Student Profiles

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.

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.

Zoe Sadorf, who is from the Southern Arizona city of Sierra Vista, entered CAPLA's Master of Architecture program after receiving her Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Portland State University. Prior to joining CAPLA, she spent three years with a Portland, Oregon architecture firm.

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!”

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.

Bachelor of Architecture student Rafael Taiar, who is from the small city of Vinhedo in São Paulo, Brazil, came to CAPLA for what he knew would be a challenging and rewarding experience.

CAPLA student ambassador Lydia Roberts came to the Bachelor of Architecture program at the University of Arizona from Sierra Vista, Arizona, but has family across the globe.

Anisa Hermosillo, who was born and raised in Tucson, nearly chose another architecture program out of state. She quickly realized that staying home to study architecture at UArizona was the right decision.

Alec Kelly-Jones, who came to UArizona from Sydney, Australia, to play rugby, discusses his passion for sustainability and his move from the BS Sustainable Built Environments to the Master of Architecture and the challenges and rewards of the M.Arch program.

Athena Myers, who is from Tucson, entered the M.Arch program after receiving her undergraduate degree in design studies. Prior to joining CAPLA, she spent a year in Portland, Oregon, before moving back to Tucson where she worked as a manager in an advertising agency.

Mehli Romero came to CAPLA after living in Texas, Mexico, Germany and Italy. As a violinist, she is passionate about music and also now passionate about how places and spaces impact our mental health, a passion that she shares regularly on her blog, Archipeutic.

CAPLA student ambassador Kaya Orona, who is active in several student organizations, came to the Bachelor of Architecture program at the University of Arizona from Chandler, Arizona.