When Justin Meyer was preparing to leave South Africa for college, he knew he wanted to find a place that offered a small-town environment with a strong program in game development. After researching his options, Shawnee State University stood out as the perfect fit.
Meyer arrived in Ohio three years ago, enrolling in Shawnee State’s nationally ranked gaming engineering technology program. During his senior year, he spent the last four months applying his skills as a student employee at the Ohio Technology Consortium (OH-TECH), a division of the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE). This opportunity allowed him to spearhead the creation of the “Universe of Opportunity,” a virtual reality experience that offers tours of Ohio’s two- and four-year colleges, universities and technical centers.
“The project is designed to give users a virtual experience of Ohio,” Meyer said. “We’ve created a game-like environment where users can navigate a map of Ohio, visit different campuses and interact with campus mascots. Some campuses even offer 360-degree photo spheres that allow users to look around as if they were actually there.”
This experience was first introduced at the Ohio State Fair at the end of July. While it continues to be refined, it will eventually be available to the public, allowing anyone to explore these campuses virtually.
John Strawn, communications manager at OH-TECH, noted how the VR experience supports the broader mission of the Ohio Department of Higher Education.
“We want people to know that whatever you want to do, or whoever you want to be, you can achieve that right here in Ohio,” Strawn said. “This VR project was designed to show students that opportunity is right around the corner, and with talents like Justin’s, we’re able to make that vision a reality.”
Strawn, who supervised Meyer’s work on the VR experience, emphasized the significance of involving a student like Meyer in the project.
“The VR experience we showcased at the Ohio State Fair not only highlighted the diversity of Ohio’s higher education landscape but also served as a case in point that students in Ohio can directly contribute to impactful projects,” Strawn said. “Justin’s background and preparation were perfect for this project, and it was clear from the start that he felt a sense of ownership and pride in the work he was doing.”
The project involved significant technological expertise and took about two and a half months to complete. Meyer used Unity, a popular game engine, along with C# programming to build the virtual world. The project was hosted on a platform called Spatial, which aims to create a social, online metaverse.
Meyer said that working on the project and balancing his OH-TECH internship with coursework was a challenging but rewarding experience.
“It required a lot of intuitive thinking and problem-solving,” he said. “I had to come up with systems to work around the limitations of the platform, but my background in game development helped me navigate those challenges.”
Reflecting on Meyer’s contribution, Strawn added, “Justin brought a maturity and professionalism to this project that was truly impressive. The level of commitment he demonstrated ensured that we could execute the VR experience at such a high level. People at the fair were struck to learn that one student had done the work of an entire development team in just two and a half months.”
As an international student, Meyer’s journey to Shawnee State was one of discovery and opportunity. He had never visited the campus before enrolling but was drawn to its strong reputation and the opportunities it offered.
“This virtual tour project is important for students who may not have the chance to visit campuses in person,” Meyer said. “It gives them a sense of what each campus is like, where it’s located in Ohio, and what the environment and community are about.”
Meyer is excited to add this project to his professional portfolio and continue building connections in the field of game development. For now, he is continuing to work with OH-TECH and refine the VR experience before making it available to the public.
“This experience has been a great opportunity to apply what I’ve learned and showcase my work,” he said. “It’s definitely something I’m proud of.”
Written by Lexi Biasi
Students interested in working at the Ohio Technology Consortium should monitor the Ohio State job board, where positions are posted regularly. Some positions are also posted to Handshake. The Ohio Department of Higher Education's Ohio Technology Consortium partners with The Ohio State University for fiscal and legal support, including hiring processes. While some positions are open only to Ohio State students, others are open to applicants at any Ohio institution.
(November 19)
(November 7)
