Class of 2026 Recognition Ceremony speakers announced

Graduating students Maddix Cradlebaugh and Bedgid Laguerre will speak at the Sam Fox School’s Recognition Ceremony for the class of 2026, Thursday, May 14. They join a lineup featuring a keynote address from celebrated designer, architect, and scholar Carlos Jiménez.

Maddix Cradlebaugh will graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication Design. Inspired by the intersection of design and social impact, his work reflects a strong commitment to fostering civic engagement. He has a deep appreciation for the Sam Fox School’s collaborative environment, which encouraged his interest in community-focused design. During his time at WashU, Cradlebaugh participated in a community partnership with Three Steps Home (formerly Bridge of Hope), a local nonprofit organization establishing a medical respite program for people experiencing homelessness. This experience led to a formal internship in which he developed a deeper understanding of nonprofit work in the St. Louis community. He is also an active member of the Philon Chapter of Alpha Rho Chi, the professional fraternity for architecture and the allied arts. In addition to building connections within a community of artists, architects, and designers, he served on the executive board as recruitment chair and later as president. Cradlebaugh looks forward to building a career rooted in meaningful, community-focused design. In the meantime, he will return to his hometown of Germantown, Ohio, where he plans to continue working on projects for local organizations.

Bedgid Laguerre will graduate with a Master of Architecture. Laguerre is an architectural designer whose work explores culture, socioeconomic challenges, and sustainability, with a focus on memory and architecture as a language. Her work has been recognized through exhibitions such as “Say It Loud” in Miami, the Great Diverse Designers Library by Beyond the Built Environment, and internationally as part of a team shortlisted for the Buildner Microhome Competition. Laguerre is a Sam Fox Ambassador and has worked as a research assistant in architectural history and with the Office for Socially Engaged Practice. She was also selected to present her research on mentorship at the International Archive of Women in Architecture symposium at Virginia Tech. Her experience includes leadership roles as co-chair of the Women in Architecture committee for AIA Orlando and Media Director for Black Architects in the Making. Last year, she was also a CityStudioSTL Fellow. Through her work and leadership, Laguerre embodies a strong commitment to collaboration, innovation, and shaping a more thoughtful, culturally responsive, and inclusive built environment. 

An award-winning designer and respected scholar and educator, Jiménez is the founder of Carlos Jiménez Studio and a professor at Rice University School of Architecture. His built work includes the Central Administration Building for the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; the Houston Fine Art Press; the Spencer Studio Art Building at Williams College; the Tyler School of Art at Temple University, Philadelphia; and commercial enterprises such as the Evry Housing Tower in Evry, France, and the Saint George Hotel in Marfa, Texas. Jiménez also served for a decade as a jury member for his field’s highest honor, the Pritzker Architecture Prize.

The Sam Fox School’s 2026 Recognition Ceremony is Thursday, May 14 in the WashU Field House. A livestream will be available at samfoxschool.washu.edu.