Architecture student Trey London recently participated in the 2024 Winter Shadowship program with the award-winning global design firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. This program offers an immersive professional experience to students planning a career in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction industry.
“It is a great privilege to participate and represent OU at such an internationally renowned firm,” said London. “I am extremely grateful for the SOM team who selected me from students around the world. It was an awesome opportunity to meet some great people and to gain insight into globally well-known projects.”
SOM has designed some of the most significant architectural and engineering achievements in modern history, including the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai and the One World Trade Center in New York. The firm is also committed to reducing the building and construction industry’s carbon footprint and advancing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Burj Khalifa in Dubai, designed by SOM. Photo by Nick Merrick, Hedrich Blessing Photographers.
In November, London was selected from a global pool of applicants. The program took place from Jan. 8-12 at SOM’s Washington D.C. office, where he was one of four shadowship participants. During his time in D.C., London spent time with SOM team members and industry professionals to learn about the firm’s work and design process.
“Since starting Architecture school, I haven’t had the chance to see exactly how a big, international firm operates, so it was a good opportunity to see how everything is taken care of at all levels of the company,” said London. “I saw the behind-the-scenes on some of the firm’s upcoming projects and how the whole office works together to develop internationally renowned projects.
Specifically, I learned that large scale projects are tied to a plethora of political, social and technical implications and not everything is going to work smoothly, whether it is with the contractor, the client, or within the office.”
He also spent time learning about SOM’s DEI initiatives and partnerships with minority groups, including Arquitectos, Asian Alliance, National Organization of Minority Architects, Pride and Women’s Initiative. “SOM has led the industry with their initiatives, and it was helpful for me to see how the profession will develop during my time as an architect,” said London.
London in front of the National Museum of the United States Army in Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
According to London, his favorite experience was his visit to the National Museum of the United States Army in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The museum was designed by a team of SOM architects, including Eliezer Lee who showed London around the site.
“I grew up in Northern Virginia in a military family, and my family and I have been going to Ft. Belvoir since I was a baby,” said London. “It was cool to see such a big firm design this project right next to where I grew up, honoring the US Army where many of my family and friends have served.”
After his positive shadowship experience, London is interested in working for SOM. “It would be a privilege to work there in the future,” he said. “They work on very exciting projects from around the world that anyone would be lucky to contribute to.”
Petya Stefanoff, Chair of the Educational Committee with the American Planning Association, Oklahoma Chapter (APA-OK) and Gibbs College PhD candidate, has developed a new training program for local government officials. The program, focused on land use, zoning principles, and land development, recently certified its first graduates with Certified Citizen Planner status.
Gibbs Construction Science and Architecture students recently traveled to Dublin, Ireland, to compete in the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) Region 8 Student Competition. The team partnered with Czech Technical University and secured third place in the Design-Build category.
Gibbs College is pleased to present the exhibition Vollendorf in Oklahoma: The Architecture of Dean Bryant Vollendorf during the Spring 2026 semester. It will be on display in Gould Hall, on the OU-Norman Campus, from February 16, 2026 - March 13, 2026.
