Success On and Off the Court

San Diego State University men’s basketball guard Jordan Schakel is known on the basketball court for his outstanding shooting ability. Through four games this season, Schakel is averaging 11.5 points per game, after scoring 15 points in the season opener against Texas Southern University.

Off the court, he is known for his equally outstanding abilities in the classroom, having earned Mountain West All-Academic honors each of his first two seasons at SDSU.

Schakel, a junior majoring in marketing within the Fowler College of Business, sat with the SDSU News Team to discuss why he chose marketing, the successes and challenges of being a student-athlete and his favorite professor.

What led you to enroll at SDSU?
There were a couple of factors. The first was the basketball program. I really liked the family atmosphere, I believed in the coaches, and I like the facilities like the JAM Center. Secondly, I felt like SDSU was growing academically and that was something I wanted to be a part of. 

Why did you choose to pursue a marketing degree?
I’ve always known that I wanted to do something that involves math. I think I have a brain that is oriented toward numbers, so I started off as an accounting major. Eventually, I found that accounting just wasn’t for me, but I realized I want to help people to make good decisions about handling their money and I wanted to learn how to make the most money over the long-term. Marketing seems to offer me a way to do that. 

What is the biggest challenge both as a student and an athlete?
Time management is the biggest challenge. We have practice, weight training, and sometimes we have additional training. When classes and basketball are done for the day, we don’t get to go home and take a nap or hang out with friends. We go straight to studying, eating right and getting enough sleep. 

What do you most enjoy about being a student-athlete at SDSU?
I like the challenge of being a student-athlete, and I feel like I’m doing something important every day. I never feel like I’m wasting time and that’s a good thing. 

Do you have a favorite class or professor at SDSU?
All my teachers are great, but I really like professor Frank Dowse. He’s very passionate and I like the way he uses examples to relate topics to us. He makes things easy to understand. 

What are your plans after you graduate?
I’d like to go as far as basketball will take me. After that, I’d like to use the relationships I’ve developed here at SDSU and turn them into helping athletes take care of their money. A lot of young athletes struggle when they first get money and I’d like to help make sure they save it and make it work for them so they can enjoy it when they’re done playing.