“The small class sizes at HCC provided more opportunities to participate in classroom learning and to more easily confer with professors, creating a richer learning experience.”

— Rey Bulnes, 1976 HCC Graduate, A.A. Pre-Architecture

When I enrolled at HCC in 1972, I did not have a clear direction in life, and attending a university was out of financial reach. HCC gave me an opportunity to figure out my strengths, find my passion and improve my GPA. I had taken mechanical drawing in high school, so I decided to study drafting as a means to earn an A.S. in construction. My success in that vocation instilled me with the confidence I needed to pursue an A.A. in pre-architecture. HCC also helped open the door to a paid internship at an architecture/engineer company, where I was eventually hired. After graduating from HCC with A.A. and A.S. degrees, I earned a B.S. in architecture from Florida A & M and a master’s in architecture from the University of Florida. As a professional architect, I have worked in the private and public sector, for the University of South Florida and for Tampa International Airport. I have also had the opportunity to proudly serve as a professor at the institution where it all began, Hillsborough Community College.