At UTA Libraries, we often talk about creating spaces for students. But the truth is, what really makes those spaces special are the students themselves, especially the ones who work here. 

Take Jaime Tesoro, a software engineering major whose love for coding started in an unexpected place, Minecraft. 

“Yes,” Tesoro laughs. “Minecraft is my favorite game. There’s coding you can do in it and once I started, I found it really fun. It made me want to try coding in other ways, and that’s how I got into software engineering.” 

That curiosity brought Tesoro to UTA, drawn by a strong engineering program and the fact that the campus felt close to home.  

“I had family who went here before me,” Tesoro says. “It just made sense, good programs, close by and it felt like home.” 

Today, Tesoro is part of the UTA Libraries family in another way, as a student worker in The Basement, the Libraries’ game-centered academic space. 

A Space to Connect, Create and Recharge 

The Basement is more than a game room; it’s a place where students can step away from busy schedules, explore game creation and find a community of people who share similar interests. There are consoles, modern and classic games, workshops and even space for classes to hold sessions. And the best part, everything is free to students, faculty and staff. 

For Tesoro, the space is personal.  

“I really like the environment. I love gaming, I love helping people, and everyone here is just really nice,” Tesoro said. “Working in The Basement lets me do all of that.” 

Tesoro checks games in and out, helps troubleshoot equipment, and supports students looking for a break from classes. But Tesoro also does something even more important: she helps to build a sense of community in The Basement. 

“I see a lot of regular groups coming down and hanging out together,” Tesoro says. “I made all my friends here. The Basement is not just a place to play; it is a place to connect.” 

Tesoro’s dedication has not gone unnoticed. Chloé Bennett, Creative Spaces and Services Librarian, works closely with Tesoro and sees the impact every day.  

 
“Jaime is consistent, reliable, and a delight to work with,” Bennett says. “She keeps classes running smoothly, is calm in a crisis, and has a brilliant mind for programming. I never worry about classes Jaime is prepping; solutions to any problem are already thought through.” 

Tesoro does not just manage classes; she staffs the PC Room desk and handles everything in between.  

“Jaime is professional enough to work with professors, but scrappy enough to handle gamer meltdowns and rage quits,” Bennett adds. “In between all that, Jaime is constantly working on projects and is really a brilliant game designer and analyst.” 

The Power of a Mental Break 

College can be intense. Between exams, work and personal responsibilities, students often move from one stressful environment straight into another. 

“It’s good to have a mental break,” Tesoro says. “If you go from one stressful thing to another without pause, it can be hard to focus. I’ve felt that personally; sometimes, personal stressors make it hard to learn in class. Before I worked here, coming to The Basement to chill out really helped me reset.” 

Spaces like The Basement give students that reset. It is a place to breathe, recharge, and be ready for the next challenge, all without leaving campus. 

“They can have a quick break between classes,” Tesoro says. “They don’t have to go off campus. They can just come here.” 

Teamwork, Creativity and Learning 

Tesoro is also part of The Basement’s game development team. Students collaborate to design simple, playable games, sharing coding, graphic design and creative ideas.  

“We’re very team-based,” Tesoro explains. “Some of us work on coding, others on design. We’re easygoing, and we help each other out.” 

While the games are fun, they also give students a chance to experiment, create and learn together. The team hosts workshops to introduce students to game development, giving others the spark that Tesoro first felt in Minecraft. 

In The Basement, classes can reserve spaces for projects or workshops, making it a place to learn in a new, hands-on way. Tesoro is always thinking about how to make it better. 

“I like helping the space grow,” Tesoro says. “I want people to come in and stay, and I want us to keep improving. We don’t settle for what we have. We want more.” 

Making Space for Everyone 

Tesoro also goes above and beyond to make The Basement accessible. When a student needed help with an Xbox controller, Tesoro stepped in.  

“I helped him set it up and asked questions about how we could make things better for him in the future,” Tesoro says. “It felt good to help and know that it will improve the space for others, too.” 

Small moments like this highlight what student workers bring to UTA Libraries: professionalism, care and creativity. They ensure that every student feels welcome, supported and empowered. 

Looking Ahead 

Tesoro hopes to graduate within the next two years, aiming to become a game programmer. Outside of work and classes, Tesoro continues to create, paint, sew, build projects, play games and spend time with friends. Creativity fuels Tesoro, whether it is digital or hands-on. 

That same creativity, care, and energy is what Jaime Tesoro brings to The Basement every day. 

At UTA Libraries, we know student success is not built only in quiet study rooms. It is built in spaces where students can connect, create, recharge and belong. Student workers like Tesoro help make that possible. 

They do not just run the space. They build a community.