IT and Facilities Director Lucas Guthrie Honored with Dean’s Award for Exceptional Service

Aug. 24, 2022
Who
Lucas Guthrie, CAPLA Director of Information Technology and Facilities
What
Dean's Award for Exceptional Service
When
August 17, 2022
Image
Lucas Guthrie, Nancy Pollock-Ellwand and Simon White

CAPLA Director of Information Technology and Facilities Lucas Guthrie receives the Dean's Award for Exceptional Service from Dean Nancy Pollock-Ellwand and Assistant Dean of Finance and Administration Simon White at the CAPLA Fall 2022 Faculty and Staff Retreat. Photo by Eduardo Guerrero.

“There is so much about CAPLA Director of Information Technologies and Facilities Lucas Guthrie that makes him an extraordinary member of our community—an individual to admire,” says Dean Nancy Pollock-Ellwand in bestowing CAPLA’s highest honor on him: the Dean’s Award for Exceptional Service.

The award, which names Guthrie a “rock star,” was given by Pollock-Ellwand and Assistant Dean of Finance and Administration Simon White to wide applause at the CAPLA Fall 2022 Faculty and Staff Retreat on August 17, 2022.

Image
Lucas Guthrie

Lucas Guthrie, Director of Information Technology and Facilities

“Lucas is a CAPLA rock star,” says White. “Throughout the pandemic and now with the CAPLA West Building renovation, Lucas and his team are ever-present, through rain and shine, ensuring our facilities and IT are working for the college.”

“His contributions are far ranging,” adds Pollock-Ellwand, “from his constant presence through the pandemic ensuring the continuity of our digital lives, to advancing our culture of shared governance with his leadership of the Staff Advisory Council. It is with the building renovation, however, that Lucas has been everywhere for everyone and so deserves this award. Among many other responsibilities, he has helped determine our new furnishings, provided logistics for temporary accommodations and worked tirelessly with his team to give us stability through chaotic times.”

Guthrie, who joined CAPLA in 2015, has served as the West Building and Education North liaison for the architect, contractor and UArizona Facilities Management, says White. Additionally, he has coordinated efforts with the CAPLA Building Committee, worked diligently with the school directors and faculty, and consulted with staff to ensure that studios, classrooms, computer labs, advising space, offices and other spaces and systems are ready and operating efficiently for the fall semester.

“I would like to thank Lucas and his team for the extraordinary work they accomplish, and for always going the extra mile with a smile on their faces (even if hidden by their face masks),” says White.

“I really appreciate the support and recognition that this award represents,” says Guthrie. “I couldn’t have done this without the hard work of my team and the cooperation of the faculty, staff and students.”

Please join us in congratulating Lucas Guthrie on receiving the Dean’s Award for Exceptional Service!

  

Subscribe to The Studio

Sign up for CAPLA's monthly e-newsletter to get the latest news and events, insights from faculty and leadership, profiles of students and alumni and more.

Subscribe Now

Latest CAPLA News, Projects and Profiles

Image
Jackie Hogan Headshot

Research-Based Approach to Architecture: Jackie Hogan M.Arch + MS.Arch ‘25

Jackie Hogan (’25 M.Arch + MS.Arch) is a dual-degree graduate of CAPLA whose work bridges architectural practice and research-driven design. Drawn to architectural history, theory and ethics, she pursued the M.Arch + MS.Arch dual degree to explore how research can shape meaningful design decisions. During her time at CAPLA, she engaged in community-centered design through Laura Carr’s studio working with the Tuba City community and completed a thesis examining architecture’s role in disaster relief and climate-related emergencies. Now working at Line + Space, Hogan brings an evidence-based approach to projects, applying research to create thoughtful spaces that connect people, culture and the environment.

Image
Block Up

CAPLA Lecturer and Alumni Win 2025 AIA Arizona Ideas Competition

Senior Lecturer in Architecture Oscar Lopez and three CAPLA alumni won first place in the 2025 AIA Arizona Ideas Competition for their proposal “BLOCK UP.” The project reimagines the urban tower as a vertical civic framework for Phoenix, integrating public space, housing and climate-responsive design into a shared, adaptable structure. Developed through close collaboration between Lopez and alumni Sal Arellano, Trevor Watson and Cameron Noble, the proposal explores how density can expand community and access beyond the street level, highlighting CAPLA’s impact on forward-thinking, civic-minded design in Arizona.

Image
The white facade of Mission San Xavier del Bac is seen against a clear blue sky. A paved path leading to the mission passes through an earthen wall fronted by cactus and other desert plants.

Rehabilitation of the Retablo Facade at San Xavier del Bac | Lecture by Starr Herr-Cardillo

Learn about ongoing work to preserve decorative finishes and restore missing and damaged elements of the retablo facade of Mission San Xavier del Bac. This work is supported by the Semiquincentennial Grant Program, administered by the National Park Service.