People
The IMGD program is taught by a group of dedicated Faculty & Staff, covering disciplines ranging from programming and illustration, through 3D modeling and software engineering, to team-based game development. The IMGD curriculum and many IMGD projects are informed and supported by an Advisory Board of industry experts, from companies such as Rockstar, Turbine and Linden Lab. But at the heart of the IMGD program are the Students, eager, talented, and passionate about all things related to interactive media and games.
Outstanding Senior (2012)
Graham Leto
Graham grew up right around the corner from WPI in Grafton, Massachusetts where he developed his two passions in life: sports and video games. He came to WPI to play on the Varsity Football team and study Civil Enginneering, but while in Australia for his IQP, decided he wanted to become a Producer in the game industry. To accomplish that goal, he changed his major to Interactive Media & Game Development.
"I'm very thankful for discovering the IMGD program at WPI. Luckily for me, I was able to take a drastic change and turn it into a smooth transition because of the excellent faculty and students in the program. I was able to discover talents that I didn't know I had through taking on challenges and completing them with the help of my teammates and peers."
Outstanding Junior (2011), Outstanding Senior (2012)
Eric Walston
Eric grew up in Lisbon, Connecticut. Early on he developed a passion for computer science and game development which lead him to the IMGD program at WPI. The IMGD program has helped him to develop his skills as a programmer and to apply those skills towards game creation. Eric plans to graduate with a double major in Computer Science and IMGD to pursue a career as a game programmer.
"The IMGD program has helped me focus my interest in programming towards game development where I get to apply my knowledge of computer science towards a fun and interesting goal. The project-based curriculum has provided excellent opportunities to work as a team and experience the process of making games first-hand. I have been able to create a good portfolio of games and made connections with industry professionals that I could not have made anywhere else. I feel the IMGD program has helped me gain invaluable experience as a game programmer and has prepared me to be a strong applicant for a future career in the games industry."
Outstanding Senior (2011)
Matthew Lyon
Matthew grew up nearby in Lawrence, Massachusetts. With zero programming experience, he came to WPI armed with a passion for two things: video games and mathematics. After realizing that accounting wasn't quite exciting as game development, he took the plunge and decided to double major in IMGD and Computer Science. During his time in the Game Development Club, he established WPI as a host location for the annual IGDA Global Game Jam.
"IMGD was my creative outlet during my four years at WPI. As a double major, game development provided me with a blank canvas on which I could practice what I was learning in my CS classes. Beyond that, I had the chance to collaborate with dozens of incredibly talented artists and programmers. Thanks to the IMGD Speaker Series and the Global Game Jam, I've had the opportunity to network with dozens of industry contacts that I never would have otherwise met."
Outstanding Senior (2011)
Ryan Chadwick
Ryan Chadwick grew up in Harvard, Massachusetts, where he fostered his passion for art and video games by filling sketchbooks with countless drawings of fantastical creatures and heoric characters. After discovering the IMGD program at WPI, he became familiarized with the professional tools used in the industry, which have allowed him to grow as an artist and game developer.
"The IMGD program has supplied me valuable experience not only working tightly knit groups, but also leading them. The people that I have met and worked with at WPI have given me invaluable connections in academia as well as in industry. WPI and the IMGD program have provided me with the tools and skills necessary to succeed in the games business."
Outstanding Junior (2011) , Salisbury Award (2012)
Amy Mazzucotelli
Amy was born in a banana patch, where she developed a passion for art and video games. She eventually put the two together and thought that majoring in games might be kind of cool. At WPI, she expanded on her background in traditional art to include 3D modeling and animation.
"The IMGD program at WPI has helped me to grow and develop both as an individual and as a member of a team. It has provided many opportunities for me to challenge myself and has encouraged me to push my limits to become a better artist."
Outstanding Junior (2010), Salisbury Award (2011)
Elliot Borenstein
Elliot hails from Newton, Massachusetts. Following his decision to become a programmer, he discovered his love for 3D art and quickly switched gears. However, his technical inclinations refused to be cast aside, and he soon found himself in WPI's IMGD program where he could embrace both sides by becoming a Technical Artist.
