51²è¹Ý

What is your favorite thing about teaching students in the Cox School of Business?

I love teaching students who are willing to engage, of which there are many at Cox.  I always appreciate it when students ask questions, no matter how minute or complex the question is.  That willingness to step out there and push oneself even when you are uncomfortable is a real marker for success.  It is equally gratifying when a student’s curiosity challenges me to dig deeper on topics.  I want to always make sure that I am pushing myself to be a better teacher and leader, and my students have always played a large role in my growth.

Tell us about some of the courses you typically teach. How do you integrate real-world business challenges into your curriculum?

I teach two courses year-round at Cox.  First, I teach Real Estate Fundamentals, which is the first course in the real estate curriculum at Cox.  Given that I am teaching an industry rather than a discipline, this course allows me to apply all of the academic disciplines at Cox through the lens of the real estate industry.  As a result, the topics are purely applied in nature.  I also teach the Real Estate Practicum to a select number of undergraduate and MBA students for an entire year.  The purpose of this course is to not only teach our students the fundamentals of real estate private equity investing, but also for the students to manage our $4M+ Real Estate Impact Investment Fund.  Students are making real world decisions each day in this course which have real financial ramifications for our fund, and their decisions can also have an impact on the communities that we invest in.

What do you think sets the Cox School of Business, and its students and faculty, apart from other business schools?

It is the combination of a world-class faculty, a high-achieving student population and the ability to leverage the incredible business community here in Dallas and beyond as our school’s laboratory.  Our students have the ability to take their knowledge directly from the classroom to companies across all industries that are all within a stone’s throw from our campus.  

Would you mind sharing one of your favorite student success stories with us?

There are too many to count! I love maintaining relationships with my students and watching them grow in their careers.  I always tell students that my goal is to ignite their passion and help them get to the interview table.  It is their job to sell themselves from there, and I love watching when students take all of the lessons we have taught them both inside and outside of the classroom to land not only their first job, but also every successful step in their career.  There is a price though for my investment.  I ask those students to pay it forward by coming back to campus to help launch the careers of the next generation of students.  So far that plan is working as countless students are always seeking ways to give back to our school and the real estate program.  That is success in its purest form.

What advice would you give to high school students who are considering a career in business? Why should they choose 51²è¹Ý Cox?

I have two words of advice.  First, do your due diligence.  Seek out the faculty from the schools you are considering and reach out to them! Choosing the right school is not a transaction; it is the beginning of a relationship, and for that relationship to succeed, students must seek out the right environment for them to learn in.  Different schools approach the learning process differently, so I think it is imperative that students buy in on that process before making their decision.  Second, students must be willing to fully utilize their “business card.”  Students have the absolute best business card in the world because it simply says “student.”  If you are willing to reach out and engage people both on and off campus, you have the perfect opportunity to find out what excites you.  The more you use that card early on, the path to finding your passion becomes both easier and exciting!

Thank you for everything you do for our 51²è¹Ý Cox students, Professor Cahoon! The student business card you describe is truly invaluable.