Dijana Alickovic, being in Bosnia, has herself felt the effects that a civil war can have on a community. However, it is living through and being part of a civil war that has inspired her to help treat the devastating symptoms that are caused by such conflict. In1997, she immigrated, as a war refugee, with her family to Salt Lake City, Utah where she received her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Architecture at the University of Utah and has practiced her internship in both for-profit and non-profit sectors. She is experienced in sustainable design, housing, and community development. She has provided architectural design services on local and international level. Dijana Alickovic is an intern architect and humanitarian activist.

As an architectural student, she gained experience on an international level. In Argentina, Dijana participated in the International Exchange Program between The Universidad Nacional Del Litoral in Santa Fe, Argentina and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. Also, while studying history of Japanese Architecture, she visited various contemporary, historical, and traditional architectural buildings located in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Awaji Island.

Dijana has participated in various housing and community development projects. She volunteered as a construction worker to help build residential units in Arcosanti, located in northern Arizona. Arcosanti was founded by Italian architect Paolo Soleri, whose intent is to present an alternative to urban sprawl. Dijana was also involved with the Regional/Urban Design Assistance Team (R/UDAT) sponsored by the American Institute of Architects whose goal was to design a master plan for the city of Pleasant Grove, Utah. Dijana’s aspiration to design and build for the underprivileged inspired her decision to become involved with Habitat for Humanity. She was assigned to design a house for low-income families in Orem and Provo, Utah.

As a humanitarian, Dijana worked with the nongovernmental organization From Houses to Homes. She stayed two weeks in Antigua, Guatemala, building homes for the poor and the following year she went back to Guatemala to deliver food to and assess the needs of families in remote villages. Dijana also co-founded COMMON studio, an architectural nonprofit organization that provides full architectural design services to communities, individuals, and nonprofits in need. With COMMON studio, she visited Haiti after the devastating earthquake of 2010, where she spent time assessing a site for an orphanage and a school and also spent time volunteering at another orphanage sponsored by Haitian Roots and Bel Haiti. Dijana also designed an orphanage outside of Kabul, Afghanistan, a youth center and volunteer bunkhouse in Green River, Utah, as well as a school and orphanage in Croix des Bouquets, Haiti.

In addition to providing architectural services, she was sponsored by AmeriCorps as a VISTA volunteer for the International Rescue Committee of Salt Lake City, Utah where she facilitated refugee resettlement for individuals and families coming from Bhutan, Myanmar, Iraq, Somalia, Congo, and Eritrea.