TYPros, an organization that helps young professionals in Tulsa connect and find their place in the city, recently awarded their “Make Tulsa Awesome” grant to GCA Urban Design student Jamie Pierce and GCA Urban Design alumnae Kelly Cook and Paula Baeza.
The mission of TYPros is to “attract and retain young, creative talent to the Tulsa region while developing the next generation of leaders and enhancing Tulsa’s sense of place.” They do this by fostering the growth of seven sectors in the Tulsa area: Arts & Entertainment, Business Development, Diversity, Government Relations, Leadership & Service, Sustainability, Urbanists. The goal of the “Make Tulsa Awesome” grant is to engage young Tulsans in placemaking, innovation and community development.
Kelly Cook, who graduated from GCA with her MS in Architectural Urban Studies in 2016, received a $10,000 grant to bring her dreams of what is now the Tulsa Art Alley to life. The grant, as well as $20,000 raised through GoFundMe, helped turn the alley behind Elote, a restaurant in Tulsa, into a piece of art. The alley is not only beautiful now, but also functional. Cook was able to work with businesses along the alley and local waste management companies to install a compacting dumpster and a recycling dumpster in the alley, which allow them to dramatically reduce the number of dumpsters and trash in the alley, as well as integrate a composting dumpster for the restaurants that back up to the alley.
Tulsa Art Alley guests. Photo credit: Kelly Cook.
“Without the help from the TYPROS Foundation, the Tulsa Art Alley project may have never gotten off the ground. Applying for and receiving the grant was the catalyst for making our idea a reality,” said Cook. “I also want to give huge thanks to Shawn Schaefer and the OU Urban Design Studio at OU Tulsa. I learned so much during my time in the OUUDS program.”
Dumpster painted by Codak Smith, Tulsa, OK. Photo credit: Kelly Cook.
Cook has also recently accepted a position on the TYPros Foundation Board of Trustees, so she will have the honor of helping choose the recipients of the “Make Tulsa Awesome” grant for upcoming grant cycles.
Pop Up Playscape designed by Jamie Pierson. Photo credit: Jamie Pierson.
Jamie Pierson, a current GCA Urban Design student, also received the grant to develop her project Pop Up Playscape, which is a placemaking design intervention made up of geometric components built of reclaimed cardboard. The project encourages engagement in the built environment, while creating a sense of ownership over public spaces, and building positive connections between users. The initial components of the project are set to be displayed outside of AHHA, an arts and humanity council in Tulsa, but the goal is that they can be developed anywhere for anyone ages 5 to 85.
Users building with Pop Up Playscape designed by Jamie Pierson.. Photo credit: Jamie Pierson.
“The TYPROs grant has made it possible for me to experiment with different building methods and designs,” said Pierson. “Having a budget makes all the difference with a project like this, you don’t have to be afraid to try something out of the box out of fear of wasting materials.”
Another recent GCA alumna to receive the grant was Paulina Baeza. She received the grant to implement a few aspects of her capstone project she completed in her final year studying Urban Design at the OU-Tulsa campus, which was a Multicultural District Master Plan for East Tulsa, one of the city’s most diverse areas. The project aims to improve the connectivity of East Tulsa and its growing Mexican-American and Vietnamese-American communities by partnering with organizations such as Tulsa Hub, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Casa de la Cultura.
The Intercultural Food Truck Square concept by Paulina Baeza. Photo credit: Paulina Baeza.
“In my experience, projects like these help build partnerships and empower communities while keeping them connected,” said Baeza. “It has been a great experience which has helped East Tulsa continue to gain interest and attention.”
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.
