Marissa Balbuena

is a Filipina-Ecuadorian who utilizes her multidisciplinary and socially-responsible approach to research and design to advocate for an intersectional future, ensure barrier-free access to learning, and promote awareness of human realities. Growing up in a multiethnic household of women has motivated Marissa to embrace ingenuity and incite virtuosity in everyone she meets. On account of her family’s guidance, Marissa believes education should be high-quality and accessible in order to foster dynamic and transformative societies. Her research aims to amplify marginalized voices in order to reimagine existing spaces and create regenerative futures. In 2022, Marissa obtained a BFA in Graphic Design from the

University of Florida

. Currently, she is working towards an MS in Management at UF Warrington College of Business. Additionally, she studied Principles of Display Typeface Design at

Type@Cooper

thanks to the Display Type BIPOC Fund. She is a recipient of many awards, the most notable being the UF School of Art + Art History Outstanding Undergraduate for artistic and academic merit. Marissa formerly volunteered as Student Liaison for

AIGA Gainesville

and Social Media Designer for

AIGA Unidos

. With knowledge in designing multi-faceted visual systems, Marissa is currently employed as Lead Designer, Visual Identity at the

UF Lastinger Center for Learning

. Previously, she worked for

UF Mint Design Studio

,

III Points Music Festival

, and

Miami-Dade County

. On her free time, Marissa is practicing her improvisational cooking or exercising at the gym. ︎

︎ marissasbalbuena@gmail.com | marissabalbuena@ufl.edu
︎ marissabalbuena | buenatype
︎ in/marissa-balbuena

Augmented Reality, Illustration, Layout, Motion, Print, Research, Type Design, Typography, UX/UI, Visual Identity, Visual Systems

2021: SA+AH Outstanding Undergraduate Student Scholarship, $1,000
2021: Display Type BIPOC Fund, $1,060 for tuition and $60 for supplies
2021: Ligature 30 Best Junior Award
2020: James J. Rizzi Scholarship, $1,000
2016: De La Cruz Scholarship, $5,000 for tuition and $500 stipend

2022: Creating Narratives & Showcasing Process, Montserrat College of Art
2021: Flamingo Learning Branding Guide Training, UF Lastinger Center for Learning XD² team
2021: Senior College Forum, Design & Architecture Senior High
2021: Flamingo Learning Branding & Accessibility, UF Lastinger Center for Learning
2021: What Does It Mean to Decolonize Design?, UF Lastinger Center for Learning
2021: Typography in InDesign, UF Lastinger Center for Learning XD² team
2021: Adobe Illustrator Overview, UF Lastinger Center for Learning XD² team

2022: Journées du Matrimoine, L’architecture qui dégenre
2022: Ligature 31, GNV, FL
2021: Las Mejores Tipografías de 2021 by Rayitas Azules
2021: Type@Cooper Display Type Class Exhibit
2021: Periods for Periods by Rethink Canada
2021: AIGA GNV Book Review
2021: Ligature 30, GNV, FL
2020: AIGA GNV Member Spotlight, GNV, FL
2020: UF DRC Disability Liberation Art Gallery, GNV, FL
2020: Tea Literary & Arts Magazine Vol. 22, GNV, FL
2018, 2019: Art Bash, GNV, FL
2018: WARP Student Exhibition, GNV, FL
2016: School of Visual Arts Exhibition, NYC, NY