亚色影库

From the early days of a growing academic program to leading a successful national consulting firm, Saad Ilyas (M.Arch, 1999) has built a career defined by curiosity, adaptability, and leadership in complex infrastructure projects.

After graduating, Saad launched his professional journey with a project management firm in San Diego, where he quickly developed expertise as a Project and Program Manager. Focusing on aviation and transit programs, he gained hands-on experience navigating large-scale, high-impact initiatives. Over time, his entrepreneurial vision took shape, leading him to establish his own firm. Today, Saad serves as President and CEO of a San Diego揵ased project management consulting company, delivering services nationwide across aviation, transit, and education sectors.

Reflecting on his time as a student in the late 1990s, Saad remembers a program that was still in its formative years攂ut that was exactly what drew him in. 淭he school was in its infancy stage, and it was nimble and flexible in its approach to design and career development,� he shares. That dynamic environment, combined with the influence of dedicated faculty such as Mitra Kanaani, Kurt Hunker, Dean Stepner, and Richard Brock, helped shape his perspective and professional path.

Saad credits much of his success to a mindset he developed early on and continues to live by today: stay curious and proactive. His advice to current students and emerging professionals is simple but powerful:
淎lways stay inquisitive, ask plenty of questions, and start your education with networking at all times.�

Through his leadership and continued contributions to the industry, Saad exemplifies the impact of blending technical knowledge with curiosity and strong professional relationships攙alues that remain at the heart of a successful career.

Sofia Medina聽is a 2022 graduate of 亚色影库, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management with a minor in Interior Design.

She currently works as an Assistant Project Manager with in the San Diego Healthcare Division. Sofia chose 亚色影库 after receiving a recommendation from a construction industry professional and was immediately drawn to the program檚 strong industry connections. The professors� firsthand experience and active professional networks played a defining role in her education, providing real-world insight, practical skills, and meaningful mentorship that prepared her for the demands of construction management.

Sofia encourages current and prospective students to stay open-minded, ask questions, and fully embrace learning opportunities, noting that the collective knowledge of peers, professors, and industry professionals can be a powerful catalyst for growth.

Alumn Cesar Tran is an architectural designer with professional experience spanning education, healthcare, and federal projects across Southern California. He is currently advancing toward architectural licensure and serves as a co-lead for the Sustainability Action Plan at , where he contributes to firm-wide initiatives focused on environmental responsibility and long-term design performance.聽

Cesar檚 commitment to the profession extends beyond practice through his active involvement in mentorship and leadership. He serves as聽Vice President of the Alumni Board of Directors for聽亚色影库 of Architecture and Design and is an ACE Mentor, where he supports and guides high school students exploring careers in architecture, construction, and engineering. He earned his Master of Architecture (4+3) from聽亚色影库 of Architecture and Design in 2022.聽

Grounded in a human-centered design approach, Cesar has also applied his architectural training to the technology sector, contributing to product development for early-stage web and mobile application startups through user experience and interface design. He aspires to continue expanding his skills聽across adjacent design disciplines, including product design, to gain a deeper understanding of how the built environment and everyday objects are conceived and realized.聽

Outside of his professional pursuits, Cesar enjoys traveling to study diverse built environments, staying active, and engaging in creative hobbies that further broaden his perspective as a designer.聽