Chen Lvming: Opening the Door to the Largest Design School in America

Undergraduate Major: Graphic Design   

Future University: Parsons School of Design (The US)

Parsons School of Design is the largest art and design school across America, and it is among the top four schools of design in the world, together with Italian Istituto Marangoni — the best educational institution in fashion, England Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, and Paris’ ESMOD. However, such a renowned higher institution only enrolls 50 students each year in China, and Chen Lvming is just among those “lucky dogs”.

Drawing a 3D waterfall painting on the road – a Must-visit Place in WKU

Parsons School of Design, Pratt Institute, California Institute of the Arts, Cranbrook Academy of Art, North Carolina State University … When flipping through offers Chen gets, you might probably be shocked and wonder what on earth makes this senior boy so appealling to those renowned universities in the area of design.

However, those familiar with Chen are not surprised at all. Chen once joined the development team of GIS – Campus Navigation app, and served as the director of the promotional video; he was a member of the design team for WKU commencement ceremony of Class 2015; he also served as the designer and executive of the Media Center in the Public Relations Department of WKU Student Government. In addition, he participated in the preparation and promotion of the First and Second ThinkCre8tively Conference of Michael Graves College of Wenzhou-Kean University. He also designed posters for the Student Research Day and worked for the design team of APEC Research Project Development Program 2016. Meanwhile, he volunteered in the village landscaping in Zishang Village of Rui’an City.

Wandering around the WKU campus, you could see the 3D waterfall painting on the road, completed by Chen Lvming and his classmates, and it has become one of the must-visit places where everyone wants to take a picture. Mentioning this work, Chen said, “It’s our first try of a 3D painting. This large painting was completed through group coordination, and it polished my ability in organizing and group cooperation.”

Opting for Parsons among Various Options

Unlike students of other majors, students of art and design need to submit their work collection when applying for a postgraduate university. Chen’s work collection is of great creativity in that he not only designs a public laundry in a strong industrial style but also creatively devises a portable noise-reduction pillow. The originality of these works is a complete reflection of his basic skills, and, moreover, a bonus for his university application.

public laundry

a portable noise-reduction pillow

When asked why he chose Parsons School of Design among so many offers, he said, “Frankly, Parsons’ ideology and academic atmosphere are of the avant-garde, being open, inclusive and diverse, and Parsons has always been at the cutting edge of the industry. Therefore, it’s really appealing to me.” Besides, in his view, after being admitted into Parsons, he could obtain more opportunities. As a top-notch higher institution of design, each year, Parsons would supply major fashion groups with talents, all of whom would take key positions in these groups. Chen Lvming could not only get many chances of internship and study, but also receive the tutelage of experienced professors from the academic and design circles. Even classmates studying together every day and guests visiting the school might be barons in the field of design, and could be potential contacts in the future.

Benefiting from the Exchange Experience at Kean University

Chen Lvming has benefited a lot from the diverse culture and abundant design programs at WKU. “Many programs of WKU are assigned to and completed by students. I also served as the student assistant of the Design Department for two years. These valuable experiences are helpful in enhancing my ability of design,” Chen summarized. He has not only gained experiences from the design programs, which put emphasis on the combination of theory and practice, but also made a lot of like-minded friends at home and abroad through a variety of activities and exchange programs of WKU.

Chen also admitted that the exchange experience at Kean University in his junior year contributed greatly to his achievements today. “I’ve got a comprehensive understanding by relating what I’ve learned in Kean University to my previous knowledge acquired in WKU. In this way, my horizon was expanded as well. Also, many courses at Kean University complemented those in WKU. In Kean University, I chose the program of Industrial Design which was not launched in WKU. My study there was further supported by adequate facilities like the 3D printer, the laser cutting machine and computer classrooms. This program was more about industrial basics related to furniture design, which was demanding on  manipulative skills, and it offered specialized courses and workshops on manual modeling.”

It is the exchange experience at Kean University that makes up Chen’s mind to major in Industrial Design for future postgraduate study. Let’s wish him a brighter future.

By Fan Chen