Recently interviewed by a underclassman

1) Person’s name, job title, place of employment, contact information (telephone number or email address). State method of interview (in person, over telephone, etc.)

·      Michael Scott Hull

·      Studio Art Professor

·      Daytona State College

·      386-506-3347 | Michael_hull@faclonmail.daytonastate.edu

2) How did you decide on your career?

·      This is actually my second career; I was in the medical field for 20 years prior to teaching. Art is my passion and my God given talent, I have been told through my years that I would make a great instructor and so I followed through. The best career choice I could of made. 

Professor Hull B.A.S., M.F.A., L.D.O.

 

3) What preparation or coursework did you complete for this job?

·      I earned a very competitive Masters Degree (MFA) from Full Sail University.

4) What advice would you give beginning college students about things they could start doing now to help them prepare to enter your career field?

·      Become adapt with the virtual teaching and information world (this means social networking as well, make sure you have face time). The future will be teaching online and developing tools to better assist instructors. Stay current and be fearless. 

5) What do you like most about your career?

·      This is a very exciting time in the teaching process the techniques are changing. It is sort of becoming “out with the old and in with the new”. So being at the forefront of this quickening gives me new challenges everyday. This challenges my imagination on a daily basis as well.

6) What is the biggest challenge you’ve encountered?

·      There is a generation gap between the professors of 20 years ago and today’s new professors. This creates a language barrier as well as, idea barrier. The new instructors are more adverse in technology and virtual problem solving. Sometimes this threatens the older generation and it creates a block in the growth process of a college. This does not happen all the time but still it is a big problem. The X generation, which, is starting to instruct more and more, have a hard time communicating with the prior generation. The older generation sometimes feels that respect and acknowledgement of the hierarchy is not observed. This is far from the truth, we as young instructors are aware of the dues paid and we are here to make sure their hard work carries on.

7) Does your career have a big impact (negative or positive) on your personal life?

·      Sometimes all work can be stressful on a family. For the most part it is positive.

8) How do you spend a typical day at work (how’s your time spent)?

·      My job is very physical and mental so I am always working either with large heavy objects or firing kilns as well as, servicing my many online sites. I stay connected with artist and galleries along with educators all over the world. So my day is very busy “work hard, play hard”.

9) What personal skills or qualities do you see as being essential for success in your career?

·      Research, knowledge both current and historical, political knowledge, speaking ability (this is hard sometimes), current events, technical knowledge, intellectual property. I am also very fluent in all art mediums well except for tattooing. (Which is coming soon to a college venue)

10) How does someone advance in your career?

·      Being published and building accolades as well as community involvement. Gaining more education in the studio art field is difficult; the MFA is a terminal degree and it rarely offers a chance for a PHD, but if one could earn one then that could help toward advancement. Continue to grow and stay current and research, research, research.

11) Are there any moral or ethical challenges that tend to arise in your career?

·      Always, teaching can be stressful you have many different cultures and beliefs that can clash. Also one thing to consider is that an artist is a unique individual they can blend into many different social and financial groups. They can mingle in low class as well as be accepted in higher class. It is quite unique. 

BE CREATIVE!

12) If you had to do it over again, would you choose the same career?

·      100% YES!