The Hall of Honor began in 1998 to acknowledge the accomplishments of alumni who exemplify the ideals of the school and serve as excellent role models for the students. As a student I remember the Hall of Honor display was something to behold, so I am incredibly touched to have been nominated and selected for the 2022 Hall of Honor class, said Ms. Jones.
In 2017, LoriAnne joined DIGroup Architecture, whose mission is to help communities create positive change through architecture. She works with clients in Education and Healthcare, specializing in community health center design. During her term as Section President of AIA-Central NJ from 2020-2021, she became the first Black female to be named the Young Architect of the Year by AIA NJ, a coveted title for exceptional leadership and significant contributions in the field of architecture.
Her innate spirit of diversity, community, collaboration, as well as commitment to the profession is reinforced by her lineage. Her grandmother, who started as a draftswoman, managed and operated an architecture firm in Georgetown, Guyana, and today, LoriAnne works alongside her fathers management consultancy firm on community-based design projects. Given the challenging diversity profile in the architecture profession, where African American women represent only 0.4% of the licensed architects in the country, I am exceptionally proud to be one of them, Ms. Jones stated.
Vincent Myers, President of DIGroup Architecture added, her leadership and contributions have positively impacted many minority students and have given them exposure and an opportunity to explore a profession they may not have otherwise considered. She has risen above her own challenges as a Black woman to embrace and help others learn about the profession she loves.
To read about LoriAnne, please click here.
ABOUT LORIANNE JONES:
LoriAnne Jones graduated Magna Cum Laude from NJIT with a Bachelor of Architecture and interned at several architectural firms while working toward licensure. Once licensed, she became an Associate at a regional A/E firm and then went on to earn her MBA with a double concentration in Strategy and Leadership, and Entrepreneurship from Rutgers Business School. She was a featured panelist in AIA NJs six-part Diversity in Architecture Series, guest reader in their Storytime series for children, as well as a guest on the podcast What’s Going On? Episode 18: Opening Doors to a Career in Architecture for Young People of Color through Mentoring. She also has been a Board Member, Team Leader, and Mentor of the ACE Mentor Program of New Jersey since 2010, which exposes students to careers in architecture, construction, and engineering.
ABOUT DIGROUP ARCHITECTURE:
DIGroup Architecture is a certified Minority-owned, Disadvantaged-owned, and Small Business Enterprise (MBE/DBE/SBE) specializing in architecture, planning, interior design and environmental graphics, signage and wayfinding services for Senior Living, Education, Healthcare and Civic clients. The company takes great pride in its ethnically and culturally diverse staff who are passionate about architecture.
DIG originated as a consortium of several small architectural firms who formed an alliance to collaborate and compete for large projects issued by the NJ Schools Development Authority that revitalized the states most under-served public school districts. This collaboration became so successful at delivering many of the states most significant, community-centered design projects that the firms formally merged in 2006. The profound impact these projects had on the most basic human need of health and wellness, brought a whole new meaning and purpose to the firm. From that point forward, Architecture for Change became our story, design philosophy and commitment to clients to re-imagine structures and environments to unite people, enhance well-being and enrich communities.
DIGs successes have not gone unnoticed; in 2021, the company was selected as one of the 2021 Leaders in Real Estate, Construction, and Design in the Architecture category by NJBIZ, and was ranked among the top Minority Businesses and Architectural firms by both NJBIZ and Philadelphia Business Journal.
To view DIGroups recent media coverage, please click here.
Today, DIGroup Architecture is exponentially growing, its reach spanning New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York. For more information on the firm, please contact: Debra Koehler at dkoehler ( @ ) digrouparchitecture dot com or 732 dot 249 dot 6242 X110 dot
Media Contact:
Amy Delman
Amy Delman Public Relations, LLC
201.563.4614
amydelmanpr ( @ ) verizon dot net
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