James Collard, professor of Regional and City Planning and director of planning and economic development for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, was invited to speak at the “Making Global Goals a Local Affair” webinar. The event took place on Aug. 10 and was hosted by the International Economic Development Council.
The IEDC is a non-profit organization that serves economic developers through training courses, webinars, conferences and publications. This webinar was a part of the IEDC’s Global Opportunities series and focused on the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
The webinar featured a panel of international stakeholders and leaders in sustainable development to discuss how communities can thrive by engaging with SDGs. According to the IEDC, adopting and advancing the UNs’ SDGs is imperative for communities that want to grow and retain a talented workforce and create a lasting impact. While the scale of global goals is unprecedented, the IEDC believes all business communities can contribute to SDGs.
Collard was joined by David Aduama, communications manager for the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council, and Clare Barnett, director of economic development for the City of Brampton Economic Development Office. The panelists discussed the 17 SDGs and explored a variety of related topics, including:
The Gibbs Design in Action Awards (GDAA) program, led by Dr. Wanda Liebermann, has announced its 2026–2027 funded student projects. The initiative supports design and research work that addresses social, cultural, and economic issues in the built environment through collaboration with faculty and community partners.
The OU Institute for Quality Communities (IQC) 2024 collaboration with the Historic Threatt Filling Station has been recognized in the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's newly released Byways Report: The Scenic Route to Rural Prosperity – a story-driven publication exploring how road trip culture and place-based tourism can fuel economic growth in rural communities.
The Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Camille Germany, Chief of Staff, has been named the 2026 recipient of the university-wide Jennifer L. Wise Good Stewardship Award.
