Family legacy continues, sponsoring alumni awards

When the eight DiGioia siblings decided to make the generous commitment to sponsor the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering’s (CEE) annual alumni awards – establishing the Anthony M. DiGioia, Jr. and Carole Kerr DiGioia Ceremony Presenting the Civil and Environmental Engineering Awards – they weren’t just supporting a university initiative; they were carrying on a rich family tradition rooted in education, mentorship, and lifelong connections to Carnegie Mellon University.

“CMU has been part of the fabric of our family and has helped us connect with the important things in life: family, career, exploration, and friendship,” said Paula DiGioia Deasy (TPR’88).

That connection began with their late father, Anthony M. DiGioia Jr. (BS’56, MS’57, PhD’60), an influential civil engineer whose career began in the College of Engineering (then, the Carnegie Institute of Technology). Alongside his classmate and lifelong friend Richard Gray (BS’56), DiGioia Jr. co-founded GAI Consultants and later DiGioia Gray & Associates, engineering firms that became known for pioneering work in geotechnical and power delivery engineering and their culture of mentorship – one that DiGioia carried forward throughout his career.

Even after his industry success, DiGioia Jr. never strayed far from CMU. He returned to campus often, serving on alumni advisory councils, recruiting students for his companies, and teaching. Over the years, he received a CMU Alumni Achievement Award and, in 2022, co-founded the Anthony M. DiGioia Jr. and Richard E. Gray Engineering Scholarship Fund to support undergraduates studying civil and environmental engineering. 

The incredible pathway DiGioia Jr. paved, combined with the family’s strong value for education instilled by their mother Carole, made the family name synonymous with supporting and empowering students – a commitment now carried forward by their children.

Four of the eight siblings – Tony DiGioia III (CivE’79, BME’82), Bob DiGioia (Dietrich’88), Matthew E. DiGioia (MechE’03), and Paula DiGioia Deasy – followed in their father’s footsteps as alumni of Carnegie Mellon. The tradition continues with the youngest generation, as well: Luke and Gideon Deasy are recent graduates from the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Tepper School of Business, respectively.

DiGioia III, currently an orthopedic surgeon and the medical director of The Bone and Joint Center at UPMC Magee Women's Hospital, served as a faculty member with appointments in the Robotics Institute and Department of Biomedical Engineering for nearly 15 years. He has spent his career pioneering technologies that support clinical care, launching a first-of-its-kind medical robotics program at CMU, and founding companies like Bluebelt Technologies and most recently JointAI, a start-up dedicated to using AI to evaluate arthritis-related joint pain.

Deasy’s education in the Tepper School of Business connected her with lasting relationships and a deep appreciation for CMU’s culture of collaboration. She has remained closely involved with the university through service on the Alumni Executive Board and her work with the University Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations. Her career at CMU and at DiGioia Gray was an extension of her greatest memories with her father and family, and her continued commitment to alumni engagement made the decision to support CEE’s Alumni Awards a natural one.

For the entire DiGioia family, supporting the Alumni Awards was about more than recognition, it was a way to honor their parents’ belief in investing in people and advancing education.

“Our parents always believed in opening doors for students,” said Deasy. “The scholarship they established with Dick Gray provided students with opportunities, and the Alumni Awards celebrate those who take those opportunities and grow from them.”

DiGioia III, who received a CEE Alumni Award several years ago, echoed that sentiment: “Being recognized by the department that helped shape me as a student was deeply meaningful. I’m excited that we have the chance to help others to feel that same encouragement and connection.”

Now, whenever the family has the chance to return to campus – whether for homecoming, Carnival, or for the younger DiGioia generation to walk the same commencement stage as their grandfather, aunts, and uncles – they can see firsthand the thriving community of learners and educators their family has spent decades supporting.