SCUP

Pacific 2026 Regional Conference

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Convergence: Turning Challenges into Oases of Innovation

In an era of disruption, convergence is how institutions move from either/or to both/and. “Convergence” invites us to gather people, programs, partners, and places into intentionally aligned ecosystems—innovation districts that fuse academia and industry, blended academic structures that span disciplines, public–private partnerships that unlock delivery and financing, and campus–community networks that elevate student success and regional prosperity.

Inspired by Arizona State University’s approach to innovation, convergence is not a one-time project but a planning mindset: braiding missions, assets, and incentives to produce win–win–win outcomes—for students, faculty, and staff; for institutional sustainability; and for surrounding communities and economies. Like wayfinding through a desert, convergence provides direction when landmarks are sparse: pursuing shared north stars, navigating “mirages” like uncertain enrollment, and designing flexible pathways that deliver value under many futures.

As campuses face pressures—from enrollment concerns, aging infrastructure, financial pressures, climate risk to affordability, and AI’s rapid evolution—innovative integrated planning becomes a vehicle to converge strategy, space, finance, operations, and partnerships. The result: resilient, human-centered environments that catalyze learning, discovery, and belonging.

Now it’s your turn. Be part of the Pacific 2026 program by sharing your story, strategies, and lessons learned. Help our community see what convergence looks like on your campus—and inspire others to take action.

Program Updates

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday sessions will be held on the second floor of the Omni Tempe Hotel.

Conference Experience Information – Learn more about the area, places to visit, and how to prepare for the weather in Tempe, AZ.

Map of Arizona State University – Tempe Campus

List of Registrants (login required)

Keynote

Journeys on Earth and in Space: Our High-Performance Teams

Dr. Lindy Elkins-Tanton

Director of Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley

Keynote

Imagining Phoenix at Three Scales

Wellington “Duke” Reiter

Senior Advisor to the President, Arizona State University

Keynote

Being Unstoppable

Anthony Robles

Speaker | Commentator | Nike Athlete

Show Sessions by Topic:
Campus Tours (Additional Fee)

ASU P3 Housing Projects Tour

Tour four public-private partnership (P3) developments on Arizona State University's (ASU) Tempe campus: Tempe New Building, Mirabella at ASU, Manzanita Hall, and Greek Leadership Village. Taken together, the total capacity of these developments is almost 3,000 beds. Each project had its own particular set of challenges and its own particular community to serve. Three of the projects are for young adults, one is not. Three are recently constructed, one was built 60 years ago and renovated in 2013. This tour will offer an inside look at each building with guides who can offer insights on the development process.
Learning Outcomes
  1. Describe how the design of units, shared amenities, and outdoor spaces support the well-being of residents.
  2. Explain how vital the P3 relationship was for the success of each project.
  3. Identify how design choices (for example, durability, maintenance access, staffing visibility, and safety features) support efficient operations and long-term facility management.
  4. Describe how the design of each project is suited to the community that it serves.
AIA LU 3.5 Unit AICP CM 3.5 Unit
Topics: Student Housing
Tags: Student Housing
Campus Tours (Additional Fee)

Phoenix Bioscience Core Tour

Introduction Presentation @ Wexford
  • UofA Health Sciences Education Building / Biomedical Sciences Partnership Building
  • Wexford Labs
    • Workshop (Additional Fee)

    Designing Innovation Zones That Foster Future-Ready Students

    Presented by Matthew McCluney, Director of Campus Planning & Development, California State University-Monterey Bay
    $45

    If you work for an institution, please email registration@scup.org to add this to your registration at no cost.



    The value propositions of higher education systems are being challenged. Innovation zones offer institutions new opportunities for relevance, providing a place of convergence that spans between disciplines, industry, and networks while generating opportunities for social impact. You are invited to a collaborative planning charrette that convenes leaders in academia, planning and design, industry, development, and community to evaluate and co-design the future of innovation zones. During the charrette, participants will explore how campuses can identify mission-aligned sponsoring partners and activate industry-leading facilities into ecosystems that elevate student success, institutional resilience, and regional prosperity. This charrette is about cultivating a convergence mindset to align strategy, space, finance, operations, and partnerships. Doing so transforms today’s pressures into opportunities for human-centered environments that catalyze learning, discovery, and belonging, elevating students and creating a better future.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Examine emerging pressures and opportunities influencing the next generation of innovation zones, including shifts in institutional value, collaboration models, and the stewardship of campus environments.
    2. Identify the strategic patterns, cultural conditions, and organizational structures that enable innovation zones to thrive.
    3. Conceptualize mission-aligned partnership approaches that strengthen connections among higher education, industry, government, and communities to advance shared regional and societal goals.
    4. Articulate holistic, future-ready strategies that align space, finance, operations, and partnerships to cultivate human-centered environments that elevate student success and regional prosperity.
    AIA LU 2.0 Unit AICP CM 2.0 Unit
    Topics: Shared Spaces and Innovation Hubs
    Tags: Facilities Planning, Innovation Center
    Keynote

    Journeys on Earth and in Space: Our High-Performance Teams

    Presented by Lindy Elkins-Tanton, Director of Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California-Berkeley

    Bus transportation from the hotel to the Desert Botanical Gardens will be provided.

