Student Profiles

Sarena Rabinowitz, one of the first students in CAPLA’s new MS.Arch/MSUP dual degree, is combining architecture, planning and research to shape community-centered design.

An interview with Josh, an architecture student from Phoenix studying at the University of Arizona, and Rob, a Tucson architect and U of A alum.

Meet Derec Custer! The Tucson local is working towards two exciting degrees: Bachelor of Landscape Architecture and Master of Real Estate Development. Hear about his transformative experience here at CAPLA! 

Yamilkal Hernandez Sanchez is a first-year MSUP student speaking on his Peace Corps experience.

For Hunter Bentley, M.Arch ‘28, a four-day field trip to Boston in February 2026 turned into the starting point for a summer internship that would reshape how he thinks about architecture.

Lyndsey Shafiei, a first-year Master of Architecture student, shares why she joined the Peace Corps and what she hopes to accomplish after earning her M.Arch degree from CAPLA.

Paul D. Coverdell Fellows are returned Peace Corps volunteers who receive financial assistance to pursue graduate degrees at universities across the country. In exchange, fellows complete internships in underserved American communities, applying the skills they learned abroad.

Paul D. Coverdell Fellows are returned Peace Corps volunteers who receive financial assistance to pursue graduate degrees at universities across the country. In exchange, fellows complete internships in underserved American communities, applying the skills they learned abroad.

Fifth-year B.Arch student Rachel Hink gained hands-on experience in architecture and community engagement through her summer internship with BWS Architects. From contributing to site plans and project meetings to participating in CanStruction, a community outreach event benefiting the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, the experience gave Hink valuable insight into how architecture can serve and strengthen communities.

Anselmo Vinhas, CAPLA’s Class of 2026, reflects on growth, favorite projects (3D-printed housing for Angola), cherished memories, and his next steps: U.S. experience and launching a business in Angola.

Dillon Tisdale’s externship with The M Group in D.C. immersed him in real-world architecture workflows, sustainability, and collaboration, shaping his career goals in net-zero design and project management.

CAPLA student Ella Parsons ('27 B.Arch) shares her ecological “cookbook,” blending art, architecture, and ecology to explore site, narrative, and design through experimental methods.