Designing with Purpose: How I Discovered World Building Through Roversa Robotics

I was never an artist, and I didn’t know what “world building” meant until I joined Roversa Robotics as a student intern last January. When our CEO, Kim Wilkens, first offered me a Social Media Internship, I assumed I would simply be creating Instagram posts for a robotics startup. But the more I learned about Roversa, the more deeply I connected with its mission of making computer science education accessible to all. I felt a growing desire to give more than what was expected of me. That often meant working every minute of my allotted ten hours per week. Even after completing my assigned tasks, I found myself continuing to work, imagining new projects, exploring new ideas, and proposing initiatives that aligned with Kim’s vision for the company.
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One of the most rewarding aspects of my internship was the creative trust my supervisors placed in me. I was given the freedom to envision what Roversa’s brand could look like and the responsibility to implement that vision across our platforms. Originality mattered deeply to me; I wanted the brand to feel both welcoming and distinctive. As I redesigned our logo, selected colors and fonts, and aligned our visual identity with our values, I challenged myself to build as much as possible from scratch. I began sketching small graphics to accompany content on our website, never imagining how far those sketches would take me.

Those small drawings soon grew into something much bigger. I began thinking about characters. Inspired by a Colombian educator’s costume designs for our robots, I wondered, What if Roversa had a whole world for its robots to explore? With no formal art training, just my iPad, Apple Pencil, and the GoodNotes app I normally used for class notes, I began drawing. Slowly, a world started to take shape. That world eventually became illustrated mats, stickers, game cards, and, finally, complete activity kits.

In Spring 2025, Kim invited me to join her for a classroom visit at Trailblazer Elementary School. That visit changed everything for me. I watched students test their code, guiding robots across mats I had designed. The characters I had created were no longer just drawings. They had become the backdrop for students’ learning. Seeing children engage with computer science through something I had imagined and built was incredibly moving. It showed me the power of creativity in education, and how color, design, and beauty can spark excitement and curiosity in young learners. Roversa gave me the opportunity to discover a creative side of myself I didn’t know existed and to see it come alive in a classroom.

A few weeks later, I found myself riding with Kim to Sir Speedy, a printing company, to discuss producing full activity kits, complete with large-format mats, game cards, character cards, stickers, and manuals. Sitting in that meeting felt surreal. I listened as plans were discussed to turn my designs into printed, marketable products. On the drive back, Kim offered me a full-time internship for the summer. I accepted without hesitation.
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Working full-time over the summer gave me the time and space to grow technically as a designer. I became comfortable transforming abstract ideas (like designing a submarine-themed robot costume?) into rough sketches, then Adobe outlines, and finally polished products.

 I learned the fundamentals of UI/UX design and created Figma designs from scratch, including layouts that were later used for our teacher dashboard.

Beyond design, I was invited into many other areas of the company. I contributed to a crowdfunding plan, helped create a brand story video, explored product photography, designed manuals and packaging, managed blog content, and began supporting marketing and communications efforts under the guidance of Roversa’s COO, Karin Little. Each experience added a new layer to my understanding of how ideas move from imagination to impact.
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My time at Roversa Robotics has allowed me to wear many hats, take on meaningful responsibilities, and grow into myself in the process. I learned that world building is not just about colors, fonts, or characters—it’s about the message those elements communicate. Visuals carry values. They tell stories. They hold hope. At Roversa, every design choice is made with the intention of making computer science feel welcoming, inclusive, and possible for every student. Being part of building that world has shaped not only how I see design and education, but how I see my own ability to create something that matters.

Written by Sona Tomy
Intern, Roversa Robotics