    When do teams show up at their best? When there is a challenge, a crisis, a drop-dead deadline, and they already know how to work together. At that point, the miracles happen. In 2011 when we started planning our robotic space mission, the NASA Psyche mission, we had no idea how much we would need these skills. With a team of over 800 people across 22 organizations (at its peak), we weathered challenge after challenge on our way to launch in 2023. Now, with the spacecraft cruising on its way to a metal asteroid (the first metal world humans will ever explore), the team continues to face and overcome challenges. The lessons needed to build a custom spacecraft that will work for years without repair while flying through space are the same lessons we need to face our challenges here on Earth. Starting with assembling the right people and creating a culture that supports communication and innovation, I’ll walk through the lessons of building teams that perform under pressure.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Identify the key elements required to build and sustain high-performing teams across complex, multi-organization environments, and apply those principles to campus planning and institutional initiatives.
    2. Evaluate how teams operate under high-stakes conditions (e.g., deadlines, crises, competing priorities) and translate those dynamics into strategies for improving performance in institutional planning and capital projects.
    3. Implement practices that foster trust, communication, and innovation within teams, particularly in environments that require coordination across disciplines and stakeholders.
    4. Adapt lessons from large-scale, mission-critical projects (like NASA Psyche) to improve execution, resilience, and outcomes in higher education planning and development efforts.
    Welcome Reception

    Reception

    Registration

    Registration

    Breakfast

    Breakfast

    Thank you to our sponsor!
    Concurrent Sessions
    Presented by Greg Aldridge, Principal Planner, HDR, Inc. | Collin Engelson, Space Planning and Building Operations-Development & Operations, Arizona State University | Erik Halle, Senior Director, Knowledge Enterprise Operations, Arizona State University

    Research space is among the most expensive on a university campus to build and operate, making efficient management of that space a valuable task. With recent uncertainty and fundamental changes being discussed with respect to how research and the spaces supporting it are funded, active management is taking on an even greater importance. Arizona State University (ASU) has been working on this issue for 15 years, during which time its research expenditures have nearly tripled with only a 50% increase in space. Anticipating the question 'What would you have done if you knew then what you know now?' ASU will discuss what has worked, what hasn't, and how they use data to manage and plan research facilities.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Evaluate existing research space management techniques and practices on your campus and compare with those presented in this session to find new ideas or reinforce existing ones that already work.
    2. Build a stronger and more sustainable set of operational processes for research space management by involving the campus research community.
    3. Establish or reinforce the use of data-driven metrics for research space management and planning on your campus.
    4. Create a process for enhancing your campus research space portfolio over time by careful planning and management that integrates quantitative metrics and campus-specific qualitative surveys.
    AIA LU 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Academic Facilities, Facilities Portfolio and Space
    Tags: Laboratory Facility, Space Management
    Presented by Willie Brown, Associate Vice Chancellor, Housing, Dining, University of California-Santa Barbara | Elizabeth MacPherson Hearn, Partner, Mithun | Jason Steiner, Partner, Director of Digital Design, Mithun

    AI is transforming higher education, redefining how institutions approach teaching, learning, and campus life. This session examines the spatial impacts of AI integration, emphasizing the growing need for adaptive, human-centered environments that support AI-assisted learning, promote student well-being amid digital immersion, empower diverse populations to utilize campus resources, and enhance campus safety. Drawing on current research, computational design methods, and case studies, we will show how flexible environments foster student autonomy, innovation, and collaboration—key drivers of successful AI adoption. You will gain practical, evidence-based strategies to plan and design campus spaces that build resilience, connection, and creativity in an AI-driven academic future.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Collaborate with designers, students, and faculty to identify evolving AI-driven spatial needs, and apply strategies that equip students to thrive amid AI-driven changes, where routine jobs are automated and new creative, analytical roles emerge.
    2. Employ inclusive spatial design strategies to support many learning styles and preferences along with diverse mobility and cognitive needs, promoting learning everywhere and creating safe, accessible spaces for living.
    3. Support physical, interpersonal, and mental well-being in a digitally immersed environment by incorporating movement, social, and activity zones that engage brain regions beyond AI-driven learning.
    4. Enhance campus safety and operations using design strategies and AI tools.
    AIA LU/HSW 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Design for Well-being and Belonging
    Tags: Facilities Design, Health and Wellness, Learning Environments
    Presented by Kevin Conn, Executive Director of Student Housing and Residential Life, California State University-Northridge | Melissa Falkenstien, Senior Director, Facilities Operations and Capital Projects, Student Housing, University of California-Irvine | Jason Taylor, Managing Partner, Public Private Partnerships (P3), The Annex Group | Shawna Upp, Senior Planner, AC Martin, Inc.

    Students need housing that's more than up-to-code, but that supports belonging, mental health, and diverse identities. This session brings together a cross-functional team to show how housing policy, programs, and space decisions work together. We'll discuss practical moves—privacy and study choices, sensory-friendly retreats, gender-inclusive facilities, and outreach that reaches missing voices—and the decisions we made when time and budgets were tight. We'll also address privacy-first outreach and placement when identity data or affinity models are restricted. You'll leave with a toolkit that you can adapt to your specific needs: frame the need, pick first moves, and develop a shared vision to align stakeholders.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Draft a one-page case for an inclusive housing project that spells out the student need, the day-to-day problem it fixes, and the budget limit.
    2. Prioritize 1-3 actions to address student needs across policy, program, and space, then stage by those actions by cost/impact, note trade-offs, and anchor them in key performance indicators (KPI).
    3. Create an outreach plan to reach students who are often missed using open-to-all events and simple opt-in preferences, and include a privacy-first path when you can't use identity data.
    4. Set a feedback loop with distinct measures and define course corrections when design features underperform.
    AIA LU/HSW 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Student Housing
    Tags: Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Facilities Planning, Student Housing
    Presented by Jenny Delgado, Principal - Education Practice Leader, CannonDesign | Jason Franklin, Associate Vice President, Planning, Construction & Real Estate, Portland State University | Marijke Smit, Principal, Education Strategies, CannonDesign | Mark Zakhour, Associate Vice President, California State University-Long Beach

