Student Spotlight: Abigail Dela Cruz

Abigail Dela Cruz set a goal to become an interior designer – a big dream that started with a small sketch made in middle school. Her work has come a long way from when she first drew a floor plan of her dream house in the eighth grade for fun. Dela Cruz is now one step closer to her dream: she graduated with El Camino College’s Class of 2022 and will transfer to Arizona State University in the fall to pursue a bachelor's degree in interior design.

“My interest in interior design started as a fun thing to do, but later developed into a desire to create environments that promote creativity and make users feel psychologically content and secure no matter the location or space,” she said. “This is the intent of my work, because I have experienced living in houses that did and did not do these things.”

Dela Cruz’s hard work was recognized as she was named a 2022 Presidential Scholar for the Industry & Technology Division. An architect major and member of the Architecture Club, her most memorable moments at El Camino were meeting with fellow classmates virtually or in person to participate in architectural presentations and attend workshops, lectures, and tours together.

She said El Camino gave her a chance to learn and grow through meeting many different people of highly diverse backgrounds and opinions, which broadened her world view.

“El Camino College also nurtured and propelled my visual communication, presentation, and software skills,” she added. “I found multiple networking opportunities and studio experiences to help me familiarize myself with potential environments at universities and firms.”