First Minority Woman Promoted to Principal

DIGroup Architecture is proud to announce the promotion of Swarupa Samant, AIA, LEED AP, to Principal. Since joining the firm in 2014, Swarupa has skillfully managed some of the firm’s largest and most complex urban design-build school projects in New Jersey, exceeding $200 million in construction costs.

As a LEED Accredited Professional, Swarupa is strongly committed to sustainable, sensible design, achieving LEED Level Silver status for both the new $133 million Camden High School and the new $45 million Rose M. Lopez Elementary School in Perth Amboy, as well as LEED Gold certification for the new $32 million School #16 in Paterson. She also managed the completion of Dina’s Dwellings, an award-winning supportive housing project for survivors of domestic violence, in her hometown of New Brunswick.

According to Jeff Venezia, CEO, “Swarupa’s continued success and leadership in the K-12 market and her strength in serving large public agencies, such as the NJ Schools Development Authority and the NYC School Construction Authority, led to the owner’s unanimous support of this well-deserved promotion.”

Swarupa has over 25 years of experience as an architect in both the United States and India and serves as a mentor to the firm’s emerging young architects to help them grow professionally. She holds a G.D.Arch from the Academy of Architecture, Mumbai, India, is a licensed architect in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania and a member of Professional Women in Construction-NJ Chapter.