2023 Student of the Year Espe Zivkovic

Sep 11, 2023 By Jessica Jones

A recent graduate of Bellevue College's Interior Design program, IIDA Northern Pacific Chapter's student council president, and a student board leader on campus

By Jessica Jones Sep 11, 2023

Published in Awards & Honors

Our 2023 IIDA Student of the Year Award recipient is Espe Zivkovic, Student IIDA, an interior design graduate of Bellevue College and member of the IIDA Northern Pacific Chapter. Zivkovic is originally from Colombia and she started off as an industrial design student but decided to shift gears into interior design after moving to Seattle. In Seattle, she began her interior design studies with the intention of combining her industrial design knowledge with interior design knowledge giving her a more holistic approach to design. Her passion for creativity opened a path for her to represent a new generation of designers.

Zivkovic participated in the IIDA’s 2022 Student Design Charette at NeoCon in Chicago where she learned how to hone her skills in developing concepts, drafting, and modeling. IIDA has provided her with unique opportunities to collaborate with students and design professionals. As an emerging designer Zivkovic's focus has been on sustainability. She wants to create a greener future inspired by human-centered designs. Her involvement within the design community has inspired her and others to continue to build a better and brighter design future. Through her internship with CallisonRTKL Inc, Zivkovic combined her passion for design and passion for community, learning from design professionals who are inspired by her dedication and leadership skills.

Espe gives her speech during the 2023 Annual Meeting.

Espe converses with friends and design professionals during the 2023 Annual Meeting reception.

“During her internship so far, Espe quickly adapted to become a part of our design team- taking initiatives, and always going above and beyond with her tasks. She is constantly juggling her workload between school and her internship work, and she does it with grace and professionalism. Beyond working hard on her internship as well as her school work, Espe is always giving back and helping other students reach their goals and dreams, by sharing her resources, knowledge, and personal experiences. Espe is a strong advocate for a strong local design community, especially with the students,” says Jeany Kim, IIDA, Associate Principal at CallisonRTKL Inc.

Zivkovic’s dedication to her student leadership is exemplified through her work within the IIDA community. From working with student leaders to volunteering for IIDA events, Zivkovic helps represent what it means to be a student IIDA leader.

“As a student, she has demonstrated a love of learning and the level of commitment necessary to succeed at Bellevue College and beyond her education as a design industry professional. Supplementing her past Industrial Design education with an Interior Design degree, Espe has embraced the design industry whole-heartedly with outstanding studio projects and professional involvement. In addition to balancing an internship at international design firm CallisonRTKL, Espe is a devoted student leader because she has chosen to be an advocate for the design profession. Espe is committed to leadership, growth, and representation in the industry,” says Mark Mappala, Associate Professor Interior Design Department at Bellevue College.