Texas native Michaela Marioni moved to Wichita when her husband was stationed at McConnell Air Force Base in 2015, and she decided to enroll at Wichita State. Originally a veterinarian medicine major, Michaela discovered her talent for video editing in a class and pursued it with a passion.
Since 2017 she has built a whole network and portfolio to match her talents. Michaela looks forward to attending the Game Design Conference in March to show off her portfolio to potential employers.
Michaela is one of more than 1,100 students eligible for fall 2019 graduation. Learn more about her time at Wichita State and what is next for the grad.
What is your degree in?
Bachelor of Applied Arts with a concentration in Video Game Design (focus on Concept Art)
What led you to WSU to begin with?
My husband is in the Air Force and we actually got stationed here back in 2015. I was originally going for veterinarian medicine, but after realizing I am terrible at science and failed multiple classes, I decided to swap to video game design at the end of the spring 2017 semester, which was perfect timing, because Shocker Studios was being made into existence.
How are you feeling leading up to graduation?
So excited! I've been in college for about 6 years now, so being so close to the finish line is crazy!
What has been your most helpful learning experience while a student at WSU?
Creating a public profile, especially in a field like mine. Also, networking!
What was been your biggest challenge as a student, and how did you overcome it?
Finding out what I really wanted to do with my life. Once I swapped majors, I saw a huge improvement in my class attendance, eagerness to do assignments and just my happiness overall.
What are your plans now workwise?
I plan on building up my portfolio for the Game Design Conference in March so I can show it to potential employers. Other than that, just keep drawing and building up my portfolio until I land a job somewhere. I have a serving job to keep me afloat until then.
What advice would you give other WSU students?
Find something you're passionate about and stick to it. Push yourself to be better. It may take a while to figure out where you want to go in life, but you'll get there eventually.
