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Interview with Norma Sklarek
Page 6

What advice do you have for women or minorities who are entering architecture or are in the profession and struggling to maintain their position within it? 

Not to get discouraged, but to have perseverance, to stick with the [[strikethrough]] field [[/strikeout]] profession. A lot of tasks in architecture are not very exciting, not [[strikethrough]] art [[/strikeout]] creative. Many portions of the work might be considered dull and routine. Naturally that type of work is going to go more to someone who is just entering the field than to one who is more experienced. Some people, when faced with this kind of work, become discouraged and drop out. They never get to the more challenging, more exciting work. 

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Everyone who enters the profession gets that kind of work. If a person has another means of support, that person will tend to drop out faster than someone who has the financial necessity or an emotional necessity to work. I think that's unfortunate. 

What motivates your strong commitment to the profession of architecture? 

I've always felt that I should do what I can to justify my existence. It's important to make a contribution to society. I enjoy the benefits of society, and I'd like to do whatever I can to make a personal contribution to making life better. I've always felt that architecture is a very honorable profession.