Faculty Fellow in The Arts
mari jaye blanchard is an Associate Professor in the School of Film and Animation. Since joining RIT in 2015 she has taught course content ranging from first-year animation principles to final-year capstone and graduate thesis production. Her teaching approach emphasizes hands-on, experiential learning and transparency about her students’ own role in their education. In this spirit she co-designed a study abroad animation exploration in Peja, Kosovo (2017), received a PLIG grant (2019) to support SOFA Slow-Mo: Movement Research Through Active Learning, and co-created the University-wide Wellness course Ani-Motion. Her belief in lifelong learning drove her to secure FEAD funding (2018) for a segment of her virtual reality film, which she used to enlist her own students as instructors, guiding her in the art of 3D animation. She has received departmental grants to work with students on both community-based VR and animated ceramics projects, where they are brought on as experts in their subject.
An active film maker and freelance animator, she demonstrates within the classroom relevant and contemporary practices. Bridging theoretical knowledge with practical application, she equips students with a holistic understanding of animation techniques, storytelling, and technical intricacies.
mari jaye earned her BFA in painting from Massachusetts College of Art (MassArt) and her MFA, also in painting, from the Stuart Weiztman School of Design at the University of Pennsylvania. In her final year of graduate study, she discovered hand-drawn animation under the mentorship of independent film maker Paul Fierlinger, and has now been creating her own animated works for twenty years. She is a recipient of the 2023 Eisenhart Award for Outstanding Teaching.
Key areas of expertise:
student-centered classrooms, peer feedback, critique, creative pedagogy, active learning, accessibility, digital pedagogy, learning management system/myCourses utilization and engagement, cross-disciplinary practices.
Contact mari jaye blanchard discuss your teaching.