Alumna and 3D artist lands gaming design dream job

“I’ve been playing video games my whole life,” said Maureen Saverot ’15, MFA ’18. “As soon as I realized that could be my career, I started looking for ways to craft games and stories for people.” 

Saverot dreamed of having a career she loved, a job that didn’t feel like work, was fun, was creative, and made her look forward to Mondays. University Libraries, along with her Virginia Tech degrees, helped make that dream a reality, and she landed a job at Bungie as an associate narrative technical designer on Destiny 2, a free-to-play, online, multiplayer action video game. 

As the saying goes, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” 

In 2015, Saverot earned an undergraduate degree in studio art and then received a master’s degree in creative technologies in 2018, both from the College of Architecture and Urban Studies. Shortly after, she accepted a position as an emergency hire in Newman Library's Digital Imaging and Preservation Department and worked her way up to a faculty member in just three years, leading a team of student employees. At the library, Saverot was a 3D technical artist specializing in photogrammetry, a type of 3D scanning that uses hundreds of pictures and specialized software to create digital models of real-world objects. 

“I loved collaborating with unique collections departments across campus,” said Saverot. “We had a variety of pilot projects that were so interesting, from clothing to fossils to bugs.” 

Saverot enjoyed her job with University Libraries, which allowed her the opportunity to collaborate with the School of Visual Arts, Applied Research in Immersive Experiences and Simulations, and Entomology. That added a trove of experience to her resume and also taught her a lot about leadership along the way. 

“Bungie itself is a AAA gaming studio, so it’s a bit unusual to jump right in without experience at smaller studios, and University Libraries helped me with that,” said Saverot. 

Saverot’s work at Bungie is a combination of both creative and technical skills, which she says is very fulfilling for her. There, her team collaborates with animators, writers, and 3D artists to create narrative-driven content that expands the story of Destiny. Explicitly, her team works to create the content for non-player characters (NPCs). “The teams come together to create these amazing narrative experiences,” said Saverot. “Not only the content creation teams, but the teams that support their tools and workflows as well.” 

“Helping to craft the story experience for players is a dream come true,” said Saverot. “And my new job at Bungie means I get to work on video games every day!”

Saverot wants current creative technologies students to stay open-minded about the kinds of jobs they’re qualified for in their futures. “Keep an eye out for positions with unusual names that still encompass the skills you’re learning,” explained Saverot. “Expanding your skill set into using game engines, scripting, and other technical skills can create new opportunities for you. Follow your dreams and make it happen.”