By: Shelby Hobbs Friday, November 20, 2015

If you had to compile a list of incredible technology educators, Lucas von Hollen would be at the top. He embodies the desired characteristics of a teacher because he is knowledgeable, he cares about the students, and he is entertaining in a way that you can only understand if you’ve met him. Lucas is a true gem and the Florida IT Career Alliance team is made better with him as a leader. Lucas graduated from Florida State University with a double major in Theatre and Information Technology. While studying at FSU, Lucas was highly involved with the FSU Circus. He is currently a member of Campus Outreach Group (COG), Campus Girl Scouts (CGS), and the Association for Information Technology Professionals (AITP). He is also working with The Marks Foundation.In the fall of 2014, Lucas became a Student Ambassador with the Florida IT Career Alliance. He had been teaching younger students about IT for years before joining the organization. According to Lucas, becoming an Ambassador for FITC “was just a more organized way to continue doing what I’ve been doing, which was very helpful.”

With FITC, Lucas has been involved in countless events, but his most preferred activities allowed him to teach students about technology. From coding to hardware, he has a unique and effective way to engage students with the subject matter. His iconic lesson plan is an introduction to game design. In this course, Lucas is able to help students learn about gaming while putting his theatrical talents to use. It is not up for debate; the students love him. He wrote about how he frequently encounters students years after his initial lesson plan and approach him with gratitude. “Even if I don’t remember all of them,” he explained, “seeing that they still had a great time and still remember me is just an awesome feeling.”

After graduation Lucas would like to continue his education at FSU. He plans on attaining a MS in Information Technology while continuing to work in the field of game design. His dream career is becoming “the Bill Nye of Computer Science.” With his advantageous teaching style and command of the subject, this is a more than feasible goal.To learn more about Lucas, connect with him on LinkedIn or check out his website.

FITC Student Ambassadors make up a team of dedicated and knowledgeable students both at FSU and FAMU. These students travel across the Florida Panhandle to promote information technology, computer science, and computer engineering to high schools. Ambassadors are responsible for activities such as running coding camps, assisting in technology clubs, or hosting college tours. For more information on FITC Ambassadors, visit the Ambassador page.

The Florida IT Career Alliance is an initiative funded by the Florida Board of Governors which aims to recruit, retain, and employ Florida's next generation technology workforce. FITC promotes information technology, computer science, and computer engineering to local high schools and college students across Florida. Connect with FITC on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.