Melvin Morales graduated from Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston with a Bachelors in Industrial Design. Melvin was raised in a small Rhode Island city and has a passion for running, photography, the outdoors, traveling, and creating. Melvin was able to develop his own style and his ability to add his own twist on anything is a big reason that he is so passionate about design.
Check out Melvin’s website here: https://www.melvinmorales.com/
What got you interested in Industrial and Product Design?
At first, I had no idea what Industrial Design was, my interest in came from a hobby acquired during my time in high school. Photography was a huge outlet for me. The idea of capturing and creating moments in time drew me into this creative field. The funny thing is, I never took any art or design classes. It grew out of pure passion, interest, and curiosity. During my childhood, I would take things apart to see how they functioned, especially those with many moving parts. After graduating high school, I researched different majors that encompassed my passions with photography, editing, creating – leading me to graphic design. The one missing element was the hands-on aspect; where my passion to create anything you can think of was possible. Furthering my research I found Industrial Design. ID is very broad and encompasses all design aspects. From photography, product design, art, engineering and much more. My interest in design came from my passions, and love for creativity. It just so happened to be packaged in the form of Industrial Design.
What advice would you give to students looking to major in Industrial and Project Design?
Trust your instinct and follow your passions. It is truly worth it.
Melvin Morales
Bonus: Put yourself in situations that allow you to learn and gain as many experiences as possible. At the end of the day, we are designing a better world. Your designs should be human-centered. As a designer, you will learn that you have a social responsibility to create a better world for those who need it most. The experiences you have in life allow you to empathize with others.
What has been your favorite project so far?
My favorite project was my Senior Thesis – SupplyAid. Supply Aid is a service that connects different companies, local government, and people by coordinating relief goods using an emergency kit to provide assistance to those affected by natural disasters. I focused on disaster relief because my family was directly affected by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. I wanted to see how design could create value and change the experience by those affected.
Every design project has a journey, how vital is storytelling in design?
Storytelling is crucial in all areas of design. One of the main points about storytelling is empathy. Empathy is an important product of good storytelling. By creating characters or relatable points in a story and empathizing with them, designers are able to better communicate about and with their target audience. Empathy may even work the other way around by helping the designer convey a message or feeling to the user. Everyone can relate to something – a powerful story and message can become beneficial for any design project.
What is your favorite place in Boston?
My favorite place in Boston is the Charles River Esplanade. Boston is a great city but whenever I need to get away from it all I would either bike or run down and sit on the docks for hours clearing my head while enjoying the fantastic view.
Any shoutouts?
I would like to shout out the Industrial Design faculty. They truly allowed me to become the best designer by pushing my limits and creativity. I would also like to shout out all my friends – for all the memories and great times at Wentworth.
Connect with Melvin on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melvnmor/
