Drachman Institute celebrates community partners, impact

View Photos of the Celebration

The Drachman Institute and the College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture held its inaugural Community Outreach and Impact Celebration, honoring community partners and showcasing impactful student and faculty work.

The event brought together more than 200 attendees, including representatives from municipalities, tribal nations, nonprofit organizations, and community groups across Arizona. Designed to recognize the value of collaboration between the university and local communities, the event highlighted the Drachman Institute’s role as a connector—linking academic creativity and insight with real-world challenges through design and planning.

Six interactive booths represented the Institute’s outreach and research initiatives, each led by CAPLA faculty:

• Cultural Resources Coalition

• Housing Equity Lab

• Native Peoples Design Coalition

• Urban Resilience Lab

• Drachman Design Build Coalition

• Health Designs Lab

As the first event of its kind, the celebration underscored the growing impact of community-based design and planning across Arizona. The evening also featured the presentation of the 2025 Drachman Impact Awards, which recognized 28 community leaders, professionals, and partners nominated by CAPLA faculty for their significant contributions to collaborative projects.

The event was organized by Courtney Crosson, director of the Drachman Institute, with support from CAPLA faculty and staff. Funding support was provided by GLHN Architects & Engineers, Inc., which designated a portion of its previous gift to the Drachman Institute for the purpose of launching this annual recognition event.

Plans are already underway for next year’s celebration, continuing the Institute’s mission to advance equitable, sustainable, and community-driven design across the region.

An open call for community projects is also underway. More information can be found on the Drachman Institute website.