The Princeton Review Recognizes HPU Among Top 50 in the Nation for Game Design
HPU is also the only university in North Carolina to earn this recognition.
HIGH POINT, N.C., March 22, 2022 – The Princeton Review has recognized High Point University for providing one of the Top 50 Undergraduate Game Design Programs in the country. This major, as well as a corresponding minor, is housed in the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication, and it is the second time the major has earned this recognition. HPU is the only university in North Carolina to earn this recognition.
The program was selected on the 2022 list for the “Top 50 Undergraduate Schools for Game Design,” which was released today. The list is based on college administrator survey responses to questions covering quality of faculty, facilities, technology, curriculum and career services.
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“Getting the recognition from the Princeton Review for 2022 shows that our gaming design major is a team effort,” says Dr. Stefan Hall, chair of the Game Design Department. “It’s not just the quality of our faculty but the quality of our students and the amazing games they come up with. Great work can come wherever great work is inspired. I think our students are really some of the best students to work with because of how passionate they are.”
Students majoring in Game Design at HPU have access to state-of-the-art facilities to work on their craft and design award-winning games at the collegiate level. Inside the School of Communication is where the Miriam and Steve Kimsey Game and Interactive Media Lab is housed, which holds three unique spaces- an esports arena, a design/makerspace and a game and interactive media computer lab.
HPU’s game design students have achieved much success over the years. For example, in 2021, two HPU game design majors won the first-ever scholarships with NXT UP Esports, a scholarship program providing resources for students interested in a career in esports and the gaming industry.
Combined with expertise from School of Communication faculty who have direct experience in and connections to the industry, HPU graduates are poised for success. HPU graduates in this program have gone on to work at companies like Epic Games as an assistant producer, Logitech as a gaming strategic marketing manager, and Stray Kite Studios as a VFX tech artist.
Emily Krol, a Class of 2017 graduate from HPU’s game design program, says the resources within the game design major helped her succeed in her career at Logitech.
“HPU’s game design major gave me fundamental knowledge of the gaming industry as a whole, as well as in-depth insight and skills regarding the game design process,” says Krol, who is now an esports and influencer marketing manager at Logitech. “I took advantage of all the resources HPU has available, including the amazing game design lab, sound studios and more. My degree in game design helps to make me a competitive applicant for roles in the gaming, tech and esports industries. As a gaming marketing professional, I am constantly leveraging the skills I learned at HPU, whether that’s working effectively on a team, communicating clearly, meeting deadlines, or informing processes that align with those of game developers or other key players in the space.”
Students at HPU also have access to world-class inventors such as Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak, who serves as HPU’s Innovator in Residence. Wozniak frequently visits HPU to mentor and guide students on projects and offer hands-on learning opportunities to grow in their major.
The Princeton Review also recognized HPU for its game design major in 2017 in the top 50 list.