The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to share that Frank Hicks, a graduate student in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture and Design, has been selected for the Landscape Architecture Foundation’s (LAF) Ignite Program.
Ignite is a national, multi-year program that provides participants with a $10,000 annual scholarship, paid summer internships, and one-on-one professional mentorship. Each year, only 4–7 students from across the country are chosen to join this prestigious program. With Frank’s incoming class, the Ignite cohort will grow to a total of 15 participants.
Frank earned his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design from OU in 2024 and is now pursuing a Master of Landscape Architecture, expected in 2026. He is also an active member of the American Society of Landscape Architects Student Chapter (SCASLA).
Through Ignite, Frank will have the opportunity to gain valuable professional experience, connect with mentors in the field, and continue building his leadership skills as he prepares for a career in landscape architecture.
“I’m so proud of Frank. Being selected as one of just 15 Landscape Architecture students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs across the country to participate in the program is a major accomplishment,” said Dr. Sarah Little, associate professor of Landscape Architecture at OU. “In addition to his professional and personal growth, his participation in Ignite propels the MLA@OU program onto a national stage.”
Gibbs College congratulates Frank on this achievement and looks forward to celebrating his continued success. To learn more, view the LAF Ignite announcement.
A project by University of Oklahoma Architecture lecturer René Peralta, developed through Generica Architecture with co-director Monica Fragoso and collaborators Andrew Stone and Ty Brown-Field, is now on view in Gould Hall as a focused installation drawn from the recent exhibition Is Housing Still Housing? Houston’s Single-Family House.
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.
