The Spring 2025 Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 17 at the Denver Coliseum celebrates the incredible achievements of students across the University of Colorado Denver. The completion of CU Denver degree is powerful milestone that celebrates years of dedication, paving the way for many open doors and new opportunities.
We’re excited to share that Hunter Carey (Bachelor of Science in Architecture), Irina Murphy (Master of Architecture), Kirstian Brady (Master of Urban and Regional Planning), Aidan Nowell (Master of Landscape Architecture), Jessica (Jessie) Whitney (Master of Urban Design), and Molly Rose Merkert (Master of Science in Historic Preservation) were recognized as the College of Architecture and Planning’s (CAP) Outstanding Graduates. These students received top marks in their academic performance and impactfully contributed to the life of the college.
Our Outstanding Graduates shared with us about their experiences and takeaways from their time at CAP and their anticipated next steps. From all their responses, one thing was certain, CAP students are going to make an impact on the future of the built environment and our communities.
Meet CAP’s Spring 2025 Outstanding Graduates
Hunter Carey (BS Arch)
How has your perspective of architecture evolved since you started the BS Arch program?
When I started my bachelor’s, I thought architecture was mainly about designing the exterior of buildings. Over time, my perspective has expanded to see it as a tool for environmental responsibility, innovation, social equity, and creating spaces that resonate with people. Architecture can shape daily lives and reflect cultural values. I have also come to appreciate the technical side as well through construction detail drawings, structural engineering, and building systems. The program challenged me to think beyond aesthetics and instead design with intention, ecological awareness, and passion.
What are you excited about following the commencement ceremony?
I am excited for summer and to get back in the mountains to do some mountain biking, golfing, and hiking. I will also be working at an architecture firm this summer in Denver as a student intern before moving to California in August for my Master of Architecture at the University of California, Berkeley.
Could you share a memorable experience, project, or opportunity from your time as a CAP student?
One of the most memorable projects I worked on was a community center and trade school based in Pueblo’s Bessemer neighborhood. The project explored how sustainable architecture could drive economic revitalization in a post-industrial community. Bessemer faced economic and environmental hardship after the decline of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Steel Mill, but Pueblo aims to become net zero by 2035. My design incorporated Pueblo’s massive solar farm and recycled steel to create a school that teaches residents skills in solar panel installation and maintenance, lowering the unemployment rate of Bessemer and contributing to the net zero goal. It was a turning point in my education where my interests in climate conscious design and social impact fully aligned.
Hunter recently shared with us about his experience as a professional skier and what led him to study architecture. Read more about his path “From the Slopes to the Studio.”
Irina Murphy (M.Arch)
How has your perspective of architecture evolved since you started the Master of Architecture program?
Before starting the program, I appreciated architecture mainly through its form—observing buildings, admiring their shapes, and the details that gave each structure its identity. But since entering the program, my perspective has shifted significantly. I’ve come to understand that architecture is about creating environments that respond to emotions, needs, and social dynamics. I’ve learned to consider not only materials and form, but also light, sound, memory, and atmosphere. I now see buildings as living entities that interact with their users, their environment, and even time itself.
What are you excited about following the commencement ceremony?
I’m excited to step into the next chapter, where ideas meet real-world challenges. The past few years have been a time of learning, exploration, and growth, and now I’m eager to carry that knowledge forward and continue learning through real-world experience.
Could you share a memorable experience, project, or opportunity from your time as a CAP student?
It’s hard to pick just on. The list of experiences is truly endless. I genuinely enjoyed every semester and every class. While the studio courses were often challenging, they were also the most rewarding. I’ll never forget the excitement and nervous energy of my very first studio project, or the creative process of making videos for the final presentation in Studio V. Building kiosks through the Design Build program was another unforgettable experience. Each project pushed me, taught me something new, and helped me grow both as a designer and as a person.
Kirstian Brady (MURP)
How has your perspective of urban planning evolved since you started the MURP program?
I honestly did not know much about urban planning when I started the program. I would say that through the MURP program I’ve realized just how interconnected the different types of planning are. My focus was mainly on environmental planning, but it was hugely beneficial to learn about housing, transportation, etc., because it all really is just one big system.
What are you excited about following the commencement ceremony?
I am most excited to see what my classmates go on to achieve in their careers! My entire cohort is full of such wonderful and passionate people that inspire me daily, and I just know they are going to make a real difference in the world.