    A shared facilities model can help public institutions transform silos into systems—all while saving resources. In this session, we'll share how two universities, a community college, and the City of Portland pooled resources to deliver a shared facility for research and outreach. Then we'll explore a case study of how a college of health and human services united 11 previously fragmented departments into a centralized hub, leveraging shared space and technology to drive interdisciplinary learning and community care. Join us for actionable strategies to plan and design shared facilities that dismantle operational silos, align capital and academic planning, and amplify impact across institutions and communities.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Outline the steps to develop strategic partnerships and secure the funding to develop shared facilities that combine resources and advance programs.
    2. Map out a governance structure for multiple institutions to share space, costs, and operations of a shared facility.
    3. Identify cultural challenges of sharing space in multi-entity facilities and implement tools and processes to effectively bridge cultural gaps.
    4. Leverage physical space to actively dismantle silos, streamline operations, and embed a culture of shared value across academic and clinical teams.
    AIA LU 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Shared Spaces and Innovation Hubs
    Tags: Facilities Design, Facilities Planning, Shared Facilities
    Concurrent Sessions
    Presented by Owen Guthrie, Vice Chancellor Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, University of Alaska Fairbanks | Gretchen Holy, Principal | Interior Design Leader, DLR Group | Tony Ichsan, AVP Facilities Services, Whitman College | Edward Kim, Senior Associate, DLR Group

    Welcome centers are evolving from entry points into engines of convergence that bring together recruitment, community engagement, and institutional storytelling. This session describes how three institutions—Chaffey College, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and Whitman College—are redefining welcome centers as a hub that integrates strategy, academics, facilities, and partnerships. We will share how these projects align physical space with mission, connect academics and communities, and advance inclusive, sustainable engagement. You will leave with actionable strategies to plan and design welcome centers that reflect local identities, utilize integrated planning frameworks, and enhance institutional resilience.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Explain how welcome centers serve as strategic convergence points that embody institutional story, sustainability, and belonging.
    2. Identify opportunities to align recruitment, community engagement, and alumni relations within a single facility.
    3. Apply integrated planning frameworks to connect institutional mission with physical design and operational programming.
    4. Develop cross-sector partnerships that amplify campus visibility, access, and shared value.
    AIA LU 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Shared Spaces and Innovation Hubs
    Tags: Facilities Design
    Presented by Justin Fowler, Director, Portland Architecture Program, University of Oregon | Pam Saftler, Principal, TVA Architects, Inc. | Gregg Sanders, Associate Principal, TVA Architects, Inc. | Chuck Triplett, AVP for Campus Operations, University of Oregon

    This session explores how the University of Oregon (UO) reimagined its Portland location, transforming a vacated campus into a vibrant, interdisciplinary hub for learning and innovation. Through the simultaneous revitalization of buildings and academic programs, UO turned constraints into opportunities, integrating diverse disciplines, fostering industry partnerships, and designing spaces that promote sustained academic collaboration, experiential learning, faculty and staff well-being, and community engagement. You will take away actionable strategies for aligning academic programs, optimizing shared facilities, showcasing technological resources, and coordinating operations to stretch budgets, amplify impact, and implement people-centered solutions on your campus.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Coordinate academic programs, digital and fabrication resources, experimental coursework opportunities, and shared spaces to promote cross-disciplinary collaboration.
    2. Re-imagine existing facilities to support modern, flexible learning and research needs.
    3. Develop community and industry partnerships and public programming that enhance experiential learning.
    4. Integrate academic and operational planning to strengthen campus-wide alignment and impact.
    AIA LU 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Campus, Landscape, Infrastructure
    Tags: Revitalization, Campus Planning
    Presented by Matthew Bartels, Vice President, Bennett Wagner & Grody Architects | CannonDesign | Jarrod Penttila, Construction Project Manager, Oregon State University-Cascades Campus | Eric Ridenour, Assistant VP & Campus Planner, CannonDesign | Jarrett Smith, Sustainability Program Director, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

    Universities must navigate funding challenges, strong sustainability goals, and student expectations, using both policy-driven and participatory goals. This session explores energy master planning at Oregon State University-Cascades, which launched a geo-exchange system, and University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, which transformed a steam-based system. We'll highlight how both universities engaged their communities and key stakeholders to achieve ambitious sustainability goals. Join us as we compare two different approaches to integrated energy systems planning that achieves policy goals and drives behavioral change, including community and partner roles in shaping energy priorities.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Articulate the general community's role in setting sustainability goals early on in order to keep them engaged and supportive of the project.
    2. Define a path to energy planning informed by community goals and shaped by sustained engagement with long-term partners: providers, funders, other users, etc.
    3. Set an agenda for energy planning that plays to the strengths of your location, mix of uses, and funding strategies.
    4. Consider the key roles that resilience planning plays in defining a complete energy system.
    AIA LU/HSW 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Campus, Landscape, Infrastructure
    Tags: Carbon Neutral, Energy Infrastructure, Sustainability (Environmental)
    Presented by Jerry Crowshoe, Director of Native American Health Sciences, Washington State University-Spokane | Jaclynn Eckhardt, Principal, DLR Group | Kendra Kurz, Project Manager, Washington State University-Spokane | Bret Miche, Operations Manager, Graham Construction

    Washington State University Spokane's Indigenous Health Sciences Simulation Clinic is a paradigm of convergence—an intentional alignment of institutional mission, academic programming, and community partnership. Guided by a Tribal Advisory Council and the teachings of elders, the project braids Indigenous knowledge into the physical and pedagogical design, transforming health education into an act of healing and cultural renewal. This session brings the university, Tribal leaders, and the project team together to share how the progressive design-build delivery method facilitated this integrated planning approach. Learn how you can embed Indigenous-led decision-making into capital projects, transforming small projects into high-impact catalysts for campus-wide equity and community resilience.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Initiate community engagement strategies that position Indigenous and external partners as co-creators in institutional and capital planning processes.
    2. Use the progressive design-build delivery method as a tool to facilitate trust, transparency, and the equitable incorporation of diverse knowledge systems in a capital project.
    3. Identify opportunities to align academic, campus, and financial planning to achieve true project convergence rather than isolated outcomes.
    4. Apply the principles of Belonging by Design to physical and pedagogical environments to enhance student and community well-being.
    AIA LU/HSW 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Academic Facilities, Design for Well-being and Belonging
    Tags: Design-Build, Engaging Stakeholders, Facilities Planning, Medical / Allied Health Facility, Resolving Inequities
    Concurrent Sessions
    Presented by Andrea Escalante, Executive Director, Engineering, University of Southern California | David Park, Mechanical Engineer, Glumac | Brian Stern, Director of Energy, Glumac

