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Ä¢¹½´«Ã½\u00a0Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design\u00a0student, Lilly\u00a0Vezino, has been named a Top 5 semifinalist in the 2025 Steelcase Student Design Competition<\/a> \u2013 NEXT, one of the most prestigious competitions in the field of interior design\u00a0education. This year marks the 13th year of the competition, which saw a record-breaking 1,700 students from 86 programs across the country\u00a0participate, supported by 119 professors.\u00a0<\/span>Lilly was supported by Lindsey Buening, full-time faculty\u00a0in\u00a0Ä¢¹½´«Ã½\u2019s Interior Design Program.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Steelcase NEXT competition challenges students to design innovative, human-centered spaces that reflect the evolving needs of work, education, and social environments.\u00a0Vezino\u2019s\u00a0project stood out among hundreds of submissions for its creativity, functionality, and forward-thinking approach.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As a Top 5 semifinalist,\u00a0Vezino\u00a0will travel to the Steelcase headquarters in Grand Rapids, Michigan, this February to present her design to a panel of judges that includes leading designers from top national firms. These judges will select the overall winner of the competition, making this an incredible opportunity for\u00a0Vezino\u00a0to\u00a0showcase\u00a0her talent on a national stage.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n “The Steelcase NEXT project pushed me to explore how thoughtful, human-centered design can shape the way people work, while also being unique and creative. Making it to the Top 5 in the competition is extremely motivating and a great representation of the knowledge I’ve learned from Ä¢¹½´«Ã½\u2019s interior design faculty, Vezino said. “Presenting at Steelcase\u2019s headquarters in Grand Rapids will be an amazing opportunity to engage with designers in the field and continue growing as a designer myself. I am proud of the work I\u2019ve done and cannot wait to see where this takes me!”<\/span><\/p>\n This achievement underscores the strength of Ä¢¹½´«Ã½\u2019s interior design program. All four of Ä¢¹½´«Ã½\u2019s submissions this year advanced to the top 68 (top 4%), with two moving on to the top 29,\u00a0with\u00a0Vezino\u00a0representing\u00a0Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ in the final 5. Remarkably, this marks the\u00a0<\/span>third time in five years<\/span><\/b>\u00a0a Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ student has reached the Top 5, with Elliot Beach winning the competition in 2021.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI am continually impressed by the caliber of work that our students deliver,\u201d\u00a0says Kirsten\u00a0Kohm, Program Director of Ä¢¹½´«Ã½\u2019s Interior Design Program.\u00a0\u201cOur program\u00a0emphasizes\u00a0the importance of\u00a0developing\u00a0research-informed\u00a0concepts, design thinking throughout the process,\u00a0and\u00a0supporting that work\u00a0through\u00a0studio critiques, both by our faculty and\u00a0industry professionals. We are proud of\u00a0Lilly and\u00a0are excited about the opportunities this competition will afford her.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Steelcase NEXT competition is considered the largest and most competitive design event in higher education. Vezino\u2019s impressive journey highlights the exceptional talent and dedication of Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ students and faculty. View Vezino’s submission here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n