The Designer as Underdog

Carly Hagins
Aug 25, 2017 · 1 min read

I am in the first week of my pursuit of an MFA in Industrial Design. I am seeking this advanced degree at a prestigious University that boasts a historic campus and arguably one of the most robust alumni networks in the United States. And I am writing this from my desk, a folding table in the corner of a room that used to be primarily occupied by duct work, in a building that more closely resembles a rural dentist’s office than a hall of higher education.

And this is not an isolated incident. For the past six years I have taught Industrial Design at a different University in the middle of a bustling urban environment. That University has seen dramatic improvements to its facilities and special attention and resources allocated to entrepreneurship and biomedical engineering. But our program is housed in the depths of one of the oldest buildings on campus. When our main studio space was outfitted with air conditioning last year it was a big, big deal.

Design, however popular and ‘shiny’ it’s becoming, is not always given the resources and spotlight of other industries. In terms of salary, designers lag behind our colleagues in finance, engineering, marketing, and business. I think the design world is waiting, somewhat expectantly, for their big break. But I wonder if being the underdog, if some element of grit and perseverance, is at the core of design? Because once everything is situated, are we still needed?

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Carly Hagins

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pie baker, bike rider, toy maker, photo taker // currently professor of industrial design @wentworthinst // insta @toaststudio