I have been using Maya since January, with no prior knowledge of anything 3d be it application or drawing or anything. I have no work worth posting hehe, I'm still in the tutorial stage, trying to do as many tut's as possible. I'd love once I get to be average at modelling to go more into the animation side of things but thats a wee way off yet Im 2nd year Uni student also and am doing a degree in Computer Science, there is a 3rd year paper on graphics and I know it covers things such as IK raytracing etc and other basics but other than that one paper I am teaching myself through tutorials etc.