The Collegian

Issue date: 2/28/08 Section: Arts

While students and art faculty still mourn the death of Art Instructor Patric Fourshe, new professor Bryan Springer adds new advantages to Hillsdale College's art department.
Springer '04 teaches Fourshe's class during the evening and works during the day full-time as a senior designer for Thomson Tax and Accounting, an internal web marketing department.

Springer said that although he already works a full-time job, he jumped at the opportunity to teach at Hillsdale. Two years ago, he also taught a watercolor class at the college, filling in for another professor.

"I love Hillsdale, and I believe in what they're teaching here in the art department," he said. "The classical ideals, classical beauty … a traditional education where students learn to draw and paint as fundamental [skills]."

Springer said this kind of education has given him an advantage over graphic designers graduating from other places.

Springer said he's glad the college requires graphic design for its art major because of its practical advantages.

While Springer sticks to the syllabus Fourshe designed, he also teaches modern skills that students will need to work as graphic designers.

"He has shared a lot of things that I think Fourshe would have never gotten to just about the current graphic design out there - Fourshe of course being a little bit older,"
sophomore Amy Gunkler said. "I guess you'd say that Mr. Springer is just a little more in touch with the current trends and current things that graphic designers need to think about."

Gunkler said Springer gives real-world advice when helping students with their work.

"Sometimes [his comments come] strictly from an art standpoint, whether something looks good or looks bad," Gunkler said. "Sometimes, [they come] from another standpoint: if you were working as a graphic designer, what a client would think about it."

Junior Jake Donovan, who said he was initially skeptical about replacing Fourshe, said he appreciates the new twist to the class.

"Basically every class he comes in and brings us all these little modern examples of design and shows us how to do it," Donovan said.

Donovan said that besides his practicality, Springer also presents a greater amount of material to the class.

"He's a lot faster-paced, but it's good, then you can pick and choose what you like and he shows you [how to do it]," Donovan said.

Springer said he hopes his position will lead to a full-time teaching job at the college.

"It's an odd situation, and I feel very bad about Fourshe," Springer said. "It's very tragic, [but] I feel very blessed to come here and help out, to be a part of something as dear to me as this department."


Hillsdale College Collegian 2008

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