Meet Matthew

Name: Matthew Oliveri

Class of: 2021

Program: Bachelor of Science in Game Programming and Development w/a minor in Video Game Art Development

"I praise scholarship donors for what they are doing and hope they continue to do so in the future."

What do you like most about SNHU?

Teachers are very engaging and willing to help.

How do the scholarships and financial aid you receive make it possible for you to attend SNHU? Specifically, how have scholarships made a difference?

I come from a middle class family and the aid is helping me so that I will not have a large amount of student debt. The scholarships are making a difference to help pay off some of the debt I owe from the past and help me purchase personal equipment like a PC, additional books, and software that are going to help me become a better programmer, artist, and designer.

What would you say to those who donate to support student scholarships?

I want to say I think what they are doing is great. I know they are helping many students out there that do not have and come from families that do not have a lot of income. Schooling can put you into a lot of debt and these programs and helping many like myself keep that debt down. I praise scholarship donors for what they are doing and hope they continue to do so in the future.

Why did you choose Southern New Hampshire University?

It is local and offered the degree I wanted to pursue. I deeply enjoy the environment and teachers.

What was your hope in receiving a college education? How has your experience been different than what you imagined?

To find a great job and better myself. I thought the classes would be larger, but I am glad they keep them to such a small size, I feel that the teachers can give more attention to students this way.

What inspired you to choose your area of study? What is your dream job?

I have always had a passion for video games, ever since I was three years old and had one of the first consoles ever made, which was an Atari. After taking electronics in high school and learning how to program later in college, I found that this would be a great fit. I have always wondered how things worked and found that jobs I am happiest at are jobs that are mentally stimulating and require a lot of thought and learning. I have found that in the video game industry you must continue to learn as there are always new concepts, software, and other aspects in the field that are continuing to change over time. My dream job is to work for a major video game company like Capcom, Rockstar Games, Activision, or any other company that has released AAA titles. I would also like to create my own company in the future if it would be possible.

Who at SNHU (professor, coach, advisor, etc.) has been the biggest influence on your SNHU experience? What lessons did that person teach you?

Both Lou Tommaro (Video Game Art Teacher) and Jonathan Dearborn (Video Game Programming Teacher) have been a big influence on my experience while at SNHU. I have learned a lot from them while attending their classes and they are full of knowledge and experienced in what they do. They have a great attitude and I am very thankful to have teachers like them. They have helped me learn quickly and have even helped me when I was having issues. I hope are many other teachers out there that are as helpful and positive like them.

In what ways have you been involved at SNHU (campus organizations, job, sports, etc.)?

I have recently joined the Veterans Student Association board as the board's Adjunct.

What do you find most challenging? How do you deal with this?

The most challenging is learning remotely because I learn better being in a classroom environment. I am dealing with this because I have to and thankfully with the technology today we are able to simulate that classroom environment. It is not the same, but it will have to do until Covid-19 has been taken care of.

What are you proudest of?

I am most proud that I have been able to strive and work as hard as I have in my classes so far while pursuing my current degree. The past two semesters I found myself on the Presidents List and hope to continue that trend until graduation.

In what ways do you want/hope to stay involved as an alumnus/a?

I hope to get involved in the game design club, help and work with other students, and stay up-to-date with all the information that SNHU offers - such as the discord server for SNHU game development and any new future videos or presentations that are offered to alumni that could help me in the future even after graduation.

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