Attending Palomar College is a family affair in the Sun household.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sisters Faith and Irena are two of the 24 students in the college\u2019s new bachelor\u2019s degree program in Building Performance and Environmental Design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Three other siblings just started in the architecture program this fall, with the goal of entering the bachelor\u2019s degree program after they earn their associate degree. And a sixth sibling is taking classes in Palomar College\u2019s engineering program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With six siblings attending Palomar College, it\u2019s a big advantage that the campus is close to the family home in Escondido.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of carpooling,\u201d said Faith Sun. \u201cWe have to schedule a lot because there\u2019s not always a car available.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Faith said after she finished high school \u2013 all of the Sun children were home-schooled \u2013 she was unsure of her future during the unsettling time of the COVID-19 epidemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t think that college was going to be an option,\u201d she said. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t something I actively pursued. It became less and less of a thought. You start to think it\u2019s too late.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe professors are vey involved and the program is very practical and very helpful,\u201d Faith said. \u201cIt\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both sisters were eager to join the bachelor\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Faith said she wouldn\u2019t have pursued a degree in architecture without the Palomar program, and she has become passionate about the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think good design is often overlooked in buildings,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s so much about architecture that\u2019s specific to our climate and our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Faith will have a study partner close by as she pursues the program \u2013 her sister Irena.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Irena said she decided to attend college at Palomar because her sister was planning to pursue the architecture program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t know what to expect, but I fell in love with architecture,\u201d Irena said. \u201cThe faculty shows how much they care about you as a student. It\u2019s a good opportunity and the price for getting a bachelor\u2019s degree is so affordable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Irena said she sees how architecture can deeply affect people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf you have a bad design, you can unintentionally affect people in a negative way,\u201d she said. \u201cYou can improve people\u2019s lives or you can damage their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The two sisters\u2019 involvement with the architecture program at Palomar College led three other siblings Jubilee, Charity, and Fidelia to enroll in architecture classes this fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Charity said she pivoted from user design research to architecture, and she\u2019s looking forward to earning her associate degree and enrolling in Palomar\u2019s bachelor\u2019s degree program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s incredible that we have resources like this,\u201d Charity said. \u201cIt\u2019s affordable and a very welcoming environment. I didn\u2019t know there was such a good program there.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"