HOK announces 2023 Diversity x Design Scholarship winners

The third annual cohort of Diversity x Design Scholarships has been announced by HOK in continuation of its cultivation of talent through America’s network of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (or HBCUs).

A total of 10 students who are currently enrolled in NAAB-accredited design programs were given scholarships equaling $100,000, including Florida A&M University, which was a new addition for the 2023 cycle. 

“We place immense importance and value in offering these scholarships. The architectural field needs a diverse range of voices and perspectives to create spaces that truly mirror and cater to the rich diversity within our communities,” Shiva Mendez, the senior medical planner for HOK’s San Francisco studio and co-chair of the Diversity Advisory Council (DAC) overseeing the scholarship program, said in a statement. 

Her colleague Ami Shah added: "Investing in education and in the future of diverse design professionals is not just about enriching the profession. It’s also about ensuring that our built environment accurately reflects and serves the needs of all our communities.”

The 2023 Diversity x Design scholarship recipients are:

• Niles Hattaway, graduate student at Florida A&M University, sponsored by HOK’s Florida offices
• Chanse Huff, undergraduate at Tuskegee University, sponsored by HOK’s St. Louis studio.
• Obed Lopez, graduate student at the University of Illinois Chicago, sponsored by HOK’s Chicago studio.
• Sarah Montes, undergraduate at the University of Kansas, sponsored by HOK’s Kansas City studio.
• Katherine Neuner, undergraduate student at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, sponsored by HOK’s San Francisco and Seattle studios.
• Caden Norville, undergraduate student at Howard University, sponsored by HOK’s Washington, D.C., studio.
• Sean Spencer, undergraduate at Kennesaw State University, sponsored by HOK’s Atlanta studio.
• Gildalis Torres, undergraduate at City College of New York, sponsored by HOK’s New York and Philadelphia studios.
• Carlos Vivero, undergraduate student at Prairie View University, sponsored by HOK’s Texas studios.
• Marco Zhou, undergraduate at Cal Poly Pomona, sponsored by HOK’s Los Angeles studio.

Interviews with the previous Diversity x Design scholarship winners can be found here and here.