Gideon “Gid” Liciaga ’28 found a way to combine his interests in coding and writing to create something applicable for writers everywhere. 

The Accounting major from Philadelphia self-published his novel “Love and Bullet Points,” while simultaneously developing an app that helps writers track their progress on projects.

“It was challenging to balance both creative and technical work,” he said. “But it taught me valuable skills in project management and showed me how my passions for coding and writing can complement each other. Building an app was especially difficult at first. I’m not at an advanced level as a software engineer, so it was a whole learning curve for me, but it allowed me to expand my knowledge.”

Liciaga’s love for these two hobbies motivated him through these projects, even when he wasn’t sure he could complete them.

“I’m passionate about coding and writing novels,” Liciaga said. “I love building things with code because it lets me bring my ideas to life and constantly learn new skills. Writing is my creative outlet; it gives me a way to explore new worlds and tell stories that connect with people.”

Now in his second year at Arcadia, Liciaga is applying the lessons learned through these accomplishments to achieve his future goals.

“I think this helps me to pursue goals that I didn’t originally think were possible to accomplish,” he said. “It also helps me expand my knowledge in building products and marketing them to different organizations, and helps me learn to start a business as well.”

Opportunities for growth are what led Liciaga to Arcadia.

“I wanted a university with a supportive, close-knit community where I could challenge myself both academically and creatively. Arcadia’s campus environment and strong focus on personal growth really stood out to me, and I felt it would be the right place to grow my skills and make meaningful connections. I can’t wait to be part of campus life and take on new opportunities that help me grow both as a student and as a person.”

Now in his second year, and with some more free time now that this project is complete, Liciaga is looking to get more involved on campus by joining computer science clubs, programming groups, creative writing organizations, and even doing some magic.

“I’m excited to bring my passion for both technology and storytelling to the Arcadia community. I believe these interests complement each other well, and I’m eager to explore how they can contribute to campus life and my academic journey. I also love doing magic. So if you ever want to see card tricks, all you have to do is just ask.”