Detroit, MI – SmithGroup has named the recipients of the 2022 SmithGroup Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (J.E.D.I.) Scholarships. The annual scholarship program was established to foster a more diverse and inclusive design industry by investing in the next generation of design talent. Each scholarship recipient receives a one-time award of $6,000 to offset tuition costs, as well as a paid summer internship with one of the U.S. offices.
The five students selected to receive 2022 J.E.D.I. scholarships are:
- Yasmeen Abdelaal, a graduate student studying architecture at Virginia Tech. She will be an intern with the Washington D.C. office.
- Daniela Chousal, an undergraduate student studying architecture at the University of Texas at Austin. She will be an intern with the Dallas office.
- Yaneliz Garcia Ruiz, an undergraduate student studying civil engineering, with a focus on structural engineering, at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. She will be an intern with the Detroit office.
- Vanessa Giraldo Ruiz, an undergraduate student studying interior design at San José State University. She will be an intern with the San Francisco office.
- Taylor Tomman, a graduate student studying architecture at the University of Detroit Mercy. She will be an intern with the Detroit office.
Since its inception in 2018, the program has awarded $150,000 to 25 recipients across the U.S.
—
“We continue to invest in creating a more diverse and inclusive talent pipeline to ensure we are creating a more just and equitable future for design professions,” said Troy Thompson, a managing partner for the firm. “We believe programs like this, providing mentorship and advancement of marginalized and underrepresented groups in our industry, are essential for dismantling systems that perpetuate injustice in the built environment.”
