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 that 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.
At 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 17, Velasco will graduate 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 said. “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 through Revit and CAD 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. In this role, she has worked on public housing projects, K-12 campuses, public infrastructure, private developments and energy-efficient buildings.
“Converting a series of motels into affordable housing was one of the first projects I jumped into, and it was so interesting because I was familiar with the underserved areas,” Velasco said. “I didn’t expect to work on something so big so soon, but it felt good to do something for the community.”
For her senior thesis, Velasco reached out to Project Rebound to explore how architecture can support rehabilitation. She interviewed formerly incarcerated individuals and designed a conceptual prison complex focused on healing and reducing recidivism. For over a year, she poured her efforts into site analysis, prison archetypes, 3D modeling and drafting, culminating in an oral presentation for the honors college. For Velasco, the most rewarding part was sparking conversations and raising awareness about prison reform.
“Francine has grown immensely, not just in her technical and design skills, but in her confidence and clarity of vision,” said 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.”
Outside of the classroom, Velasco serves as president of the Fresno State American Institute of Architecture Students and previously held officer positions with Camp Kesem at Fresno State and the Sustainability Club.
Additionally, she has dedicated her time to volunteering with organizations such as Apache Closet, the Art of Life Cancer Foundation, and the Smittcamp Family Honors College, all while working as an instructional student assistant.
Last winter, Velasco expanded her architectural education abroad by visiting London and Paris. Through grants and scholarships, she was able to visit architecture and buildings that she had always dreamed of seeing.
“It was really fun to see and compare the old architecture to the modern buildings we see here in Fresno,” Velasco said. “I even got to see The Shard in London, which is one of my favorite buildings of all time.”
Velasco is currently studying to obtain her Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Associate certification, which is the first step to becoming a professional in green building practices.
After graduation, Velasco will transition 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.
Velasco hopes that her story will inspire companies to invest in Fresno State students and that the architectural studies program will continue to expand.
“My perspective on architecture has changed. I felt like growing up, especially in small towns like Sanger and Fresno, you don’t really see a lot of architecture and you don’t really understand it in the sense that it’s something that should help you,” Velasco said. “Now I understand that I have a chance to do something impactful.”
