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Founded on a commitment to combat inequality within the architecture, construction and engineering (ACE) professions, DIGroup Architecture (DIG) is being recognized with NJBIZ’s 2023 Empowering Women Award for its efforts to lead the way in supporting and elevating women. The inaugural honor from the business magazine is designed to showcase tangible and innovative efforts to advance female professionals and those traditionally underrepresented in the workplace and community.
“At DIG, we define our firm as a place where women are valued and celebrated, praised and recognized,” said Principal Swarupa Samant, the firm’s first minority-female principal and a widely acknowledged industry leader who has managed $200+M in construction projects. She is also instrumental to earning coveted LEED certification on behalf of the firm’s education clients throughout New Jersey.
“As a matter of practice, we provide aspiring females from high school to post-collegiate and in-house career development with the necessary mentorship and tools to help close the gender gap,” she added, noting women account for 53% of DIG’s entire staff. “In doing so, DIG is cultivating the next generation of architects, interior designers and environmental graphic designers to reflect societal demographics, particularly among those that have long been underrepresented in the profession.”
According to the American Institute of Architecture (AIA), 17% of all registered architects nationwide are female. At DIG, this benchmark is 20% and on an upward trajectory thanks to the firm’s inclusionary business practices that connect people, improve lives and enrich and strengthen communities – all while creating building blocks for women through community-based mentorship, licensure development, career experience and networking.
“These are the areas that have traditionally fueled a disconnect between the number of females enrolled in college and university architectural programs and those that have gone on to earn their license and practice,” added Samant. “We are dedicated to increasing the number of all women – including those of color – in the industry and at our firm. As an MBE/DBE/SBE certified firm, DIG is a melting pot of cultures, ethnicities, gender identification and backgrounds and all of these cohorts are represented within the firm and at its highest levels.”
DIG advances female visibility, leadership, representation and advocacy through active involvement in organizations like AIA’s New Jersey and Philadelphia chapters and Professional Women in Construction. The firm also engages in championing diversity as board members, team leaders and advisors at the high school and collegiate levels through the ACE Mentor Program of NJ; NAACP Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological & Scientific Olympic (ACT-SO) Program; and National Organization of Minority Architects.
“At DIG, we recognize underrepresentation limits inclusiveness and creativity of the built environment and for this reason, we have embraced the fact that much more work has yet to be done to achieve gender equity in our own industry and greater society,” said Principal Jeffrey Venezia. “We will continue on our path to forge new relationships and actively shape a gold-standard model for mentorship and career success; connect with young women and help them consider traditionally male-dominated STEM careers; and lift up other women as they transition from their architecture studies to internships and licensure.”
DIG will be presented with the Empowering Women Award on Tuesday, August 1st at The DoubleTree Hilton Somerset. Both Samant and Venezia will be among those in attendance.
Read more:
Introducing the 2023 Empowering Women honorees | NJBIZ
DIGroup Architecture Receives Inaugural Empowering Women 2023 Award | Building Enclosure
DIGroup Architecture is Honored at Inaugural Empowering Women 2023 Awards | Informed Infrastructure
People in the News: September 12th – Companies | McKnight’s Senior Living
DIGroupArchitecture is an award-winning, mid-sized architecture, interior design and graphic design firm with studios specializing in various areas of concentration: education, healthcare, senior housing and community-civic. A minority-owned business with a philosophy that everyone deserves great architecture, DIG is currently staffed with approximately 30 professionals and looking to expand our team and to fill the Architect III/Architectural Staff III position.
Desired Qualifications
Compensation & Benefits
Interested candidates please send your cover letter, resume and portfolio to: [email protected].
At DIG, we welcome and encourage diversity in the workplace. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.Architect III
Barbara graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute’s Architecture program. She has spent over a decade in marketing, where her understanding of architecture uniquely enhances her ability to inform the firm’s proposal development and marketing communication strategies and to position the firm as an industry leader. Barbara leverages the team’s knowledge and expertise into compelling content that reinforces brand identity and builds recognition among our clients and peers.
She handles the rigors of her role with determination and adapts quickly to challenges, which stems from an adventurous spirit. When not fine-tuning workflow efficiencies, Barbara is out and about with her family enjoying the outdoors; from ski slopes to local trails to playgrounds to CrossFit.
Emily graduated with a Business Degree from TCNJ and has worked in the Accounting and Finance departments for software, manufacturing and construction companies. Her professional strengths in accounts receivable, process improvement and account analysis are well suited for the complex nature of architectural project billing.
Emily loves to bake, but don’t ask her to make dinner – cooking is not her forte! Her husband is the family chef, and their two young daughters love to “help” in the kitchen. Some of Emily’s favorite things to do include riding bikes with her older daughter Layla, reading with her younger daughter Evelyn, going out to dinner with her husband and friends, and drinking a cup of coffee in peace and quiet.
Chris A’Hearn comes to DIG with over 20 years of experience in corporate financial management across several industries. Along with a BS in Accounting from Rutgers University’s School of Business and an MBA from Monmouth University, Chris has a keen interest in sustainable building solutions and earned the LEED AP Certification. With his experience in engineering and commercial construction, Chris helps DIG to achieve its financial growth initiatives. He brings his passion for sustainable construction and design to the firm as well as contributing his financial expertise to the DIG team focusing on future success.
Away from the office, Chris and his wife, Anne, stay busy with 2 children. Emily studies at Bucknell University and is interested in life sciences. Andy is a gifted and talented student as well as a competitive YMCA swimmer.
DIGroupArchitecture is an award-winning, mid-sized architecture, interior design and graphic design firm with studios specializing in various areas of concentration: education, healthcare, senior housing and community-civic. A minority-owned business with a philosophy that everyone deserves great architecture, DIG is currently staffed with approximately 30 professionals and looking to expand our team and to fill the Architect I/Architectural Staff I position.
Desired Qualifications
Compensation & Benefits
Interested candidates please send your cover letter, resume and portfolio to: [email protected].
At DIG, we welcome and encourage diversity in the workplace. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.