she/he flunning@mcad.edu mechademia.net Animation, Comic Arts, Drawing/Painting, Graphic Design, IllustrationBIO I was a theater major (acting, directing, costume design) as an undergrad, I draw a lot, wrote my dissertation on comics, teach history of animation, graphics, illustration, and hopefully fashion (one book on cosplay and the other on fetish and fashion) in the near future. I study cultural studies and philosophy and used it in both published books. Working on a third on the Japanese shōjo (young girl) in popular culture (manga, anime, etc.).TEACHING PHILOSOPHY & MENTORSHIP I love teaching. I think it is the most rewarding profession in the world - even with a terrible bunch of students - you CAN get to them, if you go where they are and gently guide them forward with respect for where they are. If you respect them, they will respect you. This was one of the first things I learned in teaching. I try to ask them questions that help them think, and understand, to help them get ideas, and to support those ideas once they are offered to me. I try to enlarge their world just a bit, and to show them how to do things they need (my class this term wanted me to teach them cursive - so I did). I help them to write, since many have little experience in writing academic works. I show them my enthusiasm for art, design, books, and for working with them.Mentorship is all of the above but even more intensive, and fun. I get to know them as people and still have a friendship (or in some cases, an ongoing mentorship) with most of them. I am godmother to one of their sons. But what is most compelling is how I learn—every time—almost as much they do about myself, them, teaching, art, and develop a philosophy that is ongoing about teaching and life. PAST/CURRENT MENTEESJocelyn McDonald ’21Kyle Bredain ’21Neil Johnston ’02Reza Najati-Namin ’18Tyler Page ’02Xiao Hua Yang ’14Jammo Xu ’13Dennis Madamba ’14PAST/CURRENT GRAD TEACHING ASSISTANTS Tianxin Li ’23Cailey Birchem ’22Dan McAvey ’22