Did you know you can launch an elite career in a field that most people would think isn’t even remotely connected to your major? For University of Montana alumna Miya Fordah, the answer is a resounding yes—and the key was stepping out of the classroom to build an app from scratch.
Miya graduated from UM in 2022 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Media Arts, focusing on Design and Interactive Media. Initially arriving on campus to study animation, she was hand-picked by her faculty for an ambitious, remote experiential learning contract.
Today, Miya has been thriving as a professional front-end software engineer for nearly three years. Here is how she used a unique interactive art project to spearhead her transition into the tech world and secure an all-expenses-paid trip to Google I/O in 2024.
The Strategy: Designing and Developing on the “Bleeding Edge”
Miya’s professional journey shifted when Professor Michael Cassens recognized her and her close colleague, Claire Spain (’21), as a standout duo in the Media Arts program. They were tasked by Michael Legg and the Montana Repertory Theatre to design and build GoPlay!—a remote theatre performance application that functioned like a “geocaching” or “Pokémon Go” experience for local theater.
To bring the project to life, Miya pursued an independent, self-directed strategy to master changing technology.
- Navigating Evolving Tech Stacks: Eager to use the newest application development technology, Miya and her partner couldn’t rely on traditional, static course curricula. Instead, they spent their nights researching documentation, YouTube tutorials, and Stack Exchange—mimicking the exact day-to-day troubleshooting of professional developers.
- Overcoming Remote Collaboration Hurdles: Developing the app in 2021 meant working fully remote amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. When her partner graduated and moved across the country halfway through the project, Miya had to learn advanced independent troubleshooting to keep development on track.
- Managing Contract Scope: As an excited student designer, Miya brainstormed countless features with the Montana Rep team after contracts were signed, leading to massive “feature creep.” The project exploded from a 2-to-3-page geolocation app into a 5-to-6-page platform featuring real-time posting, subscriptions, an admin upload website, and a filtered event schedule.
The Career Launch: Breaking into Tech on Experience Alone
Building the GoPlay! app completely reframed how Miya viewed her career path. While she initially considered herself strictly an art student, seeing users across the world download and interface with her live designs changed everything. She realized that coding was simply a medium to bring her artwork to life.
When it came time to enter the job market, Miya didn’t have a standard coding degree, but she had a robust portfolio. GoPlay! stood out as one of three large-scale, live projects she showcased on her resume during interviews.
Her hands-on experience proved to employers that she could work independently, solve complex technical bugs, and build products from the ground up. Today, she successfully balances professional engineering work from home with small design contracts for friends and family.
GoPlay! in part spearheaded my transition from design and animation to development work,” Miya says. “Despite not having a Computer Science degree, I was able to jump into the coding world on experience alone… I learned that development is to design as animation is to a drawing; it brings it to life.
Career Lessons from Miya’s Journey
- The best way to learn is to do. You don’t have to wait for a class to teach you a skill. In fast-moving industries like tech and design, being able to read documentation and independently seek out innovative solutions is the most valuable trait you can show an employer.
- Beware of “feature creep.” Working on real contracts teaches lessons textbooks can’t. To avoid endless late nights trying to meet an unchanged deadline for a project that has tripled in size, learn to communicate early with stakeholders, set firm boundaries, or renegotiate timelines.
- Use student projects to build your interview portfolio. Employers value a proven track record of built products over a specific degree title. Maximize interactive art projects, freelance gigs, and campus contracts so you have tangible, live examples to showcase during your job hunt.
Take Action on Your Career Journey
- Explore Creative Paths: Check out our Virtual Career Hub to search for micro-internships, regional fellowships, and opportunities in the arts and media industry, or the Data and Technology Field.
- Take Part in Experiential Learning: Learn how to earn credit for internships or take part in hands-on projects through our Virtual Career Hub’s “How Do I…?” sections.
- Build your resume or portfolio: Explore local opportunities, micro-internships, and service-learning or hands-on projects on our Virtual Career Hub to start building your own portfolio.
- Translate your undergrad experiences into a paycheck: Learn how to map your projects, internships, and experiential learning experiences directly to the career competencies employers are hiring for by connecting with one of our career coaches.
