Find out what it’s like to be a CAPLA student first-hand.
Reach out to any of our student ambassadors, who are glad to answer your questions about the CAPLA experience: working in a studio environment, faculty interaction, living in Tucson and the Sonoran Desert and more.
Adedoyin Oduwole
Adedoyin Oduwole
The CAPLA experience is about community engagement. It is a space that fosters cultural and academic diversity that creates a vibrant setting for learning and personal growth.
I am from Lagos, Nigeria, and I am passionate about painting, pottery, and photography, with interests in basketball, soccer, and exploring new cultures. In my CAPLA degree program, I value the freedom to unleash creativity and develop innovative designs, fostering a supportive environment that feels like a second family. Balancing personal life, academics, and extracurriculars has been a challenge, but improved organizational skills have made it more manageable. Career-wise, I aspire to become a licensed architect with a real estate and marketing background, aiming for global work while contributing to Nigeria. Beyond being a student ambassador, I'm involved with WEB, AIAS as the Mentorship Coordinator, and Zonazoo. My advice to prospective students: stay open-minded, expand knowledge and skills, build strong relationships, and actively participate in extracurriculars for a well-rounded experience.
Anna Welter
Anna Welter
The CAPLA Experience consists of exploring new interests and perspectives, bringing positive change to the world around us, and creating new connections and ideas that can improve the experience of all CAPLA students.
As a student from Salem, Oregon, I enjoy meeting new people, grabbing coffee, attending cycling classes, hiking, and discovering new arts and crafts in my free time. My favorite thing about CAPLA is the welcoming, open-minded, and innovative environment it provides. One of the biggest challenges I've faced at the University of Arizona has been finding balance between my rigorous courses and other important aspects of my life, such as maintaining relationships and focusing on my health. While I don’t yet have career experience in landscape architecture, my goal is to become a practicing landscape architect in Oregon, and perhaps even own my own firm one day. My biggest piece of advice to CAPLA students is to approach this experience with an open mind. It may be difficult to adjust to student life at first, but if you stay committed, you'll adapt and grow to love it. CAPLA is a fantastic place to explore your passions, collaborate with others, and set yourself up for a successful future!
Catherine Etches
Catherine Etches
The CAPLA experience means being part of a community that supports you to excel in all aspects of college life. Embrace challenges, trust in yourself, and don’t hesitate to lean on peers and professors when needed.
Hello everyone, my name is Catherine Etches. I’m from Roatán, Honduras, and I’m currently pursuing a degree in Architecture, set to graduate in 2028. For me, CAPLA has been an incredible environment where I feel truly supported, and it’s become my home here in Tucson. The encouragement, friendship, and recognition I receive here make a huge difference, and I couldn’t imagine spending so much time in a place where I didn’t feel this supported.
Outside of CAPLA, I stay busy with a job I love both here in Tucson and back home. I also enjoy reading, napping, going for walks, and hanging out with friends. I’m always up for being involved, so I volunteer in my free time too! My favorite part of CAPLA is our strong sense of community. We’re always cheering each other on, and some of my best memories are the late-night sessions in the studio with my classmates—tired, stressed, but united before a deadline! My biggest challenge has been managing the distance from home. I miss my family (and maybe my dogs even more!) a lot, and not being able to go home as often as some of my peers makes it tough. I’ve shadowed architects back in Honduras and plan to pursue a professional internship soon.
My advice? Believe in yourself—it may sound cheesy, but it’s essential. You’re stepping into a challenging phase, but you’re going to do amazing things. CAPLA has an incredible team ready to support you, and I hope you’ll find as much strength here as I have!
Christine Ufondu
Christine Ufondu
The CAPLA experience is filled with collaboration within a close-knit community working to create and design.
Alongside architecture, I am passionate about other forms of design: taking photos, painting and curating beauty in life through horticulture. The diversity of courses and the CAPLA community are my favorite aspects of studying architecture. Trying to prioritize between classes and my personal life, but with patience and concentrating on time management, I was able to curate a schedule that works for me. I have worked with photographers who collaborate with artists which enabled me to appreciate various aspects of design. This background is something I would like to incorporate with architecture. My career aspiration is to work as an architect whilst exhibiting built work through photography. My advice to prospective students is to come in open-minded, be willing to try various things and draw inspiration from preceding work.
Dillon Tisdale
Dillon Tisdale
The CAPLA experience to me, means having a close knit community and family that I can rely on and passionately experience new beginnings.
