Lahari Peluri, an alumna of OU’s Master of Urban Design program, recently contributed to a project that was honored with the prestigious Vernon Deines Award by the American Planning Association’s Small Town and Rural Planning Division. The Stephenville 2050 Comprehensive Plan, envisions a more resilient, community-driven future for the City of Stephenville, Texas, and stands out as a model for small-town planning nationwide.
Peluri played a key role in the project as part of the team at Lionheart Places, where she focused on graphics and visual storytelling. Her contributions helped transform complex planning data into clear, compelling visuals that brought the plan’s concepts to life for the broader community. These graphics included before-and-after land-use comparisons, illustrations of walkable neighborhoods, and frameworks for complete communities—tools that helped bridge the gap between planning policy and public understanding.
Figure 68: Community Core Neighborhood (Source: Stephenville 2025 Comprehensive Plan)
The Stephenville 2050 plan emphasizes sustainable growth, vibrant public spaces, and strong local partnerships. Its success reflects a growing recognition of how visual communication can support meaningful engagement and drive more inclusive planning outcomes.
“Design has the power to connect people to ideas,” said Peluri. “This project reminded me how thoughtful visuals can help communities truly see and shape their future.”
Peluri’s work exemplifies the values at the heart of urban design: collaboration, inclusivity, and vision. At OU, she honed her interdisciplinary approach to planning—blending design, policy, and community engagement—to create people-centered places. Her experience in Stephenville is a testament to how design can elevate the planning process and inspire a shared vision for tomorrow.
Petya Stefanoff, Chair of the Educational Committee with the American Planning Association, Oklahoma Chapter (APA-OK) and Gibbs College PhD candidate, has developed a new training program for local government officials. The program, focused on land use, zoning principles, and land development, recently certified its first graduates with Certified Citizen Planner status.
Gibbs Construction Science and Architecture students recently traveled to Dublin, Ireland, to compete in the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) Region 8 Student Competition. The team partnered with Czech Technical University and secured third place in the Design-Build category.
Gibbs College is pleased to present the exhibition Vollendorf in Oklahoma: The Architecture of Dean Bryant Vollendorf during the Spring 2026 semester. It will be on display in Gould Hall, on the OU-Norman Campus, from February 16, 2026 - March 13, 2026.
