Hobart and William Smith Colleges

20 May 2026 Designing the Future: Architectural Studies Majors Head to Top Graduate Programs

From Yale to Brown and UVA and Columbia, HWS graduates are continuing their studies at top-ranked programs across architecture, design and planning disciplines.

Architectural Studies majors are pursuing graduate studies in architecture, design engineering, real estate development and urban planning at some of the nation’s top institutions.

At HWS, 100% of Architectural Studies majors who apply to graduate school are admitted. Students point to the strength of their portfolios, close mentorship from faculty and intimate studio experiences as key factors in their success.

This year’s seniors will attend Penn State, the University of Virginia, Columbia University, Pratt Institute, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Brown, RISD and Yale University in the fall.

Sydney Campbell ’26
M.Arch, Penn State College of Arts and Architecture

At Penn State, Campbell is the recipient of the Bunton Waller Graduate Assistantship, which fully funds her tuition.

At HWS, Campbell says her most influential coursework included “Introduction to Drawing” and “3-Dimensional Design.” She also studied abroad in Rome, Italy, where she took courses in watercolor and drawing. When it came time to build her portfolio and apply to graduate school, Campbell says she felt supported every step of the way.

“Professor Gabriella D’Angelo was extremely helpful. I took portfolio design with her and she helped me craft a resume, personal statement and portfolio that presented me to grad schools in the best way possible.”

Charles Craig ’26
M.Arch, University of Virginia

In addition to his Architectural Studies major, Craig earned a double minor in Environmental Studies and Art History. He is a member of the Hobart Golf team, where he earned Liberty League All-Academic honors. He also received the Van Etten Golf Award for leadership and play marked by dedication, determination and sportsmanship.

Madeline Hall ’26
M.A. Design Engineering, Brown University and RISD dual degree

Hall is a double major in Architecture and Physics. She says she was drawn to the Brown-RISD Dual Degree program because of its focus on designing the future of space and place to improve people’s lives. She plans to study topics at the intersection of design, engineering and public policy — a continuation of the interdisciplinary foundation she built at HWS.

“My faculty in both Architecture and Physics helped me consider which grad programs were right, wrote letters of recommendation, read my applications and supported me throughout the entire process. I feel lucky to have had such wonderful professors,” she says.

Abigail Hark ’26
M.Arch, University of Virginia

Hark’s long-term goal is to design spaces for children and communities. At HWS, she completed mentored research with Associate Professor of Art and Architecture Gabriela D’Angelo, developing a park design project. She also graduates with minors in Educational Studies and Art History.

As captain of the William Smith Swimming & Diving team, she also studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, where she completed architecture and design coursework and a grant project focused on a Danish playground.

“The best part of the architecture major at HWS is the chance to develop design thinking skills while also bringing in interdisciplinary perspectives,” Hark says. “I wasn’t 100% sure I wanted to study architecture coming out of high school, so I appreciated the opportunity to explore and learn, especially through my internship with the Geneva Park Collective this semester.”

Byron Maddox ’26
M.S. Real Estate Development, Columbia University; M.Arch, Pratt Institute

Maddox has secured two graduate programs of study. After completing his M.S. in Real Estate Development at Columbia University, he will continue on to Pratt Institute to earn his M.Arch.

Maddox is eager to pursue a profession where he can creatively give back to society. “I believe architecture is one of the best opportunities to bring communities together,” he says.

At HWS, Maddox studied abroad in Rome, Italy, and was a member of the Hobart Football team.

“All my professors have had a profound impact on my growth as an architect and artist,” Maddox says. “They’ve supported me by opening my eyes to the world when I went abroad and expanding my critical thinking.”

Rachel Morton ’26
M.Arch, New Jersey Institute of Technology

Morton completed an independent study designing a pocket park proposal for a creek-side site in Geneva that incorporated community spaces, cycling infrastructure and native plantings to support local bird populations and mitigate flooding. She also held an internship with Diana Kellogg Architects.

Morton says she is excited to return to her home state of New Jersey to pursue her M.Arch at NJIT and continue working toward her goal of serving communities through architecture.

Ali Muzaffar ’26
MFA and M.A., Studio Art and Art History, SUNY Purchase

At HWS, Muzaffar double majored in Architectural Studies and Studio Art, developing strengths in both academic research and studio practice.

Working with Associate Professor Angelique Szymanek, Muzaffar catalogued the Collections of Hobart and William Smith College, and produced a best practices handbook for its maintenance. For his Honors research advised by Professor of Art and Architecture Nick Ruth, he created and debuted the exhibition “The Next Days” at the Davis Gallery at Houghton House. The exhibition featured a series of paintings “built through a process of structure and undoing — where forms emerge, resist and collapse through a sustained exchange with the surface.”

At SUNY Purchase, Muzaffar says, “The program’s interdisciplinary structure and emphasis on independent studio practice, critical dialogue and sustained mentorship made it feel like the right next step.”

Tymofii Trakhachov ’26
M.Arch, Yale University

Trakhachov completed independent research titled “The Chornobyl Project,” exploring the architectural possibilities and challenges of designing a research station in a contaminated area. On campus, he founded the Art & Design Collective.

As an international student, Trakhachov says the support he found at HWS shaped both his academic and creative growth.

“In my opinion, the best part of the architecture major at HWS is how curious everybody is,” he says. “I could always count on my professors to care about what I was doing, get excited about my projects and really think through them with me.”

At Yale, Trakhachov has received the Architecture and Dean’s Scholarships, which fully fund his tuition. He looks forward to immersing himself in a program “that manages to stay at the forefront of technology without losing the soul of architecture or turning into empty formalism. I want to keep exploring architecture that is emotionally strong, conceptually sharp and says something through space.”

In the photo above: During “Architecture Design Studio” with Assistant Professor of Art and Architecture Max Piersol ’16, Tim Trakhachov ’26 and Ali Muzaffar ’26 provide feedback to Caroline Schroth ‘27 on her final project drawings.