Jordan Ball

“Post-Carthage, I want to pursue a career in the software development or game development fields. I want to create software that will improve people’s daily lives somehow.”

“The Carthage faculty have made an impact on my life. Even professors who have taught courses that I found somewhat dull were terrific enough to make the class fun and engaging. These professors have inspired me to pursue some of these fields even more, such as my French professor. I initially took the class to get the required language credit out of the way. However, having her as a professor has inspired me to pursue the language further outside the course. Her passion for teaching and the way she has the curriculum set up has made every class a joy to be in.”

“My favorite class so far has been my procedural generation J-Term course. This class was a topics course held in J-Term 2022 where we learned about procedural generation within video games and simulations. We would design landscapes through some straightforward mathematical algorithms and simulate bird flocks. It was a great class to go through because of just how incredible the different projects were, and I was able to show them off to my friends.”

“I have been involved in several different clubs and organizations on campus as well as an athletic team. I am a player on the Rainbow Six: Siege and Overwatch Esports teams and a shout caster for some broadcasts. I am also a member of the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity and am currently serving as an executive board member. I am the technical director for WAVE Radio as well.”

“My most challenging course so far has been Computer Organization. This is the computer science major course where you learn how a computer works on the lowest level. You pretty much have to think like a computer, and that is much easier said than done.”

“Since my sophomore year, I have been a computer science tutor. Being a tutor has allowed me to expand my computer programming skills by forcing me to look at other people’s code and diagnose any issues and bugs while also helping people in my shoes not long ago.”

“I have had so many opportunities at Carthage, but participating in the SURE program was my most prominent. SURE stands for Summer Undergraduate Research Experience. The experience I’ve gained through this program has set me up to be very successful in the future.”

“Of all the scholarships I was awarded, receiving the Carthage Academic Honors Scholarship meant the most to me. This scholarship reaffirmed that the hard work I did in high school was not a waste of time and that it helped prepare me for my first year at Carthage and beyond.”

“I have so many unforgettable Carthage memories to look back on. Still, my favorite would have to be the moment I learned that Carthage would be adding a varsity Esports program as well as a game development curriculum. I had been trying to start the Esports program since my first year and had worked with some fantastic people to make it happen. When I got word that the program was approved, I was speechless. However, I had no idea just how big it would get to be in such a short time. I was also amazed to learn that I could finally pursue game development as a serious career instead of just a tiny passion.”

“My favorite spot on campus is the new Esports Arena. I love going down there to do homework or hang out with friends. The atmosphere is always so welcoming, and there’s always something fun to watch on the TVs.”

“The biggest surprise for me thus far has been the number of fantastic opportunities Carthage has given me. I was able to spearhead the launch of Carthage’s new varsity Esports program; I was a part of the SURE program twice now. I have been involved in several clubs and organizations and even became a peer coach and orientation leader. These different opportunities have been valuable to me and my life here, and I will never forget them.”

“I think my 8-year-old self would be surprised that someone can pursue Game Development as a career while also getting to play video games competitively in a serious setting.”

“Computer Science is one of the most substantial fields of study you could choose. I can use the skills I have learned and apply them to any other field I want to work in, like medicine or mathematics. Game Development is especially so. Students can use the skills learned in the game development courses to create simulations for medical fields or engineering or create something to entertain people. The computer science professors at Carthage are all fantastic, and their passion for everything will make each of the classes a joy to be in and will likely increase your love for the field.

Game Development is more than making mindless video games. It is creating art and telling stories in a new medium that allows players to become heroes, villains, or anyone they could ever want to be.”

“I chose Carthage primarily due to the student-faculty ratio. I did not want to be just a number in a system and know my professors personally. Being treated as an individual instead of a mere number would allow me to grow academically and professionally as I can learn from their stories and experiences and help guide me in the right direction. After being at Carthage for three years now, I can confirm that professors will definitely know you by name and on more of a personal level, and it has benefitted me greatly.”