Graduating Student Shoutout: Jacob Franks

Jacob Franks

Bachelor of Science, English Secondary Education

Tell us about your collegiate activities, your clubs and organizations, or your favorite memories.

I was president of the Video Game Development Club, which ended up being a tutorial club for Unity, so I've pretty much been teaching throughout my entire time at university. I have some really good memories of staying up late with my game development friends trying to desperately get a game done in time. It would be past midnight, and we'd be sitting in a study room Saturday night half dead. We weren't always able to finish in time, but I remember always looking back and valuing what we created together. I'll always remember the face of one of my peers when I cleaned up the code for this one game and watched his face light up with something I can only describe as a proud glee when our game started working. We had a shark gliding across the screen and following a curser who had to run away from enemies which wasn't much, but his joy made it worth it. Helping someone reach their own valuable milestone is a precious memory I'll never forget.

Share the names of your favorite professors or other mentors you'd like to thank (and why).

  • Dr. Leslie Cook - For believing in and sticking up for me when even I didn't believe in myself.
  • Dr. Clarise Moran - For being a constant and amazing web of support. I'll always remember how you were clearly exhausted yet still took the time to speak with and help me during student teaching.
  • Dr. Mark Vogel - For rekindling my love of novels.
  • Dr. Raghuveer Mohan - For your insight and passion regarding Video Game Development.
  • Dr. David L. Orvis - For somehow getting me to love Shakespeare and treating me with the respect I will enthusiastically emulate with my students.

In a nutshell, what has App State meant to you?

It's a beautiful place where I populated and enriched my life with similar yet diverse, passionate individuals.

Jacob Franks
Published: Dec 6, 2021 4:27pm

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