In 2023, Spelman College introduced a new minor in game design & development for students looking to learn about the latest game technologies and design principles. Typically, students interested in game development would likely major in computer science to master the coding principles of game design. However, Devyn Washington, C’2026, forged a new path by becoming the first Spelman student to develop her own independent major in game development and design.
Originally a biochemistry major, Washington became immersed in game development after stumbling into Spelman’s Innovation Lab by accident. After being welcomed into the lab with open arms by Dr. Jerry Volcy, professor of computer science and director of the Innovation Lab, and Eric Thompson, assistant director of the Innovation Lab, she became a research intern for the lab as a freshman. After months of balancing her extracurricular in gaming with her biochemistry studies, Washington had an epiphany about her true passion.
“I was just going to stick it out with biochemistry,” said Washington. “The problem was that I wanted to do my hobby more than I wanted to do the thing that I was studying to do for the rest of my life.”
After Washington expressed interest in switching her major to computer science to pursue game development, Jaycee Holmes, C’2016, professor of art and visual culture at Spelman and co-director of Spelman Innovation, and Dr. Volcy introduced her to the possibility of an independent major. After two months of planning out her core courses and electives for approval by the College, Washington officially began a major in game development and design.
Now, Washington is knee deep in planning one of the Innovation Lab’s marquee events: HBCU Game Jam. The annual competition brings together HBCU students from across the nation to engage in rapid video game development over a 24-hour period, otherwise known as a hackathon. For the first time since its start, the HBCU Game Jam will be planned entirely by students.
Whitley Righteous Walton, C’2025, is one of the four student co-chairs planning the competition this year. Walton, who has dreamed of making video games since she was 11 years old, is pursuing a degree in computer science and a minor in art with the goal of opening her own gaming studio. Walton and her team won the Best Art Award at Game Jam two years in a row, highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of game development and design.
It was through Walton’s computer science extracurriculars, particularly her work with nonprofit organization CodeHouse, that she was introduced to Spelman’s Innovation Lab and annual HBCU Game Jam by Professor Holmes, also co-founder of CodeHouse. For Walton, the most important part of the Game Jam is ensuring students from all disciplines feel welcome.
“We just want to make this an experience that any student can come into and find joy in, whether they’ve made a video game before, whether they’re a computer science major or not,” said Walton, who plans to earn her master’s in game design following graduation this spring. “We really want to make sure this is an opportunity for everyone to come and have fun and learn how to do something new like making video games.”
The Innovation Lab and HBCU Game Jam works to attract students from different backgrounds with a variety of disciplinary interests. For example, economics major Reice Griffin, C’2027, expressed her interest in game development but doesn’t believe she wants to pursue game development after graduation. This year, she is on the student registration committee for the Game Jam and assists with increasing student participation for the competition but says her role blends perfectly with her interests.
“My interest in game development is blended with economics in the way that I think about games” said Griffin, who plans to earn a doctorate in economics after graduating.
“When I’m thinking about a game, I think about the size of the gaming market, how to pitch the game, how to get people excited about it and how to make it the most marketable it can be.”
From her work in planning the competition, Griffin said she has not only gained soft skills in event management and leadership but has also learned how versatile the game design and development market can be. Both Griffin and Walton expressed hope that this year’s Game Jam will attract more students, help expand the program and break barriers in the gaming industry.
“I would love to see the game design minor as a major, because that’s what I would have loved to major in at Spelman,” said Walton. “The [Innovation Lab] has changed my life for the better. They’re one of my safest spaces on campus. They cultivate my art and nurture the skills that I want to continue to build.”