PHOENIX, ARIZ. (Oct. 14, 2022) – The Arizona Chapter of NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, this week kicked off the second semester of partnering with Junior Achievement of Arizona to teach a course entitled Real Estate Development and the Built Environment to students at Gateway Early College High School.
During the five-class program, volunteers from NAIOP Arizona use a curriculum originally designed by industry group REIAC and further refined by NAIOP volunteers to teach students the basics of commercial real estate development, including different building types, entitlements and zoning, financing a project, putting together a team, and finding tenants.
The second semester launched on Oct. 12 and culminates on Nov. 4 with student competition. The instructor this semester is Kanisha Saunders.
“We are pleased to continue our partnership with Junior Achievement of Arizona to offer a quality curriculum that introduces high school students to the development process and careers in commercial real estate,” said Suzanne Kinney, President and CEO of the Arizona Chapter of NAIOP. “Making sure that young people from all backgrounds have the opportunity to learn about rewarding career paths in real estate is a priority for our association.”
This semester’s volunteers are Jim Mahoney and Brady Maus, Trammell Crow Company; Samantha Pinkal, Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC); Eric Whitehurst, Kimley-Horn; David Kinney, Raintree Captial; Alex Boles and Rodney Bowden, ViaWest Group; Peggy Maxwell, Plaza Companies; and Stirling Pascal, STREAM Realty.
“A critical, and unfortunately, often lacking part of today’s learning experience is the exploration of future career possibilities. At Junior Achievement, we bridge the gap between what students learn in the classroom and what employers need in their future workforce,” said Colleen Cox, Senior Vice President of Education at Junior Achievement of Arizona.
“Partnering with organizations like NAIOP to help students imagine a future in fields that offer high-wage, high-growth opportunities is good for Arizona – for the future employees, industries, and the community as a whole. We are proud to partner with NAIOP and inspire the future generation of Arizona developers,” Cox said.
PHOTO CAPTION: NAIOP Arizona members Jim Mahoney (left) and Brady Maus with Trammell Crow Company lead students on the first day of the second semester partnering with Junior Achievement of Arizona to teach a course entitled "Real Estate Development and the Built Environment" to students at Gateway Early College High School.