Real estate education gains momentum at the UO
A growing student-led program and new faculty hires—made possible by donor support—are creating pathways into real estate careers at the Lundquist College of Business.
Story by Elise Alvira
Photos by Andy Nelson
For Pat Coan, BS ’65 (economics), MBA ’68, seeing Mark Apker hired as the first professor of practice in real estate for the Lundquist College of Business is a full circle moment: Pat came from a real estate family in Portland. After a Silicon Valley career in high tech, he switched his own focus back to real estate. Now, he and his wife Susan are donating gifts of real estate through charitable remainder trusts (CRTs) to support real estate education at the University of Oregon where he got his start.
Pat met his wife, Susan, after moving to the Bay Area after graduation. Susan had completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Washington and was working on a master’s degree in teaching at Stanford University while living in the same apartment complex as Pat. Their roommates were dating at the time and introduced the two of them.
“The rest is history,” Pat said.
Despite Susan’s allegiance to the Huskies, she and Pat have found ways to set their differences aside and support each other in giving back to their alma maters.
“My connection to the UO has been slow, but I’m now becoming more and more enthusiastic, especially since we visited in recent years and have seen the incredible development of the campus, which is indeed impressive,” Susan shared. “When we have Oregon versus Washington games, I definitely cheer for the Huskies, but otherwise, I’m always on the side of the Ducks.”
Pat sees CRTs as a great way to give back, as they allow him to significantly avoid capital gains taxes when transferring his appreciated properties, all while creating a legacy at Lundquist College.
“I feel that we should give back to our educational institutions that prepared us and sent us on our way in life,” he said. “So, we give to both the University of Oregon and the University of Washington.”
A growing interest in real estate
Within Lundquist College, there is ever-growing student demand for real estate education. In 2018, eight students founded the University of Oregon Real Estate Investment Group (UOREIG). Today, the group has grown to more than 200 members.
UOREIG introduces students to real-world real estate practice through peer-led learning, guest speakers, site tours, and case studies. Along the way, students explore career paths in all aspects of real estate while building both technical and professional skills.
“Real estate is such a huge field, and there are so many aspects to it,” Pat said. “There are many career opportunities as a result of studying real estate. It’s really important that students today and in the future have the opportunity to take real estate courses in the business school and be exposed to real estate. It’s a fantastic way to make money, but primarily to have a great career in something you love.”
To meet this growing interest, Lundquist College launched a fundraising campaign to establish an initial $5 million endowment and hire the program’s first dedicated real estate instructor. The college is now raising an additional $10 million to expand the program with a second instructor and a specialized career advisor, laying the groundwork for a full real estate concentration—and potentially a minor, accessible to all students across campus.
New faculty with industry experience
Support from donors like Pat and Susan made Apker’s hire as the UO’s first professor of practice in real estate a reality—a role designed to bring deep industry experience into the classroom.
In fact, Pat’s full circle giving moment also created a full circle moment for Apker, who was born and raised in the Eugene area. Apker left home to earn his undergraduate and master’s degrees at Brigham Young University and his law degree from Lewis & Clark Law School. He went on to build a career spanning commercial real estate consulting, legal work, and corporate leadership, including roles at Adobe and Nike. Most recently, he has taught real estate and environmental law at Cornell University.
While visiting Eugene last summer, Apker and his wife began planning a move back home to Oregon with their family. On a whim, he checked the university’s job listings.
“The position at the top of the page immediately caught my eye,” Apker said. “I read through the role, and with each sentence, I thought, that’s me. They want to hire me. They just don’t know it yet.”
As a professor of practice, Apker was hired for his blend of industry and teaching experience. He brings expertise in acquisitions, partnerships, development, joint ventures, and divestures, along with a focus on connecting classroom learning to real-world applications.
He will join UO faculty this fall and is developing classes covering topics in real estate law and development to supplement the university’s current course offerings. He’ll also serve as the faculty advisor for UOREIG and plans to expand opportunities for students through case competitions and industry engagement.
Apker is one of two recent hires strengthening real estate education at the UO. Calvin Zhang, an assistant professor of finance and former financial economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, conducts research in real estate, household finance, and mortgage markets. He is the first tenure-track professor in real estate and started in fall 2024. Together, these additions reflect Lundquist College’s growing investment in the field, including new classes like real estate finance.
“The entire point of my position is to help elevate the university in this space,” Apker said. “It’s both humbling and exciting to be part of that.”
Supporting a bright future ahead
Donor support is opening doors for today’s Ducks, creating opportunities to apply classroom learning in real-world settings and preparing students for meaningful careers.
“We are in an extremely advantageous position to uplevel the university,” Apker said. “We can only do that with the support of generous individuals who understand the vision of where the university could go. The potential and the capacity are absolutely there. We just need to make sure we have the resources to match it.”
That vision is already taking shape. Support from donors like Pat and Susan Coan has helped bring industry expertise into the classroom and expand opportunities for students interested in real estate.
With ongoing investment, Lundquist College can continue to benefit students across campus for many years to come.
To support the next generation of real estate leaders, learn more about including the UO in your estate plan or donate to the Lundquist College of Business today.