Professor Andrea Glover Empowers the Next Generation of Graphic Designers

Photo Credit: Angela Hopper Photography

By Rebekah McCubbins

For Charleston Southern University professor Andrea Glover, creativity was the catalyst for a career in Graphic Design. “Always loving art as a child, always being drawn to design, and always being creative–that’s what drew me to it,” she shares. From marketing assets to hand-lettered artwork, Glover has spent her career building a portfolio of multidisciplinary design projects. Today, her talent, experience, and knowledge have led her to the world of academia.

When Professor Glover attended the University of South Carolina (USC), they didn’t yet have a Graphic Design program. “I majored in advertising, but I had a degree in journalism and mass communications, and my minor was business administration,” Glover says. “I had a professor at USC, Dr. Keith Kenney, [who taught] a Visual Communications course, and he really helped me with growth. I think that was the first introduction to Graphic Design. [He] would always use my assignments for examples, and I realized how I could tie my creativity to an actual job. I knew you could be an artist, but I wanted to see if I could do a 9-to-5 [while] being creative.”

After building a career in the Graphic Design industry, Glover had the opportunity to begin teaching. “I think I just wanted to help others. I wanted to share my knowledge with other young designers, especially after I had experience in the field. It’s really rewarding to help other people,” she explains. Glover is passionate about mentoring the next generation of designers. At Charleston Southern University (CSU), she has the opportunity to help students hone their craft while teaching them the professional skills they need to forge successful careers in the growing field of Graphic Design.

That ability to mentor students was one of the reasons Glover chose CSU. “The program was just beginning,” she explains. “When I came to CSU, it was kind of a fresh program. Being able to help with the curriculum, and implement a lot of my skills, implement a new program and share my ideas–that’s the biggest thing for me.” The brand-new program provided room to foster new ideas and create an environment where students thrive.

And Professor Glover’s students are achieving massive success in their careers. She shares her pride at their myriad of accomplishments at every opportunity. Some of her students are entrepreneurs who have clients all over the nation. Others are working with prestigious employers, from nonprofits to sports organizations. “They always say it takes a village to raise a child. It takes a lot of people to help someone get all the way up to the college level. When you have a little part in that, you feel like you’ve become part of their village.”

Professor Glover’s love of the craft shines through in her teaching. “I really love typography,” she shares. “The study of typefaces, and how you set them and arrange the letters and words.” Glover emphasizes these building blocks when teaching her students: “I don’t think people realize how important it is to select a typeface that’s appropriate for the job. It makes a difference in how we communicate. It makes a difference in what we read. If the wrong typeface is used for a book or a poster, it can throw off the design or affect our readability,” she says. “We see them everywhere, and we just don’t realize how important it is to how we communicate, and how it helps us to navigate throughout our day.”

But Glover isn’t satisfied with simply being a good educator. She’s committed to being a part of the bigger picture. She shares that she keeps in contact with many of her students beyond graduation, offering advice and support in their careers. She believes that diversity is vital to creating an environment in which every student feels supported. “Diversity is very important to me, and I’m always open and willing to share my knowledge with all people. I think that’s what I’ve been put here to do,” she says. Glover serves on CSU’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council. She says their goal is to communicate that “we are a university that loves everyone, and that we are all children of God. We just want to make sure that people feel like they’re welcomed, like they’re making a great choice by coming to CSU, and they’ll receive a great education.”

Her desire to continue learning and growing has led Professor Glover to explore innovative ideas at CSU. This year she spent time at a school in Belize, teaching Graphic Design to students alongside another CSU educator. She recalls thinking, “if students can go do a study abroad program, could teachers go to our sister schools and teach?” She approached the Director of Global Education, pitching the idea of visiting another school to teach a “crash course” in Graphic Design. They began planning, but Glover says “it just wasn’t coming together.” Today she views that as a blessing, as the COVID-19 pandemic soon halted international travel. “I’m thankful, because I probably would have been stuck somewhere.” This year, they revisited the idea, and made plans for Professor Glover to visit Sacred Heart Junior College. She and her colleague, Spanish professor Dr. Hannah Sullivan, spent two weeks teaching Graphic Design to local students. “The Belizean people treated us like royalty. They went above and beyond,” she says. “They treated us with so much respect. They had a ceremony at the end of the class to give students certificates. The students in the course had businesses. They already knew a little bit of Graphic Design, but they were able to brush up on Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. They were so thankful, because it really helped them in their businesses there. That was another way of promoting diversity. Going global. Taking my teaching from here, and being able to go to another country, learn about the culture, and work with the people.”

When asked what she would say to women considering entering the world of academia, her answer is simple: volunteer. “Volunteer to teach in your community, or do workshops. Maybe find a mentor who is an instructor.” She suggests finding a teaching apprenticeship or a professor at a local school who can serve as a mentor. Glover also recommends that you use the resources available to you, both online and in your community, to learn about teaching. 

Outside of CSU, Glover continues to create, both as a graphic design professional and an artist. Her work can be found at andreaglover.com.