Congratulations to the OU faculty and alumna recently selected to receive American Institute of Architects (AIA) Oklahoma Honor Awards! The awards will be formally presented at the 2018 AIA Conference on Architecture on Nov. 9.
Urban Design Director Shawn Schaefer won the 2018 AIA Oklahoma Community Service Award. Schaefer has “been relentless in uniting his students’ enthusiasm for engaging real-world projects with diverse communities who benefit from the UDS program’s unique focus on participatory design,” notes Hans E. Butzer, the Dean of the Gibbs College of Architecture. Schaefer’s work has made real, lasting impacts on the City of Tulsa and the State of Oklahoma as a whole.
Architecture Professor Marjorie Callahan won the 2018 AIA Oklahoma Outstanding Educational Contributions Award. Callahan, among other professional accomplishments, has earned four Diplomacy Lab partnerships through the U.S. Department of State. She is tirelessly devoted to student success and has a “selfless approach to saying ‘yes’ ” shares Dean Butzer.
Alumna Beth Windel of SDG Architects earned the 2018 AIA Oklahoma Young Professional Achievement Award. Windel graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a B.Arch degree in 2003 and established SDG Architects in 2009. In 2015, Windel became the first female architect appointed to the Oklahoma Board of Licensed Architects, Landscape Architects, and Registered Interior Designers. Windel also serves on the Professional Advisory Board at the Gibbs College of Architecture and has helped raise over $75,000 in support of student travel study programs.
Featured Image: from left to right, Shawn Schaefer, Marjorie Callahan, and Beth Windel
On April 24, 2026, the Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture hosted its annual Graduate Student Showcase, a celebration of research, design innovation, and creative exploration across all graduate programs within the College.
The Gibbs College of Architecture celebrates fifth-year architecture student Haley Praytor, who has been recognized at the national level for her design work. In early March, Haley received a Graduate Division Award of Merit for her submission to the 2025 Metal Building Manufacturers Association student design competition.
Ronald Frantz Jr., emeritus professor, has been named a 2026 Mary Means Leadership Award recipient, the highest honor presented by Main Street America. The award was announced at the Main Street Now Conference in Tulsa, recognizing leaders who advance preservation-based economic development and community revitalization.
