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College Studies And Technology A Family Affair For Baker Student

By Edward Cardenas

FLINT (CBSDetroit.com) - A degree from Baker College and working in technology is a family affair for Christian Matsoukis.

Matsoukis, whose parents are Baker College graduates, received an associate degree Sunday. But before he received his diploma, he released a digital game which has become a popular download on the iTunes app store.

The game, Sewer Rat , utilized JavaScript language to design the game which has been downloaded more than 1,000 times on Apple iPhones, iPads and iPod touch.

"It was amazing to program code for something that started as an idea," said Matsoukis, of Davison.

The premise of Sewer Rat is the pipes in the sewer have burst, and the player must move bricks to clear a path so a rat can escape, according to school officials. By using  JavaScript (JS), which allows users to drag and drop folders, files and other objects, gamers can move bricks to allow the rat to escape.

Matsoukis graduated with an associate degree in computer animation, and follows in the footsteps of family members. His mother Christina Matsoukis, an independent contractor who is a senior web developer/UX designer for ThyssenKrupp Materials NA, has received three degrees from Baker. His father, Marino Matsoukis, earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Baker.

He added that he was inspired by his parents, and one of his professors who taught him game theory and the workings of games.

"Christian has a talent for combining different concepts to make something new," said Steven Vincent, who has taught at Baker College for 26 years and is an information technology manager for the State of Michigan. "I'm sure his future games will be successful, too."

According to Baker officials, Matsoukis plans on earning a bachelor's degree in web development, which could lead to a fruitful career. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the mean annual wage for multimedia artists and animators exceeded $72,000 in 2013. Web developers could expect a salary of $67,500.

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