Mingze (Jimmy) Shi, 16, of West Windsor has been named one of the winners of the National STEM Video Game Challenge. Shi won the Open Platform Team award for the game “Radiant” along with his teammates Anthony Ma of Sunnyvale, California and Chi Cheng Hsu of Cupertino, California.
A total of 24 middle school and high school students won awards for original video games and game design concepts selected in 18 categories from nearly 3,000 entries. Each winner received a cash prize of $1,000, as well as a subscription to Gamestar Mechanic from E-Line Media and Curiosity Boxes from Vsauce.
In “Radiant,” players use a sword, bow and arrow and radiant powers to fight corruption and save their brother from death.
When not designing video games, Shi said he enjoys playing piano, painting and drawing, jogging and attending hackathons. “I also love playing casual and competitive games,” he said. “So much so that I often neglect all the productive things that I should be doing.”
He said that after high school, he plans to study computer science and explore information technologies, cyber security and big data. “I also hope to start an indie mobile game development group with a group of friends that I currently work with as a hobby.”
Gaba appointed Atlantic Cape president
Dr. Barbara Gaba, a resident of West Windsor, has been named the next president of Atlantic Cape Community College effective Jan. 30. She replaces the retiring Peter L. Mora.
Gaba will serve as the college’s ninth president, and her term runs through June 30, 2020. She is currently the provost and associate vice president for academic affairs at Union County College in Cranford, a position she has held since 2002. She is responsible for the overall operation of the college’s urban Elizabeth campus, serving as the chief academic officer and administrator of the campus providing leadership, vision and strategic direction to the campus, its faculty, students and programs.
Prior to her appointment at Union County College, Gaba served as dean of academic and student support services at Camden County College and associate director of the Office of Board Affairs and Government Relations at the state Department of Higher Education.
Gaba serves on several higher education boards of directors and advisory bodies including the Chair Academy for Leadership and Development International Practitioners Board; National Council for Black American Affairs, an affiliate council of the American Association of Community Colleges; Advisory Board for “Dean & Provost,” a national higher education newsletter; and the New Jersey Women in Higher Education Network.
Gaba is the recipient of several awards, including the “Woman of Excellence in Higher Education” awarded by the Union County Commission on the Status of Women; “Exemplary Leader Award” from the Chair Academy for Leadership and Development; and the Rotary Foundation “District Service Award.”
Deaths
Bennett “Ben” Kurosky, 89, of Wilmington, N.C., and formerly of West Windsor died on Nov. 15.
Kurowski worked for American Cyanamid in West Windsor for 33 years before he retired and moved back to Montrose, N.C., where he was born.
An avid deer hunter, fisherman and conservationist, he founded a Christmas tree farm and enjoyed many years of planting and nurturing his trees. He was an active member of the Dutch Neck Presbyterian Church wherever he lived.
Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Marlene; and daughters, Terri Beker, Sonjia Kurosky, and Judy (Vijay) Aher.
Margaret “Marge” Joseph, 91, of West Windsor, died on Dec. 17 at her home at Bear Creek Assisted Living.
Joseph, who was born in Trenton and spent her life in the greater Trenton area, was retired from the State of New Jersey.
Survivors include her three children, Janice Joseph Mercurio of San Francisco, CA, Joyce Joseph DiPaola and husband, Thomas DiPaola, of Chesterfield, and Joseph R. Joseph and wife, Elaine Albanese Joseph, of West Windsor.
A.C. Reeves Hicks, 92, of Princeton died on Nov. 30. He served as magistrate for West Windsor Township from 1958 to 1966.
Mary Helen Sullivan, 79, of Chester Township died on Dec. 12. Survivors include daughter, Diane S. Weber and her husband, Daniel, of West Windsor. He was born and raised in Princeton Junction.
Terry C. Tessein, age 81, of East Sandwich, MA, died on Nov. 26. The son of Charles Tessein and Julia Fischer, survivors include wife, Pauline; and children Charles Tessein and his wife Donna, Cindy Eldredge and her husband Donald, Caren Harris and her husband Daniel, and David Tessein and his wife Nicole.
Mingze “Jimmy” Shi,