    This session examines University of Southern California's (USC) decarbonization study and phase 1 concept for its incredibly complex campus steam system—six distributed steam plants (serving domestic hot water, comfort heating, and process loads) and six chilled water plants, all networked across 80+ buildings. Learn how USC developed flexible pathways for transitioning to low-temperature hot water, integrated upgrades with capital projects, and maximized heat recovery potential in a new nodal plant embedded within an underground parking structure. You will gain insights into navigating technical complexity, financial uncertainty, and urban constraints during utility plan upgrades while moving the needle toward carbon neutrality.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Integrate resilience and capacity planning into early-phase concepts for utility plant upgrades to build university alignment around the decarbonization plan.
    2. Design phased decarbonization strategies for distributed steam systems serving multiple load types, including domestic hot water, process steam loads, and comfort heating.
    3. Apply heat recovery and nodal plant design to accelerate carbon reduction within existing campus constraints.
    4. Develop flexible implementation pathways that align with capital project sequencing and financial realities.
    AIA LU/HSW 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Campus, Landscape, Infrastructure
    Tags: Carbon Neutral, Energy Infrastructure, Sustainability (Environmental)
    Presented by Kathy Collins, Director, Huron Consulting Group Inc | Michael Stanislaus, Director of Facilities, University of Washington | Udaya Varanasi, Facilities Planner and Project Manager, University of Washington

    This session explores a replicable framework for space optimization and change management for higher education using an academic medical center project example. We will share a five-step project management methodology used to consolidate leased offices, enable hybrid work, and reinvest savings into clinical expansion. You will learn how stakeholder engagement, governance, and transparent communication drive operational efficiency and financial sustainability. The session includes lessons learned, best practices, and actionable insights for institutions seeking to reduce costs, boost revenue, and expand services.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Develop guiding principles to leverage space to support an institutional strategic plan.
    2. Analyze how strategic space optimization can support program growth and financial sustainability in university settings.
    3. Determine how one might apply a five-step project management framework for evaluation and consolidation of space to reduce these costs.
    4. Apply lessons learned from University of Washington School Of Medicine's space governance and change management approach to improve stakeholder alignment and operational efficiency at your institution.
    AIA LU 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Facilities Portfolio and Space
    Tags: Medical / Allied Health Facility, Space Management
    Presented by Kelsea Aaberg, Program Manager, Student Outreach and Engagement, J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship, Arizona State University | Patrick Driscoll, Sr. Facility and Technology Coordinator & Professor, Arizona State University | Christiana Moss, Principal, Studio Ma, Inc | Dennita Sewell, Founding Director, ASU FIDM, Arizona State University

    What does change look like in higher education? Arizona State University's (ASU) Fusion on First offers a compelling answer. Located in downtown Phoenix, this 284,000-square-foot live/learn hub brings fashion, popular music, and entrepreneurship together in one vertical campus. Students collaborate in recording studios, fashion labs, co-working spaces, and pop-up venues stacked beneath 13 floors of student housing. Panelists from each discipline will share how integrated planning enabled new modes of collaboration, creativity, and professional readiness. The session highlights design and operational strategies that connect the university, private sector, and city life, offering a replicable model for convergence and innovation in higher education.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Apply integrated planning frameworks to create designs that unite academics, student life, and entrepreneurship.
    2. Design environments that foster creativity through shared and transparent spaces.
    3. Develop collaborations among academic, civic, and business partners that enhance student outcomes.
    4. Measure the impact of convergent learning environments on engagement and community connection.
    AIA LU/HSW 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Student Housing
    Tags: Facilities Design, Mixed-Use, Student Housing, Urban Campus
    Workshop

    A Practical Guide to Placemaking in Troubled Times

    Presented by Michael Gardner, Principal, Iconic Experiential Design, | Theresa O'Neil, University Planner, California State University-Chancellors Office

    How do we make a campus environment feel like home? How do we actually implement small projects with big impact? This session will inspire and empower you to create meaningful outdoor opportunities for convergence using environmental design principles: furniture, graphic design, art, signage, and wayfinding. Using examples from the California State University system, we will review principles for developing, evaluating, and installing projects, including strategies for winning over stakeholders and identifying funding sources. We'll also share a guide that includes a matrix for analyzing best value for project cost, actual project cost breakdowns, and a checklist for getting started on successful execution of these projects.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Use a placemaking playbook to advocate for improving the user experience on campus.
    2. Explain to decision makers the value of these projects and how these projects are funded at other campuses.
    3. Design placemaking projects for lower up-front costs and to minimize long-term maintenance expense.
    4. Prepare to successfully implement these projects by identifying the necessary steps, anticipating pitfalls, and developing accurate cost estimates and project schedules.
    AIA LU 1.5 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Campus, Landscape, Infrastructure
    Tags: Landscape / Open Space, Placemaking, Urban Design
    Lunch

    Lunch

    Keynote

    Imagining Phoenix at Three Scales

    Presented by Wellington "Duke" Reiter, Senior Advisor to the President, Arizona State University
    All colleges and universities are a function of their location. Arizona State University (ASU) is motivated by its charter, which asserts that the university assumes "fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves." Further, ASU's design aspirations (or institutional objectives) are led by the notion of "Leverage Our Place", encouraging the university to embrace the socioeconomic and physical setting of the rapidly expanding Phoenix metro area. These two drivers suggest that the vitality of an institution can be fostered by strategically engaging with the surrounding city, landscape, or region. This can be done at a wide variety of scales, each with its specific set of mutually beneficial outcomes. This presentation will offer three examples of how ASU has fulfilled its obligation and aspiration to be a positive force in its communities, ranging in scope from an urban core to a complex ecosystem to a national cross-section, and how each example reflects the mission of the university.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Describe how to build a strategy office within a university to take on multi-stakeholder issues that don’t fit neatly into facilities, architecture, or planning categorization.
    2. Explain how to identify and develop mutually beneficial relationships with surrounding municipalities, resulting in new campuses or innovation districts.
    3. Think beyond conventional jurisdictional boundaries to reveal common denominator issues best tackled by intentional networks with select partners.
    4. Explain how to demonstrate the mission of an institution at the intersection of issue and place at any scale or location.
    AIA LU 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Concurrent Sessions
    Presented by Erin Cubbison, Principal, Strategy Director, Gensler | Eduardo Guerrero, Senior Lecturer in Architecture and Urban Design, University of Arizona

