Gibbs College Alumnus Elevated to AIA College of Fellows

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has elevated Gary Armbruster, FAIA, ALEP to its prestigious College of Fellows—AIA’s highest membership honor—for his exceptional work and sustained contributions to architecture and society. Fellowship recognizes architects who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession and made a significant impact at a national level. Members elevated to this distinction carry the FAIA designation after their name. 

Armbruster, who earned his Master of Architecture from the University of Oklahoma in 2000, has built a career defined by technical advancement, public service, and leadership in educational facility design. A licensed architect in Oklahoma since 2003 and Partner at MA+ Architecture, he has dedicated his career to shaping safer, more resilient, and more inclusive learning environments across the state and nation. 

Throughout his career, Armbruster has redefined standards for school safety and trauma-informed design. As the sole architect appointed to the Oklahoma School Security Commission in 2013, he contributed to recommendations that resulted in four state laws and the creation of the Oklahoma School Security Institute. He also chaired development of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association Building Assessment Tool, which laid the groundwork for the Redbud School Funding Act and has already enabled more than $150 million in facility improvements statewide. 

His influence extends nationally through leadership with the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE), where he chaired the Safe Schools Task Force and served as a Commissioner for the Accredited Learning Environment Planner (ALEP) program. Through these roles, Armbruster helped establish certifications, curricula, and professional competencies that continue to guide architects, educators, and policymakers. 

Armbruster’s project portfolio reflects this commitment to advancing practice. Signature works include Positive Tomorrows in Oklahoma City, a nationally recognized, trauma-informed school designed to serve children experiencing homelessness, and the reconstruction of Canadian Valley Technology Center following the 2013 EF5 tornado. Across K–12 schools, career technology centers, higher education facilities, and storm shelters, his work demonstrates how architecture can integrate safety, dignity, resilience, and technical excellence. 

In addition to his design and policy achievements, Armbruster has strengthened the profession through mentorship and leadership. He has served as President and Board Member of AIA Central Oklahoma and Board Member of AIA Oklahoma, helped launch the Leadership AIA program to prepare emerging architects for firm and community leadership, and founded the MA+ “Architects for Education” volunteer initiative, which has mobilized thousands of hours of pro bono service. 

Elevation to the AIA College of Fellows places Armbruster among a distinguished group of architects whose work has significantly shaped the built environment and advanced the profession nationwide. For Gibbs College, this recognition underscores the impact of OU alumni who translate design expertise into measurable public good. 

Gibbs College congratulates Gary Armbruster, FAIA, on this well-earned honor and celebrates his enduring contributions to educational architecture, public policy, and professional leadership.