The tecBRIDGE Team would like to officially introduce our IT Intern, Ryan Straub, to tecBRIDGE Nation.
Ryan is a Beer Creak native and Wyoming Seminary Alumni. This summer, his projects include website management, database creation and digitally monetizing tecBRIDGE conference presentations.
Ryan always knew he wanted a career in the computer field but wasn’t sure which path. In high school, his parents encouraged him to take a pre-college course in something he thought he would be interested in.
Ryan chose to take a course in game design because of his love for gaming.
“My dad pulled out a big book of 1,001 colleges that was handed down to me from my sister,” Ryan explained. “We narrowed down my course options to Marist College and Drexel University.”
Ultimately, Ryan chose Marist because he loved the campus and he is “too much of a country boy” for Drexel, which is located in Philadelphia.
He enjoyed the game design course so much, he applied for early admission to Marist. When he got accepted, he chose to major in Games and Emerging Media.
However, he ran into a speed bump when he realized he had self-taught himself a lot of the material he was learning in his program. Wanting to be challenged more, he shifted his major to Computer Science.
“It is certainly more challenging than the last major,” laughed Ryan.
During his internship, Ryan is also getting guidance from trusted members of tecBRIDGE Nation as he works on creating his own video game called Mental Capacity.
Mental Capacity is a desktop game designed to help people understand obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) through various mini games. The mini games involve completing obsessive compulsive characteristics like hand washing, turning off lights and more.
Ryan thought of the idea because he has OCD and wants to help others understand what it is like for those who have it.
Other than help with his game, Ryan hopes this internship allows him to dip his toes into the business world. “Don brought me to a NEPA Networkers networking event on my first day as an intern,” laughed Ryan. “It was baptism by fire, but I learned a lot from the experience.”
When he isn’t working, he enjoys playing and streaming video games with his friends. He also enjoys singing and theater.
To learn more about his game or join the beta testing group, you can email Ryan at ryan.straub.marist@gmail.com.