Nov 14, 2022
Premiere graduate game development program speaks with students at Digital Worlds
Written by: Ryan Helterhoff (MAMC ‘23)
Elizabeth Stringer, Director of Academics at SMU Guildhall, came to speak with students at the UF Digital Worlds Institute on November 4th to share her knowledge of the video game industry and give advice to those looking to enter it after graduation.
SMU Guildhall is a top-ranked graduate video game development program located at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. The program has been ranked first place two years in a row on the list of best graduate game development programs by the Princeton Review. The Guildhall’s alumni network is vast, with former students working at a variety of studios including Insomniac, Epic Games, Electronic Arts, and more.
Stringer has been Director of Academics at the Guildhall since 2006, and previously held positions at both Atari and Activision.
Before her presentation, Stringer toured the institute and met with various faculty, including former Guildhall faculty member Nick Heitzman. Prior to joining Digital Worlds, Heitzman was a faculty member at the Guildhall for seven years, sharing his career knowledge of the industry with students.
“The benefit of SMU Guildhall’s Director Elizabeth Stringer taking the time to share with our students the various intricacies of entry-level career paths into the modern game industry cannot be understated,” Heitzman said. “The skills and talents new game developers are expected to demonstrate with their portfolios, regardless of specialty, are worth their weight in virtual gold.”
Stringer’s presentation took place in the Polymodal Immersive Classroom Theater (PICT) and featured info on the game industry, career paths available to students within it, and more.
Learn more about SMU Guildhall here.
Learn more about the UF Digital Worlds Institute’s game development paths here.
