Zamir Vazquez Makes History as NCCU’s First Pre-Architecture Graduate

At just two years old, Zamir Vazquez already knew what he wanted to be.

"I was always drawing," he recalls. "My mom told me architects get to draw a lot, and then a light bulb went off in my brain."

That light never dimmed.

In May 2026, Vazquez will graduate from North Carolina Central University (NCCU) as the first student to complete the university's pre-architecture concentration requirements in the art and design department, launching a new academic pathway for aspiring architects at the university.

A Leap of Faith

Four years ago, architecture wasn't an option at NCCU. Vazquez had planned to attend another institution, but accreditation concerns made him pause. Then came an unexpected opportunity: NCCU was planning to launch a new pre-architecture concentration.

He took the risk.

"When I arrived in 2022, we didn't even have a professor yet," he said. "But I believed in what it could become."

By his sophomore year, Scott Singeisen, associate professor and coordinator of the pre-architecture concentration, was hired. What began with Vazquez as the sole student has grown to 15 students enrolled.

"Zamir could have transferred to an already established architecture program, but he chose to stay and invest in his journey here," said Singeisen. "In Fall 2023, it was just the two of us proving this program could work. Because Zamir stayed, more NCCU students see architecture as a real and attainable path. That's impact."

Building More Than a Degree

Making history hasn't fully sunk in yet.

"It feels like I'm just pursuing my dream," Vazquez said. "But it's an honor to pave the pathway for those who come after me."

And that's exactly what he's done.

He serves as founding president of NCCU's chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architecture Students (NOMAS), connecting students with professional firms across the Triangle through tours, site visits and industry engagement.

"Building that bridge is important," he said. "We get to see what it's actually like and go into the profession better prepared."

For him, the most rewarding moment of his academic career is simple:

"Walking around campus and seeing other architecture students. For a long time, it was just me. Now, seeing them show up to tours and opportunities; it's amazing to see how far the program has come."

Beyond his pre-architecture studies, Vazquez mentors peers and leads in multiple student organizations, including the Soccer Club, Men's Achievement Center and the Eyrie Initiative.

His message to others is direct: "If someone like me can do it, then they can do it too."

What's Next

Vazquez says attending a historically Black college or university shaped the kind of architect, and advocate, he intends to become.

"It's important to have minorities in these positions," he said. "So, we can advocate and represent people who don't have a voice."

He has been accepted into master's programs at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and NC State, clear validation that NCCU's emerging program is preparing students to compete alongside graduates of long-established architecture schools.

Ultimately, Vazquez plans to open his own architecture firm, designing homes for his family and for communities in need; building structures, and more importantly, opportunity.