Parker Wonser
Excellence Award Winner
Industrial Design
Industrial Design builds a better world with meaningful solutions that address human needs and improve the quality of life.
Staplers are nice. Write a letter to King Louis XV—who invented the first stapler in 1866—to express your gratitude. A world without staplers would be a mess of loose papers. Behind every manmade object is a designer. And there are still countless problems waiting to be solved. Parker creates solutions that encourage others to live a healthier and happier life. He aspires to create solutions that increase in value over time and envisions a product life-cycle system where waste equals food.
What is your most memorable
experience at KCAD?
Phil Renato’s digital modeling class is something I will take with me for the rest of my life. Phil's lively and energetic personality flavored the class and provided an experience unlike anything I've ever had. He soon became one of the most loved teachers because of his big heart, honesty, and breadth of knowledge. Phil has such passion for each project he tackles which makes me want to live life more wholeheartedly. I will miss seeing you around in my post-college life, Phil!
What are your most
notable accomplishments?
My year-long internship with Spectrum Health Innovations stands out as a significant accomplishment with its intensity and teamwork focus. I designed medical devices in collaboration with Grand Valley State University engineering. I became aware of my strengths and weaknesses and received a patent out for our team's design. Hospitals are currently implementing technology related to our design.
I also had the pleasure of working alongside Sweet Spot Studio, a toy design company owned by Jon Vanderbeek in Saugatuck, MI. I learned so much about the design process and specifically the toy design world.
Lastly, it’s been a joy to work with talented people at places like Studio 11 and Calvin University who have furthered my music knowledge and enabled me to create a visionary music tool to help musicians express and capture their creativity quicker while on the move. I'm happy to share this tool soon after graduation to help benefit musicians around the world.