to these results as long as you get the results you are looking for.”

For me personally, this changed how I looked not just at college, but at life in general. Nobody is going to make excuses for you, nor should they. This mantra motivated me. I had to “Bear Down” and hit the books harder and longer. The next academic year I achieved a 4.0 GPA. This is the type of results I was looking for. I didn’t care how long it took to get them as I was determined to be the best. I have achieved 4.0 in three of my last five semesters and am on track to graduate magna cum laude.

Tell us about your career aspirations.

This summer I will work at the real estate development company Second Avenue in downtown Chicago. Second Avenue is owned by serial entrepreneur Mike Rothman and deals specifically in the single-family rental market. This is an exploding market especially in the South and West. One of the faster growing markets at the moment is Phoenix. I will be assisting with financial pro formas and the underwriting process. I feel confident with the knowledge I have gained from CAPLA that I am ready for this internship. My career aspiration is to be a real estate developer, working for myself and owning my own real estate development company.

What advice do you have for prospective SBE students?

My advice to perspective sustainable built environment students is to be open-minded and willing to explore different point of views, and to get involved in the program as early as possible. One of my favorite activities was to attend local real estate association meetings. There, I got to network with real estate developers and share a little about myself. There are so many clubs and opportunities CAPLA has to offer. In addition, I highly encourage meeting with professors during office hours, attending local real estate networking evenings and attending job fairs.

What does the CAPLA experience mean for you?

The CAPLA experience means exploring new perspectives, not just architecture and design, but in all facets of life. Members of the CAPLA community are always pushing to expand our knowledge and ways to develop environments that are more sustainable.

Learn more about the Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Built Environments program or explore how you can support students in their learning and professional development at CAPLA.