UC names alumna as dean of DAAP
The 'Cincinnati Business Courier' features Stephanie Pilat
The Cincinnati Business Courier reported that the University of Cincinnati has appointed alumna Stephanie Pilat as dean of its College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP), effective July 1. She becomes the college’s eighth dean.
Stephanie Pilat, dean of UC's College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning. Photo/provided by Pilat.
Pilat most recently served as the Edith Kinney Gaylord presidential professor at the University of Oklahoma, where she directed the Division of Architecture from 2016 to 2024. During her tenure, she oversaw more than 30 faculty and 300 students, doubled enrollment and faculty size, and led a strategic plan that secured reaccreditation and supported faculty research. Before her directorship, she was an assistant professor of architecture and associate director of student development at Oklahoma.
“Following a very competitive national search, Stephanie’s skills and vision for the college were unmatched,” Kristi Nelson, UC’s interim vice provost, was quoted in the article. Pilat is quoted: “I’m thrilled to return to the University of Cincinnati where I started my career in architecture and design decades ago.”
A UC architecture graduate, Pilat earned advanced degrees from the University of Michigan and has held academic, professional and design roles in Michigan, California and Oklahoma. Her research focuses on 20th century architecture, urbanism and social housing.
Pilat joins UC as the university enrolls a record-breaking number of students for the 2025–26 academic year.
Read the entire article. (The Cincinnati Business Courier is a subscription publication. For a pdf of the article contact angela.koenig@uc.edu)
Featured image at top of article: DAAP exterior/UC Marketing + Brand.
About DAAP
The College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) at the University of Cincinnati is internationally recognized for excellence in education, research, and creative practice. Offering more than 30 undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs across a wide range of creative disciplines, DAAP prepares students to become leaders in their fields through rigorous academics and real-world, experience-based learning. With a mission to advance art and design in service to society, DAAP remains committed to innovation, community engagement, and the development of a more vibrant and equitable global future.
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