Originally, I’m from Raleigh, North Carolina and am passionate about everything outdoors. From hiking, working out, running, and swimming I find small hobbies like these helping me everyday. The best thing from my degree at CAPLA is the hands on approach that allows students to participate and learn building techniques that can help us in the future. From model making to working with concrete and wood, these approaches make me the most happy. The most challenging part of my time at CAPLA has been the transition from first year to second. This big leap in my academic career helped push me to better myself and learn new skills. In the coming years, I hope to gain knowledge from my peers and professors and ideally work along them through the close knit internship fair that is provided to us by CAPLA . Beyond school, I enjoy attending the football and basketballs games on campus, volunteering for charities that support families in need, and teaching people of all ages how to swim. A piece of advice I’d give to prospective students is - know how passionate you are about you’re major, UofA allows students to learn and grow within their environment but passion is where growth lives.
Montse Estrany
Montse Estrany
My advice to prospective students would be to remember not to take bad comments personally and to learn as much as possible from your classmates. Also, remember to get involved in extracurricular activities that help you disconnect from your studies.
My name is Montse Estrany, and I am an international student from Spain. Being in CAPLA has allowed me to get involved in fields I expected to be related to something other than an architecture degree. What I like the most about my program is the freedom to learn about any architecture-related topic, depending on each student’s interests. My biggest challenge at CAPLA has been adapting to a new way of understanding architecture and merging that with my knowledge from my previous student experiences back in Barcelona. Beyond being a student ambassador, I am also a member of the executive team of the CAPLA International Student Club. However, when I am not in school, I enjoy going on a hike, cooking, playing music, or traveling. My primary career aspiration would be to work in the restoration industry or anything related to building preservation and rehabilitation.
Peyton White
Peyton White
The CAPLA experience means to be an active participant in all aspects of the college. Always accept a challenge and never be afraid to ask for help from peers and professors when needed.
Hello everyone, my name is Peyton White. I am from Atlanta, Ga. I am currently studying Architecture with hopes of receiving my bachelor’s degree in 2029. Although it is my first year, I have enjoyed my experience. I have felt comforted by the sense of community in CAPLA. I never feel afraid to engage in discussion as I know everything is a learning experience. Outside of school, I enjoy listening to music. I aim to diversify my taste in music by listening to a wide range of genres and artists. I love taking time to understand myself so I can grow and become better. Here at CAPLA, my greatest obstacle has been time. This is by no means an easy sailing. There have been times when I worked late into the night, but I realize that these experiences are necessary for me to reach my goals. I hope to become a great designer and planner in the future. Although I have not obtained any internships yet, I am always looking for new opportunities. My advice to prospective students is to use any challenge as a way to create a canvas that represents yourself and your talents.
Ricky Donovan Arriaga
Ricky Donovan Arriaga
The CAPLA experience is about growth, collaboration, and bringing unique ideas to life through the support of a creative community. Embrace new experiences, and let each one inspire you to build and innovate.
Hello everyone! My name is Ricky Donovan Arriaga, and I’m from the Koreatown neighborhood in Los Angeles, California. I’m currently studying for my Bachelor of Architecture and expect to graduate in 2026. To me, CAPLA is a place where you can grow your ideas and explore your ambitions, thanks to the supportive network of peers and professors. It’s a space where studio culture allows shared ideas to flourish, creating something truly unique. Outside of school, my main passion is writing—I’ve been working on short stories for years and hope to publish them soon. I also love film, always seeking out new movies and visiting local theaters whenever I travel. CAPLA’s collaborative spaces, like our large workshop, materials lab, and gallery areas, are some of my favorite features. They allow us to explore and share projects with others in an inspiring environment. One of my biggest challenges at CAPLA has been learning to prioritize my well-being and growth over distractions that don’t serve my goals. I’ve been involved in residential real estate and construction for several years and recently started working with a commercial real estate firm. My career goal is to open my own real estate development firm and continue my work in the Southwest. For prospective CAPLA students, my advice is: never hesitate to try something new. Be the beginning of something unique, and let every experience teach and inspire you.
Robin Tittelbaugh
Robin Tittelbaugh
The CAPLA experience means fostering growth, embracing creativity, and pushing yourself further each day. Don’t hesitate to explore new ideas, ask questions, and learn from every opportunity.
Hello, everyone! My name is Robin Tittelbaugh, and I’m from Flagstaff, Arizona. I’m studying for my Bachelor’s in Landscape Architecture with a Minor in Sustainable Built Environments, graduating in 2027. To me, CAPLA is all about growth—each semester brings new insights, skills, and changes to my design approach, and it’s amazing to look back and see the progress. Outside of school, I love spending time with family and friends and exploring the outdoors through hiking, camping, and thrifting. Music is also a huge part of my life; I’m a member and choreographer of U of A’s Enharmonics A Cappella group. CAPLA challenges and inspires me to think differently about the world around us, from campus to natural landscapes, and it’s shown me how I can make a positive impact on the future. I joined CAPLA as a transfer student, which was initially intimidating. I worried about being “behind” compared to others, but CAPLA’s welcoming environment helped me feel at home. I’ve met so many people who also switched majors or transferred, which has reassured me. Now, I’m excited to be in a field I’m passionate about and grateful for the experiences that led me here. My goal is to become a landscape architect and use sustainable design to create healthier, eco-friendly communities. My advice to prospective students? Think outside the box. Embrace the unconventional, don’t fear mistakes, and let your creativity take the lead—they’re the seeds of growth and improvement!
