Media Room

HCC Central College Reality COLLAB will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new immersive learning space from 10 to 11 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 22, in the J.B. Whiteley Building, Room 201, 1301 Alabama St., Houston. The Reality COLLAB, founded at HCC Central in 2016, is the first immersive learning innovation lab of its kind in Texas higher education, according to Donald Sparks, HCC Central College communications director.

When Ben Mendez walked the halls of Houston City College’s Southeast Campus in the late 1980s, he couldn’t have imagined the cultural legacy he would one day help build for the city of Houston. Today, as executive director of the Mariachi Festival in Houston, Mendez credits HCC with providing both the academic foundation and the community network that shaped his journey.

When Simon Obame came to the U.S. nearly two years ago from Gabon, his intent was to improve his English and return home to Africa and advance his career in the energy industry. He never intended to stay long, but he fell in love with the culture and decided to take a huge step and start another degree. His decision to enroll at HCC has paid off as Obame recently earned a $5,000 scholarship from the ISA Houston Section to further his academic journey in HCC’s Smart Building Technology program.