End of the Year "Thank You" from Dean Parr

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

The past year has been a time of magnificent change for CAPPA and it is exciting to reflect upon all that has been achieved by our faculty, students, and staff. Not only have we experienced record growth in enrollment, student satisfaction with our programs has grown immensely, as indicated by increasing retention and student participation in college activities.

The quality and reach of our programs are reflected in employer feedback and in how the programs perform in national rankings. On that note, the Architecture and Landscape Architecture programs have both been highly ranked by Design Intelligence this year. Both Landscape Architecture and the Masters in Public Affairs successfully completed their accreditation. Currently, we are pursuing the introduction of a new undergraduate degree in Sustainable Urban Design and Planning that will involve all disciplines within the college. I want to also thank you for your contributions to the CAPPA Five Year Strategic Plan; a draft should be ready for review in the Fall.

Now for a quick glimpse at what lies ahead. Several new faculty will join CAPPA in the Fall, infusing new perspectives, research interests, and teaching practices into the college. CAPPA will be featured at two international biennales next year. We will have a presence at the prestigious 2020 Venice Architecture Biennale exhibitions and Seoul Biennale.

In August we will welcome a new cohort of students, bursting with enthusiasm to learn new ways of engaging with the world through design, policy, and public affairs, all eager to put their studies at CAPPA to work in making a positive impact on the world. Admittedly, more needs to be done to provide our current and future students with sufficient work space, state of the art technology and equipment. For this reason, we are actively seeking out a new facility in collaboration with the City of Arlington, just walking distance from the CAPPA building.

I want to thank all our faculty, students, staff, alumni, and engaged professionals for helping make CAPPA the academically vibrant and creatively agile college that it is.

I believe it is important to lead with optimism, set ambitious goals, think outside the box when faced with a challenge, and to gain insight from all members of the CAPPAcommunity in an effort to realize everyone’s vision and maximize their strengths. I have loved all the new friendships I have made at CAPPA since arriving a year ago and I am extremely proud to represent the college during this exciting time.

Wishing you all a fabulous summer break.

Adrian Parr
Dean
College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs
UNESCO Chair of Water and Human Settlements