Biography

Marq Mervin (he/him) is The Renaissance Man: award-winning creator, educator, researcher, TEDx speaker, founder, and lover of cartoons. The Florida native earned his Bachelors of Fine Arts in Animation at Jacksonville University and Masters of Fine Arts in Animation at New York Institute of Technology. Marq’s career led him to design and animate for local startups, broadcast news, and non-profit organizations. His tenure in broadcast led to the Emmy Award-winning documentary, Challenger: A Rush to Launch.

Currently, Marq is an Assistant Professor of Design & Visual Communications at the University of Florida. He’s also an advocate for accessible art and design education for marginalized and under-resourced communities. Some of his work includes: formerly serving as a Public Education Ambassador for the Jacksonville Public Education Fund, speaking about equitable representation in arts education at TEDxFSCJ, contributing as a member of Adobe’s Partners by Design program, and formerly leading the Education & Community Committee for AIGA’s Diversity & Inclusion Task Force.

Marq’s passion for the creative arts led him to moderate VyStar’s International Artist Lecture Series Q&A with Disney legend Floyd Norman. He is also the founder and host of Behind the Scenes: Visiting Artist Lecture Series and organizer of the student-led social media festivals, 1 Minute Fest and Our Haus Design Festival. When he’s not traveling for gaming tournaments or speaking engagements, he’s catching up on his favorite anime, taking on voice acting challenges, and performing at open mic nights.

Research Practice

I'm a Social Design Researcher with a specialization in Curriculum and Instructional Design for Art, Design, and Digital Media (ADDM) programs. My focus is analyzing pathways from academia to industry, with an emphasis on career preparation. My research centers three student groups who are predominantly from marginalized and under-resourced communities: 6th-8th Grade students, 9th-12th Grade students, and post-secondary/college & university students. 

I believe research involves both theory and application. As such, my professional practice and activism are integrated into my research through:

• Advocacy for accessible Art, Design & Digital Media (ADDM) education for marginalized and under-resourced communities
• Advocacy for innovative and pragmatic application of career prep in educational initiatives such as STEAM
• Responsive curricular expansion and framework development for Art, Design, & Digital Media (ADDM) career prep in higher education

My research methodology utilizes a combination of qualitative, quantitative, applied, and participatory action research strategies. Through this praxis, the dissemination of my findings result in the forms of: case studies, facilitated workshops, keynote presentations, round table  discussions, panel discussions, framework development, educational and instructional materials, and co-designed community programs, initiatives, outreach, and engagement. The intended outcomes of my research culminate into the following:

• For 6th-8th Grade Students: Providing access to approachable information about Art, Design, & Digital Media (ADDM) careers for both students and their parents/guardians.
• For 9th-12th Grade Students: Providing educational programs, instruction, and curricula grounded in Art, Design, & Digital Media (ADDM) skill introduction and proficiency building.
• For Post-Secondary Students: Providing instructional and curricular support towards learning outcomes and student success + collaborative program development to partner creative industries with academic courses of study.

My long-term vision is to bridge the gaps between industry and academia. To do so, I'm committed to developing sustainable pathways where students, predominantly from marginalized and under-resourced communities, can pursue and thrive in creative professions.

Profile Image

[Image Description: A headshot of a Black man looking forward, wearing a straw hat, glasses, and turquoise collared shirt, drinking from a white and black mug that says "School of Art + Art History, College of the Arts, University of Florida."]