Hanna Tsuhara | Virginia Tech
I have determined two things that I believe in: decisions and that my father was right. When I was little Dad told me, “You can either be the one buying the gas, or the one pumping it.” Because of his words, I decided to give myself options.
My diligence, curiosity, and independent thinking pushed me down many different paths until, at age fifteen, I was captured by Industrial Design. Following a summer design course at the Savannah College of Art and Design, my decision became crystalline as I strived to become a designer.
My enthusiasm for observational research sprang from a love of people-watching and a fascination with human resourcefulness. I find great joy in composing imaginative solutions for children’s toy design and more sensitive solutions for medical product design. These diverse fields call to me because I always rush to the children’s section in any store, and also because as a child I experienced first hand the misery of a hospital environment. These core qualities and early decisions have continued to serve me well as an Industrial Design student at Virginia Tech.
Outside of studio experiences, my curiosity has led to many pastimes. I decided to take up long boarding in addition to philosophy classes, which have thankfully introduced me to the writings of Sartre and Camus. I also enjoy more familiar activities, such as running, swimming, and figure drawing.
