Meet Argyros Alumni, Clinton McCoy! Clint graduated from Chapman University magna cum laude with a B.S. in Business Administration (double-emphasis in Real Estate and Finance) and a B.A. in Economics in 2015. Growing up in Phoenix, Arizona where he didn’t travel much, moving to Orange and living on Chapman’s beautiful campus felt like Clint had stepped onto a movie scene. Let’s dive into more about Clint’s Chapman and post-grad experience:

Clint’s Chapman Experience

For Clint, every experience was impactful. From the vibrant social life on campus to studying abroad in Spain and Australia, “I built a close group of friends on the football team and benefitted from an incredible set of opportunities through the Argyros School,” says McCoy. “Perhaps most importantly, Chapman is where I met Jillian, a fellow Panther and the joy of my life. We just got married last year!”

Clint says that the Hoag Center for Real Estate and Finance had a direct, practical impact on his career “through top-notch real estate courses (which gave me a tremendous advantage post-graduation), direct support for my CFA exam preparation, and close relationships with reputable and well-connected faculty.” Those faculty members have continued to support Clint both professionally and personally well beyond his time at Chapman.

Beyond academics, Clint was also a member of the Chapman Football Team where he played linebacker. “Football taught me everything I know about work ethic, team-building, and mentorship, and my teammates became some of my closest friends.” Clint was also an inaugural member of the Chapman Real Estate Association and eventually served as President of the club, an incredible opportunity to build relationships with Argyros School leadership and real estate industry leaders.

Favorite Classes & Impactful Individuals

There are a number of individuals that made a profound impact on Clint and his Chapman experience. Those individuals are Dr. Terence Burnham, former dean Reginald Gilyard, Professor Fadel Lawandy, Professor Joel Kotkin, Alex Hayden, Coach Bob Owens, Coach David Bishop, and Coach Kevin Ashton. Clint says that all of them were “instrumental in shaping my Chapman experience, and I’m still in close contact with many of them today.”

Clint’s favorite class was Econometrics with Professor Esmael Adibi. He says that it was widely known as one of the most demanding courses at the Argyros School, and it certainly lived up to that reputation, “but Dr. Adibi challenged us to embrace the coursework, and he even made it enjoyable to work through the rigorous problems. When Dr. Adibi passed in 2016, Chapman lost a tremendous faculty member, but his legacy lives on today through his students like me. He taught me the power of applied statistics and helped me become a data-driven problem solver.”

Student & Founder

Clint is the founder of GoodRoots, “a new real estate startup dedicated to addressing one of my generation’s most pressing problems: housing affordability. GoodRoots is coming up with better, more sustainable ways for renters to access homeownership while fostering stronger local communities.”

Clint developed a passion for housing and real estate early in life. “After high school,” he says, “I led a group of construction volunteers in El Salvador where we built over 20 homes for displaced locals after a devastating mudslide. I also experienced first-hand the economic devastation of the 2007-2011 housing bust in Phoenix, which was one of the hardest-hit cities in the country during the Great Recession. Those experiences taught me the importance of housing security and sparked my passion for real estate and community development, which has driven my career aspirations ever since.”

Beyond GoodRoots, Clint and his bride are currently living in Cambridge, Massachusetts while Clint pursues his MBA at Harvard Business School. “This has been one of the most exciting and challenging years of my life,” says Clint. “The most impactful aspect so far has been my section-mates, a group of about 90 MBA students with whom I took every class and spent most of my time in the first year. It’s so inspiring to be surrounded by such a driven, diverse, and supportive group. We became close very quickly and I can’t wait to see how those relationships flourish over time.” Harvard has also been an incredible ecosystem for GoodRoots, providing Clint with access to world-class advisors, resources, and professional networks.

Clint says that “GoodRoots and Harvard Business School wouldn’t be possible without the foundation I built at Chapman.” This is due to multiple internships and his first full-time role with Cushman & Wakefield in New York,  all sourced through his Chapman network. “Without that first job, my career path would have been radically different.”

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Clint’s advice to those looking to take a similar path to his is that “None of us can do it alone – it’s important to seek out mentors in your jobs and community that can support you along your journey. My experience has shown me that if you show up to your career with enthusiasm and dedication, your mentors will do everything they can to help you. So make sure to follow through on your promises, work hard and express your gratitude. If you do that consistently, the goodwill you create will compound over time and lead to life-changing opportunities.”

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