New Haven CT Hoffmann Architects + Engineers, a design firm specializing in the rehabilitation of building exteriors, contributed $25,000 to fund the Hoffmann Diversity Advancement Scholarship, administered through the Conn. Architecture Foundation. The fund provides scholarships for students from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups who are seeking degrees in architecture or engineering.

The Hoffmann Diversity Advancement Scholarship is open to applicants who are students entering or enrolled full-time in an NAAB- accredited architecture program or ABET-accredited civil or structural engineering program, and residents / full-time college or university students located in southern New England (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island) or the eastern Mid-Atlantic (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland), regions that form the core of Hoffmann’s practice. Eligible applicants represent a minority racial or ethnic group, as defined by the state of New York.

Unique among Connecticut Architecture Foundation awards, the Hoffmann Diversity Advancement Scholarship offers recipients the opportunity for a paid internship in one of the firm’s offices. As a practice specializing in a niche field of the architecture and engineering profession, the design and rehabilitation of the building enclosure, Hoffmann can provide students with practical experience in diagnosis and detailing of exterior envelope systems that they likely would not be exposed to in their architecture or engineering studies.

“I am excited about the opportunities this scholarship will offer, not only to promising students, but also to the design professions,” said Alison Hoffmann, communications manager at Hoffmann and chair of the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. “With architecture and engineering programs still enrolling a predominantly white student body, there is little room for the kind of innovations that come from bringing together diverse perspectives. This scholarship aims to take steps toward addressing that imbalance.”

According to a report by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards and the National Organization of Minority Architects, most people completing the Architectural Experience Program, a key step to earning an architecture license, were white: 63%. Just 3.4% were Black, 12.5% were Hispanic/Latinx, and 16.6% were Asian/Pacific Islander.

Georgetown’s Center on Education and the Workforce released similar data for engineers, reporting that 5% are Black, 9% are Hispanic/Latinx, and 15% are Asian/Pacific Islander. Two-thirds of engineering jobs are held by white people.

Hoffmann Architects + Engineers was founded by John Hoffmann, FAIA, who came to the United States in the 1950s as a Hungarian refugee. From its beginnings as the dream of an immigrant who arrived speaking little English, the firm has expanded to encompass dozens of employees and a diverse ownership. Today, Hoffmann is known for expertise in building enclosures and has contributed to the preservation of landmarks of national and cultural significance, including the U.S. Capitol, the Chrysler Building, Rockefeller Center, and the Smithsonian Institution. In homage to its origins, the firm is committed to advancing opportunities for underrepresented groups in the field of design.

“As someone who started off by working full-time and going to night school, I know what it’s like to struggle to build a career,” said John Hoffmann, an alumnus of The City College of New York. Hoffmann and his wife, Susan, contributed personally to help establish the scholarship fund. “I can’t pay back the people who helped me get to where I am, but I can pay it forward. I hope this scholarship gives promising students a leg up in meeting their goals.”

Scholarship Application and Donations
Contributions to the Hoffmann Diversity Advancement Scholarship Fund may be made through the Connecticut Architecture Foundation: https://cafct.org/hoffmann-diversity-advancement-scholarship/

Application forms and details on eligibility and submission requirements are available through CAF: https://cafct.org/2023-hoffmann-diversity-advancement-scholarship/

The deadline to submit application materials is April 28, 2023 at 11:50pm EST.

Founded in 1977, Hoffmann Architects + Engineers specializes in the rehabilitation of building enclosures. The firm’s work focuses on the exteriors of existing structures, diagnosing and resolving deterioration within facades, roofing systems, windows, waterproofing materials, plazas/terraces, parking garages, and historic and landmark structures. 

The Connecticut Architecture Foundation Inc. was established by the Connecticut Chapter of The American Institute of Architects in 1978. The organization’s mission is to raise the public awareness of, and expectations for, architecture and the built environment.