GOLDEN, Colo. — Colorado School of Mines graduate student Jalen Thomas has many passions, but his first love may have been Disney.
“Ever since I went to Disneyland for the first time, I realized that feeling I got walking onto Main Street was something that I wanted to chase,” Thomas said.
Thomas chased and achieved his dream of becoming a Walt Disney Imagineer. He spent the last few summers interning as a ride development engineer and project manager. Now, he has an offer to return to Disney after graduation in December. But Thomas is considering chasing another opportunity instead.
“I could stay here in Colorado, working on FUNtastic,” Thomas said.
He's the founder and CEO of FUNtastic, a company focused on bringing interactive entertainment to Colorado. Thomas recruited fellow Colorado School of Mines students to develop the business. Their first product — a portable escape room.
The team has already piloted the escape room on the Colorado School of Mines campus and at a high school after-prom. They hope to soon take on corporate clients who may want to bring the escape room to a convention or team-building event.
The newly built Beck Venture Center on the Colorado School of Mines campus is helping students like Thomas bring their ideas to market. And while many think of Mines for science and engineering careers, senior Myles Ruiz said working on something like FUNtastic is just as fulfilling.
“I've done internships in water and wastewater plants, which is really interesting, but having opportunities like this where you can go out and build fun things is something I would really like to pursue,” Ruiz said.
Thomas has big visions for FUNtastic, including expanding to create rides and other attractions. The team is even envisions providing entertainment in space someday, as space tourism increases.
“We're always tracking all different things,” Thomas said.
For now, he’s leaning toward staying in Colorado after graduation to grow the business with his friends and family by his side.