Duy Nguyen, a Regional + City Planning student, recently published an op-ed in The Oklahoman titled “It takes a community to provide resources to homeless Oklahomans.” Written as part of Dr. C. Aujean Lee’s course “Planning with Diverse Communities,” the op-ed explores how different Oklahoma City institutions can help provide resources to the homeless. Duy says he wrote the article “because of the stigma on homelessness. Homelessness can happen to anyone and my class, ‘Planning with Diverse Communities,’ teaches us that planning should be as inclusive as possible. No one left behind.”
He begins the column by insisting that homelessness can happen to everyone and is a problem that should not be ignored, “During these tough times, homelessness can happen to individuals of all ages, levels of income, ethnicities and backgrounds.”
Duy mentions two nonprofits that work to solve homelessness in Oklahoma City as well as the role the Oklahoma City Metropolitan libraries can play in helping the homeless. He goes on to argue that everyone has a role to play in solving homelessness in Oklahoma, “Oklahoma City and all its residents should find ways to help people without housing find access to food, shelter and access to the internet. It takes a community effort to fight homelessness and help our fellow Oklahomans get back on their feet.”
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.