    We will share the findings from the Gensler Research Institute Education Engagement Index (November 2025), a national survey on student, faculty, and staff engagement and their vision for the future of learning. These findings provide a pulse check of campus engagement across the United States through the lenses of belonging, support, access, motivation, effectiveness, and value. We will also look back at how findings have evolved over the last five years. We will not only share the national data, but also explore these topics through the perspective of an educator, including trends related to hybrid learning, space utilization, student support services, and perceived value of campus experience.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Use research findings to inform strategy and decision-making about in-person vs hybrid vs remote learning, teaching, and working.
    2. Describe the physical and non-physical conditions that increase belonging, support, and access on campus.
    3. Use research findings to prioritize use of space on campus, including learning space, support services, housing, and office space.
    4. Make decisions that enhance motivation and effectiveness (of learning, teaching, and working) and support your campus's value proposition in the eyes of current and prospective students.
    AIA LU 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Design for Well-being and Belonging
    Tags: Original Research, Student Engagement, Campus Planning
    Presented by George Baxter, Chief Innovation and Economic Development Officer, University of California-Davis | Claire Drummond, Vice President, Development, Wexford Science + Technology | John Marx, Vice Provost, Academic Planning at Aggie Square, University of California-Davis | Vladimir Pajkic, Partner, ZGF Architects LLP

    As universities pursue innovation districts to bridge mission and market, University of California, Davis's Aggie Square demonstrates how integrated planning and public-private partnership (P3) delivery can align education, research, and industry for lasting regional impact. Designed and developed using an integrated planning approach and a P3 framework, Aggie Square's purpose-built laboratories, active learning environments, and transparent public realms advance medical education, accelerate research translation, and cultivate an ecosystem of innovation. Join us and learn how integrated planning and P3 delivery can transform institutional boundaries into shared ecosystems for teaching, research, and innovation.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Apply programmatic and planning strategies that align academic and industry objectives to create research environments that foster collaboration and operational efficiency.
    2. Structure cross-sector partnerships and P3 frameworks that translate institutional goals into actionable planning, funding, and design decisions.
    3. Design environments that use spatial planning to influence behavior, encouraging interaction, shared purpose, and community among diverse research and academic users.
    4. Integrate passive and active design strategies that respond to climate, sustainability goals, and program mix to support wellness, flexibility, and long-term performance.
    AIA LU 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Academic Facilities, Shared Spaces and Innovation Hubs
    Tags: Facilities Planning, Innovation Center, Medical / Allied Health Facility, Public-Private Partnerships (P3)
    Presented by Brett Dunnam, Mr., Mahlum Architects | Thien Lieu, Assistant Vice President of ISS Oregon Operations, Western University of Health Sciences | Susan Sherrod, PWS, CERP, SCE, Biohabitats, Inc

    With its unique position as an institution of osteopathic medicine advocating for holistic health, Western University of Health Sciences (Western U) set out to create a new 110-acre campus in rural Oregon. The design team worked with Western U to create a set of shared values and guiding principles that gave voice to the native ecology and local community. This session will empower and encourage you to ask strategic questions and build effective teams in order to create a more holistic approach to campus planning that includes advocacy for the health of the land and wildlife.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Create exercises and ask strategic questions to start the master planning process as an aligned team.
    2. Translate university mission statements and values into actionable guiding principles that evaluate planning and design decisions.
    3. Build capital project teams that include a voice representing land and wildlife.
    4. Advocate with jurisdictions for planning strategies that challenge the status quo and dedicate outdoor spaces to community use and holistic health.
    AIA LU/HSW 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Campus, Landscape, Infrastructure
    Tags: Campus Master Planning, Landscape / Open Space, Sustainability (Environmental)
    Presented by Melina Aluwi, Principal, HED (Harley Ellis Devereaux) | Dennis Brown, Interim Senior Director of Project Management, University of California San Diego | Mike McCormick, VP, Facilities Management and Development, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | Kim Patten, Partner, Higher Education Practice Leader, Steinberg Hart

    What does it take to deliver housing projects at a scale never seen before in California's two largest public university systems? This session explores the convergence of priorities, ideas, and problem solving that shaped California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo's (Cal Poly) and University of California (UC), San Diego's transformative housing initiatives—4,000+ beds of volumetric modular housing for Cal Poly and 6,000 beds of activated urban student housing at UC San Diego. Learn how these teams collaborated to create vibrant campus living environments that attract students and community while balancing affordability, timelines, and campus identity. You will leave with practical tools to deliver resilient, student-centered housing.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Facilitate the convergence of priorities and ideas across multiple stakeholders for large-scale housing (or other typology) projects.
    2. Apply decision-making frameworks to accelerate timelines and manage complexity in campus master planning.
    3. Design strategies for creating active destinations that attract students and community members and activate large districts.
    4. Leverage synergies between affordability, innovation, and speed-to-impact for transformative housing initiatives.
    AIA LU 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Student Housing
    Tags: Facilities Planning, Project Management / Delivery, Student Housing, Urban Campus
    Concurrent Sessions
    Presented by Julie Nola, Associate Vice Chancellor & University Architect, University of California-Davis | Tara Ogle, Associate, Gensler | Gino Segre, Managing Director, University of California-Berkeley | Angela Smith, Utah System of Higher Education (USHE), Utah System of Higher Education

