Alex Patrón still remembers the first time he walked into the UTA Central Library’s FabLab makerspace. He carried a notebook, a few pencils and a lot of curiosity, but he didn’t yet know what he was capable of. By the time he graduates this May, he won’t just leave with a diploma. He’ll leave with confidence, creativity, and skills that have transformed his education into something deeply personal and real. 

At UTA Libraries, student success isn’t just about grades or graduation. It’s about transformation, the kind that happens when students have access, mentorship, and the freedom to explore their passions. This MavsDay on April 22, you can help students succeed by supporting UTA Libraries. 

A Love for Making, Rooted in Family 

Alex’s creative spark didn’t start in a lab or classroom; it started at home. Growing up, he and his dad spent weekends decorating their house for Halloween, turning it into something the whole neighborhood would talk about.  

“My dad always encouraged me to be creative, to dream big,” Alex says. “Those weekends taught me to imagine and build, and to keep going even when things don’t work the first time.” 

That foundation of creativity and encouragement led Alex to UTA, where he’s studying industrial engineering with a double minor in the history of technology and science and theater.  

“I want to design immersive experiences for theme parks, places where people can feel the story and the magic,” he explains. “It’s the kind of work that combines creativity, engineering and storytelling, and it’s what I’ve always dreamed of doing.” 

Turning Curiosity into Discovery 

At UTA Libraries, Alex found a space where his creative instincts could grow alongside his academic goals. Working with fellow student Travis Talkington on a FabLab project through Special Collections, Alex helped bring a centuries-old astronomical tool, a volvelle, back to life. 

They translated dense historical texts with the help of Evan Spencer, an Outreach and Instruction Archivist, into precise, laser-cut models that could be held, studied and demonstrated, combining history, design, and engineering to bring scholarship to life. 

“That project showed me that what we do here can reach far beyond the campus,” Alex said. “It made me realize I could contribute to something meaningful, something bigger than myself.” 

The project’s early prototypes now live at NASA in Washington, D.C., and the National Science Foundation’s NOIRLab in Arizona, a testament to the impact of student innovation when curiosity meets opportunity. 

From FabLab to Sesame Place 

The confidence and creative foundation Alex built in the FabLab followed him to Sesame Place Philadelphia, where he worked as a tech services intern.  

“I’ve loved theme parks since I was a kid,” Alex says. “As I got older, I realized I wanted to create experiences that people remember, to contribute to their joy through storytelling.” 

At Sesame Place, Alex did far more than assist behind the scenes; he ran shows, prepped props, managed lighting and sound cues and even became a certified parade float driver, a credential that opens doors at theme parks across the country. He also collaborated with fellow interns to pitch a new ride concept, designing every detail with precision, from measurements to the excitement of metrics. “Every project I tackled there built on what I learned in the FabLab, how to problem-solve, communicate and think creatively,” he explains. 

More Than Tools, Lessons That Last 

For Alex, the FabLab was never just about machines; it was about learning to think, to collaborate and to trust his own ideas. He remembers helping fellow students bring their projects to life, guiding them through 3D printers, laser cutters and design workflows, and watching their excitement when a project finally came together. 

“Some days it was small things,” Alex recalls, “like lining up a cut perfectly or fixing a 3D print that went wrong. But those moments taught me how to listen, guide and explain my ideas clearly.” 

It was in those conversations, troubleshooting a design, brainstorming a project and celebrating a successful prototype that Alex learned his most important lessons: how to communicate, how to take advice and how to work with others to make something better than he could alone.  

These lessons are skills Alex will carry with him long after graduation, and they’re exactly the kind of growth UTA Libraries nurtures in every student who steps into the FabLab. 

MavsDay: Help Students Like Alex 

On April 22, Mavericks everywhere will come together for MavsDay, a 24-hour celebration of giving that uplifts students and supports UTA’s mission of excellence and inclusion. Gifts to UTA Libraries help sustain FabLab technology, provide mentorship and prepare students for careers and graduate study. Every gift ensures spaces where students experiment, create and grow, where ideas become skills and skills become futures. 

Alex’s story is one of curiosity, courage and transformation, from decorating his family’s home as a child, to reviving historical tools with Travis Talkington, to creating unforgettable experiences at Sesame Place.  

“I want to continue building experiences that bring joy to people and inspire others to follow their dreams,” Alex says.  

His journey shows what’s possible when access, mentorship and creativity come together. 

Your donation on MavsDay makes these journeys possible for future generations to come. 

Together we're unstoppable.