“I grew up playing video games and my junior year of high school, I took a coding class that got me really interested in computer science. From there, I started learning about video game design because I wanted to understand how they were made.

The part of game design that excites me the most is the visuals. I love the art and understanding what makes a game appealing. There are so many ways to create that art, from very pixelated to very realistic, high-definition.

I graduated from high school in 2020 and started courses at the University of Utah that fall. That summer, I also started doing beadwork. Beaded jewelry is a lot of math. You have to translate an image into a pixelated pattern where each bead acts as a pixel. It’s algebra and even a little calc. But even though it’s math, it doesn’t feel that way to me. These skills helped me transition to creating digital game art.

When I came to the U, I started looking for clubs to join. I found the Inter-Tribal Student Association, which helps host the U’s annual Pow Wow. I love attending this event, and last year I even got a booth and sold some of my jewelry.

After graduating, I really just want to design video games and have people be able to experience and interact with my art. While I have my own ideas, I also want to collaborate with others and work on their ideas. I am very open to what the future brings.”

—Darius Thronas, fifth-year student, Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Entertainment Arts and Engineering Emphasis, from the Pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico