Architect, educator, and dean of the University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design, Patricia Belton Oliver, FAIA, recently received her third award for educational leadership, solidifying her reputation at the local, regional, and national levels.
On October 25th, Dean Oliver accepted the Texas Society of Architects “Award for Outstanding Educational Contributions in Honor of Edward J. Romieniec, FAIA” at the annual Texas Society of Architects Conference and Design Expo in Galveston, Texas. This latest recognition joins two other significant awards received by Dean Oliver in the last year: the American Institute of Architects Houston Chapter Award for “Educator of the Year” and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture “Distinguished Professor Award.”
“I am truly honored to be recognized by these three esteemed organizations as a leader in design education,” said Oliver. “Once praised as ‘Houston’s best-kept secret,’ it is wonderful to see our college receiving recognition at so many different levels.”
Since her arrival in 2010, Dean Oliver has propelled the Hines College forward as a national leader in architecture and design education. This year, for the second year in a row, the college ranks in the top 35 “Most Admired Undergraduate Architecture Schools” in the United States, according to Design Intelligence, an organization comprised of architects and educators. Last year marked the first year the Hines College ever achieved Design Intelligence ranking status.
This year marked another first in rankings for the college. Design Intelligence included the Hines College as No. 14 of “Most Hired From Architecture Schools” in the United States. Hines College students have long been sought out by architecture firms and companies throughout the world. This new ranking confirms the college’s employment placement position among other institutions and exemplifies the caliber of students graduating from its programs.
“I could not be more proud of how our college has advanced over the past decade,” said Oliver. “As we move into our 75th anniversary year in 2020, we have so much to celebrate and anticipate moving into the next 25 years!”