"The IMGD program has provided me with many opportunities to push my skills and expand my horizons. The strong emphasis on group projects has allowed me to add many polished pieces to my portfolio, while also giving me the chance to learn leadership and team-management skills that will be invaluable in the future."
Outstanding Senior (2010)
Sarah Gilkey
Sarah was born in Centerville, Ohio. After growing up playing video games with her brothers, she realized that she could use her artistic abilities to create her own games. This lead her to the IMGD program [at WPI]. Although she was only familiar with traditional art like drawing and painting, she soon learned to love of 3D art, which she still avidly practices after college to strengthen her skills.
"I have grown as an artist and game designer because of the IMGD program. Through my course work and projects, I have learned so much about the game development process that I had never been exposed to before. WPI and the IMGD program's focus on team projects also gave me the opportunity to work in groups, which was invaluable practice for internships and the real world. The professors that I interacted with also really cared about my success and always encouraged me to reach for higher goals."
Salisbury Award (2010)
Mary Yovina
Mary grew up in Belchertown, Massachusetts, where she discovered both her passion for making art and her love for video games. After previewing an animation program at a local college, she decided to pursue a career in 3D art, and found the IMGD program at WPI. She has since added digital painting and 3D modeling to her skill set, and has worked on a number of projects, both professional and student-made, which have allowed her to develop as an artist.
"Because of WPI, I've gotten to challenge myself and push myself to be better. It's also because of WPI, and because of professors who are invested in helping their students succeed and extending opportunities to them, that I've been able to get myself out in the industry and work on projects that were invaluable both as a learning experience and as a chance to improve as an artist. I'm incredibly grateful for the knowledge, the skills, and the experience I've acquired through the IMGD program."
Outstanding Senior (2009)
Yilmaz Kimaz
Yilmaz was born in Istanbul in 1988. Then he was reborn when he realized that games are an integral part of life to every individual. With an ever growing interest in game development, he was accepted to the Interactive Media and Game Development program at WPI. His initial area of interest was 3D art creation for games yet he also nurtured a love for programming and game design and is now proud to call himself a Technical Artist with a hand in every pocket of game development.
"The IMGD program at WPI is what enabled me to kickstart my game development endeavor. The foundation built in the freshman courses allowed each student to communicate his/her ideas efficiently and also laid the groundwork for specializing in the advanced courses later on. One of the most valuable assets of being a part of this program is having the wealth of experience and foresight of the professors at your disposal. The program also maintains good relations with the local game development industry and allows the students a good view at what it's like to be an industry-proven game developer."
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Outstanding Senior (2009)
Alex Schwartz
Alex Schwartz is a Technical Artist for Seven45 Studios as well as an independent desktop/mobile game developer with a strong focus in the Unity engine. He enjoys networking and frequenting the Boston area indie game development scene.
"The IMGD program allowed me to shoot directly down the middle of the course offerings, taking a smattering of both art and technical courses, with my eventual goal of obtaining an industry job as a technical artist. While attending WPI, the many group projects and abundance of team experience helped me build portfolio pieces that were crucial to my post-graduation success. I was also able build lasting connections with fellow classmates, many of which I remain in close touch with."
Outstanding Senior (2008)
Zachary Kamsler
Zach grew up in Sudbury, Massachusetts, where, from an early age, he has become increasingly interested in games and programming. He graduated from WPI in 2008 with a technical concentration in Interactive Media and Game Development and a Minor in Computer Science. At the time of this writing, he is a programmer at Blue Fang Games in Waltham, MA.
"I think that my experience with the IMGD program and the WPI Game Development Club has been very valuable. The game-specific coursework is supported by a foundation of solid CS curriculum, and the many opportunities to experience actually working in a team to develop completed games provide something that goes beyond mere technical knowledge."
Maintained by webmaster@wpi.eduLast modified: May 01, 2012 14:46:10