Erika S. Mesh

Senior Lecturer, IGM, RIT

I came to teaching after spending years working as a software engineer, and that background still shapes how I approach the classroom every day.

At RIT, I teach introductory programming and problem-solving to game design and development students. I also spend a lot of time working with student teams, helping them think critically about how they build games—how they plan, communicate, respond to setbacks, and improve their processes over time. I care just as much about how students work as I do about what they make.

Much of this comes from the fact that I’ll always be a software engineer at heart. Rather than focusing on specific tools or technologies, I emphasize fundamentals that hold up over time: breaking problems down, reasoning through systems, learning from mistakes, and making intentional choices about our process, creative designs, and technical approaches.

What matters most to me, though, is the students themselves. I want them to know I’m on their side. I work to create learning environments where students feel supported enough to take risks, make mistakes, and figure out who they are as developers and collaborators. Learning can be frustrating and uncomfortable, and I think it’s important to make space for that. If students leave my classes with stronger skills, more confidence, and a sense that they belong in this field, then I’ve done my job.