Influential Woman · Higher Education and Stand Up Comedy
Lisa Simms
Graphic Design Assistant Professor, William Woods
Gainesville, FL
Her Story
About Lisa
Lisa Simms serves as an adjunct professor at Florida School of the Arts within St. Johns River College in Palatka, Florida, representing Gainesville, Florida. She has spent four years in higher education teaching courses such as introduction to the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, including Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign, as well as interactive web design to upper-level students. Prior to her current role, she earned a BFA from the University of Missouri between 2014 and 2018 and completed an MFA in Fine Art from the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri in May 2022. In addition to her academic work, Simms has pursued stand-up comedy for twelve years. Among her notable achievements, a student nominated her for a faculty award and presented her with a gratitude stole during her second year of teaching. She attributes her success to taking opportunities before feeling fully ready and to the support of her husband, parents, sisters, and friends. Simms values focusing on her students amid bureaucratic demands and supports the organization Black Mamas Matter to address maternal health disparities for Black women.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Lisa
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to taking the advice to try things before I was ready, jumping from full-time student to full-time professor right after graduating, and having a great support system including my husband who encouraged me to apply for grad school, my parents, sisters, and supportive friends who cheer me on.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I received was from coworkers at my first university: 'Just do it all before you're ready. Say yes before you're ready, because you're never really ever gonna feel ready.' That advice has helped me my entire life, like going straight from grad school to a visiting professorship.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Do things before you're ready and don't let imposter syndrome hold you back. Especially among women my age, there's a big issue of assuming everyone else knows what they're doing, but 9 times out of 10 that's not the case. If you're anxious about not doing the right thing, you've probably prepared more than most, so go for the job.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is that professorships are not stable jobs unless you get a full-time tenure track position. Adjuncting for a long time until you get lucky is common, and it goes doubly for creative positions because they're very sought after with lots of competition. You have to hustle as a creative person, being your own PR, marketing, and knowing how to price.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
In my work, the most important thing is my students. It's easy to get bogged down in bureaucratic stuff and HLC regulations, but I remind myself how it felt to be a young adult starting college, navigating adulthood, and dealing with compounding issues. I feel honored to help them navigate their future in this tumultuous time.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.