Allison Winn, a fourth-year Interior Design student from Elk Grove, California, was selected as Gibbs College’s Outstanding Senior for 2023. Every fall, the dean of each undergraduate college at OU selects one accomplished student to receive this Award of Merit.
The recipients were recognized at a recent ceremony, where David Surratt, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, and representatives from each OU college presented the students with their awards. Read on to learn more about Gibbs College’s 2023 Outstanding Senior!
Allison Winn, 2023 Gibbs College Outstanding Senior
Winn is grateful to be recognized for her extensive efforts in the Interior Design program. “Being recognized with such a prestigious award means a lot to me because of the countless hours and sacrifices I, as well as my family, have made to get me to the place I am today. It has taken a lot out of me to be here, and I’m just overwhelmingly grateful to have made it this far,” said Winn.
Throughout the past three and a half years at Gibbs College, she has created a variety of impressive projects. Some of her most notable designs includes her National African American Jazz Legacy Museum project and her corporate office project “NEXT.” However, Winn is most proud of her project “Salt Hotel,” a boutique hotel she designed during her junior year.
“It was really complex, and I was thrown some pretty big design challenges. Quite honestly, it tested every bit of creativity and knowledge I had. In the end though, it was truly satisfying to see my project as well as my friends’ projects come to life in our final renders,” said Winn.
She continued, “The Interior Design programs’ intensity and level of excellence has truly pushed me to become a more well-rounded professional. The program has taught me a great deal about considering the finer things and stewarding my time well, as well as providing a large body of knowledge that will transition me into the professional world quite smoothly.”
Alongside her design education, Winn has participated in a variety of student organizations across OU’s campus. In her early years in the Interior Design program, she was a part of the Interior Design Student Association. She was also involved in OU STUMO and Cru, two on-campus ministry organizations.
Nowadays, she is involved in her local church, Victory Family Church, as well as a local bible study with Antioch Church. “If it weren’t for me coming to faith and being carried by my friends and family through some really hard moments the past few years, I would not be alive today. The Lord, my family and my friends have such a big role in getting me here. I am eternally grateful,” said Winn.
She also expressed her gratitude for the amazing Gibbs faculty who have positively influenced her design education. Specifically, she thanked her first-ever Interior Design Professor Rick Skaggs, as well as Professors Chelsea Holcomb and Mia Kile for their kindness and mentorship. “Mia Kile is the first ever teacher I have had to say, ‘I’m proud of you,’ and that meant the world to me,” said Winn.
Elizabeth Pober, Director of the Division of Interior Design, describes Winn as a dedicated and talented student. “Her work has been praised by alumni, professionals and faculty. She will continue to excel in her future career as an interior designer. I am very excited that she was selected as our college’s Outstanding Senior.”
After graduation, Winn plans to stay local and work for a small design firm in Oklahoma City. Eventually, she hopes to design and construct a series of wedding venues across the United States. “My long-term goal would be to settle down and establish a church, and meanwhile, come back to OU to teach in the Interior Design Program,” she said.
Congratulations to our 2023 Gibbs College Outstanding Senior Allison Winn!
Featured Image: Left to right: David Surratt, Allison Winn, Elizabeth Pober, and Dean Hans E. Butzer.