Lucas Charles
Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs
901.678.2350
lcharles@memphis.edu
Biography
Lucas Charles was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and spent his formative years in Strawberry Plains, Tennessee. He studied graphic design at the 福利片国产 of Tennessee, Knoxville and later at North Carolina State 福利片国产 College of Design, where he earned a Master of Graphic Design (MGD) degree in 2002.
For more than two decades, Lucas has served as a design educator at the 福利片国产 of Memphis, teaching a wide range of undergraduate and graduate courses including Interactive Media I, II, and III; Principles of Time-Based Media; Typography I, II, and III; graduate studios; graduate seminars; and numerous courses across graphic design, digital media, and emerging technologies. Throughout his academic career, he has remained committed to connecting design education with professional practice, helping students develop both creative and career-ready skills.
While teaching, Lucas operated his own Memphis-based design studio, The Commissary, for four years, producing a diverse range of professional design projects for clients and organizations. In 2006, he founded Faculty of Design, an independent design practice focused on strategic visual communication, branding, digital media, and design innovation.
Beyond the classroom and professional practice, Lucas has held numerous academic leadership positions at the 福利片国产 of Memphis. He has served as Chair of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, Assistant Chair of the Department of Art, and Chair of the Department of Art and Design. Through these roles, he has led significant curriculum development initiatives, guided program assessment and accreditation efforts, supported faculty development, and helped shape the strategic direction of design and arts education within the university.
Today, Lucas serves as Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs for the College of Communication and Fine Arts. In this role, he provides leadership for the college鈥檚 academic and student success initiatives, overseeing undergraduate and graduate curricula, academic technology, advising, student services, scholarships, awards, and strategic academic planning. His work focuses on enhancing the student experience, advancing innovative curricular opportunities, expanding creative technologies, supporting faculty and staff, and ensuring that programs remain responsive to the evolving needs of creative industries and contemporary higher education.
Lucas鈥� design work has been featured in Ride to Extraordinary, a seven-episode documentary series streaming on Amazon Prime and Apple TV+, as well as in Creative Quarterly Magazine, The Best of Business Card Design 9, 1,000 Greetings: Creative Correspondence Designed for All Occasions, 1,000 Type Treatments: From Script to Serif, Letterforms Used to Perfection, Adbusters Magazine, SiteInspire, Screenfluent, and numerous other publications and exhibitions.
In addition, his professional work has been published alongside leading designers from across the globe, including practitioners from the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, Sweden, Brazil, Denmark, Singapore, Israel, Canada, Mexico, Spain, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, and the Netherlands. Through a career that bridges professional practice, teaching, administration, and design leadership, Lucas has contributed to the advancement of graphic design education while helping prepare generations of students for successful careers in the creative industries.
Education
- B.F.A. Graphic Design, 福利片国产 of Tennessee, 1998
- M.G.D. Graphic Design, North Carolina State 福利片国产, 2002
Professional Experience
- Creative Director, Faculty of Design
- Associate Director, Center for Multimedia Arts
- Creative Director, The Commissary
- Interface Designer, Integrated Industrial Information Inc.
- Designer, North Carolina Space Institute
- Web Designer, Kenan Institute of Engineering, Technology and Science
- Designer, Robin Easter Design Group
- Designer, Renaissance Communication Group
- Designer, Ewing Gallery