Top 100 honoree Teaosha Cunningham on community building through gaming

Six Herron undergraduate students were chosen from 400 nominees for the 2022 Top 100 Awards. The IUPUI Office of Alumni Relations presents the awards each year to recognize academic excellence, campus leadership, and community engagement.

So, with a series of Q&As, we're shining a light on the accomplishments of Olivia Adam, Teaosha Cunningham, Denver Doub, Jessy Fearnow, Christopher Pack, and Ria Vavhal.

Teaosha Cunningham rounds out our Q&A series with Herron's 2022 Top 100 honorees. Cunningham, a resident of Goshen, Indiana, graduated this month with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in visual communication design (VCD). Continue reading to learn more about her campus activities and her plans to pursue a career in video games after graduation.

HERRON: You pursued a minor in new media with a focus on gaming and the goal of becoming a creative director in the industry. What drew you to game design, and how will your visual communication design skills be used in this field?

TEAOSHA CUNNINGHAM: I've been playing video games since I was a child. My father's Nintendo 64 was my first console. Before I started college, game design was always lingering in the back of my mind. I've always been fascinated with technology and how things work. As someone who grew up playing video games with my siblings, I love how they can bring people together. These are some of my most treasured memories.

My enrollment in the School of Informatics and Computing's Creature and Character Design for Videogames, Comics, Film, and Animation (NEWM-N 333) course ultimately sold me on game design as a career path. I was captivated by the instructor's passion, the subject matter, and the opportunity to hone my free-hand illustration skills. I took that class in the spring of 2019. I've been hooked ever since. My interest in game design stems from the fact that I can see a project's direct impact on people without them having to tell me anything. I'm elated whenever I see someone playing a game I created, and it's very motivating.

My hope is that my VCD education will give me an edge over other candidates in a highly competitive field. At this point, I am well-versed in the entire design process, from conception to completion. Not only can I create things that are visually stunning, but I also have the ability to market and communicate my ideas effectively. I'm very proud of that.

HERRON: For your Designing in Context class (HER-V 340), you collaborated with the IUPUI School of Liberal Arts' Department of Religious Studies on a health and wellness project. Your design deliverables assisted the Englewood Christian Church and the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation with community outreach amid the pandemic. What was your favorite part of the collaboration?

Amidst the uncertainty of the pandemic, it was important that their communities felt seen, welcomed, and cared for. Postcards can be distributed via social media, mailed in advance, and even hand-delivered door-to-door.

HERRON: You discussed burnout as a guest on the IUPUI Office of Student Employment's "Learning and Earning" podcast. College can be stressful because there are so many changes and challenges. You've switched schools twice to find the best educational fit for your career goals. What is your secret to staying focused and motivated while volunteering and working part-time on and off campus?

CUNNINGHAM: My only secret to staying motivated is taking the time to think about what makes me happy. All I have to do is find activities, classes, and adventures that align with that. There isn't one trick to staying motivated. Knowing who you are and what you care about can help you remain interested in what you're doing and understand why you're doing it.

Each time I transferred schools, it was a big change. I'm not perfect, and it was sometimes hard to keep my motivation going. I'm lucky to have an amazing support system in my life that constantly reminds me to give myself grace when I'm struggling. I had to check in regularly with myself to see how I was feeling.

My biggest motivator is that I enjoy the work that I do. As a volunteer, a student organization leader, a part-time worker, and a student, I thoroughly enjoyed facilitating a welcoming atmosphere and inspiring others to succeed.

HERRON: As a media assistant in the IUPUI Office of International Affairs (OIA), you designed graphics for the campus-wide International Festival. What did you learn about yourself as a result of this work?

CUNNINGHAM: One of my favorite IUPUI experiences was working as a media assistant for the OIA. I've always enjoyed learning about different cultures, backgrounds, and languages. Having a part-time job that allowed me to immerse myself, learn, and help people has been awesome.

As part of my journey with OIA, I've discovered that I am a lifelong learner who loves learning about anything and everything. I also enjoy having a lot of creative freedom in my work and being able to create things that are useful for as many people as possible. Knowing that my designs are inspiring and helpful has helped me figure out what my "why" is as a designer.

HERRON: As president of IUPUI's Game Developers' Group, you've organized "Jams" for creature creation and game concept development. What piqued your interest in hosting these events on campus?

CUNNINGHAM: Game jams are similar to hackathons, but they specifically focus on game development. Consider it a "create a video game as fast as possible" challenge. A game jam is typically held over a single weekend or one to two weeks. People attempt to create games based on either voted on or chosen themes. Similarly, creature creation jams allow people to test their creativity by creating a brand-new entity based on a specific theme.

I had a variety of motivators for these projects. One of the largest was the desire to bring student interaction back to campus. It's no surprise that many people crave in-person connections after the pandemic. The student organization scene died down when everything went online, but it doesn't have to stay that way. These jams are just one of the many ways I hope students can form friendships and communities during their time at IUPUI.

HERRON: Another area of interest for you is making gaming a more inclusive space. How do you plan on advocating for this issue?

CUNNINGHAM: Gaming is a field I'm incredibly passionate about. I've said it before, but I've spent my entire life playing video games. Because they've meant so much to me, I believe in the good that video games can do in the world. Aside from my siblings, I didn't have many friends who shared the same interest in video games when I was younger. I'd like to see more people participate in the hobby.

Ideally, I'd like to open a gaming studio in Indianapolis. I'd like to become more involved in the Indianapolis game development scene. I also want to advocate for more opportunities for people like me. There is a wealth of talent in this city. I hope that one day people will not have to move away from Indiana to be successful in the gaming industry one day.

I also want to cultivate a platform that can serve as a creative outlet for those who want to try their hand at making video games. Expanding the range of available subject matter begins to improve the gaming landscape for people of all types and backgrounds. Not every mainstream video game has to be a competitive first-person shooter one. Why not make games where people can immerse themselves in the experience? I believe that people are more likely to enjoy something when they are not under pressure to win or perform well on their first try.