Rate My Professor Kevin McNulty

Kevin McNulty is an Associate Professor in the Department of Media Arts at Middle Tennessee State University, serving as the Animation Program Coordinator. He earned a B.A. from the State University of New York at Geneseo, double majoring in Mass Communication with an emphasis in Mass Media Production and Studio Art with concentrations in Computer Art and Ceramics. He holds an M.F.A. in 3D Computer Animation from the Rochester Institute of Technology School of Film and Animation. With over 14 years of collegiate teaching experience, including more than six years at MTSU, McNulty instructs courses covering modeling, texturing, lighting, rigging, animating, rendering, and compositing. His senior capstone courses guide students in producing animated short films and professional marketing materials for job placement. As faculty advisor, he co-founded the MTSU ACM SIGGRAPH Student Chapter in 2012, fostering a community for students interested in animation, computer graphics, video games, films, and visual effects.

McNulty leads international student projects, such as contributions to the Wonderful World short film exhibition in China, including 'Sensations' addressing autism and 'The Green Touch' on environmental themes. He serves as Communications Director for ACM SIGGRAPH's Education Committee, previously acting as Booth Manager for the SIGGRAPH conference and curator of the Faculty Submitted Student Work Exhibit. Under his coordination, MTSU's Animation Program—one of the region's oldest, established in 1992—earned NASAD accreditation, introduced rigorous candidacy requirements, and secured an Animation Minor. The program has been ranked No. 1 in Tennessee by Animation Career Review for multiple years, including 2025, emphasizing foundational animation principles, interdisciplinary collaboration, studio art fundamentals, and industry-standard software like Maya. McNulty's personal journey as a three-time kidney transplant recipient informs his pro bono animation project with the United Network for Organ Sharing to educate pediatric transplant patients.