Robert L. Wesley, a pioneering architect and beloved mentor, has died at age 88.
A graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Wesley joined Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) in 1964 and became the firm's first Black partner in 1984. Throughout his career, he contributed to significant architectural projects while maintaining a strong commitment to civic engagement and professional mentorship.
His commitment to nurturing emerging talent inspired the SOM Foundation to establish the Robert L. Wesley Award in 2020, which provides support to BIPOC students pursuing careers in architecture, landscape architecture, interior architecture, urban design, and engineering. To date, twenty-five students have received the award.
Robert L. Wesley.
Iker Gil, Executive Director of the SOM Foundation, noted Wesley's continued involvement with the award program: "Working alongside Bob since 2020 has been a privilege. He was an inspiration to all of us at the SOM Foundation as well as to the mentors and students who have received the Robert L. Wesley Award so far. Bob was directly involved in reviewing applications, an active participant in mentorship sessions, and dedicated to ensuring we did everything we could to support students."
Wesley's legacy in architecture and design education will continue through the students and professionals he mentored throughout his career. Learn more about Robert L. Wesley.
Telesis, a journal produced by students in the University of Oklahoma Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture, has earned first place in the 2026 Douglas Haskell Award for Student Journals for its seventh volume, “Unfold.” This marks the fourth time the publication has earned recognition for excellence in student architectural journalism. It shares the honor with student journals from Columbia University, University of Michigan, and Cal Poly.
Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture congratulates Thinh "Henry" Duong, a master's student in the Division of Interior Design, for earning first place in the 2026 Robert Bruce Thompson Annual Student Light Fixture Design Competition.
Gibbs College of Architecture Institute for Quality Communities (IQC) Director and Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture, and Design (PLAD) faculty member Amber N. Wiley, Ph.D., recently published a new book, Collective Yearning: Black Women Artists from the Zimmerli Art Museum.
