As a high school student, Mateo Escobosa applied to four-year schools like most of his classmates. Escobosa wasn’t sure what he wanted to study though and he didn’t want to spend a ton of money to figure it out. He decided to enroll at Anne Arundel Community College and started taking “random classes” to figure out what major might suit him best.
He had an interest in architecture but wasn’t sure if he was ready to commit to pursuing that as a profession. However, in his second year at AACC, he started taking studio classes, which gave him some hands-on experience in the field. That’s when he decided to complete his associate degree in architecture and then transfer to a four-year school.
By the time he graduated, Escobosa already had an impressive resume. During his last term at AACC, he was selected as the winner for the Maryland American Institute of Architects Top Design Award for Community College projects. His entry was a class project in which he designed a youth hostel for Elk Island National Park in Canada. He also passed an exam to become a LEED Green Associate, which certifies his knowledge of sustainable building principles and practices.
Escobosa transferred to the University of Maryland, where he is completing his bachelor’s degree in architecture. Although he wasn’t originally sure what to expect about community college, he feels he made the right choice.
“I just saved so much money and got a really great education,” he said. “I definitely came out of it with a pretty positive take on everything.”
