MESA, AZ—An educational program will be the first of its kind in the nation that allows students to track development of a master-planned community as it happens–from groundbreaking to opening. Arizona-based real estate investment and development company, Harvard Investments, and East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT), are launching a 12-month program beginning in the fall that provides EVIT high school students unprecedented exposure to and understanding of the entire process for building a large scale, master-planned community, Cadence at Gateway.

“Our intent is that when a student completes this 12-month study, she or he will have unprecedented knowledge about each step in building a community that will serve 1,700 families as well as businesses, schools, retail and more,” said Craig Krumwiede, president of Harvard Investments. “It puts a young person that much closer to understanding career options within this great industry. It provides first-hand access to watching a community be built–linking them to the best professionals in the industry and encouraging next steps in their career path. What better way to invest in our community than through the education and partnership of local students who have the affinity and aptitude to positively impact our industry in the future? Training high school students and then retaining our talented youth through exciting career opportunities and valuable mentorship is the right thing to do from a community and economic standpoint, and speaks to Harvard Investment's larger commitment to the region.”

The partnership will impact nearly 100 local high school students in the construction, engineering and design programs at EVIT, one of Arizona's most successful career and technical high schools. The in-depth curriculum includes what a developer considers in identifying viable land, assemblage and acquisition, working with government entities on zoning entitlements, financing, buyer research, land planning, architecture, interior space planning and design, home building, branding and project marketing, and how it all fits together from 30,000 feet.

“We have strong partners in this industry and one of the most successful construction programs in the state,” said EVIT superintendent Sally Downey. “But the opportunity for students to see the inside workings of developing a large master-planned community from start to finish is unprecedented. Their outcomes will be knowledge, experience and a better understanding of the many partners and pieces that it takes to create something of this magnitude. We believe it will help them identify which aspects resonate with them, better guiding career choices. It's very exciting for us at EVIT. We are gratified that Harvard Investments and its partners will invest such significant time into our students' education.”

EVIT students will attend a classroom-based, interactive lecture series with industry leaders. There will also be hands-on field trips to the project site. It is hoped this exposure will open up opportunities for students' to seek summer internships and potentially future employment in the industry.

Krumwiede tells GlobeSt.com: “This is an opportunity to positively impact nearly 100 local high school students within our industry. EVIT is one of Arizona's most successful career and technical high schools whose talented students are eager to learn the details of building a master-planned community–plus understanding how it all fits together from industry experts at Harvard Investments, award-winning land planner and landscape architect, Wendell Pickett of Greey/Pickett, architect Bing Hu of H&S International, Silverfern executive and land development expert John Fortini, interior designer, Kim Anderson, and Claudia Sieb of The Sieb Organization for branding and marketing, and others on our team.”

Instant Insights /

High Schoolers Get Exposure to Master Plan Process

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