Ashlyn “Nikki” Blythe never imagined a life outside of North Carolina. Born in the small town of Selma, about an hour from Raleigh, she was raised by her mother, Mary Lou Edmonds. When she was 5 years old, her mother started dating Timothy Blythe from Chicago.

The Chicago beau would fly to Raleigh to visit Edmonds and her daughter. It was exciting when he came to visit. “Where I grew up there was only a library. I didn’t know about bookstores until Tim and my mother  started dating,” Blythe said. “When Tim visited, we’d pick him up in Raleigh and go to the bookstore there. I fell in love with books.”

After a nine-year, long-distance relationship, there was a wedding. Mr. Blyth moved his wife and newly adopted daughter to Chicago. At age 13, Ashlyn Blythe began a new life in a new city with a new family.

Her love of books continued to grow, as did a new passion. She grew to love the world of art and animation, and, in particular, anime and manga. In time, she chose to pursue a bachelor’s degree in animation at DePaul University’s College of Computing and Digital Media.

“What I enjoy about DePaul is we’re downtown, have a great location and are able to get inspiration from all over,” Blythe said. “DePaul is unique in that it brings on faculty with hands-on experience in a lot of different areas.

“All of my instructors have worked in the field and can tell me what actually happens in the work industry,” she said. “What’s invaluable is that they are willing to talk to you and help you connect with other people in the industry. Not only do you have this great animation program, but they help you work with other departments, and that makes your animation richer and helps you develop stronger story ideas.”

In December 2011, Blythe and several other animation students and DePaul faculty members traveled to Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan, to visit gaming and anime companies to see how they operate. “I made a lot of connections with people in the industry, and I fell in love with the culture,” said Blythe.

So much so that a month after graduation, Blythe will be moving to Japan for a year as part of the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program. Armed with a minor in Japanese, Blythe said she is ready to embark on this quest. While teaching English in Japan, she hopes to learn more about the culture so she can blend that with her animation.

“I think this trip to Japan will give me time to develop my portfolio, find creative inspiration in this area that I love and reconnect with my anime industry contacts to strengthen these bonds,” Blythe said. “When I come back, I want to take what I’ve learned and work in the industry to mesh the two cultures. I want to help tie those connections together.”

“The commitment and engagement that Nikki brings to her studies echoes the commitment and engagement she displays as a friend, family member and citizen of the globe,” said Jo Dery, assistant professor of animation in the college’s School of Cinema and Interactive Media. “She is fully present for all of the challenges and triumphs that come with academic life — as well as the challenges and triumphs that come with life. It has been a great pleasure to work with her, and I look forward to getting a postcard from Japan next year.”

Blythe couldn’t be happier about how things worked out for her parents and for her. “Tim really helped push me to experience all these new things. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t think I would be here. He’s been a great father figure in my life. I know my mom is happy, so that makes me happy.”

Written by Maria Toscano