{"id":226146,"date":"2025-05-06T11:01:48","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T15:01:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/?p=226146"},"modified":"2025-05-12T16:16:57","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T20:16:57","slug":"how-bloomfield-college-graduate-abraham-rubio-turned-his-passion-for-games-into-a-tool-for-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/2025\/05\/06\/how-bloomfield-college-graduate-abraham-rubio-turned-his-passion-for-games-into-a-tool-for-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"How Bloomfield College Graduate Abraham Rubio Turned His Passion For Games Into a Tool for Learning"},"content":{"rendered":"

This story is part of a series celebrating Montclair State University\u2019s Spring Commencement 2025 graduates \u2013 students who embody the University\u2019s mission to broaden access to exceptional learning opportunities and contribute to the common good.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up on Nintendo,\u201d says Abraham Rubio.<\/p>\n

Now a first-generation college graduate, two-time game club president, and former NASA intern<\/a>, Rubio has grown into a natural leader and creative software engineer with a passion for using tech to make an impact.<\/p>\n

But long before he ever set foot in Bloomfield College of Montclair State University\u2019s computer lab, he was already writing code \u2013 not in a classroom, but in his childhood bedroom, creating custom mods for Minecraft.<\/p>\n

Modding is how players change or expand a video game\u2019s features. To mod Minecraft, you have to learn Java \u2013 a coding language used by professional programmers. At just 10 years old, guided by YouTube videos, Rubio was teaching himself how code interacts with machines.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the time, I didn’t understand anything<\/em> of what I was typing or the value of what I was learning,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

What started as a desire to make his video games more fun ended up teaching him to think like an engineer \u2013 solving problems by writing code to build digital tools from scratch.<\/p>\n

From Player to Programmer<\/strong><\/h2>\n

At Donald M. Payne, Sr. School of Technology<\/a>, a game development program helped Rubio realize that creating games could actually be a career. One of his teachers, impressed by his drive, recommended that he apply to Bloomfield College \u2013 known for having one of the top Game Design programs<\/a> in New Jersey.<\/p>\n

When Rubio arrived at Bloomfield, he originally enrolled as a Game Design major. But after realizing he was more drawn to the technical side of the field, he switched to Bloomfield\u2019s Computer Science and Game Programming majors.<\/p>\n

His coursework honed his technical skills, but what really stood out was how much he grew through group work and collaborative projects.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe biggest thing I learned at Bloomfield was how to work with others,\u201d says Rubio. \u201cI learned how to collaborate with people who have different skills than me. I learned how other people communicate and how to communicate my ideas \u2013 especially while leading two capstone projects.\u201d<\/p>\n

These new skills were put to the test when Rubio decided to bring back Bloomfield\u2019s Game Club \u2013 and quickly learned that reviving a student club wouldn\u2019t be easy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know what I was getting into,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

At first, he tried to handle everything on his own. But as the club grew, so did his understanding of what real leadership requires: collaboration.<\/p>\n

To organize larger tournaments and events, he realized he\u2019d need help \u2013 not just from his peers, but from departments across campus. One of his most valuable partnerships was with Bloomfield\u2019s esports coach, who offered equipment and logistical support.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout him, some of our biggest events wouldn\u2019t have been possible,\u201d Rubio says.<\/p>\n

That shift \u2013 from going it alone to building a network of support \u2013 became one of the defining lessons of his time at Bloomfield.<\/p>\n

Over the next two years as Game Club president, Rubio helped grow the team and lay the groundwork for the club\u2019s future.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow there\u2019s a full team behind me that will run the club, even after I graduate,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

At Bloomfield, Rubio leaned into the technical side of game development \u2013 and discovered that real leadership means collaborating with others. (Photo by University Photographer Mike Peters)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The NASA Internship: Expanding His Universe<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Out of more than 600 applicants to NASA\u2019s Game Development internship<\/a> program, only four students were selected. Rubio was one of them.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why he encourages students to apply to big opportunities anyway, even when they seem out of reach. \u201cDon\u2019t reject yourself,\u201d he says. \u201cLet them reject you.\u201d<\/p>\n

At NASA, Rubio joined a small, cross-functional team that included another programmer, a UI\/UX designer, a project manager and climate scientists. Together, they designed a game to help high school students understand how climate change affects the globe over time.<\/p>\n

Rubio\u2019s role was on the back end \u2013 incorporating real climate data into the game\u2019s front-end interface in a way that would be understandable and engaging for young players.<\/p>\n

The experience opened his eyes to how versatile his skills really were.<\/p>\n

\u201cNASA\u2019s not known for games, but they wanted this project,\u201d he reflects. \u201cIt made me realize I could apply these skills anywhere. What else can I learn? What else can I move forward with?\u201d<\/p>\n

He also discovered the potential of games to be more than just entertainment \u2013 they could teach, engage and shift perspectives.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy game programming background can be used for education,\u201d he says. \u201cI can teach others in an enjoyable way without relying on a textbook.\u201d<\/p>\n

A First-Gen Graduate, Ready for What\u2019s Next<\/strong><\/h2>\n

On May 8, Rubio will receive his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science<\/a> and Game Programming<\/a>, ready to use his skills to build more than just games.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s proud to join his two older sisters as a college graduate, becoming the third person in his family to earn a degree. \u201cIt feels like I\u2019m following in their footsteps,\u201d he says. He\u2019s grateful to them for offering advice and encouragement when he needed it most.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s also grateful for his parents, who supported him emotionally, financially and logistically.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey might not understand a lot of the intricacies of college, but they were there every step of the way,\u201d he says. His parents provided rides to school and helped him get a car and his license.<\/p>\n

With his degree in hand, he\u2019s aiming for a career in software engineering \u2013 and knows the journey might take time, but he\u2019s committed to the process.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know it\u2019s coming,\u201d he says. \u201cIt may not be today or tomorrow, but the work will pay off.\u201d<\/p>\n

The University will<\/em> celebrate its graduates at Commencement<\/em><\/a> exercises on Wednesday, May 7 and Thursday, May 8, 2025, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Story by <\/em>Jayda Brown<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>University Communications and Marketing<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Ready to Start Your Bloomfield Journey?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Prospective Students or Parents:<\/em><\/strong> Learn more about <\/em>Bloomfield College of Montclair State University<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Journalists:<\/em><\/strong> Contact our <\/em>Media Relations<\/em><\/strong><\/a> team to request assets or schedule an interview with a member of the Class of 2025.<\/em><\/p>\n