LPA Awards 2023 Interdisciplinary Diversity Scholarships

LPA Design Studios has announced the third cohort of recipients for its LPA Interdisciplinary Diversity Scholarship Program, an annual scholarship to support young people from historically underrepresented communities pursuing careers related to architecture, engineering and design.

The 2023 scholarship recipients are Martin Leung, San Pablo, California; Anthony Ragasa, Los Angeles, California; Katrina Lima-Guan, Milpitas, California; and Liliana Tovar, San Antonio, Texas.

LPA’s Interdisciplinary Diversity Scholarship Program annually awards up to five high school seniors with $5,000 renewable scholarships each year. In addition to financial aid, students are matched with LPA mentors in their respective disciplines and have the opportunity for paid summer internships at LPA.

"LPA is committed to empowering talented and deserving students from underrepresented backgrounds,” said CEO Wendy Rogers. “By investing in a more diverse generation of professionals, we embrace the invaluable richness of unique perspectives that will shape the future of our industry, propelling it towards innovation and inclusivity."

Developed through LPA for Change, the firm’s community support initiative, and Scholarship America, the program targets the architecture and engineering industry’s well-documented lack of diversity. Other components of the initiative include participation in the National Organization of Minority Architects’ Project Pipeline, the ACE Mentor Program of America, and the International Living Future’s JUST Label program.

The Interdisciplinary Diversity Scholarship seeks to build a long-term relationship with the students and help them gain practical experience as they progress in their education. Throughout the process, students will be introduced to a multi-discipline approach to design, which focuses on collaboration and cooperation across disciplines.

Last year’s scholarship recipients, Miamor Orozco, mechanical engineering, Texas A&M University; Gabriela Guerrero, interior architecture design, University of Texas at San Antonio; Claire Burnley, civil engineering, Santa Clara University; and Nanami Dolley, construction science, Texas A&M University, are all continuing to pursue their careers and receive financial and career support from LPA. In total, LPA has committed $135,000 to the three year-old program.

“It’s incredible to watch the growth and dedication of these students as they begin their journey into a life of design,” said LPA project manager Brien Graham, chair of the firm’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council. “We’re happy to support their continued development.”

This year’s recipients include:

Martin Leung (Mechanical Engineering, University of California Los Angeles)

A senior at Middle College High School in San Pablo, California, Leung amassed 89 credits from Contra Costa Community College during his high school career. This fall, he moves on to UCLA, where he hopes to finish his mechanical engineering degree by Spring 2025 and progress immediately to graduate studies.

“My vision is to improve access to housing by creating more efficient processes to create living buildings,” he said. “I hope to have the opportunity to change the world.”

Anthony Ragasa (Mechanical Engineering, University of California Los Angeles)

A senior at STEM Academy of Hollywood in Los Angeles, California, Ragasa will attend UCLA this fall to study mechanical engineering. A first-generation college student, Ragasa’s career goal is to join the engineering workforce, continue to explore his passion for STEM, and make his family and himself proud.

“Coming from a low-income family, I have realized that lowering living expenses can go a long way in making housing affordable,” he said. “I hope to make a difference as a mechanical engineer by designing systems that are efficient and economical, so people can live affordably.”

Katrina Lima-Guan (Civil and Environmental Engineering, San Jose State University)

A senior at Milpitas High School in Milpitas, California, Lima-Guan plans to study civil and environmental engineering at San Jose State University in the fall. Lima-Guan moved to the United States at age nine and hopes to draw on her languages and cultures to impact the health of communities and the environment through design.

“This scholarship means a lot to me, making it possible for me to attend to all the classes I need and even more, and to focus on my education,” she said. “I am fortunate to be given this scholarship, opportunity and to have the support from many people.”

Liliana Tovar (Interior Design, The University of Texas at Austin)

A senior at the Young Women’s Leadership Academy in San Antonio, Texas, Tovar will study interior design this fall at the University of Texas at Austin. Through their interdisciplinary program, she hopes to develop a better understanding of the built environment, the importance of design justice, and significance of sustainable practice.

“As a first-generation student, receiving this scholarship means the world to me,” she said. “It will allow me to prioritize my studies and achieve my goal of paving the way for my family.”