Josh Andres Bossio Rojas spent countless waking hours playing video games as a youngster in Colombia, and channeled that passion into computer engineering studies when he grew up. But enrolling in the Miami Animation & Gaming International Complex (MAGIC) at Miami Dade College took his quest for knowledge to the next level.
It also landed him a job.
“I tried to get involved in as many programs and learn as much as possible,” Bossio said of his experience at MAGIC, where he earned an Associate in Science in Game Development and Design in spring 2024. He enthusiastically participated in hackathons, was lead programmer on a virtual reality (VR) capstone project, and joined the STEM-focused COALESCE program, for which he worked on a research project that displayed the digestive system through a VR experience.
That project caught the attention of Giselle Garcia, project director at Miami’s Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science for Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS), an award-winning program preparing under-resourced teens for STEM higher education and careers.
Garcia hired Bossio to teach in Frost’s video game design program. Finally, he was being paid to do what he loves best.
“I would not have had the tools without MDC,” said Bossio, who teaches high school students to design video games, focusing on storytelling, game mechanics and tools.
He attributes his success to MAGIC’s learn-by-doing method. He models that approach with his own teaching, and finds it fulfilling when his students are eager to advance to the next step of their projects.
Garcia said Bossio brings more than his technical know-how to the job, which is part of the museum’s commitment to education in science, technology, engineering and math. “Josh emphasized his skillset in video game design, but what caught our eye was the attributes that he had to be an amazing mentor to these 65 students.”
Mauricio Ferrazza, department chair of MAGIC, said the program’s curriculum is designed to be handson and industry-focused. The goal is for students to learn skills that will get them their first entry-level position.
“And it works!” he said.
Students interact with industry experts through mentorship programs and internships. MAGIC also partners with top studios like Nickelodeon and Disney.
For Bossio, the job is just the beginning. He is now working toward a bachelor’s degree in computer science at MDC.
– AH
Published by the Miami Dade College Forum, December 2024 – Volume 29 – Number 4. www.mdc.edu/collegeforum
For more information about the MAGIC program, please contact us at (305) 237-3560
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