Computer science and studio art major develops passion for animation through Micro Fellowship

Atomu Maruyama ’26, a computer science and studio art major at The College of Wooster, blended his creative and technical skills throughout the summer, interning as an animator and 3D modeler with The AAT Project, a media and innovation company. During the Micro Fellowship, Maruyama designed 3D assets and animations that contributed to the organization’s brand identity and marketing initiatives, allowing him to explore his passions in design and programming. 

“Through this internship, I gained practical skills that I’ll carry forward in my career, especially in 3D modeling and animation.”  

— Atomu Maruyama ’26 

FINDING OPPORTUNITIES  

I found out about this internship opportunity through Handshake, the student employment website. The role of a 3D modeler/animator seemed like an ideal fit for me because it aligned closely with both my academic background and career goals. I’m passionate about entering the video game or animation industry, and this internship provided valuable experience in creating 3D assets, rigging, and animation skills that are essential for my professional development. 

Atomu Maruyama ’26 expanded on his skills in game design while working with The AAT Project.

LESSONS LEARNED  

What interested me most about the work was discovering the differences between 3D models in video games and animation. Since my role was involved in the video game industry, I learned the importance of optimizing assets by keeping the polygon count as low as possible. Each day, I worked 

on background environment modeling using softwares like Maya and Blender. I also focused on animation clip organization, ensuring the animations were coherent in the game engine Unity.  

EXPANDED PERSPECTIVE  

This internship confirmed that I enjoy working in 3D modeling and animation, especially for games. I learned how to optimize models for game engines, manage low-polygon workflows, and work with rigs tailored for Unity. I also improved my ability to import and organize animation clips, edit animations, and troubleshoot within both Maya/Blender and Unity. Through this internship, I gained practical skills that I’ll carry forward in my career, especially in 3D modeling and animation. 

WHAT’S NEXT 

The APEX Micro Fellowship experience motivated me to continue developing my skills through personal projects and gave me a clearer idea of the kind of work I want to pursue in the future. The technical skills I’ve developed this past summer, along with a better understanding of production pipelines, have strengthened my foundation for a future in the video game or animation industry. 

Featured image: Atomu Maruyama ’26 interned as an animator and 3D modeler with The AAT Project over the past summer. Photo provided by subject.

Posted in Experiential Learning, Showcase Stories 2025 on August 6, 2025.