CSUF college paper

By Michelle Asacker, Staff Writer

Most 15-year-olds on campus are weekend skateboarders who use the sides for skateboard superhighways.

Michael Randrup, 15, is a bona fide CSUF freshman working on a degree in computer science.

Randrup lives with his grandparents and runs a computer animation enterprise out of their home in Fresno.

Randrup's business, M.I.R. Graphics, for Michael Ian Randrup, provides custom animations, multimedia music videos, custom music, 3D animations, morphing and commercials.

Randrup taught himself how to use computers while living in Grants, N.M.

While in Grants, Randrup started developing a video game called "The Sword of Old."  He then contacted Nintendo to try to sell his game.

Nintendo thought he was too small a company, Randrup said.

Randrup said they needed subcontractors larger than "one person working on borrowed equipment in my bedroom."

Randrup decided to develop the video game and get it onto Shareware, free software available to all on the Internet.

The Cibola County Beacon, a local newspaper in Grants, asked Randrup to write a "Video Game Help" column in which he provided tips for readers.

Randrup acquired a license agreement with a local video store, and it was for their games that he gave tips.

While in high school, Randrup entered local and regional science fairs.  He won first place in each.

Randrup also entered the state fair in Soccorro, N.M.  As the judges walked toward his table, his computer caught a bug and his video game destroyed itself.

Randrup was left with recreating one month's worth of work on his video game.

He paid a visit to the school board and was granted permission to recruit students for a computer animation class.

Randrup sent out school-wide applications from which 30 students were selected, a teacher was chosen, and classes were under way.

His next project would be to produce a children's television show for a local station that wanted $300 to do the show.

Randrup didn't have the money.

He went to the cable company and requested free air time.  Three 30 minute shows were released and raised money for the school.

Randrup had to cut his television career short due to family difficulties.

After his parents' divorce, Randrup's father remarried and his stepmother adopted him.  They also divorced.

He went to live with his father who literally couldn't feed him, Randrup said.

His stepmother took him to New Mexico to live with his biological mother whom he hadn't seen in 10 years, he said.

His mother couldn't handle his busy schedule and told him to leave, Randrup said.

He then went to live with his teacher, Keith Thomas, for five weeks.  "I owe him a lot," Randrup said.

Finally, Randrup moved to Fresno to live with his grandparents.

In the beginning, Randrup put his business on hold to get settled into CSUF classes.

Now Randrup works on an Amiga 4000/040 in the den of his grandparent's house.

His first clients in Fresno were the owners of Happy Steak restaurant for whom he made a commercial that aired on KMPH.

Randrup's one employee, Chris Collins, 19, said that he and Randrup met through a mutual friend.  Collins said he was looking for a job that paid at least $5 an hour.  Although he is still in training, Randrup is paying Collins $10 an hour.

Collins started using computers at 6 and still says that, "Any real programming I know, I learned from Mike."

Collins said that Randrup is very intelligent, "He's the most mature 15-year-old I've ever met."

Presently, Randrup is preparing a presentation for the Fresno County Employee Credit Union. 

Photo Captions:

BILL GATES WATCH OUT:  Through his customer animation company, M.I.R. Graphics, Michael Randrup created this computer model of a ship which will be used for a battle sequence.

Michael Randrup, 15, focuses on earning a Computer Science degree at CSUF.