Celebrated architect, educator, researcher and Principal of the interdisciplinary design firm Ayers Saint Gross Shannon Dowling has been named a recipient of the “2025 ICON in Education Design Award” from Learning By Design magazine.

The award honors visionary leaders in architecture, education, and design who are driving meaningful change in the way learning environments are imagined and realized.

With a career spanning over two decades, Dowling continues to be recognized for her commitment to creating student-centered environments that promote belonging and academic success. Her research-driven approach and advocacy for inclusive design have shaped design and planning efforts at institutions like the University of Washington, Purdue University, Ohio University, Johns Hopkins University, and more.

Dowling’s work also includes the recent transformation of a former office building into Bryant University’s Business Entrepreneurship Leadership Center (BELC). This adaptive reuse project exemplifies her higher education design ethos: creating dynamic, inclusive learning environments that inspire curiosity and engagement while meeting diverse student needs.

The Art of Design

Featuring active learning classrooms, labs, and a range of specialized research and maker spaces, the design for BELC integrates sustainable strategies to reduce embodied carbon throughout the project.

A former adjunct professor at VCU’s School of the Arts and a SCUP Fellow, Dowling continues to lead national conversations around equity and inclusion in campus design through her involvement with the Learning Spaces Collaboratory and Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

Dowling’s recognition as a 2025 ICON in Education Design further affirms her role as a key leader shaping the future of higher education.