Get to Know HFC: Advisor Charles Jackson is an engineer and comic book artist
Charles Patrick Jackson enjoyed his time as an engineer, but he’s enjoying his time as an advisor at HFC more.
“It’s been as rewarding as engineering,” said Jackson, of Ypsilanti, "and maybe more. The peace of mind I get bringing up the next generation is more valuable than money.”
Jackson has worked at HFC since 2011, and became a full-time employee in 2019. He is an Academic Advisor, Liberal Arts and General Studies.
“It’s a privilege to talk to students, guiding them on their academic journeys, encouraging them to do better, then seeing them graduate,” he said. “Sometimes I’m so focused that I forget to take my lunch break.”
High school summer program inspired him to become an engineer
The youngest of two, Jackson was born in Washtenaw County. He graduated from Eisenhower High School in Decatur, IL. From there, he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. Jackson also completed continuing education courses at HFC (then Henry Ford Community College) and the College for Creative Studies, as well as community education classes in sequential art.
While in high school, Jackson participated in a summer pre-engineering program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. His time at RPI helped determine his path to becoming an engineer.
“They selected people across the nation to attend a program at RPI,” recalled Jackson. “I went to workshops about engineering and toured the labs. I was hooked and knew what I wanted to do for a living.”
The most precious and underrated resource
For almost 20 years, Jackson worked as a mechanical engineer at Ford Motor Co. and at the Visteon Corporation. He left engineering and the private sector during the recession of 2008. He contemplated returning to school to become a teacher. Instead, he found himself part of a new group of advisors at HFC.
“I had a phone interview with (retired HFC counselor) Diane Green. She said I had a good phone voice and that I was hired,” he recalled.
Jackson talked about engineering and advising.
“As an engineer, you get used to working on projects that only matter for a hot minute in the long run. The people behind the projects are valuable, but industry only values what you can give it in the moment,” he explained. “In higher education, you inspire students to achieve greater heights. Working with these learning minds amplifies the most precious and underrated resource we have in this country. Students are the reason to be here.”
Third career will be illustrating comic books
Outside his duties at HFC, Jackson is a comic book creator. He is founding member and president of Detroit Tradecraft, a collective of creatives in the Metro Detroit area who meet, discuss, and create comic books. Among his many influences is the late Jack Kirby, the trailblazing artist who co-created Captain America, the Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, the Black Panther, the X-Men, and other popular characters that have made the jump from the comics page to the big screen.
Jackson is the artist and writer on his comic book called FX Mulrooney. The titular character is a Detroit police officer who gets infected with an alien virus and becomes hard to kill – a very effective superpower in that line of work. Jackson has completed the first two issues. The third issue will be ready next year.
“I’m very blessed to have had three careers. Drawing comics will be my swan song,” he said. “When I retire from HFC, I plan to follow the advice I always give my students: Follow your dreams, don’t let anyone stop you, put in the work, and be ready for something miraculous.”
