The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to announce the appointment of Terry Clinefelter as an Assistant Professor in the Haskell & Irene Lemon Construction Science Division at the University of Oklahoma, beginning in Fall 2025.
Clinefelter brings more than 15 years of leadership and teaching experience in construction education, along with a strong professional background in residential and light commercial construction. He previously served as Department Head of the Construction Technology program at Oklahoma State University–Oklahoma City, where he spearheaded curriculum development, expanded industry partnerships, and championed hands-on learning initiatives for students.
At OU, Clinefelter will contribute to both teaching and research. His teaching experience spans blueprint reading, estimating, construction management, energy-efficient construction, MEP systems, and sustainable construction. His research focuses on experiential learning in construction education, with particular emphasis on the role and cost of hands-on laboratory instruction in four-year construction science programs.
“Terry grew up in his Dad’s cabinet shop and has a lifetime of first hand experience putting work in place,” said Prof. Ben Bigelow, director of the Division of Construction Science. “That first hand experience is complimented by the 16 years he spent teaching in a program that is focused on hands-on construction work.”
In addition to his academic leadership, Clinefelter has significant professional experience, including project management in residential and light commercial construction, as well as running a property management and consulting business with his wife in Guthrie, Oklahoma. He also serves as Vice President for Construct My Future, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing learning opportunities and career pathways for young people interested in technical and construction training.
Clinefelter earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Florida State University and a Master of Science in Building Construction from the University of Florida.
Please join us in congratulating Prof. Clinefelter on his new appointment in the Haskell & Irene Lemon Division of Construction Science!
Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to recognize Petya Stefanoff, who is pursuing her doctorate in the Planning, Design & Construction (PDC) program, has been appointed the new role of Director of Community Development for the City of Shawnee, Oklahoma. She joined the city in 2024.
Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Amber N. Wiley, Ph.D., associate professor in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture and Design and director of the Institute for Quality Communities, has received national recognition for her book Model Schools in the Model City. The book has been named a finalist for the 2026 the PROSE Awards.
Gibbs College of Architecture Regional + City Planning Professor of Practice Vanessa Morrison and Associate Professor of Architecture Deborah Richards’ Open Design Collective received top honors at the inaugural BlackSpace Urbanist Collective Studio KIN Pitch Night Competition, held last month in Brooklyn, New York City.
