Attending Palomar College is a family affair in the Sun household.
Sisters Faith and Irena are two of the 24 students in the college’s new bachelor’s degree program in Building Performance and Environmental Design.
Three other siblings just started in the architecture program this fall, with the goal of entering the bachelor’s degree program after they earn their associate degree. And a sixth sibling is taking classes in Palomar College’s engineering program.
With six siblings attending Palomar College, it’s a big advantage that the campus is close to the family home in Escondido.
“There’s a lot of carpooling,” said Faith Sun. “We have to schedule a lot because there’s not always a car available.”
Faith and her younger sister, Irena, initially enrolled in an architectural drafting class in 2024 based on a recommendation from their mother. The single class evolved into a major and a planned career in architecture.
Faith said after she finished high school – all of the Sun children were home-schooled – she was unsure of her future during the unsettling time of the COVID-19 epidemic.
“I didn’t think that college was going to be an option,” she said. “It wasn’t something I actively pursued. It became less and less of a thought. You start to think it’s too late.”
The sisters initially planned to earn a certificate in drafting and enter the workforce, but both realized they wanted to pursue architecture after attending Palomar College.
“The professors are vey involved and the program is very practical and very helpful,” Faith said. “It’s not just the education, but they gave a clear explanation about how this ties into the real world and a career after you leave college.”
Both sisters were eager to join the bachelor’s degree in Building Performance and Environmental Design as soon as they heard about it. The innovative degree program prepares students for careers in the design and operation of climate-responsive buildings, integrating architecture, interior design, sustainability and environmental systems.
Faith said she wouldn’t have pursued a degree in architecture without the Palomar program, and she has become passionate about the field.
“I think good design is often overlooked in buildings,” she said. “There’s so much about architecture that’s specific to our climate and our communities.”
Faith will have a study partner close by as she pursues the program – her sister Irena.
Irena said she decided to attend college at Palomar because her sister was planning to pursue the architecture program.
“I didn’t know what to expect, but I fell in love with architecture,” Irena said. “The faculty shows how much they care about you as a student. It’s a good opportunity and the price for getting a bachelor’s degree is so affordable.”
Irena said she sees how architecture can deeply affect people.
“If you have a bad design, you can unintentionally affect people in a negative way,” she said. “You can improve people’s lives or you can damage their lives.”
The two sisters’ involvement with the architecture program at Palomar College led three other siblings Jubilee, Charity, and Fidelia to enroll in architecture classes this fall.
Charity said she pivoted from user design research to architecture, and she’s looking forward to earning her associate degree and enrolling in Palomar’s bachelor’s degree program.
“It’s incredible that we have resources like this,” Charity said. “It’s affordable and a very welcoming environment. I didn’t know there was such a good program there.”