Graphic design major Felicia Fishel has recently been selected as a member of Alpha Iota Sigma Honors Society, part of Merrimack College’s Interdisciplinary Institute.
Fishel is also a member of Merrimack’s Honors Program where she attends seminars and discussions with professors and working professionals from various industries. These seminars cover a wide range of topics and encourage students to think about how they can use their majors to make a difference in the world.
Fishel has been working with Associate Professor Nancy Wynn and Assistant Professor Dan Vlahos on her Senior Capstone Project titled “A Proposed Olympics: Puerto Rico 2032.” For this project, Fishel has created branding throughout the semester for the Olympic games set to take place on the island. While working, Fishel found herself going beyond the aesthetics to focus on the culture of the people her designs were for.
“No matter what you’re designing, you need to have empathy and see the deeper meaning of the design,” Fishel said. “That also means learning about the people you will be representing. Design doesn’t happen in a microscope.”
Fishel credits Vlahos for teaching her this lesson and says he also introduced her to the idea of joining the Honors Program. Vlahos says he saw how well Fishel’s project was coming along.
“I was amazed by her work ethic and the commitment she has shown for developing her craft,” Vlahos said.
According to Fishel, the Honors Society encourages students to take the whole picture into consideration and pushes them to look at and explore the intersections of different areas of study. This line of thinking has helped Fishel see the cultural impact of design, something that has grown more and more evident in her Senior Capstone Project.
To become a member of the Honors Society, Fishel had to maintain a stellar GPA and exhibit interdisciplinary academic skills. Fishel has marked herself as an extremely talented and accomplished young artist. Vlahos, who nominated her for the Honors Program, is confident that she will go on to do great things.
