My First Job: Janey Gregory, principal, Group Design Leader

April 23, 2006

My First Job: Janey Gregory, principal, Group Design Leader

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Janey Gregory

Current position: Principal, Group Design Leader, MulvannyG2 Architecture, Bellevue.

First job: Architectural internship during the summer of 1983. The lead design principal of the firm was excruciatingly hardnosed and demanding. On good days he would refer to me as "good cheap help" and would talk at length about art, architecture and the profession. However, what I remember most are his parting words to me, on my last day, when saying goodbye. He called me into his office and said: "Sit down Gregory. You're never going to make it and I'm going to tell you why. You're female, you're sensitive and you're too damn short! So get out now while the going is good." Surprisingly, the words he uttered that day didn't hurt me or faze me in the least. I left the office smiling, convinced I would prove him wrong one day.

What I learned: The true meaning of perseverance and determination despite the "old school" stereotypical belief that women are not suited for the architectural profession. In many ways, I am grateful for this early experience of discrimination, because it has propelled me to work harder and smarter to stay in the game.

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