Our students come from a rich diversity of backgrounds and experiences.
View profiles of a few of our undergraduate and graduate students in the University of Arizona School of Landscape Architecture and Planning:
A Passion for Sustainable Gardening: Christian Aguilar Murrieta ’23 MLA
Master of Landscape Architecture student Christian Aguilar Murrieta is from Ciudad Constitucion, Baja California Sur, Mexico, a small city surrounded by agricultural fields and chirinolas. She moved to Tucson in 2013 after earning her undergraduate degree in sustainable tourism at the Universidad Autonoma de Baja California Sur.
A Balanced Mindset: Emma Nakpairat '24 BLA
Originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, Emma Nakpairat came to CAPLA and the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture program in Tucson to be inspired by the Sonoran Desert—and to combine her love of the outdoors with her thirst to improve the environment in which we live.
Designing a Resilient Future: Carla A. Campos '22 BS SBE UArizona, B.Arch UPC Lima
Carla A. Campos is a fourth-year architecture undergraduate student at UPC Lima in Peru. Through CAPLA’s innovative microcampus program, she’s also pursuing her BS in Sustainable Built Environments program at the University of Arizona.
Future Placemaker: Isabelle Loh '21 BS SBE
Isabelle Loh entered CAPLA's BS in SBE (Sustainable Communities Emphasis) after moving from Penang, Malaysia. “It’s a small island in the northern region of the country,” she says. “Fun fact: the island is only half the size of Tucson with almost double the population!”
A Journey of Resilience: Paola Ortez '21 BS SBE
Paola Ortez, who is from Tucson, entered CAPLA's BS in Sustainable Built Environments program (Sustainable Building Emphasis) following a series of unexpected physical and mental challenges, testing her but demonstrating her resilience and commitment to sustainability.
From Hong Kong to Tucson: Cordell Lee '24 BS SBE
Cordell Lee, who is originally from Hong Kong, entered CAPLA's BS in Sustainable Built Environments program after completing his high school career in the United Kingdom.
Sustainable Returns: Anthony Van Dao '22 BS SBE
Anthony Van Dao, who grew up in Tucson, entered CAPLA's Sustainable Built Environments program after coming to UArizona first as a B.Arch student. After taking time off and realizing his passion was sustainability, he returned to UArizona for the SBE program.
Meeting the Sustainability Challenge—on Earth and Beyond: Suzanne Ries ’21 BS SBE
Suzanne Ries, who is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, entered CAPLA's Sustainable Built Environments program after coming to UArizona first as a B.Arch student. After a car accident that required an intense recovery process, she made the difficult decision to switch majors—igniting a passion for sustainable buildings and much more.
Investing in a Real Estate Career: Junlu Ouyang '20 MRED
Originally from China, Junlu Ouyang entered CAPLA's on-campus Master of Real Estate Development program in Fall 2019 after earning her undergraduate degree in geography from the University of Arizona. Here, she's found that working on actual projects in the field is very rewarding.
A Passion for Real Estate Finance: Xiaoqin (Heather) Shi ' 20 MRED
Heather Shi entered CAPLA's on-campus Master of Real Estate Development program in Fall 2019 after earning her undergraduate degree in computer science and technology in China. Here, she's found real estate development finance to be particularly fascinating.
Coverdell Fellow Profile: Dionna Hatch '20 MLA
Dionna Hatch served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala before joining CAPLA's Master of Landscape Architecture program.
Transforming Urban Access to Natural Areas: Mario Nuño-Whelan '20 MLA
Mario Nuño-Whelan served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Peru before joining CAPLA's Master of Landscape Architecture program.