Jim Hunter
University of South Carolina
Teaching and Administration


For art establishes the basic human truth which must serve as the touchstone of our judgment.

John F. Kennedy
Amherst College
October 26, 1963

It is the tough challenges, the very hurdles that seem to restrict us, that give value to artistic endeavor and to the artistic life. If society did not face daunting challenges it would not need the artist to reflect, interpret, challenge, envision, and raise the questions that must be asked. We live in a world growing more complex and the need for creative vision could not be more dire. It is in this context that our department strives to touch the lives of our students and community.

Preparing for a life in the arts demands much of student and teacher. Together, our students and faculty examine, create, and experience the complexity, the delicacy, and the power of theatre and dance. Each on this journey must be committed to not only our own individual growth but to the advancement of our colleagues and the greater community. We should expect from each other the highest level of professionalism, dedication, responsibility, collaboration, and alacrity.

For the past 39 years the department has endeavored to provide South Carolina with artists and thinkers capable of innovation and skilled expression. Our students and faculty are passionate about how they explore the world and want nothing less than to serve as a catalyst for positive change.

Our program is known for our talented active faculty, relevant curriculum, increased national and international achievement, and a motivated high-caliber student body. One of the real rewards of teaching in our department is interacting with the exceptional people attracted to our program both internally and with our external partners. Make no mistake, whether a community patron, graduate student, undergraduate major, general Carolina student, faculty, staff, or university administrator; each person is a critical player in the excellent educational experience we provide to our students including the creation of important artistic and scholarly work of ever-increasing quality.

Information about department activities is available on our web site at www.cas.sc.edu/thea.

I teach design courses in addition to serving as Chair and Artistic Director for the Department. I currently rotate through graduate courses in Lighting Design, Scene Design, and Computer Assisted Design for the Theatre and an undergraduate course in Lighting Design. In addition, I supervise the MFA Lighting Design program.


Curriculum Vitae

Select Fall 2008 Curriculum Vitae