A QUICK SNAPSHOT: THE BILBEISI DUO

Suzanne Bilbeisi knew that she wanted to pursue a career in teaching architecture at OSU from the first moment that Professor Bob Wright asked her to review a freshman’s figure-ground drawing... in 1987! After receiving her degrees and then leaving the state to work for a large firm in Philadelphia, she felt the call to come back to OSU. Suzanne has been a member of the faculty since Fall of 1993, primarily focusing her efforts on the education of freshmen, and helping them to cross that threshold from high school thinking to DESIGN thinking. Over her thirty years with OSU, she has taught more than 3,000 freshmen students. Additionally, she has taught design studios in the first, second, third, and fifth year levels. Most recently, she developed the “Professional Development for Architects” course, which helps to transition our students from the concerns of the academic environment to their future situation in professional practice. A staunch supporter of our profession, she has also worked tirelessely with Professor Moh to carry out summer workshops for high school students, to ensure the pipeline of highly qualified students remains strong. Suzanne is both dedicated and hardworking, which has led to her considerable success as a member of our faculty team, and also in leading our School.

Mohammed Bilbeisi began honing his skills in drawing and his love for architecture as a young boy in Amman, Jordan. He arrived in Stillwater on New Year’s Day 1982, to pursue a major in Architectural Engineering. He soon found his real passion in design and drawing, and completed the Bachelor and Master of Architecture degrees. He also felt the call to teach, and vowed to one day make that a reality. After working with firms in Philadelphia, his first teaching assignments were with the Department of Design, Housing and Merchandising at OSU, and then with the OU College of Architecture. The past twenty-five years he has dedicated his career to OSU and to our students, teaching studios throughout our curriculum and introducing each student to the importance of graphic communication. Beyond Moh’s obvious graphic talents and design skills, it is his impish tricks and funny comments, however, that most endear him to his students. Professor Moh encourages each student to explore with an open mind (he often says “the worst that can happen is you’ll get a zero!”), to help them find their true voice in design. All agree there is no one quite like Professor Moh.