Carpenter apprentice Karen Maggiani, of Academy Gardens, will receive the first Robert Smith Memorial Scholarship during a Jan. 14 celebration at Carpenters’ Hall, 320 Chestnut St. in Old City.
Maggiani grew up in Oxford Circle and Lawncrest and volunteered with organizations such as Philabundance and KleinLife. After working as a locksmith, preschool teacher and courier, she joined Laborers’ Local 332 in 2019 and began a carpenter apprenticeship in January 2024. She works for Turner Construction. Her goal is to become a foreman and eventually a supervisor. She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in construction management.
Carpenters’ Hall was the site of the First Continental Congress in 1774. The Jan. 14 event will celebrate the 303rd birthday of its architect, Colonial-era master builder Robert Smith. The evening will feature traditional Scottish entertainment and fine Scotch tastings. Guests will enjoy performances by the St. Andrew’s Society Pipe Band and the Campbell School of Highland Dance.
Smith was Colonial America’s leading architect and builder. He was born on Jan. 14, 1722, in Dalkeith, Scotland. His work in Philadelphia includes Carpenters’ Hall, the Powel House, St. Peter’s Church and the steeple of Christ Church, and he also built Nassau Hall in Princeton and the Public Hospital in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Proceeds from the event will go toward the Smith Memorial Scholarship. ••
