Articles

HCC opens doors to Civil Engineering career for Dennis Yazdanpanah

Oct 1, 2025

For Dennis J. Yazdanpanah, Houston City College was the launching pad to a rewarding career in civil engineering. After high school, Dennis didn’t immediately pursue college. Instead, he entered the restaurant industry, where long hours and demanding schedules quickly took their toll.

“I was making a livable wage, but the schedule was very taxing,” he recalled.

That’s when he decided to enroll in classes at HCC. The college’s flexible schedule and supportive environment enabled him to combine his restaurant shifts with classroom learning.

“HCC made it possible for me to integrate school into my life without having to move or drastically change my schedule,” Dennis shared.

Through HCC’s Associate of Science in Engineering Science (ASES) program, he built both confidence and a strong academic foundation for further study.

“The tuition was affordable enough for me to avoid student loans while still covering rent, my car and other expenses.”

Armed with his associate degree in hand, Dennis transferred seamlessly to the University of Texas at Tyler, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 2019. Immediately after graduation, he began his career as a project engineer.

“Today, I am working at EHRA Engineering and applying the skills I gained at HCC to help shape Houston’s infrastructure,” he said with pride. “Without HCC, I sincerely don’t know if I would have ever had this career opportunity or the chance to change my life trajectory.”

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