    As institutions confront challenges in talent retention, translational research, and resilience, innovation hubs are reshaping campus boundaries and partnerships. This session explores three innovation space models that challenge siloed planning and scale discovery across academic, civic, and entrepreneurial domains. We'll offer actionable models for designing these spaces, highlighting integrated strategies that align mission, infrastructure, and community impact. You will gain planning frameworks that integrate strategy, facilities, and partnerships, helping you design future-ready spaces that respond to student needs, institutional priorities, and regional innovation goals.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Apply spatial, governance, and ecosystem models to plan innovation hubs aligned with institutional mission and community context.
    2. Facilitate stakeholder alignment across academic, civic, and private sectors to support innovation space planning.
    3. Evaluate trade-offs between campus-integrated and district-scale innovation models.
    4. Design innovation spaces that foster student well-being, hybrid learning, and entrepreneurial pathways.
    AIA LU 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Shared Spaces and Innovation Hubs
    Tags: Facilities Design, Facilities Planning, Innovation Center
    Presented by Kellie Cloud, Assistant Vice President, Arizona State University | Christiana Moss, Principal, Studio Ma, Inc | Jeff Rensel, Director, Otter Student Union, California State University-Monterey Bay

    Student unions now represent the front line of student success where belonging, well-being, and engagement converge. Across the Pacific region, campuses are rethinking how these facilities support changing demographics, hybrid learning, and equity goals. This session convenes student affairs and planning leaders from multiple institutions to explore how integrated planning creates adaptive, inclusive, and mission-aligned student life environments. We will present models that merge operations, technology, and community partnerships, offering practical frameworks to translate strategy into flexible, resilient spaces that serve today's learners.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Integrate student affairs, facilities, and operations through shared planning frameworks.
    2. Design adaptable student life environments that enhance belonging and well-being.
    3. Develop partnerships and data tools to measure engagement and equity in student life environments.
    4. Implement inclusive planning strategies that strengthen institutional resilience.
    AIA LU/HSW 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Design for Well-being and Belonging
    Tags: Facilities Design, Student Center / Union
    Presented by David Keltner, Design Principal, Hacker | Tania Salgado, Principal, Handprint Architecture | d'Andre Willis, Assistant Vice Chancellor | Campus Architect, University of Colorado Boulder

    Within a major historic renovation, honoring history while transforming legacy can often seem at odds. In this session, we'll describe how we transformed University of Colorado Boulder's historic Hellems Arts and Sciences Building from an exclusive academic core into a welcoming, high-performing model of building modernization. Through integrated planning and deep engagement, we transformed an opaque facility into a daylit, flexible hub for collaboration and reflection. We also incorporated sustainable design into preservation by blending efficient systems with restored materials and responsible reuse. Join us and learn strategies to balance heritage preservation, carbon reduction, and inclusivity within one project.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Apply inclusive engagement methods to shape spatial design so it supports students' sense of belonging.
    2. Implement student requests and sustainability strategies into a renovation while responding to a building's history, limitations, and opportunities.
    3. Describe design strategies that align culture, performance, and stewardship to advance student belonging.
    4. Translate historic preservation goals into design actions that support equity and resilience.
    AIA LU/HSW 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Academic Facilities
    Tags: Academic Facility, Historic Preservation, Renovation
    Presented by Jason Dunster, Senior Director Design Integration, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. | Heidi Scribner, Associate Vice Chancellor, University of California-Riverside | Tim Stevens, Principal, SCB

    University of California (UC), Riverside's North District 2 is California's first intersegmental housing project, uniting UC Riverside, Riverside Community College (RCC), and state partners to expand access, affordability, and belonging. The $300M project exemplifies convergence across funding, delivery, and mission, integrating multiple systems and grants (including the 2021 State Housing Grant Program), employing a design-build 'novation' model with prefabrication, and aligning housing with student success goals. The session presents replicable strategies for cross-sector governance, inclusive design, and community benefit, along with early outcomes and lessons from this pioneering UC–RCC partnership.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Advocate for the funding mechanisms that support higher education housing with a focus on pooling financial resources to reduce barriers to entry.
    2. Identify methods to leverage and modify existing procurement mechanisms to best serve your projects.
    3. Describe how prefabricated components enhance efficiency, reduce schedule, and simplify construction.
    4. Report initial outcomes from blended housing communities and what to address if considering for your campus.
    AIA LU 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Student Housing
    Tags: Community College, Design-Build, Facilities Funding, Student Housing
    Breakfast

    Breakfast

    Registration

    Registration

    Keynote

    Being Unstoppable

    Presented by Anthony Robles, Speaker | Commentator | Nike Athlete,
    Anthony Robles shares his journey to becoming an NCAA Division I Wrestling Champion and the mindset that made it possible. His story goes beyond overcoming obstacles to reveal how individuals can reframe challenges and execute under pressure. For higher education leaders navigating complexity and constraint, these lessons are immediately applicable. You will gain practical insights on building resilience, maintaining focus, and turning adversity into forward momentum.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Apply principles of resilience, discipline, and mental toughness to navigate challenges and sustain performance in complex institutional environments.
    2. Identify strategies for overcoming perceived limitations (both organizational and individual) and translate them into actionable approaches.
    3. Demonstrate leadership behaviors that foster accountability, perseverance, and team alignment during periods of uncertainty, pressure, or transformation.
    4. Convert motivational insights into practical actions that drive progress on strategic initiatives and institutional priorities.
    Concurrent Sessions
    Presented by Evan Bourquard, Principal, Mithun | Tim Burgess, Former City Council President & Interim Mayor, City of Seattle, | Mia Tuan, Dean, UW College of Education, University of Washington-Seattle Campus

