ASUMH Keystone Spring 2018 ASUMH Keystone Magazine Spring 2018 | Page 29

MINDY
FULCHER
DIGITAL DESIGN INSTRUCTOR
KEYSTONE FACULTY
Q&A
What path led you to ASUMH?
traditional route was one
of my favorite develop-
mental experiences and
I’m so glad I didn’t let the
fear of taking an untra-
ditional turn keep me
from pursuing my goal
of becoming a college
instructor.
I’m an ASUMH alum. While I lived in a few
other places, I always considered Mountain
Home, home. My entire career flourished
because of dedicated ASUMH instructors who provided a sense of belonging on
campus and taught me that my creativity could become a career. I’m so thrilled to be
able to give current students what ASUMH gave me when I was a student. For me,
teaching at ASUMH is my path coming full circle.
Did you run into any obstacles along your path? One of the biggest
obstacles I faced early in my career was actually myself! Art in its many forms had been
my passion since I was a child, but when it was time to declare a major in undergrad, I
decided to major in business because it was a “safe” choice, unlike art, which seemed
like a “fun” choice–because I didn’t think fun would pay the bills. Thanks to a chance
encounter with ASUMH Art instructor, the late Mrs. Phyllis Bailey, I was not only
encouraged to pursue a major in fine arts, my passion also reached new levels
because of professors who helped cultivate my skills in many different facets of the arts.
I discovered that art and design offered a variety of exciting career opportunities.
What were you career experiences before ASUMH? Before ASUMH,
I worked for several advertising agencies in Memphis, TN as an art director, as a
freelance graphic designer, as a corporate in-house designer and as an adjunct
design instructor.
What can students expect to learn in your classroom? My courses
focus on software skill development, practicing and applying design principles
through hands-on projects, and honing creative thinking and problem-solving skills.
What kinds of jobs are available to students who are in your dis-
cipline? Digital Design is an exciting field and to be successful, you have to learn,
What is your motto while walking your path in life? Be yourself, be
unique, learn new things, do good things.
think and create quickly and strategically. A few career options include: advertis-
ing, in-house designer, freelance designer, game designer, website user interface
designer, app designer, illustrator, packaging, stationery design. With our entrepre-
neurial culture and fast-paced technological developments, I expect to see many
students carve out their own paths by finding even more creative ways to put their
degrees to use.
What led you to the discipline you teach? I have been passionate about
art and design in all forms since I was a child, so I pursued design as a profession. It
wouldn’t be until many years later that my passion for teaching was unlocked, but
now that I am able to develop other budding creatives as they look to make their
mark on the world, I know I’m in the right place.
Was your own educational path traditional or non-traditional? My
Why is ASUMH a good choice for students? Our Digital Design degree is
a fast-track, two-year associate degree. Because of this shorter timeframe, we’re able
to get students into their careers more quickly than a traditional four-year degree. We
focus on transforming our lessons beyond just ideas so that the classroom experience
directly, and quickly, translates into practical application so that students can land ca-
reers. But, we also operate with a lot of heart. We have flexible course schedules so that
the education we offer is available to students who have non-traditional schedules.
path started out pretty traditionally. I got my two-year degree at ASUMH and then I
transferred to ASU-Jonesboro to finish my undergraduate degree. Once I graduated,
I worked in the advertising industry as a designer for 10 years and I thought this
would be my forever career. Then, after a brief stint as an adjunct professor, I knew I
wanted to teach and that’s when my educational path became untraditional. I found
myself in graduate school surrounded by students much younger than me. This un-
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