Could you share a memorable experience, project, or opportunity from your time as a CAP student?
My most memorable experience during my time at CAP was the summer studio course in Fairplay, Colorado. This was the first time that I got to work with a municipality as a client and really dive into the issues and topics that I am most passionate about to make real life recommendations. I hope that our work with the town might be useful, and it would be super cool to see some of our ideas come to life. The course also offered a fun summer of fishing and camping in the mountains with my friends so that was a huge bonus!
Aidan Nowell (MLA)
How has your perspective of landscape architecture evolved since you started the MLA program?
When I began the MLA program, I was excited to develop the technical skills to design landscapes, which contribute to a more sustainable interaction between humans and the environment. Over the course of my time in the program, I’ve learned that in addition to those skills, landscape architecture is also about being a facilitator, educator, marketer, researcher, and advocate.
A common description of landscape architecture is that it blends art with science. I’ve found that at its best, that is true. During the MLA, I’ve become empowered to express myself creatively, while also applying ecology, physics, and geography to produce design solutions.
Most importantly, I’ve learned that landscape architecture is participation in a collective effort – not just with fellow designers and clients, but with the human and non-human communities, which are a fundamental part of the process. The intention of landscape architects is to make the world a better place, which means identifying what ‘better’ means, coming up with a plan to make it happen, and then helping see it through.
What are you excited about following the commencement ceremony?
While I’m sad to close this chapter because it has been a transformative time filled with superb people, I’m incredibly excited to continue a lifetime of learning and practice. After a short break filled with family, travel, friends, music, and finally catching up on my reading list, I’ll be applying my efforts at Livable Cities Studio here in Denver.
Could you share a memorable experience, project, or opportunity from your time as a CAP student?
There are so many memorable moments that have happened during my time as a CAP student – from meeting my peers on day one to getting a call from my teammate telling me we won a design competition.
While the projects and education I’ve engaged with have been transformative, the fondest memories come from the fellow students and teachers along the way. Our cohort recently had an admissions portfolio and yearbook gathering, where we presented our admissions portfolios to each other, reflected on the great times we’ve shared, and celebrated how far we’ve come since beginning the MLA program. What I’m sure I’ll remember most is the strong sense of community that I’ve found here at CAP.
Jessie Whitney (MUD)
How has your perspective of urbanism evolved since you started the Urban Design program?
When I decided to pursue a degree in Urban Design, I had a much more one-dimensional perspective of what urbanism is. I noticed the ways in which the quality of the built environment and public realm influenced my life, but didn’t yet deeply understand the policy, regulations, and history that led cities to be the way that they are. This program has given me the foundation of knowledge to approach urban design as the complex and layered practice that it is. It is a field that is constantly evolving, as cities and the world around us change, and this is ultimately what makes it such an exciting practice.
What are you excited about following the commencement ceremony?
Following graduation, I’m looking forward to enjoying Colorado summer and getting outside as much as possible the next few months, but ultimately, I am very excited to enter the field as a full-time professional and start building my career. One of my favorite aspects of this program was the emphasis on planning/design work being done locally and regionally, and I feel like I am leaving with a strong base of connections, and knowledge of the exciting projects going on in and around Denver. I’m excited to enter the field and be involved in these projects myself.
Could you share a memorable experience, project, or opportunity from your time as a CAP student?
One of my favorite experiences was my summer studio abroad in Mexico City. I found it so valuable to be able to apply all the planning and design principles we’d learned back at CAP to an entirely different city with its own complex history and makeup. Mexico City is also just such an incredibly rich environment to get to spend time in and learn from. I have some great memories from my time there and learned a ton.
Molly Rose Merkert (MSHP)
How has your perspective of preservation evolved since you started the Dana Crawford Preservation program?
I have come to realize how preservation is more than just saving buildings connected to history. Preservation projects are also the ultimate green project.
What are you excited about following the commencement ceremony?
I am looking forward to celebrating with friends and family.
Could you share a memorable experience, project, or opportunity from your time as a CAP student?
The most memorable project from my time as a CAP student was working on the Where is Denver’s Chinatown exhibit with Professor Leyuan Li. It brings to light a marginalized history that is especially poignant today. We’re going to be leading a tour for the Mayor’s Office on May 21st.