Fashion Institute of Technology Senior Ken Park Announced as Recipient of the 2025 ChangeUp Scholarship + Experience

PAVE Global, in partnership with award-winning experience agency ChangeUp, proudly announces Keonwook “Ken” Park, a Senior in the Spatial Experience Design program at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York, as the recipient of the 2025 ChangeUp Scholarship + Experience.

This annual program recognizes one outstanding design student who demonstrates a thoughtful approach to brand storytelling through spatial design. The recipient receives a $5,000 scholarship, 40 hours of in-person mentorship with the ChangeUp team at their Miamisburg, Ohio studio, and an invitation to attend the 2025 PAVE Gala in New York City as ChangeUp’s guest.

Excerpt from the Portfolio of Ken Park

"The team at ChangeUp was immediately impressed with Ken Park’s portfolio, which reflected a distinctive balance of creativity and strategy. His ability to design thoughtful spaces that harness the power of brand, combines sensitivity with commercial appeal. As our Scholarship recipient, we’re excited to welcome Keonwook to our studio and look forward to showing him how our team brings strategy and design together to create meaningful brand experiences,” said Marty McCauley, Creative Director at ChangeUp.

In his submission, Park described space as “the most dynamic form of storytelling”, a medium capable of shaping emotion and cultural identity. Through projects such as The Boutique at Āman, Gubi Showroom, and Twist Gin Activation, he explored how design can express values like stillness, heritage, and play through spatial rhythm and materiality. “I’ve come to see retail as choreography,” he wrote, “where participation replaces consumption and emotion becomes the language of connection.”

Park’s work demonstrates a deep understanding of how space, light, and material can transform brand philosophy into human experience, an approach that aligns seamlessly with ChangeUp’s vision of designing for the moments where brands and people meet.

Excerpt from the Portfolio of Ken Park

The PAVE Global Scholarship Program, now in its fifteenth year, provides financial assistance and mentorship to students pursuing careers in the design and creation of consumer environments. Through partnerships with leading industry firms and partners like ChangeUp, Bish Creative, Bergmeyer, and VMSD, PAVE helps reduce barriers to education and foster professional growth opportunities for emerging designers.

For more information on the ChangeUp Scholarship + Experience, visit paveglobal.org/changeup.

Excerpt from the Portfolio of Ken Park

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About ChangeUp

ChangeUp is an award-winning experience agency designing for the moments where brands and customers meet. The agency creates change through strategy, brand design, store design, and architecture, working with clients such as Panera Bread, Panda Express, Trek, Baskin-Robbins, Wawa, and Discount Tire. Learn more at changeupinc.com.

About PAVE Global

Founded in 1992 as The Planning and Visual Education Partnership, PAVE Global is a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation that enables young talent to build successful careers designing and creating consumer environments. All proceeds benefit PAVE’s educational programs, supporting students, educators, and industry connections through financial assistance, mentorship, and inspiration. Learn more at paveglobal.org.