The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma (OU) is pleased to announce that Jerald (Jerry) Merriman, a University of Oklahoma Architecture alumnus (Class of 1971), has been honored with the 2022 OU Regents’ Alumni Award.
The Regents’ Alumni Awards recognizes alumni and friends who have made a distinctive impact on the University of Oklahoma through their exceptional achievements, service and transformational support.
Award recipients best represent a spirit of community and commitment to excellence demonstrating the University’s highest values. The Regents’ Alumni Award has been one of the University’s most prestigious honors since 1987.
The 2022 Award recipients will be recognized at the annual Regents’ Alumni Awards Ceremony during Homecoming Weekend. Award recipients’ names will be highlighted on the Regents’ Alumni Awards Wall of Distinction in the Oklahoma Memorial Union and be listed on the OU Alumni Regents’ Alumni Awards web site linked below.
Upon receiving his first professional degree in architecture from OU, “Jerry” made his way to Dallas, eventually opening Merriman Architects in 1987 together with his wife Deby. Jerry’s firm made its first donation to OU in 1993, only six years after it was founded. Since then, Jerry has supported OU and advanced its mission of excellence in a myriad of ways. He has served on the Gibbs College Board of Visitors since 2010, as chair since 2014. He has been a key advisor to Dean Hans E. Butzer in formulating the college’s ambitious 26×26 capital campaign to be launched in late 2022. Since 1993, Jerry has generously contributed in excess of $700,000 to the University of Oklahoma. Jerry and Deby have created life-changing scholarships for architecture students. In appreciation for their generous support, various spaces throughout Gould Hall are named in their honor.
Jerry’s firm has been a beacon for Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture graduates. His firm employs countless alumni. Among them, one recent graduate who has been entrusted to lead the firm Jerry helped found. In 2019, Jerry received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Dallas Business Journal.
A team of Construction Science and Architecture students from the Gibbs College of Architecture made their mark on the national stage this week, earning third place out of 37 universities competing at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Student Competition, held during the International Builders' Show in Orlando, February 16-18, 2026.
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.
Students from the Spring 2026 Graduate 4 Architecture Design Studio, led by Professor Amy Leveno, exhibited their work at the School of Visual Arts. The exhibition, titled Reimagining the OU School of Visual Arts, featured drawings, models, and animations developed throughout the semester's studio project. The show was hosted in The Spotlight, a creative gallery space located on the first floor of the Fred Jones Art Center, and ran from January 20–30, 2026.