    Institutions must deliver real value to the communities they serve. The University of Washington Rainier Valley Early Learning Campus (RVELC) embodies that commitment—a transformative space for the community where children thrive, families receive support, and educators deepen their practice. Designed with a dual purpose, RVELC provides high-quality early learning and childcare for the community while serving as a living laboratory for educators locally and globally. Learn how this innovative community hub came to life through bold vision, strong partnerships, and collaborative design.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Apply techniques with multiple organization types to build coalitions that are authentic and focused on real needs in the community.
    2. Describe design features of an early learning center that ensures it serves students, the community, and faculty members.
    3. Identify strategies necessary for your institution to provide a community resource hub.
    4. Describe creative ownership and financing models to resource off-campus projects.
    AIA LU/HSW 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Academic Facilities, Shared Spaces and Innovation Hubs
    Tags: Community Engagement, External Collaboration / Partnerships, Facilities Planning, Resolving Inequities
    Presented by Danielle Buttacavoli, Principal, The Miller Hull Partnership, LLP | Ted Ludwick, Associate Director Space Optimization, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | Meaghan Smith, Director of Planning, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | Prema Windokun, Associate Vice President, Academic Resources and Planning, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

    California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo is providing space for increased student enrollment through a strategic space optimization initiative that supports the university's unique 'learn by doing' mission with a lean approach. Through an integrated analysis of instructional capacity, program priorities, and building condition assessment, we developed a data-driven framework that uncovered significant instructional capacity hidden within existing buildings (and with renovation costs that are less than new construction). Join us and learn a replicable methodology to assess buildings, prioritize investments using data rather than anecdotes, and build interdisciplinary teams that align space decisions with academic strategy and financial constraints.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Leverage an instructional space analysis to develop capacity ranges for different space types that account for realistic campus constraints, then identify specific deficits and surpluses by space type, enabling targeted interventions.
    2. Apply a building assessment framework combining facility condition index, structural characteristics, and instructional activity to systematically evaluate and build consensus on which existing buildings warrant renovation versus replacement.
    3. Guide a cross-functional team to create a prioritization rubric that uses metrics like qualified student applicants, enrollment demand, space flexibility, and funding opportunities to objectively rank which programs receive space investments.
    4. Develop program scenarios from instructional degree priorities to test a variety of instructional capacity options with associated cost impacts, and use the scenarios to create roadmaps that align capital projects with enrollment growth timelines.
    AIA LU 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Facilities Portfolio and Space
    Tags: Facilities Assessment, Space Assessment, Space Management
    Presented by Amin Mojtahedi, Design Innovation Manager, HGA | Alicia Murasaki, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Campus Planning + Real Estate Services, University of California-San Francisco | Jon Riddle, Principal / Associate Vice President, HGA

    How can institutions move from siloed capital initiatives to convergent systems that advance mission, equity, and innovation? Using interdisciplinary projects at University of California, San Francisco and other campuses, this session explores how integrated planning and co-creation with stakeholders aligns research, operational, and educational priorities by advancing equity, universal design, shared values, and resilience. We will share practical methods for uniting diverse voices, translating priorities into spatial and operational strategies, and tracking impact through measurable outcomes. You will gain actionable tools to design flexible, collaborative, and equitable environments that advance institutional goals.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Implement integrated design processes that break down silos and promote convergence across research, operational, and educational priorities, advancing mission and equity.
    2. Facilitate co-creation through human-centered design to build trust, engage stakeholders, and accelerate innovation.
    3. Apply universal design and flexible planning principles to create inclusive, cross-disciplinary environments that support collaboration.
    4. Integrate equity, well-being, and sustainability metrics into planning and design decisions to advance institutional goals.
    AIA LU/HSW 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Design for Well-being and Belonging
    Tags: Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Facilities Design, Learning Environments
    Presented by Edwin Chandrasekar, Vice Chancellor, Admin Services, San Jose Evergreen Community College District | Jane Lin, Urban Designer, Architect, Urban Field Studio | Toby Smith, AVC, Capital Projects and Operations, San Jose Evergreen Community College District | Christen Soares, Principal, Field Paoli Architects

    Facing enrollment decline, aging infrastructure, and limited resources, the San Jos√© Evergreen Community College District sought a better way to prioritize capital investments across its multi-college system. Using applied principles of deliberative dialogue (structured, facilitated conversations informed by data), we helped diverse stakeholders clarify trade-offs, explore multiple perspectives, and identify shared priorities. Supported by a transparent, data-guided scoring rubric, the process produced a facilities master plan grounded in fairness, accountability, and long-term resilience. This session offers a framework for any complex organization—multi-campus, multi-division, or multi-agency—seeking clarity and convergence in the face of constraint.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Apply principles of deliberative dialogue to structure planning conversations that help participants consider multiple perspectives, challenge assumptions, and reflect on trade-offs.
    2. Use data-guided scoring rubrics to clarify priorities, make complex decisions more transparent, and create a shared basis for evaluating competing capital projects.
    3. Facilitate constructive engagement among stakeholders with differing viewpoints to reduce polarization and strengthen trust in the facilities planning process.
    4. Adapt a facilities planning decision-making framework for use in multi-campus, multi-division, or multi-agency contexts where limited resources demand fairness and accountability.
    AIA LU 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Facilities Portfolio and Space
    Tags: Capital Planning, Community College, Campus Planning
    Concurrent Sessions
    Presented by Mathew Chaney, Principal, Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects | Niraj Dangoria, Vice Chancellor, University of California San Diego | Steven Wiesenthal, Campus Environments Principal, Studio Gang Architects

    As universities confront student loneliness and seek to demonstrate their value, University of California (UC), San Diego is designing intentionally for human connection through its strategy, Belonging as Infrastructure. This session explores how the university is evolving from isolated projects to an integrated system for student success. Hear from UC San Diego's capital leadership and design partners on embedding belonging into every layer of planning, process, and design. Using the Campus Catalyst framework, we'll examine projects like the Theatre District Living and Learning Neighborhood and Ridge Walk North Living and Learning Neighborhood and share replicable lessons for aligning strategy, facilities, and academics to foster connection, purpose, and place.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Align capital planning with institutional strategy to embed belonging as a core, measurable project goal.
    2. Identify specific placemaking and programming methods from the Campus Catalyst framework that foster student connection and well-being.
    3. Analyze the integration of academic, residential, and social programs to create holistic living/learning ecosystems.
    4. Translate UC San Diego's integrated approach into replicable strategies for fostering community-centric campuses, regardless of scale or budget.
    AIA LU/HSW 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Design for Well-being and Belonging
    Tags: Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Facilities Planning, Student Housing
    Presented by Sara Howell, Principal, ZGF Architects LLP | Jason Peschel, Director, School of Design and Construction, Washington State University-Pullman | Joshua Thomson, Project Manager, Lease Crutcher Lewis

