We are pleased to announce that our Ph.D. student, Rafael Hernández, has been awarded the prestigious American Council for Construction Education’s (ACCE) National Housing Endowment Scholarship for the 2025-2026 academic year.
“My family and I are truly grateful for this scholarship, which eases the financial burden of paying for school and allows me to focus on my studies and research,” says Rafael. “I look forward to becoming actively involved with ACCE and its distinguished institutions in the future!”
The National Housing Endowment is a philanthropic branch of the National Association of Home Builders. They support the residential construction industry by sharing educational and career opportunities with students.
The ACCE is a global advocate for the quality of construction education, responsible for promotion, support, and accreditation of construction education programs. Working with the National Housing Endowment, the ACCE awards a scholarship to support the children of Executive Officers in the pursuit of a college degree. To date, $330,000 has supported more than 250 students in their education.
“Rafael’s professional and military background will make him a tremendous addition to any program,” says Dr. Ben Bigelow. “I’m very excited that the National Housing Endowment has recognized him with this support!”
Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition!
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.
