Spring Alumni Spotlight - Abbie and Buzzi Shindler
Tell us about yourself.
We are both Arizona natives. Buzzi was born in Phoenix and grew up in Tucson. Abbie was born in Phoenix and grew up in Paradise Valley. We met in the fall of 1992, our freshman year at The University of Arizona through our fraternity (Sigma Chi) and sorority (Kappa Alpha Theta). After we graduated from the U of A, we both attended law school. We enjoy returning to campus when we can and are passionate and proud alumni. We are both extremely thankful and appreciative of our college experience, which we regard as four of the best years of our lives.
In what ways has your Franke Honors experience had an impact on your career path and who you are today? Who or what inspired you most?
We thoroughly took full advantage of all the resources the Honors College had to offer. Honors College classes were smaller than other classes at the university, providing the opportunity to connect with and become much closer to our Honors classmates and professors. We have fond memories of so many Honors College professors who were kind enough to serve as role models and mentors to us over the years, particularly in humanities such as Dr. Kissling, Dr. Swaim, Dr. Wilkinson, Dr. Zweig, and Dr. Foley. The humanities program emphasized a balance of life with an emphasis on art, literature, and culture.
During your time in Franke Honors, did you receive a scholarship and if so, what ways did receiving a scholarship impact your life?
We both received the Board of Regents’ tuition waiver scholarship, which provided full-ride tuition at the U of A. Abbie also received an additional scholarship through the Honors College.
As attorneys, what are you most passionate about in your work? What are some of your biggest rewards, and challenges?
As attorneys, we work with various clients, including individuals, small and large businesses, and even Fortune 500 companies, to assist them with day-to-day business affairs and transactions, as well as addressing and resolving personal challenges they may face. Specifically, Buzzi helps clients with commercial litigation, real estate, and corporate matters, and Abbie manages estate planning as well as related areas such as probate, guardianships/conservatorships, and corporate. Each area of practice is unique, however, with any type of law practice, we are working with our clients generally to achieve a common goal – to give them the confidence and peace of mind that their goals and ambitions can be realized and their concerns will be addressed as efficiently and favorably as possible.
What advice would you give to current students embarking on their educational journeys?
Our advice is to be enthusiastic about learning and keep an open mind with your education. We had never taken, let alone considered enrolling in a humanities class until we were students at the Honors College. We both enjoyed the classes so much that we changed our minors to humanities. The professors were not only engaging and generous with their time, but the topics they taught us had a continued impact on us, and we will be forever grateful for the mentoring and education they provided.
There are many ways for alumni to give back. What forms of engagement do you look for or find most valuable?
Mentoring is important and we have always tried to make ourselves available to serve in this role to others. In addition, fundraising is crucial to keep the passion and tradition alive. Both of us are active and remain heavily connected to fellow alumni and various non-profit organizations in the community.
As a proud U of A Honors Alumni, what were some of your favorite college memories?
Some of our favorite college memories include attending honors classes, walking around campus (which surprisingly has stayed fairly consistent since we attended the university, other than the nice new honors complex we recently toured – we wish that was there when we attended!), attending sporting events, joining numerous honoraries and clubs, participating in university intramural sports, and engaging in fraternity/sorority events provided us with some of our favorite college memories.
Any final words of wisdom for current Franke Honors students, or young alumni who are just starting in their careers?
Take advantage of the various resources provided by the Honors College such as the unique classes and office hours offered to get to know your professors and maintain your contacts. It is great to stay in touch with professors and classmates and to reach out to alumni, who may open the door to future friendships and career opportunities. Most of all, just enjoy your time at the University of Arizona – it goes by fast!
Abbie Shindler graduated with Honors from the College of Social and Behavioral Science in 1996 and received her J.D. California Western School of Law in San Diego, California in 1999. Buzzi Shindler graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences in 1996 and received his J.D. at the College of Law in 1999 at the University of Arizona.