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Please join us in congratulating the 2022 Gibbs College Faculty & Staff Awards recipients. Recipients were honored by Dean Butzer during the Gibbs College Back to School Meeting on Thursday, August 18. They were nominated by their colleagues via an open nomination process.
Read on to learn more about the recipients.
2022 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award | MIA KILE, Interior Design
“Mia has committed countless hours over multiple years to the National African American Jazz Legacy Museum organization including both service-learning projects that have provided students the opportunity to consider diversity, equity and inclusion through their design solutions, and service to the organization’s board wherein they have developed proposals for multiple sites and met with OKC community leaders to seek support for their project.”
2022 Jerry Bonebrake Staff Award | ERIN NANCE, Advising
“Erin Nance has risen to lead our advising efforts in a very short time and demonstrated time and again how lucky we are to have found her. She learns quickly and never shies away from responsibility or problem solving. She’s a rising star in the GCA.”
2022 Award for External Service | TAMMY MCCUEN, Construction Science
“Prof. McCuen has taken on National-level leadership roles with the Associated Schools of Construction and the American Council for Construction Education. Both require a great detail of her time and attention, and this hard work positively reflects on College and University.”
2022 Award for Internal Service | MARJORIE CALLAHAN, Architecture
“This award honor honors Marjorie’s decade of incredible service as the graduate liaison for the division of architecture. She has brought a sense of professionalism, compassion and care to this role. She will be missed by her dozens of students whom she carefully and responsively mentored.”
2022 James L. Kudrna Professionalism Award | VANESSA MORRISON, Institute for Quality Communities
“Vanessa was nominated by several colleagues, who noted her qualities include ‘insightful, kind, collaborative, and professional.’ Another said, ‘“’Vanessa demonstrates professionalism and empathy toward her colleagues at OU and her community partners in the field; she brings value and thoughtfulness to all of her interactions, listening carefully and sharing expertise with generosity.’”
2022 Teaching Award | SUCHI BHATTACHARJEE, Interior Design
“Last year, Suchi involved two of her classes with the historic Vici M-K-T Depot in Vici, Oklahoma. In addition to attending a day-long field trip to Vici, Suchi worked with faculty of Construction Science and Environmental Design as well as the IQC staff to digitally survey the physical conditions and the environmental qualities of this significant building. She engaged over 40 students across disciplines, this work produced very helpful information for City of Vici’s community leaders.”
2022 Scholarly & Creative Activity Award | C. AUJEAN LEE, Regional & City Planning
“Aujean Lee has maintained an impressive record of research productivity for several years including in leading publications, external grants, and high-level professional reports. Dr. Lee is a leading scholar on race, ethnicity, immigration, and urban planning.”
Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to recognize Petya Stefanoff, who is pursuing her doctorate in the Planning, Design & Construction (PDC) program, has been appointed the new role of Director of Community Development for the City of Shawnee, Oklahoma. She joined the city in 2024.
Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Amber N. Wiley, Ph.D., associate professor in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture and Design and director of the Institute for Quality Communities, has received national recognition for her book Model Schools in the Model City. The book has been named a finalist for the 2026 the PROSE Awards.
Gibbs College of Architecture Regional + City Planning Professor of Practice Vanessa Morrison and Associate Professor of Architecture Deborah Richards’ Open Design Collective received top honors at the inaugural BlackSpace Urbanist Collective Studio KIN Pitch Night Competition, held last month in Brooklyn, New York City.
