HCC celebrates art and achievement with Center of Excellence grand opening
Mar 31, 2016
Everyday, our lives are touched by art, design, and fashion. We live in a visual world in which aesthetics influence how we feel, how we think and how we act. For that reason, industries like fashion design, cosmetology, and interior design have become multi-million dollar empires searching for new talent. Much of that talent can be found at the Houston Community College (HCC) Consumer Arts and Sciences Center of Excellence (COE).
Alan Romo never imagined he could achieve his dream of being a fashion designer until he came to HCC. The former Wal-Mart cashier recently landed a job as a production assistant for a Houston area luxury jewelry company.
“The Fashion Design program at HCC is innovative, cutting edge, and skillful. It has opened many doors for me and changed my life,” said Romo.
Fashion design, interior design, culinary and pastry arts, hospitality administration, and cosmetology are among the internationally recognized, award-winning programs offered at the HCC Consumer Arts and Sciences Center of Excellence, which held its grand opening at Central College. HCC officials, industry partners, faculty, staff, and students joined in the celebration highlighting present achievements and the future.
“The Consumer Arts and Sciences Center of Excellence is a great opportunity to serve our industry leaders, our students, and the city of Houston,” said Adriana Tamez, Ed.D, chair, HCC Board of Trustees, District III. “We are making sure that we prepare everyone who walks through our doors to play a key role in the future success of our city, our state, and our nation.”
During the event, culinary arts students served tasty samples of their work; fashion and interior design students displayed their creative creations.
“I find the students who graduate from the HCC Interior Design program are more mature and better prepared than the students I see from other institutions,” said Kip Allsteatter, The KipCo & CS Gulf Coast. “The professors prepare them more from real life experiences It prepares them to be a leader in the industry.“
Central College President William Harmon, Ph.D., and COE Director Anthony Hancock, Ph.D., believe the programs are dynamic and lend themselves to the entrepreneurial spirit.
To learn more about the HCC Consumer Arts and Sciences Center of Excellence, visit hccs.edu/centers.
