How an unrivaled bond led these twins to Daniels
Twins Raul and Diego Luna have been inseparable from birth.
They were in the same classes growing up, had similar passions and, like many twins, were dressed the same by their parents.
“We were always together, doing everything together and learning together, and I think that’s what created a bond between us,” Diego said.
So, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that both envisioned the college experience together.
“Growing up we’ve always been together, so I figured we’d end up in the same place,” Raul added.
Despite that certainty, Raul and Diego weren’t sure of where they’d end up for college or what they would study during the search process nearly five years ago.
When the University of Denver approached the two to encourage them to apply, and invited them to attend shortly thereafter, the decision was made. That move, coupled with their father’s background in construction, motivated them to pursue undergraduate degrees in the Real Estate and the Built Environment program at the Daniels College of Business.
Now, after graduating with that degree in 2021, the 23-year-olds are on track to graduate with a master’s degree in Real Estate and the Built Environment (MSREBE) from the Franklin L. Burns School of Real Estate and Construction Management next year. Once again, the twins said their father drove them to continue pursuing higher education.
“My dad always told us that there isn’t too much knowledge you can get,” Diego said. “As soon as we graduated from undergrad, we decided to come back here and keep growing, keep getting certifications and keep networking. You never know what opportunities can arise.”
Since landing at the University of Denver in 2017, Raul and Diego have taken advantage of internship opportunities in their field to foster those industry connections. They are both currently interning for Haselden Construction and previously worked with W.E. O’Neil Construction. They are using those internships to help shape their vision for what they want to do following graduation.
“With those internships, I wanted to start off by learning more about construction and possibly start my own general contracting business,” Diego said.
Naturally, Raul would also be part of that business and the duo said their father has pushed them to be their own bosses.
“My dad is a big influence on this, he always wanted us to create something for ourselves and not work for somebody else,” he said.
As the older sibling by a whopping 35 minutes, Raul said he’s more decisive than his younger brother and often has the last word.
“I’m thirty-five minutes older, so I’m the decision maker,” Raul said jokingly. Diego added that he brings levity to their relationship and routinely confides in his brother to help him work through his toughest decisions.
As they continue their academic career, the Luna brothers credit the University’s challenge-based and experiential-learning model as the favorite part of their education. In 2020, the two were part of a group of undergraduate Daniels students that took part in the National Association of Home Builders Student Competition in Las Vegas. Raul also appreciated the professional background the MSREBE program professors possess.
“The fact that the professors are all industry professionals, they bring in real-world experiences that you can learn from and then take to your internships,” he said.
With an eye toward their future ambitions, both Raul and Diego are hoping to turn their Daniels degrees into a life-altering business for their family.
“We want to build something not only for ourselves but for future generations of our family,” Raul said.