Student, Faculty & Alumni Profiles

Forty years after his graduation from the College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture’s undergraduate architecture program, Mitchell Freedman AIA ’80 B.Arch remains in touch with the two faculty members who most influenced him and his work.

For Gabby Abou-Zeid, who graduated with her Bachelor's in Sustainable Build Environments in 2019, her path exploring transportation and urban planning has been anything but linear.

Eric Sterner ’15 B.Arch, founding principal of Last Architects, says, "My creativity is inspired by intangible moments and patterns—all rooted in observance. I believe these uncategorical and unplanned moments create points to reflect upon and later understand."

Jenny Nguyen, a fifth-year architecture student whose parents immigrated to the U.S. from Vietnam before she was born, shares her experience as a CAPLA student, with a particular focus on how heritage, family and work ethic play a role in academic excellence, even in this time of pandemic.

Ramzy Bejjani served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in northern Ethiopia before joining CAPLA's Master of Landscape Architecture program.

Chicago native Brooke Sands, now halfway through the five-year CAPLA undergraduate architecture program, offers insight into the challenges and passions of studying architecture.

Rebecca Johnstone served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in The Gambia before joining CAPLA's Master of Landscape Architecture program.

Ariel Fry ’20 MS Urban Planning recalls walking in downtown Tucson one day seven years ago, thinking about how unfriendly the landscape was. Not the Sonoran Desert landscape—being from the small town of Ajo, Arizona, she was familiar with the rugged and beautiful desert.

Lena Porell served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Namibia before joining CAPLA's Master of Urban Planning program.

Juliana Seymour '20 B.Arch landed her internship at Swaim Associates thanks to the CAPLA Job Interview Fair.

Hunter Lohse served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines before joining CAPLA's Master of Landscape Architecture program.

Bachelor of Architecture student Diego Zell's first internship was with Chasse Building Team, an internship he landed thanks to CAPLA's Job Interview Fair.