International Student Profile: Eleonora Fallabrino
HPU student Eleonora Fallabrino is from Torino, Italy. Photo submitted
By Olivia Krumpe
Staff Writer
Eleonora Fallabrino is a graduate student studying strategic communication at High Point University. She is from Torino, Italy, a city near the Alps. Although she was born in Italy, Fallabrino lived in South Africa for two years in 2010, returned to Italy to finish middle school and then moved to Asheville, North Carolina, for high school.
Despite having many schools to choose from, Fallabrino chose to attend HPU because of the high number of international students, as well as the values she shares with the school.
“I picked HPU because it resembles my values and what I am aiming for as an individual, from the academic standpoint, the family aspect and definitely the morals of trying to always better yourself and to be extraordinary,” said Fallabrino.
In the spring of 2020, she earned two undergraduate degrees, one in video game design and the other in graphic design.
Fallabrino credits her interest in art and design to her Italian roots.
“Coming from Italy, I’ve always had the design aspect in my blood, so I wanted to push the limits of my knowledge and discover what I want to do in life,” she said.
During her time as a Panther, Fallabrino has taken advantage of the opportunities she was referring to. She was a part of AIGA, the university’s Graphic Design Club. In that time, she was able to attend a few conferences and meet designers who have influenced her graphic design studies.
One of Fallabrino’s proudest achievements during her post-secondary education was when she earned fifth place in a game design challenge from Gamasutra in September 2019. In this challenge, participants had one month to design and submit a game. Fallabrino’s game, entitled “First Day,” was about the fears surrounding the first day of school and what other people think of you. She explained that she designed the game with elementary schoolers in mind, hoping that it could teach kids to not worry about the opinions of others.
“It is important to start young, to understand that you can be whoever you want, and it really doesn’t matter what other people tell you,” said Fallabrino.”
She is currently designing two other games, working on her thesis and is on track to graduate with her master’s in the spring of 2021.
After graduation, Fallabrino does not know if she will stay in America because she wants to travel and experience more cultures. Her dream scenario would be to tie in her love for travel with game design and design a game that incorporates all different cultures and ways of life.
Although her time at HPU has been filled with hard work, she has enjoyed it and is proud of all she has accomplished.