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.
CAPLA’s Bachelor of Landscape Architecture program has earned initial accreditation, while its Master of Landscape Architecture program received reaccreditation from the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board. The milestone recognizes the strength of CAPLA’s place-based, interdisciplinary education, outstanding faculty, innovative curriculum and commitment to preparing future landscape architects to address complex environmental and community challenges.
CAPLA faculty, students and researchers joined SCORCH’s Greenspaces and Health Photovoice Study, a participatory project that invited community members to document how parks, trees and other green spaces shape their health and daily lives. The collaboration highlights CAPLA’s interdisciplinary approach to research and design, connecting community voices, public health and the built environment.
CAPLA lecturer Sandra Bernal has been selected for the 2026 Academy for Public Scholarship on the Built Environment: Spatial Determinants of Health. She will join a national cohort of scholars working to translate research on design and public health into accessible scholarship, building on her work in heat resilience, air quality and healthy community design.
Third-year B.Arch student Brett Lewis earned first place in the poster competition at the 2026 Big Idea Challenge Research Showcase for his work on a climate-responsive cooling unit developed in CAPLA’s Human Factors and Wellness class. M.Arch student Nick Yang also received fully funded National Science Foundation Innovation Corps (I-Corps+) training, reflecting the growing impact of faculty-led, student-powered research at CAPLA.
CAPLA’s “Building Better is Building Green” panel highlighted how sustainability credentials and real-world experience are preparing students to lead the future of the built environment. The event also celebrated 21 students receiving support from the Green Ginsberg Fund to participate in a summer LEED Green Associate bootcamp and certification exam.
CAPLA has announced the recipients of the 2026 Grassroots Seed Grants, which support innovative teaching, research and creative activity aligned with the college’s Strategic Plan. This year’s projects advance collaboration, community engagement and new approaches to addressing social, environmental and economic challenges.
CAPLA students earned top honors at the AZASLA Awards Gala, including awards for Cycles of Renewal and Watermark’s Re-imagined Therapeutic Garden. Recognized for excellence in landscape architecture.
Huê-Tâm Jamme presents research exploring the deep behavioral roots and long-term impacts of U.S. car dependence on individual well-being and social equity.
Kirk Dimond has received the TRIAD Award from the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture, recognizing his exceptional leadership and sustained service to the field. Over eight years with the organization, including five as treasurer, he strengthened its financial stability, advanced long-term planning and helped establish key scholarships and endowments.
CAPLA’s Indigenous Society of Architecture, Planning and Design (ISAPD) will host an all-day symposium on April 6, bringing together students, faculty and practitioners to explore Indigenous approaches to the built environment. Featuring Indigenous designers and supported by campus partners, the event will highlight community-centered design, sustainability and the role of Indigenous knowledge systems in shaping more responsible relationships with land.
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.