The College for Creative Studies in Detroit appointed Sooshin Choi provost and vice president for academic affairs and professor of design in November. An internationally recognized educator and design professional, Choi joins the college from the University of Cincinnati where he is currently the director and also a professor of industrial design. His goal is to help build the school’s reputation by sharing his international experience with emerging designers in woodworking and other art, design and craft fields at his new college.

“At CCS, I tell people I want to bring creativity as the center core of any major, including woodworking, of course. We’re not just educating people who make wooden crafts. We are having them take a creative approach in every program. The creativity can become the center core of the entire college no matter what program you are in. This is my dream,” says Choi.

Located in the heart of downtown Detroit, the College for Creative Studies enrolls more than 1,400 students pursuing Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees.

Choi has won numerous awards for his accomplishments, which include working as an automotive designer for foreign cars, developing furniture for offices and public spaces, and conducting extensive design research in collaboration with major corporations. Using his experience in industrial design, he plans to help students incorporate uniqueness in their designs while considering the global economy.

“Woodworking is a traditional craft, so I want to teach others how to put their profession in the picture of the future. There needs to be innovation and, with creative thinking, we can reenergize woodworking and hopefully revive it enough so there isn’t much overseas competition.”

“In America we have our own culture and own way of living, but the people manufacturing furniture in China don’t know that. American people are the people who understand their own way of living and CCS understands that proper teaching can lead to big impact.” 

Contact: College for Creative Studies. Tel: 313-664-7400. www.collegeforcreativestudies.edu

This article originally appeared in the January 2014 issue.