Sandra Bernal Given 2023 Darryl D. Dobras Award for Excellence

College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture Lecturer and UArizona Hispanic Serving Institution Fellow Sandra Bernal was awarded the Darryl D. Dobras Award for Excellence, CAPLA’s highest annual honor for employees.

The award is named after 1972 Bachelor of Architecture graduate Darryl Dobras and is presented annually by Dean Nancy Pollock-Ellwand to recognize outstanding achievements by faculty, staff and students of the college.

“Winning the 2023 Dobras Award means that I am supported and appreciated,” says Bernal. “Reading our Dean's words and my colleagues' comments made me proud of my work. It has spotlighted aspects I would have never imagined made such a notable impact on someone else.”

Bernal was hired in August of 2021 as a lecturer for both CAPLA and the College of Humanities.

“She is a caring and effective instructor who has been willing to fill a variety of teaching roles across multiple programs including Architecture, Urban Planning, and Sustainable Built Environments,” says School of Landscape Architecture and Planning Director Lauri Johnson.

Bernal provides faculty with assistance in developing and refreshing online courses in her role as the college Instructional Designer. She co-teaches the SBE capstone course that includes main campus, online and students at the Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas located in Peru. She also developed an impactful online course entitled “Equitable Cities: Gender, Sexuality and Race” that is central to the college mission.

“With passion and expertise, she prepares students to create built environments that place equity, diversity, and inclusion as a core value,” says Johnson.

In addition to this honor, Bernal was nominated and awarded by the Office of the Provost to attend the National Conference of Women of Color.

“It will be hard to write every name of the people I appreciate and who have contributed to my growth within CAPLA,” says Bernal. “People who supported me since I was a student are Nader Chalfoun, Gary Pivo and Philip Stoker. For launching my career in academia are Altaf Engineer and Courtney Crosson. For their sustained support since I became faculty are Laura Hollengreen, Lauri Macmillan Johnson, Bo Yang, and Garrett Smith. For making my work possible day by day are Lucas Guthrie, Emilio Romero, and, of course, our Dean Nancy Pollock-Ellwand, who kindly gave me the honor of the 2023 Darryl D. Dobras Award.”

Congratulations to Sandra Bernal on this achievement!