1. Playing defensive end for the Purdue Boilermakers turned him into an early bird.

"During all four years of undergrad, I had to get up early for football practice. I didn’t like it then, but I’ve come to appreciate having the discipline to wake up at 5:30 or 6 a.m. and get to work. Nowadays, I start early and stay focused throughout the day. That has definitely helped with my success in law school."

2. He’s combining assets — by earning a dual degree in law and business.

"I earned my degree in business management at Purdue, and then I got my real estate license. While deciding on my next step, between business school and law school, I worked as a broker in Chicago. I ended up coming to law school after I talked with my brother, who is an attorney. But I’m applying to UW’s MBA real estate program for the spring semester. I figure that a legal background, combined with a business background, will be a valuable asset as I move forward in the real estate industry."

3. He has (property) values.

"I’m interested in developing quality affordable housing. Someday I’d like to start a nonprofit to redevelop blighted areas and create productive economic centers that incorporate low-income housing. Another smaller scale idea I had for a nonprofit is to buy foreclosed homes in short sale and rent them back to the homeowner or to low-income families."

4. His entrepreneurial spirit runs in the family.

"My grandmother is definitely one of my role models. She was a teacher and a professor, so everything she did business-wise was geared around education. Before she passed away, she started and ran her own education company, which developed computer-based learning tools for classroom use. The way she conducted herself and the way she was involved in the community influenced my career goals and what I want to do with my life."

5. He’s a man of mystery.

"In three words, I’d describe myself as ambitious, kind and … I don’t know if mysterious is the word I want to use. People always want to know what I’m thinking, and I never tell them. My mind is always going, but I listen a lot more than I talk. I really only voice my opinion when I feel I have to. In fact, you probably know a lot more about me now than anyone else in the Law School (laughs).

"All right, let’s go with mysterious."

Submitted by Kelsey Gusho on February 9, 2015

This article appears in the categories: We Heart Our Students