Community Found and Community Created: Julia Smith ’26 B.Arch
Bachelor of Architecture Student and Past Puente Student Organization President Julia Smith on Finding Community at CAPLA
“We all work so hard and need a break sometimes. And we need a community of people you can lean on if something crazy happens in your life.”
Julia Smith isn’t your typical design student, and for Puente—the Hispanic student organization of the College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture that she recently led—that’s a good thing.
Though Smith is a second-year Bachelor of Architecture student, she’s six years older than most of her classmates. She’s also married to a member of the U.S. military.
“I originally attended the University of Arizona as a Spanish literature major, but then I took a break after the first year,” she says. “My husband was transferred to Germany, and while there, I got to experience a variety of different cities. I didn’t know much about design then, but I realized after traveling that what I love most about cities is the buildings themselves.”
Julia Smith and fellow Puente student organization members at a club meeting and dinner. Photo by Julia Smith.
When Smith returned to her home town of Tucson, she decided to come back to UArizona, this time to study landscape architecture, initially entering the new Bachelor of Landscape Architecture program as a transfer student.
“I love design and ultimately would like to work in affordable housing—long-term housing that’s dignified and not tiny. I knew CAPLA would be the best college to prepare me for that future,” she says. What she didn’t know at the time was that to pursue her passion, it made more sense for her to study architecture. Fortunately, her first-year studio instructor pointed her to the B.Arch, which she has found to be interesting in ways she would not have expected.
“When I was a little kid, my dad worked in construction, and I used to think that was boring,” she says. “But now that I know what it actually entails, I’m really excited about it.”
Smith’s excitement for design and construction, and a need for a supportive community with fellow students as a member of a rigorous academic program, led her to Puente. Founded in 2016 to “connect and create a dynamic environment for the collaboration of ideas and the acknowledgment of diversity,” the club is open to students from all CAPLA academic programs, both undergraduate and graduate.
The same faculty member who recommended she switch to the B.Arch was the first to suggest she attend a Puente meeting. Eduardo Guerrero, senior lecturer in architecture and urban design, is the club’s faculty advisor, and when he learned that Smith is Hispanic, her family from Mexico, he reached out.
Puente members make flowers to hang in the CAPLA Sundt Gallery in honor of Dias de los Muertos. Photo by Julia Smith.
“Right away I realized it was a great club,” she says. “There are so many cultural things in Tucson you can do, and having a club where we go to events like marches and festivals is really cool. What I like most is that we meet at Mexican or other local restaurants and just be. I think that what students often need is a break—sometimes you just need to eat and talk and hang out.”
As Puente’s president during 2022, fostering community was her goal: “We all work so hard and need that break sometimes. And we need a community of people you can lean on if something crazy happens in your life.”
Though it’s unusual for a second-year student to be a club president, the leadership role comes natural for Smith. “I’ve worked in organizations and administrative roles in the past,” she says. “I know what I need to do and when I need to do it.”
Additionally, Spanish is Smith’s first language, so she understands the particular challenges of those whose native language isn’t English. “I learned English from my mother, and English was her second language. At Puente, we welcome those who prefer to speak Spanish. But Puente is not limited to Hispanic or Latinx students,” she says. “All are welcome.”
Puente advisor Eduardo Guerrero with Julia Smith and fellow Puente student member in the CAPLA Sundt Gallery. Photo courtesy Julia Smith.
Smith also understands the particular challenges of being far from home. Community serves a significant role for those who have traveled a long distance to attend CAPLA. “Especially for students who are coming from far away, community is essential,” she says. “I know what that feels like. When we moved to Germany, I didn’t know anyone else there. I was just starting fresh, and that was awful. People are reluctant to reach out when they need support. At Puente, we want to provide that supportive community.”
And community should be fun, she concludes. “We have meetings that are fun, that involve local restaurants and lots of involved people. We are planning a dance at CAPLA, for instance. We know how to have a good time.”
Learn more about Puente or explore how you can support students, organizations and other community-building efforts at CAPLA.
