Four years after launching the Diversity in Design Scholarship, LPA welcomes two members of the first cohort of scholars as interns.
Two recipients of LPA’s Diversity in Design Scholarship spent the summer participating in our summer intern program, gaining firsthand experience of what it means to work at an integrated design firm and collaborating with mentors.
University of North Texas student Elisabeth Gutierrez, who is studying interior design, interned in LPA’s San Antonio studio, while Diego Riverbay, a fourth-year student at Olin College of Engineering in Massachusetts, spent the summer working with engineers in LPA’s Irvine studio. Both began receiving support from the program in 2021, the first year of the scholarship program.
"LPA believes in the power of diverse perspectives to create more inclusive projects," said CEO Wendy Rogers. "By supporting these talented students, we are investing in the future of our design industry, expanding the pipeline of students and ensuring that our industry benefits from a rich variety of experiences and viewpoints."
The program goes beyond funding to offer students mentorship and intern opportunities. Gutierrez and Riverbay are the first recipients to participate in a full summer internship.
"Four years in, we are beginning to see scholarship recipients like Elisabeth and Diego enter the workforce, showcasing the real-world impact of this program,” said LPA Senior Project Architect Melody Tang, who has been working on the program from the start. “It’s inspiring to see their growth and dedication, and we’re proud to support their journeys into the design professions.”
Elisabeth Gutierrez: A Personal Connection
As an alumnus of Sidney Lanier High School in San Antonio, Texas, Gutierrez experienced LPA’s design approach in action. She was a student during LPA’s transformation of a windowless fortress built in the 70s into a modern, light-filled learning environment. The renovation recently won the Education Facility Design Award of Excellence from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on Architecture for Education (CAE) — the industry’s highest national honor for education design.
“The Lanier remodel was really impactful for the students,” Gutierrez said. “When students aren’t presented with nice facilities and resources, they feel like they don’t need to try in school. Equity-based design gives everyone a chance to succeed.”
Gutierrez’s time at LPA was her first internship experience. She learned hands-on about the daily tasks for interior designers, and spent her time creating material boards and interfacing with manufacturers. She found the interiors team a welcoming and collaborative group and appreciated the inclusive environment of the studio.
“Seeing the everyday dynamic of a design firm really opened my eyes,” said Gutierrez. “I was surprised at how accepting and friendly everyone was, and I feel like I learned a lot about what a healthy workload is and how I should manage my time.”
Gutierrez is passionate about affordable housing and community-centered design. She hopes to design spaces in which everyone, regardless of their background, can feel comfortable.
Diego Riverbay: Igniting a Passion
Growing up, Diego Riverbay always knew that he liked to take things apart and figure out how they worked. Throughout middle and high school, he spent summers at engineering camp. At LPA, he had the opportunity to work one-on-one with LPA engineers.
“The engineers at LPA have all been supportive during my time here,” he says. “There’s a lot you don’t learn in school about working in the field, and every person in the studio, even outside of mechanical engineering, has been willing to offer me guidance and advice.”
Riverbay also got to learn from other disciplines at LPA, like the design technology specialists. Over the course of the summer, he learned about using design software such as Revit, a skill that he would use every day in the engineering profession but had never been taught in school.
During his internship, Riverbay grew passionate about community-based design in public spaces. While he still is figuring out what he wants to do after he graduates, he feels that LPA’s core values of integrated design and sustainability will inform his decisions about where and how he wants to work in the engineering field. His scholarship has enabled him to graduate debt-free.
“I want to do work that positively affects people’s day to day lives,” he said. “LPA has shown me that designers and engineers can really make a difference.”
