Games are Serious Business

When Ethan Dieckhoff began attending Blackhawk Technical college, his experience with virtual classes was more significant than most. As a graduate of Wisconsin Virtual Academy, a virtual K-12 school, he was used to logging in instead of driving in on a daily basis. He transitioned to virtual school in fifth grade for the reasons many students do, struggling to fit in with the social morays of public school. He also found that the curriculum at WIVA challenged him more than what he was getting in his local elementary school.

Having such a virtual upbringing, it isn’t surprising that Ethan joined the IT-Network Specialist program. “I’ve always loved computers and have been gaming on them since my preteen days,” Ethan explained. “This program has allowed me two things in this regard. For one, I’ve gotten to learn many of the ins and outs of not only how computers think but especially how they’re built. I actually far prefer the hardware aspects over the software. The second, however, is that I’m hoping to someday move onto a design school. Combining the two degrees would make for a fairly good background for video game development.”

Along with enjoying the work he’s doing here at Blackhawk, Ethan has been thankful for the flexibility of the environment. As the eldest of three children, he’s had to take up extra home responsibilities as both of his parents have battled physical challenges. A narcoleptic episode left his father unable to drive for some time, and Ethan’s ability to function as his father’s chauffeur kept the family disruption to a minimum. The summer after that, his mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer requiring him to step in and provide significant support while she battled her way to remission.

Despite coming from a virtual school background, Ethan prefers to attend class in person when he can. “I’ve figured out that I learn a lot better when I have a physical space I can know is my ‘work zone,’” he noted. So, most days, you can find him ensconced in the Blackhawk computer labs – where he won’t be bothered by Lennon, Sergeant Pepper, and Jackson, the family cats who fancy themselves helpful study assistants.

“It was a delight to have Ethan in class in person – sometimes as the only student in person,” said Ethan’s speech instructor, Becky Hansen. “His classmates were always eager to hear what he was going to present and noticed when he was missing. Despite his expressed fear of speaking in public, Ethan’s natural enthusiasm and acting background made him a class favorite. His delight always shone through as he shared his love for the art of video games and the battle for the battery between Edison and Tesla with us.”

When offering advice to other Blackhawk students, Ethan said that “you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help. In my experience, most of the instructors and staff are extremely willing to assist you in any way they can, so long as you know to ask for it. If not for their help, I might have given up when things became difficult.”

Visit https://www.blackhawk.edu/Programs-Classes/Explore-Programs/Program-Detail/program/IT-Network-Specialist/xmps/11578 to learn more about the IT-Networking program at BTC.

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