This project was part of my Advanced Multimedia course at MSUM, led by the department chair of Graphic Communications. That semester, our professor surprised the class with an ambitious initiative: we would be responsible for designing and building out Minnesota State University Moorhead’s presence in Second Life.

At the time, Second Life was seen as the early foundation of virtual reality and the “next evolution” of the web. Our professor believed it was critical for the university to establish a pioneering virtual footprint, and our group of senior-level students had the right skills to make it happen.

As a team, we began with a collaborative brainstorm to envision how MSUM’s virtual island should look. We decided to create a detailed 3D replica of the physical campus, with each major building designed to represent its real-world counterpart. Visitors would be able to walk the island, explore departments, and learn more about the programs and facilities in an immersive, interactive environment.

I took on the challenge of building the Center for the Arts—specifically the music department building. Having taken multiple classes there, I was already familiar with its structure and layout. I used in-world modeling tools to construct an accurate shell of the building, based on real measurements I took of the physical space.

Beyond structural modeling, I curated the interior with top-tier student work from the music and art departments, turning the building into a showcase of campus creativity. One deceptively complex challenge I tackled was the creation of interactive doors that opened and closed on touch, something surprisingly finicky in Second Life’s scripting system.

By the end of the semester, our island featured near-complete versions of MSUM’s core buildings, offering a highly detailed and explorable digital campus. My work in particular was recognized for its architectural accuracy and attention to fine details, helping establish the overall professional polish of the virtual experience.

While Second Life didn’t ultimately become the mainstream platform our professor had envisioned, this project provided deep hands-on experience with 3D modeling, user interaction design, and collaborative world-building in a live digital environment. It remains one of my favorite examples of creatively applying technical skills to solve a unique challenge.

• Environment Design using in-world 3D modeling tools

• Architectural modeling from real-world measurements

• Digital curation of multimedia content

• Scripting for user interaction (touch-activated objects)

• Collaborative virtual world-building

• Online community integration and presentation