ABOUT
Jim Shurter is a designer, educator, and full-time faculty member in Digital Graphic Arts at Henry Ford College in Dearborn, Michigan, where he joined the faculty in fall 2026. He brings nearly two decades of teaching and academic leadership to HFC, along with a deep commitment to community college students and the role design plays in their futures.
His path began on stage, earning a B.F.A. in Theatre Performance from the University of Michigan Flint, but a growing passion for visual communication led him to Mott Community College for an A.A.S. in Graphic Design. While working as an Art Director for a local marketing firm, he was invited back to Mott to teach a print production course. That experience confirmed his calling to teaching and mentorship and led him to earn an M.F.A. in Studio Art, with a concentration in Graphic Design, from Michigan State University.
Shurter joined Mott Community College full-time in 2007, where he served as Professor and, later, Department Chair of Art, Design & Photography. He twice received the College's Outstanding Faculty Award (2013 and 2021). He taught courses from foundations through the Design Center, a client-driven capstone that pairs students with real-world clients. As Chair, he served as the chief liaison between administration and faculty, guiding curriculum development, faculty hiring and mentorship, budgeting and scheduling, and student-focused initiatives in advising and enrollment. He also grew the program's community presence through external exhibitions, guest-artist collaborations, and outreach events.
At Henry Ford College, Shurter teaches across the Art and Design curriculum, with courses including 2D Design, Typography, Graphic Design Studio 1, Time-Based Media, and Digital Media. He draws on his years of curriculum work to help students build strong visual problem-solving skills and portfolios ready for today's creative industries.
Outside the classroom, Shurter directs James Shurter Design, the creative practice he founded in 2001. His portfolio spans branding, print, and graphics for clients such as the University of Michigan Flint, Oakland University, Mott Community College, the Flint & Genesee Land Bank, Flint Youth Theatre, Shoreline Stixx, and Respect Nashville. This active practice keeps his teaching grounded in current industry standards.
Committed to community engagement, Shurter has held leadership roles with the Flint Institute of Arts (Trustee, 2022 to 2024), Friends of Modern Art (Trustee, 2018 to 2024; President, 2022 to 2024), the American Advertising Federation Greater Flint (College Connection Chair, 2017 to present), and AIGA Detroit (Education Director, 2016 to 2017). In 2023, he received the Silver Medal Award from the American Advertising Federation of Greater Flint, its highest honor, recognizing outstanding contributions to advertising, creative excellence, and community service. Whether leading a client project or guiding a student critique, Shurter champions empathy, collaboration, and design as a catalyst for positive change.