Gibbs College student Kristi Saliba, a junior majoring in Architecture, was recently named the University of Oklahoma “Student Employee of the Year,” in a ceremony held at the Oklahoma Memorial Union on Saturday, April 17, 2021.
Saliba has served Gibbs College as a communications and alumni relations intern since 2017. Today, she she oversees the implementation of three important College communications/alumni outreach efforts, including:
Less than one year ago, Gibbs College did not have a podcast or process for interviewing faculty, students and alumni. Today, Saliba oversees the interview scheduling process, podcast publishing, transcription, and blog posting, ensuring that prospective students, as well as donors, have ready access to rich stories about the impact of Gibbs College’s community members.
“Kristi has truly demonstrated what is possible with collaboration, responsiveness to feedback and a strong work ethic by taking on these initiatives and growing their impact,” said Saliba’s supervisor, Dr. Angela Person, Director of Research Initiatives and Strategic Planning for Gibbs College.
Person continued, “Alongside managing her challenging course load as an architecture student (with a minor in harp performance!), Kristi exemplifies the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ competencies as a student employee.”
“It has been a great professional pleasure to observe Kristi come into her own as a true leader in her role as communications intern.”
Learn more about Kristi on the Gibbs Spotlight Podcast or view her Employee Spotlight on Instagram.
The National Student Employment Association (NSEA) coordinates the annual National Student Employee of the Year (SEOTY) program in collaboration with the Southern Association of Student Employment Administrators (SASEA) and its member institutions. The intent of this award is to recognize the outstanding contributions and achievements of students who work while pursuing higher education.
Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to recognize Petya Stefanoff, who is pursuing her doctorate in the Planning, Design & Construction (PDC) program, has been appointed the new role of Director of Community Development for the City of Shawnee, Oklahoma. She joined the city in 2024.
Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Amber N. Wiley, Ph.D., associate professor in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture and Design and director of the Institute for Quality Communities, has received national recognition for her book Model Schools in the Model City. The book has been named a finalist for the 2026 the PROSE Awards.
Gibbs College of Architecture Regional + City Planning Professor of Practice Vanessa Morrison and Associate Professor of Architecture Deborah Richards’ Open Design Collective received top honors at the inaugural BlackSpace Urbanist Collective Studio KIN Pitch Night Competition, held last month in Brooklyn, New York City.
