Karen Spriggs
Programming BS, Concentration in Game Programming '23
“I am very grateful for my team, whose passion and hard work helped make my capstone game amazing, and for the things we learned from each other as we grew as creatives,” says recent Programming graduate Karen Spriggs.
What would you say has been the most surprising thing you learned at Columbia?
Before going to Columbia, I often preferred to work alone, especially when it came to creative projects. That preference was challenged in my Capstone class, where I worked on a team to develop a game from start to finish. Through that experience, I have learned a lot about working in a group, project management, and leadership — all of which will be invaluable when I graduate. I am very grateful for my team, whose passion and hard work helped make my capstone game amazing, and for the things we learned from each other as we grew as creatives.
What individuals or programs at Columbia were helpful to you in reaching your goal of graduating?
The teachers in the Interactive Arts and Media Department are very knowledgeable and caring, so I always felt supported in every class I took. Some specific teachers that I would like to shout out to are Jeff Meyers, Janell Baxter, Karl Statz, and David Antognoli. Without those teachers going above and beyond to help me improve, I do not think I would be anywhere near as successful.
What are your plans for after graduation?
No matter what I do after graduation, I plan on staying in Chicago — I grew up here and can't see any reason to leave such a beautiful and lively city. As of now, I am still looking for a programming job in any field, whether that is game or application development. When I have free time, I would like to continue working on games with my friends, some of whom I met here at Columbia.
If you were going to sum up your experience at Columbia in one sentence, what would you say?
If you approach everything with an open mind and give it your best effort, you can achieve more than you could imagine.
