On April 13, students in their second-and-third-year of Niagara College’s Game Development program – as well as the joint NC and Brock University Game Programming and Game Design programs – debuted video games they built from concept to creation.
The interactive event celebrated emerging game designers while giving guests a chance to see and play the games – 14 in total – for the first time.
Over 300 people – including students from all program years and their families – gathered in the Learning Commons at the Welland Campus for the annual showcase. The event returned in-person for the first time since 2019, making it all the more special for the student teams who spent eight months designing their games.
Tiffany Bolivar.
Third-year NC student Tiffany Bolivar from Whitby calls the Game Development launch a “great source of inspiration.”
“Game development is primarily a creative process, so seeing other teams’ games and getting to meet other game developers always leaves me with new ideas for future projects and the motivation to keep growing as a developer,” said Bolivar.
Twenty-seven game industry professionals – including alumni working in studios around the world – were in attendance, making the launch event an important networking opportunity for students.
Professor and program coordinator Rick Goertz explains that the presence of alumni at these events is an inspiration for students for their future careers.
“It connects our students to where they can go after graduation,” he said, adding that past students have been hired directly from the event.
“As a student who is about to graduate, I have lots of questions regarding the industry and the hiring process. Having industry professionals, program alum, and my peers all in one place was the perfect opportunity for me to assuage my concerns and get excited for the future,” said Bolivar.
Goertz explains that the event can also be very motivating for first year students to see what they will be able to create by the end of their third year.
Game poster for Posthaste Emporium created by Andrew Lillycropp.
“It’s an opportunity to share what other students are doing in other courses and see some top-notch student projects.”
Bolivar’s team, Honorbound Entertainment, debuted their game Posthaste Emporium, a family-friendly shop management game that challenges players’ organization and memorization skills. Set in a magical emporium of alchemical goods, a bumbling apprentice wizard, Podrick, must work to keep the wizard Voldor’s shop afloat by receiving the daily delivery of whimsical merchandise, stocking the warehouse shelves, and fulfilling customers’ orders in a timely manner.
Bolivar, who discovered her passion for video games at four years old, hopes to continue to learn and grow as a programmer through collaboration with industry professions. One day, she hopes to lead teams or start a studio of her own.
The Awards
The event also celebrated student success with an award ceremony for students in all years of Game Development programs. These included the Associate Dean’s award (for overall program GPA), Academic Achievement award (for highest GPA in program year), and Spirit Awards (for those who demonstrated excellence and passion for games).
Bolivar was surprised to win the prestigious Associate Dean’s award.
Tiffany Bolivar and Charles Kopun, Associate Dean, School of Media Studies.
Collaboration within the School of Media
The launch was a success thanks in part to the expertise of four Public Relations graduate certificate program students who coordinated the event as part of instructor Emily McInerney’s special events course. The team met weekly over the course of the term to plan everything from run of show to decorations, catering, and gifts.
“As someone who never planned an event like this, it was a really great experience,” explained PR student Ismail Yaseen who hails from Jordon. “Event Management is important to Public Relation students because it helps us apply the concepts we have learned, as well as to improve project management abilities, expand our professional networks, and even enhance crisis management skills. Furthermore, I learned how to manage event budgets wisely, pay attention to details, and ensure that the event achieved its intended purpose.”
Yaseen is currently completing an internship with NC’s Corporate Communications department.
The Public Relations student team. From L to R: Ismail Yaseen, Parinita Sharma, Paige Rodrigues, & Christopher Anderson.
Achievement Award winners
| Rocky Savoeung | First-year NC |
| Amber Lemon | Second-year NC |
| Tiffany Bolivar | Third-year NC |
| Emma Little | First-year, BA |
| Alysia Cheung | Second-year, BA |
| Evan Sawatsky | Third-year, BA |
| Matthew Shotunde | First-year, BSc |
| Xavier Triska | Second-year, BSc |
| Aaron Sun | Third-year, BSc |
Spirit Award winners
| Nathanael Morris |
First-year NC |
| Denis Alexander Martinez Flores | |
| Allan Mathew | |
| Russell Wyatt | Second-year NC |
| Teegan Tulk | |
| Brooke Duffin | Third-year NC |
| Aaron LeBlanc | First-year BA |
| Arjun Nilakantan | Second-year BA |
| Douglas Moskaluk | Third-year BA |
| Anthony Tran | First-year BSC |
| Patrick Perry | Second-year BSC |
| Aidan Chaplin | Third-year BSC |
Associate Dean’s award winner
| Tiffany Bolivar | Third-year NC |
