Matthew Oropeza

Biography

Raised in the Bay Area, I spent most of my educational journey with my nose in a book, pencil in a sketchbook, or hands on an instrument. During Middle School, I would spend my evenings at my local after-school program. The help I received was immense, encompassing academic support, social activities, and a significant boost in confidence in my abilities and future. In the midst of this, I saw how much work and love the people there put into ensuring we were ready for our academic future, and that impression has stuck with me since then.

When I entered the University of California, Santa Cruz, I decided to pursue something that had been an obsession of mine since childhood: video games. As a video game design major, I learned about the ins and outs of the game-building process, including creating 3D models and renders, as well as serving as the group coordinator and game designer for numerous college projects. This passion started outgrowing my degree, and I ended up gamifying and personalizing anything I could get my hands on.

After graduating with my bachelor’s, I began working at an after-school program as a classroom director, in charge of a handful of 6th graders. Despite my unfamiliarity with leading a class of pre-teens (my years of experience nannying my cousins were underwhelming in comparison), I took on the challenge. I found it gratifying to help students overcome their academic challenges, and I made it my mission to increase their lesson comprehension through gamification, using what I gained in college to create activities that motivated them to learn. Utilizing these personalized approaches allowed me to connect with students and show them a different perspective on the work they were struggling with.

I spend most of my free time watching movies, lounging with my cats, exploring unknown parts of the bay, or fixating on a new video game.