Cameron Leonard (Richmond Cohort 1 Hidden Genius Alum) joined our Intensive Immersion Program in 2017 as a member of our inaugural Richmond, CA cohort. While in our program, Cameron discovered his passion for mentoring young people and producing music which motivated him to major in Digital Media Arts at Cal State University, Dominguez Hills. Cameron admits going to college wasn’t an easy experience, but credits his perseverance to our organization, “The Hidden Genius Project provided me with the guidance, resources, job opportunities, and conversations that were much needed throughout the different phases of my college career.” The constant support Cameron received from The Hidden Genius Project helped him maintain a 3.4 GPA and allowed him to mentor the next generation of Hidden Geniuses as a Senior Youth Educator at our Los Angeles site. Today, we’re honored to celebrate Cameron as he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Digital Media Arts with an emphasis in Audio Engineering and is now working full-time as an Innovation Educator at our Los Angeles site.
How does it feel to graduate from college?
It feels amazing to look back on how much I’ve grown in the past five years. I was the type of student who had a lot of self-doubt throughout my college experience. Oftentimes, I was unsure if I made the right decision about moving too far away from my family, pursuing a major I didn’t know much about, or if Cal State University, Dominguez Hills was the best school for me. Now that I’m at the end of this journey, it’s humbling to reflect on the times I used to doubt myself and how far I’ve come. Graduating college proved to me that I am capable of whatever I set my mind to as long as I find efficient methods to adapt and execute.
How did The Hidden Genius Project prepare or support you throughout your college journey?
The Hidden Genius Project provided me with the guidance, resources, job opportunities, and conversations that were much needed throughout the various stages of my college career. They were a huge part of my success, especially when it came to helping me alleviate any stressors I had about college.
Each semester I was provided with paid opportunities to support The Hidden Genius Project’s Community Partnership Programs by teaching young people basic game development software using Scratch & UI/UX design with SoLa I Can Foundation in Los Angeles. My favorite programming partnership was with the Solano County Probation Department’s Juvenile Facility in 2022. I was responsible for teaching justice-involved youth how to build websites for their business ideas so they had something to strive for after their release date.
These job opportunities taught me how to lead by example, keep my programming skills up to date, and make connections with young people from many different communities. I also learned how to find and manage sound effects for Genius Studios when developing our first-ever PC game. Having these paid gigs with The Hidden Genius Project helped me financially and gave me the opportunities to further cultivate my skills while attending college.
In what ways did you remain connected to The Hidden Genius Project (staff, RICH 1 Geniuses, and new cohorts) over the years?
Ever since I completed the program in 2018, I’ve come back to work for The Hidden Genius Project and this has afforded me the chance to keep in touch with other Geniuses from all of their programming sites.
During my time, I’ve accomplished many things such as being a Senior Youth Educator for our Los Angeles site, mentoring newer Geniuses in our Intensive Immersion Program, and supporting the Community Partnership Programs we provide to the greater community. I also worked on a new project called Genius Gaming Studios where I spent months helping a group of Geniuses develop “Surge Breaker,” a sci-fi-based PC game that is coming out soon. I also keep in touch with other Geniuses on social media from our Oakland, Richmond, CA, Los Angeles, and Detroit locations which is awesome. While in college, it’s been a blessing to have multiple job opportunities available to me each semester whenever I wasn’t busy with school and homework.
What was it like completing your senior year at Cal State University, Dominguez Hills?
It was nothing short of an absolute grind at Cal State University, Dominguez Hills. I took my studies very seriously which helped me bond with my professors and classmates on a deeper level. These connections helped me maintain a 3.4 GPA throughout my upper-division courses. My last semester of college really put me to the test as I was taking 18 units and completing a 40-hour internship. There were plenty of times when I was on campus for 12 hours just straight grinding. I’ve never felt so disciplined and locked in like this before so I am proud of what I’ve accomplished these past couple of years.
Now that you are a college graduate, what’s next for you?
I will be working with The Hidden Genius Project as an Innovation Educator in Los Angeles. This means I will be more involved in teaching our curriculum and shaping the next era of our lessons to enhance the Geniuses learning experience, which is very important to me as an alumni. In this next role, I’m excited to contribute my perspectives on ways The Hidden Genius Project can continue to grow and serve alumni like myself in the future. I am also very interested in learning more about cybersecurity, investing, real estate, traveling, nutrition, and other topics that will help me grow in the next chapter of my life.
Do you have any words of wisdom for Geniuses who will be starting college this fall?
Always remind yourself of your goals but know that it takes true patience, sacrifice, and consistent effort to accomplish what you want. As long as you show up and put in the work needed for each day, you will be successful. I also encourage you to take time to reflect on how far you have come and appreciate your journey through it all.
Since 2012, more than 11,400 students have revealed their genius through our Immersion, Catalyst, and Community Partner Programs, and so many more are waiting to shine.
HELP NEW GENIUSES STEP INTO THE SPOTLIGHT.
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