Inspired by parents, recent grad rose from humble beginnings to earn degree
Francine Velasco was born in Dubai, a city known for its innovative and ambitious architectural projects. However, she doesn’t recall the glitz of skyscrapers, luxury malls or towering hotels. Instead, she remembers her family shared a cramped apartment with other Filipino migrant families.
Despite their material struggles, her family valued possibilities. Her mother was the first to attend college, supported by her grandmother’s work abroad, while her father overcame poverty and periods of homelessness to earn a university scholarship. This perseverance shaped her journey.
Eventually, they immigrated to the United States, settling first in Rhode Island before making their way to Fresno, where her mother promised a brighter future. When Velasco received a full scholarship to Fresno State, just like her father before her, she realized this was the future her mother had envisioned.
On May 17, Velasco graduated with a bachelor’s degree in architectural studies and a minor in sociology at the Lyles College of Engineering commencement ceremony at the Save Mart Center.
“My parents are so proud of everything that I’ve achieved, including graduating with honors and a scholarship,” Velasco says. “Education has always been so important to them, and I’m so excited to start working after graduation.”
Velasco began attending Fresno State in 2021 as a Smittcamp Family Honors College Scholar. Initially unaware that the architectural studies major was new, she networked at local events, seeking out professionals for shadowing, mentorship and design advice.
The summer before sophomore year, she taught herself basic computer drafting to keep up with her upper-division classmates. By the end of the year, she won first place in the American Institute of Architecture San Joaquin Competition against 35 other students in the region.
Velasco was tasked with conceptualizing a fire station and producing key deliverables such as floor plans and elevations. To accomplish this, she spoke with firefighters to understand the challenges they face in their current stations and gather insights on how the facilities could be improved for greater efficiency.
That same year, she became TETER Architects and Engineers’ first architectural intern in the Central Valley. She worked on public housing projects, K-12 campuses, public infrastructure, private developments and energy-efficient buildings.
“Francine has grown immensely, not just in her technical and design skills, but in her confidence and clarity of vision,” says Michele Randel, architectural studies program coordinator. “Over time, she’s developed a strong architectural voice rooted in purpose and empathy. She now approaches projects with a thoughtful balance of creativity and practicality, and she has become someone who considers the broader social and environmental impacts of design. As a future professional, she is well on her way to becoming the kind of architect who not only designs buildings, but shapes communities.”
After graduation, Velasco transitioned into an architectural designer role with TETER Architects and Engineers. She plans to pursue a master’s in architecture, then return to the Central Valley to help shape a more accessible, sustainable and socially responsible built environment.
– Yesenia Fuentes (’18)
Photos by Cary Edmondson
