During the first week of school the question to ask was: “Are you an artist, programmer, or sound designer?” To which I would answer, “None of the above.”
My background is in science education. I studied biology and psychology in college, and I loved science. But I liked talking about science, more than I liked actually doing it. I interned at STEM outreach programs, mentored students in low-income areas, and even designed my own after school STEAM program for my senior thesis. As a result, I ended up working at NOVA, the public science television program, as a production assistant for the education team.
At NOVA, I realized the power of media to educate, and saw the growing potential for games and interactive experiences to reach a more diverse audience. However, I didn’t have the skill sets necessary to build those experiences.
I discovered the ETC through coincidence. I was looking into the career paths’ of employees at companies that I admired, trying to figure how I could get there. I found Michelle Cohen, the Director of Creative Programming at the Two Bit Circus (at the time). She studied at the Entertainment Technology Center, and when I looked into it, I realized that I had actually read about the program years ago.
For my high school graduation, my dad had given me Randy Pausch’s book, “The Last Lecture,” as a guiding philosophy to starting my adult life. I had read that book with fervor, and if anyone asked, it was my favorite book. It also happened to be the ten year anniversary of “The Last Lecture,” when I rediscovered the program. It was too much of a coincidence.
Although it seemed like the right fit and there were many guiding signs, I worried that I wasn’t qualified enough. But I visited the ETC anyway, and when I walked through the doors, I knew this is where I had to be. On the admissions floor, I was greeted by a twenty foot long, floor-to-ceiling installation of an intergalactic space ship control center. I was hooked.
Now, here I am in the ETC Class of 2020. I feel blessed to be able to walk by the space ship control center every morning. And I’m neither an artist, programmer, or sound designer. But, I’m here to learn.
Me standing in front of the control center on the 5th floor of the ETC excitedly pointing to my name.
TL;DR I’m here to build cool things for science.