Román Vega
Román Vega
The CAPLA experience means embracing a supportive, engaging, and community-driven environment that guides you through each aspect of your chosen path within the college. CAPLA encourages a proactive approach to challenges and a willingness to reach out to peers and professors for help along the way.
Hello everyone, my name is Román J. Vega. I’m from Yuma, Arizona, but I grew up in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico. I’m currently pursuing my Bachelor of Architecture, set to graduate in 2028. Being a part of CAPLA has introduced me to incredible friends, mentors, and connections that enrich my journey as an architecture student. CAPLA is a community that truly supports and uplifts its members, offering friendships, unforgettable experiences, and achievements that I know will stay with me for a lifetime. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends, going to concerts, reading, and exploring new activities here in Tucson. My favorite part of this program is the strong sense of community—whether in studio or outside class, I’m surrounded by peers who understand what I’m going through. We help each other and grow together, making the CAPLA experience truly unique. One of my biggest challenges here has been time management, especially learning when to step back and take a break. Procrastination is not an option in such a demanding program, but hitting that “submit” button after finishing a project brings immense relief and satisfaction. This upcoming winter, I’ll be an architectural intern with Nicklaus Engineering, and I’m looking forward to a future in residential architecture with hopes of also working in live-theatre set design. My advice? Give yourself credit for your hard work, maintain a positive mindset, and surround yourself with people who help you become your best self.
Ryan Blake
Ryan Blake
The CAPLA experience combines collaboration, education, and experiences which are propelling me toward a successful future in architecture. Lasting friendships and connections are easily made because of the close, supportive community created within its walls.
I am from Phoenix, Arizona. Beyond earning my degree in architecture, I enjoy photography, outdoor activities such as hiking and sports, spending time with friends and family, and watching my favorite sports teams. What I enjoy most about CAPLA are the opportunities to think out of the box and be creative. CAPLA offers the space, tools, and resources that allow students the opportunity to be innovative and creative on a daily basis. I appreciate the many opportunities to collaborate with fellow students as we learn from each other. My biggest challenge at CAPLA is remembering to care for myself and not work so hard on projects that I forget to eat or sleep. I am currently interning with an architectural design firm in Phoenix. This experience has both complemented and enhanced my education. My goal upon graduation is to become a registered architect and run my own architectural design firm. Besides being a student ambassador, I am also currently involved with the NOMAS club, ASAC, and attend most Wildcat sporting events as an active ZonaZoo member. My advice for prospective students is to keep pursuing your passions. Come with an open mind and willingness to work hard, and you will find success. The faculty and fellow students of CAPLA are here for you.
Satti Brown
Satti Brown
The CAPLA experience, to me, means having the opportunity to surround yourself with distinguished leaders that leave you inspired and sharpened.
Originally from Southern California, I enjoy golfing, spending time in nature, quality moments with family, and volunteering for great causes. What I love about the MRED program being housed within CAPLA is the broader and more practical approach to real estate, offering significant value that translates well into professional practice. At UA and CAPLA, there is a wealth of talent, often showcased through thought-provoking events and supplemental lectures. Despite my 20 years of experience in home building and residential real estate, going back to school has allowed me to learn a ton of new things, polishing my craft and opening up broader possibilities. In addition to being a CAPLA Ambassador, I'm involved in the Eller Golf Club and working on starting an MRED/CAPLA Club. Whether on campus or online, I emphasize the importance of building meaningful connections. Our time here is limited, so being intentional with that time is crucial. The more you enjoy the program, the better you will do.
Zavier Bizon
Zavier Bizon
CAPLA has allowed me to develop my architectural skill set within an innovative environment. Over the past four years, I have acquired a growing baseline of knowledge that has kept my keen interest in architecture satisfied.
Born and raised in Arizona, it was natural to choose the University of Arizona not only because it's in my home state but also for its nationally renowned facilities. I greatly appreciate the access to the robust material lab, which has allowed me to explore hands-on solutions I wouldn't have encountered otherwise.Putting myself through university as a financially independent person has been a significant challenge on top of the rigorous expectations within the program. However, I believe this experience has helped to ground my idealisms in reality and approach things with a practical mindset. Attending the school has also opened up opportunities beyond the university, such as an internship at Durazo Construction, providing practical knowledge about the construction industry. Beyond school and work, I spend my limited free time playing guitar, reading, playing video games, and watching a variety of shows. As for advice to prospective students, time management and self-discipline are essential for success not only within the undergraduate program but also later in life.