On Friday, November 14, the Hines College community gathered on campus to celebrate the College’s 80th anniversary in an unconventional way – with an un-gala. Designed to capture the energy and joy of a gala without the formality, the un-gala invited alumni, friends, faculty, staff, and students to reconnect while raising funds for emerging design technologies at the College.

At the Hines College, resilience is a defining trait of who we are. This past year, our community demonstrated that spirit firsthand, adapting and working collaboratively through limited space and ongoing repairs to our building following Hurricane Beryl. Even amid challenges, our students and faculty continued to lead with purpose, designing solutions that strengthen, uplift, and prepare vulnerable communities for an uncertain future. Explore this issue of DIMENSION to see just how resilient the Hines College truly is.

Justin Taplet grew up with a mother who served in the military and moved around often as a kid, experiencing new cities and their architecture. The experience inspired him to study architecture in a large city, making the Hines College a natural fit. To students, he shared: "Your story is your own. Embrace who you are and where you have been. Your career is not a race."