Graduate Students
Steven Frank
M.S. Graduate Student
Steven Frank, is an innovative graduate student hailing from the University of Idaho with a degree in Virtual Technology and Design. His forward-thinking approach is evident in his dedication to integrating technology into educational and developmental spheres, where he specializes in crafting digital tools that contribute to assistive technology.
Steven's entrepreneurial prowess shone through at the DePaul International University Business Pitch, where he not only demonstrated his commitment to making a positive impact but also secured a position in the top 100 working independently.
As a consultant for the Riken group, Steven played a role in developing AI for autistic brain mapping and addressing challenges related to neurodiversity. His personal connection to neurodiversity stems from growing up with a brother facing the challenges of Down syndrome. Witnessing the struggles within the education system, Steven's family navigated the limitations of traditional approaches. Motivated by this experience, he sees the untapped potential of technology in revolutionizing education and strives to bridge the gap between innovation and practical implementation.
Steven goes beyond academia, actively engaging with the Special Olympics as a coach, volunteer, and board member, both locally and on the international stage.
Steven Frank is not merely a technologist; he is a passionate advocate for leveraging technology as a catalyst for positive change, particularly in the fields of education and developmental support.
Charles Reitcheck
M.S. Graduate Student
Charles Reitcheck is from Boise, and he attended the University of Idaho studying Virtual Technology and Design and Spanish achieving two bachelor’s degrees. His undergraduate research project, Rosita’s Cocina was accepted to the SIGGRAPH 2022 conference. He has designed and researched a highly accessible and effective tool for language and cultural education. He believes learning a language unlocks the ability to learn about culture, food, philosophy, and life from people in their own words.
In addition to his personal work as a photographer, videographer, and designer, he is now pursuing his post-graduate degree researching mobile applications and their role in language learning, especially in language revitalization. He is exciting to continue his collaboration with the Nez Perce Tribe, five federally recognized tribes of Idaho and the University of Idaho towards thriving Indigenous languages in Idaho. In the future he hopes to have achieved his doctorate degree and to be a professor and working with the designers of the future.
Kayla Stenzel
M.S. Graduate Student
Kayla Stenzel is a native of the Pacific Northwest and a graduate student at the University of Idaho from the Virtual Technology and Design (VTD) department. She is pursuing teaching technology and digital design at the high school level.
She believes incorporating technology and design education at the high school level will empower students to enhance their design skills for future pursuits at the college level.
She has developed personal projects as a producer, storyteller, designer, and artist. She collaborated in crafting album covers by employing digital design tools, artificial intelligence, and 3D models to accurately reflect the music group and the genre of music they produce. She draws constant inspiration from her surroundings and approaches learning with an independent mindset. She has produced advanced projects and designs that exceeded the scope of her formal education.
She formulated a 1st year curriculum for the VTD program and is now in the process of developing this curriculum to a high school audience through her Master thesis. She sees her future combining education and design and aspires to take the VTD degree further into more schools.