Lexus Fermelia

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Software Development

Even as a kid, I was fascinated by computers. Their speed, efficiency, and endless possibilities have always caught my attention. I've always wanted to know how they work, so when I discovered I could turn that interest into a career, I knew I had found my calling.

I got into coding young at a summer camp called "iD Tech" at Colorado State University. There, I made a simple video game mod where I got to manipulate and write real code, and from then on, I was hooked. Throughout high school, my passion for computers just kept growing. I dove deeper into coding and started exploring all areas of Computer Science. I became especially interested in Systems Engineering and Software Development in college, and focused much of my time on algorithms and how back end structures work. I've built projects in C, C++, C#, Python, Java, Rust, and more, and I'm always looking for new languages and frameworks to learn.

At the University of Wyoming, I began working for the Classroom Technology Services (CTS) department as a student field tech, and eventually promoted to a software developer. My job was to fix and maintain classroom technology all across campus and develop web application monitoring tools for technicians. This web application was called "Bronson," and it was started by a few coworkers before I had been hired. Bronson is a web tool that centralizes online resources for student techs into one application. Seeing the development and the drive to fix recurring problems for our technicians and clients was what inspired me to join the project, and it has been one of my most fulfilling experiences so far in my career.

My main contribution to Bronson was building an integrated ticket response system that notifies technicians about fresh tickets so that they can respond to help requests. UW already has a service called TeamDynamix that tracks these ticket requests, issues, and tutorials. However, it is a clunky and slow system that is not optimized for CTS technicians to quickly view and respond to tickets. Thus, "Tickex" was born: a tool for techs to view and respond to tickets quickly and remotely. It utilizes API calls, proper authentication/authorization, and intelligent algorithms for maximum department efficiency. I'm proud to say that Tickex is now fully integrated, and techs will use it every day once Bronson launches within the next few months.

Primetime Paradox

At the University of Wyoming, I also had the opportunity to work on a senior capstone project with a team of four of my peers. For my senior capstone, my team and I made a video game called "Primetime Paradox" using Unity, Blender, FL Studio, and C#. It's a rogue-like rhythm game where you dungeon crawl to the beat, fight enemies, and collect items while trying to escape a dark cave.

We wanted to solve a common problem in rhythm games: music levels that lock players into one playing style. Our goal was to create a free-roam environment that encourages you to play to the beat, but still allows the player to play in their own way. This project taught me a lot about game development, teamwork, and problem-solving.

We made everything from the 3D models, music, sound, and all the programming by hand. For the project, I was the lead sound engineer and an additional back-end developer, making sure the game ran smoothly. I built our beat detection system from scratch so it could be used to sync game mechanics, animation, events, and more to the music. Unity has been a great way to learn more about game development, and you can play Primetime Paradox now on itch.io!

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Education & Course Work

I've always held myself to exceptional standards while in high school and college. In high school, I graduated at the top of my class with a 4.153 GPA and several honors. I worked toward my B.S. in Computer Science at the University of Wyoming. My coursework has given me a strong foundation in computer science principles, programming, and developing technological solutions, and my GPA has always stayed above 3.5 while at UW. I have also earned my certification in Audio Technology systems, focusing on AV signal flows, music production, and live music.

While at UW, I've taken various computer science courses such as Data Structures, Algorithms, Linux Operating Systems, VR/AR Systems, Compilers, Cybersecurity, Databases, Mobile Programming, Functional Programming, AI, Computability, Complexity Theory, and Software Design just to name a few.

These courses have built me to be a critical thinker, solving problems effectively, and using my teamwork skills, which are essential for modern computer science. And while these courses have provided a stable foundation for my knowledge base, I continue to look for opportunities to learn and grow outside of the classroom, which is why I have been working on several personal projects to expand my skills.

You can find my School Projects from the University of Wyoming in my GitHub Repository.

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Leadership & Qualifications

When it comes to group work, I often find myself taking initiative to achieve the larger goals, even when there's no established leadership role. I think it has to do with my strong social skills and ability to communicate with people from all backgrounds, and my drive to get things done efficiently, which all helps me be an effective leader. I have met people from all over the country, and I can easily adapt to new environments and social groups. I'm also a very organized person, which helps me lead projects and teams to success.

In high school, I was a member of the National Honor Society and graduated at the top of my class. National Honor Society is an organization that recognizes high school students for their academic achievement, leadership, service, and character. While a member, I helped organize and lead several community service projects, such as food drives, volunteering catering for events, and more.

At the University of Wyoming, I held two technician jobs, both requiring strong initiative and leadership:

As a software developer and classroom technician for the Classroom Technology Services (CTS) department, I was responsible for developing software and maintaining AV systems across campus, which required me to quickly adapt to new environments and solve problems on the fly. I was often by myself when working shifts, so I had to be self-motivated and take initiative.

My second position was as an AV technician for the Student Technical Services (STS) department, where I was responsible for setting up, running, and tearing down stage productions, which required me to coordinate with co-workers and clients. STS is a very fast-paced environment, so it often took a lot of initiative and leadership to keep up with the demands of the job, even without being asked.

Leadership in Music

While also being a member of the National honors society in high school, I was also involved in many musical ensembles. Concert band, jazz band, pep band, and marching band, all of which shaped my music education and personal growth.

I was often placed into leadership roles in these ensembles, including first chair in various concert bands (such as All-State and district bands). In jazz band, I played drum set for three years, anchoring the rhythm section. In marching band, I held the Section Leader position for the drumline my junior year, and for my senior year I had the opportunity to serve as Head Drum Major of the entire band, leading logistics, rehearsals, and performances for groups of over 100 band members at a time.

At UW, I was a drumline member in the Western Thunder Marching Band (2021 & 2022) and was Section Leader in 2022. After two years as a student member/section leader, I became the Drumline's Instructor for 3 seasons (2023-2025). I planned rehearsals, taught groups as large as 30 members at one time, and mentored student leadership members to be able to do their jobs more effectively. In the off-season, I also gave private drum lessons to students who were passionate about drumming and refining their craft in a one-on-one setting.

My music leadership continued in Drum Corps International, where I marched with the Battalion Drum and Bugle Corps (2021 & 2022) and Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps (2023 & 2024). For the 2022 and the 2024 seasons, I was honored to be a Section Leader for the tenor line. Drum Corps International (DCI) is the highest level of marching music performance in the world, and being a part of it was a dream come true for me. Drum corps is a very competitive activity, and being a section leader in DCI is a huge honor.

I was responsible for leading rehearsals, teaching music and marching, and mentoring the members of my section. Not only was I a leader in rehearsal, but I also had to be a leader outside of rehearsal. I coordinated logistics with members, staff, and management to make sure the corps ran smoothly while on tour, which is a huge part of the drum corps experience.