Snapshot
- Hometown: South Los Angeles
- Favorites: Birria and pupusas
- Movie Pick: Grease
- Hobby: Watching his kids play soccer
- Childhood Dream: To become an architect
- Motto: Hope is not a strategy
Meet Hector
Hector Melara is both an engineer and an architect. He helps design and build hospital spaces that support doctors, nurses, patients, and families. His work blends creativity with precision, imagination with math, and big ideas with real world solutions.
Hector believes buildings should serve the people inside them. Every day, he helps create spaces that are safe, welcoming, and ready to support life saving care at Cedars-Sinai.
Path After High School
After high school, Hector attended Cal Poly Pomona and earned a degree in architecture. He worked hard in school and also began gaining real experience in the field while he was still a student. College opened doors, and he kept walking through them.
After finishing his architecture degree, he continued to build his skills. He earned a master's degree in Construction Management and Engineering at USC. Studying both design and engineering helped him learn how to create buildings that are both beautiful and strong.
Hector also realized something important along the way. Growing up in South Los Angeles and as the first in his family to go to college, he joined programs that gave him opportunities his family could not provide on their own. Those experiences helped him learn how he learns best. He discovered he thrives in smaller, more personal learning environments instead of large lecture halls. Knowing that helped him choose a college and a path that fit his strengths and supported his success.
STEAM in Action
Hector uses technology, engineering, and math every day. He creates digital 3D models that show what a building will look like and how it will work. He uses engineering knowledge to solve problems during construction and make sure plans are safe and realistic. He uses math to check measurements, track progress, and manage budgets.
Through all of this, he remembers that people are at the center of his work. Every blueprint, every beam, and every decision is made with patients and healthcare workers in mind.
The Best Part of Hector's Job
Hector loves knowing that the buildings he helps create will save lives. When a new hospital space opens and patients begin receiving care, he feels proud that he helped build something that truly matters to the community.
Lesson from the Journey
Hector learned that success comes from finishing what you start. Many people pause their goals and plan to return later, but he stayed committed even when things felt challenging. That steady effort opened doors and helped him build the career he dreamed of.
His advice to students: stay patient, stay focused, and keep going. Every step you finish builds confidence and moves you closer to your future.
Think about one goal you have this semester. What is one thing you can do this week to keep moving toward it?
