Graduation Spotlight: Macie Landon, Visualization

Macie Landon’s introduction to visualization began in middle school, when her father gave her his old laptop — a gift that led her to creating splash art for some of the biggest games on Roblox.

The hobby turned into a freelance career at age 13 in designing art for various games and brands. Landon continued honing her craft and decided to attend Texas A&M University for the Visualization program.

“I had no idea I could go to college for game design and 3D animation, and now I’m graduating as a first-generation student,” she said. “I’ve learned so much here and have loved every minute.”

The Arlington native, who grew up in Granbury, is set to graduate Friday with a Bachelor of Science in Visualization, and will be honored as a distinguished student in the College of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts’ Graduation Recognition Ceremony on Thursday.

“I’m truly honored to be selected for this award,” she said. “One goal I made early in my career was to always inspire others to pursue their passions, and I feel as if this award gives me the platform to continue doing so. Being recognized for my hard work truly means a lot.”

One of her most memorable experiences in the program was taking the Summer Industry Course in virtual production. The 10-week course challenges students to create a product in a collaborative, team-based environment with mentorship and feedback from industry professionals.

“Getting behind the camera and shooting our film, after our team had worked so hard all summer, was probably the most fun I’d ever had in the Viz program,” she said. “I also enjoyed getting to be the TV Officer for Chillennium this year. Our team was fantastic, and seeing everyone’s reactions to the theme video I made was really fulfilling.”

Landon was chosen as the university’s chapter lead for the Roblox University Engagement program, and she hosted a discussion with two of the biggest creators on the platform.

“Getting to share my work and insights into freelancing on Roblox with Viz students was a rewarding, full-circle moment for me,” she said.

She also joined the NASA Glenn Research Center as a 3D/VR intern in Cleveland, Ohio, last spring, which she called a transformative experience. She shared her experiences and offered advice to students during a NASA webinar.

Landon credits Mayet Andreassen, instructional associate professor, and Mason Smith, instructional assistant professor, as being pivotal to her academic pursuits.

“Professor Andreassen has always been hugely supportive of my endeavors and someone I can always reach out to,” Landon said. “Professor Smith always gave me effective and straightforward advice throughout the multiple classes I’ve had him as a professor, and his course I was a peer teacher for.”

Landon said she is grateful to the college for fueling her confidence to reach for opportunities she might not have considered otherwise.

Following graduation, Landon will start working as an intern at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston with the moon base strategic communications team. She also plans to continue her freelance work on Roblox.

“I always aim to put myself in a career position where I’m constantly learning, and I love combining my love of cinematography, animation and 3D anywhere I can,” she said. “At some point, I’d also love to explore the feature animation industry.”

As she steps into this next chapter, Landon remembered her father once telling her she was destined to become an astronaut.

“Having someone behind you telling you that doesn’t result in you dreaming small,” she said. “I grew up thinking that if I worked for what I wanted, I could accomplish anything.”