    Schweitzer Engineering Hall is the new anchor of Washington State University's architecture and engineering district. Like many higher education projects, it was a dynamic journey with plot twists along the way. The progressive design-build delivery model provided a flexible pathway with off-ramps, options, and ways to intentionally deliver high-value improvements. We will share tools and methods used in the project's design and pre-construction planning to help navigate uncertainty. You will leave with insights on how to select the right project delivery model, assemble a team with the expertise to maneuver the process, and employ strategies and navigation tools to ensure intentional progress toward any project's objectives.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Determine the best delivery model for your project.
    2. Assemble a team with the expertise to maneuver the selected project delivery model.
    3. Leverage tools and methods in design and pre-construction planning to navigate uncertainty.
    4. Deliver high-value improvements as project budget allows.
    AIA LU 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Academic Facilities
    Tags: Design-Build, Project Management / Delivery, Science / Engineering Facility
    Presented by Andrew Leuchter, Director, Semel Institute Neuromodulation Division, University of California-Los Angeles | Jessica Orlando, Higher Education Practice Leader, Perkins&Will | Devika Tandon, Architectural Designer, Perkins&Will

    As they seek to deliver spaces that support their missions, institutions contend with funding shortages, market uncertainty, aging infrastructure, and increasing costs. We will explore how University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) addressed these challenges with a multi-phase master plan to develop spaces for cutting-edge research and humanistic patient care within a 1960's hospital facility. We engaged with users and stakeholders to develop a holistic vision for the space that could be implemented over multiple phases as space and financing become available. Learn how to facilitate an engagement process that considers long-term goals and current space and financial constraints, resulting in a feasible roadmap to realizing your aspirations.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Identify projects that may not have obvious funding strategies and create long-term master plan visions for projects that align goals with financial needs.
    2. Curate diverse teams that can undertake an engagement process to understand long-term needs and desires and help to align requests with organizational mission and constraints, from budget to time and space.
    3. Drive a plan for phased and/or strategic renovation and improvement that can realistically align with budget constraints.
    4. Facilitate conversations that explore alternative means of financing projects, from donors to fundraising and beyond.
    AIA LU 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Academic Facilities
    Tags: Laboratory Facility, Medical / Allied Health Facility, Renovation
    Presented by Samantha Babcock, Facilities Business Intelligence Analyst, California Institute of Technology | Kari Myers, Manager of Service and Process, California Institute of Technology | Tim Ranalli, Director, Asset Management and Services, California Institute of Technology

    Facilities teams are redefining their role in institutional strategy by transforming asset data into organizational intelligence. This session shares how California Institute of Technology's Total Enterprise Asset Management (T.E.A.M.) initiative aligned people, process, and technology to elevate the department. Grounded in International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and APPA standards, the program united stakeholders to benchmark maturity, identify gaps, and build a roadmap toward a connected, data-informed future. The effort has been transformational. Unifying data, assessing criticality, and quantifying risk to support transparent, strategic capital planning (with AI amplifying insights), the T.E.A.M. approach shows how institutions can evolve from maintaining assets to managing knowledge through shared data fluency.
    Learning Outcomes
    1. Evaluate institutional asset management maturity using a standardized tool.
    2. Design an organizational roadmap that integrates people, process, and technology to strengthen strategy and capital planning.
    3. Apply practical strategies for introducing AI tools that augment human expertise in facilities and planning.
    4. Build a collaborative culture of data stewardship that bridges operations, finance, and facilities planning to sustain continuous improvement.
    AIA LU 1.0 Unit AICP CM 1.0 Unit
    Topics: Facilities Portfolio and Space
    Tags: Capital Planning, Facilities Assessment, Campus Planning
    Campus Tours (Additional Fee)

    ASU Mesa Center for Creative Technology and Mesa’s City Center Tour

    ASU, Mesa Campus
  • ASU MIX Center
  • E+I The Studios @ Mesa City Center
  • Downtown Mesa
  • Mesa Convention Center / Mesa Arts Center
    • Campus Tours (Additional Fee)

    ASU Downtown Phoenix Campus Tour

    ASU, Tempe Campus:
  • Fusion on First
  • Walter Cronkite School of Journalism
  • Beus Center for Law and Society
  • Thunderbird School of Global Management

    • Scholarships

    SCUP understands that many institutions are reducing professional development and travel funding. Yet it’s during challenging times that investing in learning and peer connection matters most. To help, SCUP offers a limited number of scholarships to offset the cost of participating in our events.

    Award: Complimentary Registration

    Application Deadline: Tuesday, March 24, 2026

    Notification of Selection: By Monday, March 30, 2026

    Apply Today: Students | Institutional Leaders

    Up to 5 scholarships will be awarded to students and up to 5 to institutional leaders.

    Featured Speakers

    Anthony Robles

    Anthony Robles

    Speaker | Commentator | Nike Athlete

    Lindy Elkins-Tanton

    Lindy Elkins-Tanton

    Director of Space Sciences Laboratory

    University of California, Berkeley

    Wellington "Duke" Reiter

    Wellington "Duke" Reiter

    Senior Advisor to the President

    Arizona State University

    Sponsorship Opportunities

    Gain visibility and be part of this event! Learn about event sponsorship.
    Contact KenDra McIntosh for more information or complete the sponsorship order form.
    kendra.mcintosh@scup.org | 734.669.3283