Maryville University Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design student, Lilly Vezino, has been named a Top 5 semifinalist in the 2025 Steelcase Student Design Competition – NEXT, one of the most prestigious competitions in the field of interior design education. This year marks the 13th year of the competition, which saw a record-breaking 1,700 students from 86 programs across the country participate, supported by 119 professors. Lilly was supported by Lindsey Buening, full-time faculty in Maryville’s Interior Design Program.
The Steelcase NEXT competition challenges students to design innovative, human-centered spaces that reflect the evolving needs of work, education, and social environments. Vezino’s project stood out among hundreds of submissions for its creativity, functionality, and forward-thinking approach.
As a Top 5 semifinalist, Vezino will 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 Vezino to showcase her talent on a national stage.
“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 Maryville’s interior design faculty, Vezino said. “Presenting at Steelcase’s 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’ve done and cannot wait to see where this takes me!”
This achievement underscores the strength of Maryville’s interior design program. All four of Maryville’s submissions this year advanced to the top 68 (top 4%), with two moving on to the top 29, with Vezino representing Maryville in the final 5. Remarkably, this marks the third time in five years a Maryville student has reached the Top 5, with Elliot Beach winning the competition in 2021.
“I am continually impressed by the caliber of work that our students deliver,” says Kirsten Kohm, Program Director of Maryville’s Interior Design Program. “Our program emphasizes the importance of developing research-informed concepts, design thinking throughout the process, and supporting that work through studio critiques, both by our faculty and industry professionals. We are proud of Lilly and are excited about the opportunities this competition will afford her.”
The Steelcase NEXT competition is considered the largest and most competitive design event in higher education. Vezino’s impressive journey highlights the exceptional talent and dedication of Maryville students and faculty. View Vezino’s submission here.