Mara Jevera Fulmer's Blog

Letting my hair go grey in 2016. Loving not having to run to the hairdressers for coloring. Hoping it gets even more silvery! Photo by Sarah Fulmer-Ignash of S.E. Fulmer Photography.

I’m a professor of art and design at Mott Community College in Flint, Michigan. I am an educator, artist, writer and perpetual student. My strongest interests are in cross-cultural design and cultural (and visual) anthropology. At Mott, and until August 2014, I ran the Graphic Design degree program which I developed in 1997-98 and then continuously improved and adapted over the years with the incredible support and insights of my colleagues. From August 2014 until August of 2019, I was based at the Center for Teaching & Learning at Mott Community College as their faculty director, supporting professional development for faculty and staff at the college.

It was at that time I put my hat into the ring for an Interim position as Assistant VP for Academic Affairs. It was only supposed to last four months, but due to unforeseen circumstances – the declining health of the person whose position I was holding for them, the onset and shut down due to the Covid pandemic in March 2020 – the position lasted over a year. In October 2020 I returned temporarily to the CTL and fulltime teaching by January 2021. The transition to both fully online and hybrid teaching forced me to put into action everything I knew and could learn about communicating and helping students learn in an online environment.

In October of 2023, I found myself teaching fully online – in part due to the changing nature of our students who come from the full gamut of life experiences. We benefit from the lessons of the recent past and I have embraced new ways of developing relationships with my students even as we rarely meet in person. Instead, face-to-face is more personal via a virtual space, flexible, and sometimes spontaneous. Together we revel in the ability to exchange and share whatever is necessary to expand their learning across the airwaves. And as opportunities arise, I find myself occasionally teaching in-person and hybrid classes, as well.

As one who seeks out opportunities to address the intersections of art and society, I also believe strongly in the value of experiential and service learning as important tools for student engagement and success. When students can see the connection between the classroom and the community, they begin to develop a deeper appreciation for their learning experience.

As a multi-dimensional artist, my interests have expanded at the intersection of visual art, form, and narrative, exploring letterpress, typography, and the creative space of artist’s books. Since the pandemic waned, I’ve found an increasing number of opportunities to exhibit my work both locally in Michigan and other galleries in the US. Some of these may be found at www.lookinglassdesign.org.

Below is a brief resume and list of accomplishments. For a full CV, feel free to contact me at emjayfulmer@me.com or visit my LinkedIn profile which I try to keep up to date.

Education:

Ed.D., Doctorate in Community College Leadership, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, Michigan

MFA in Studio Art/Graphic Design, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

MA in Advertising Design, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York

BA in Fine Arts Photography, 2nd field in Journalism, SUNY-Albany, Albany, New York
Commercial Art core program, Sage Colleges, Albany, New York

Professional Experience:

Professor, Art & Design, Mott Community College, Flint, Michigan. July 1997-August 2019, October 2020-present (hiatus due to serving in Interim AVP role).

• Serving as Chair, MCC Council (DEI), 2020 to 2024.
• Original Developer, Program Coordinator in Graphic Design, July 1997 to August 2014
• Acting Art Department Coordinator, January-December 2006

Interim Assistant VP for Academic Affairs, Mott Community College, Flint, Michigan, August 2019-October 2020

Faculty Director for the Center for Teaching & Learning, Mott Community College, Flint, Michigan (Also continuing as Professor in Art & Design), August 2014 to August 2019, October 2020-June 2021

Art Director/Snr Graphic Artist/Snr Photographer, University Media Centre, The University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji Islands, 1991-1997

• Adjunct Lecturer in Journalism, January 1994-July 1997
• Acting Director, Media Centre, February-March 1994, December 1996-February 1997

Art Director, Educational Communications Center, University at Albany, SUNY, Albany, New York

Adjunct Professor, Graphic Design, Sage Colleges, Albany, New York

Design & Production Consultant (freelance), misc. clients in book and magazine publishing.

Magazine Production Supervisor, National Trade Publications, Inc., Latham, New York

Consultancy & Contract Work:
See Looking Glass Design – Design Gallery.

Artwork & Exhibition Photos:
See Art Gallery.

Artist’s Books:
See Artist’s Books Gallery

Read some previous writing:
See Writings & Musings.