The energy on campus was electric as 80 game and tech industry professionals, representing more than 50 companies, gathered to meet the next generation of industry talent: DigiPen’s graduating Class of 2026. The annual spring event, NextGen 2026, gave students and employers the opportunity to connect through two dynamic sessions built around one of DigiPen’s most beloved traditions.
First up was DigiPen’s signature Reverse Career Fair, a campus institution dating back to 2003, where graduating students from all degree programs set up booths to exhibit their work directly to visiting industry recruiters. To wrap up the day, the spotlight transitioned to Bytes Cafe & Lounge for a relaxed Networking Mixer, giving students and employers a chance to continue conversations and forge new connections in a casual setting.
Among the many notable companies in attendance were Amazon, Bungie, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Halo Studios, Larian Studios, Meta, Microsoft, Nintendo of America, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Tencent Games, Valve Software, and Wizards of the Coast, alongside dozens more studios and technology firms spanning the full breadth of the industry.
The Reverse Career Fair was designed to be the centerpiece of the day, and by all accounts, it delivered. “Tencent left with stacks of business cards that they said they couldn’t wait to follow up on, and were excitedly trying to plan more events with us as they walked out the door,” says Maddie Caswell, DigiPen’s Vice President of Career and Alumni Relations. “That kind of enthusiasm speaks for itself.”
Fifty-three of this year’s industry guests were DigiPen alumni, returning to campus to recruit on behalf of their employers and to support the newest class of graduating Dragons. “DigiPen alumni, just like DigiPen students, are the best in the biz,” Caswell says. “Not only are they extremely talented, but they are always willing to give back to our current students. One of the secrets to DigiPen’s success is our strong alumni network.”
For students stepping into their first professional interviews, seeing a familiar face across the table can mean everything, and Caswell says that comfort runs both ways. “Alumni in the industry know the standard that DigiPen students are held to and the quality of work that they are producing, and they know that our students will deliver.”
Employer feedback about the Class of 2026 at NextGen was glowing across the board. “Alumni were especially vocal about being blown away by the quality of work, and not just because technology has advanced since they were in school,” Caswell says. “There were a lot of comments about how impressive it was that students were familiar and skilled at working on teams of 20, sometimes 30-plus people, while also completing massive solo projects that could stand on their own just as well.”
For Caswell, the quality on display pointed to something bigger than a single impressive event. In an industry navigating significant change, the Class of 2026 is not just keeping pace, Caswell says, they’re leading the way. “These students are creative, passionate, hard-working, and very, very smart. They see all the changes happening in the industry and are willing to meet them head on,” Caswell says. “They aren’t naive to the challenges either, because they are living with them now in real time through the projects that they work on every single day. They are learning and innovating at record speed, and it is really inspiring to watch.”
Caswell’s long tenure at DigiPen has given her an informed vantage point on the industry, and from where she’s standing, the Class of 2026 fills her with extraordinary confidence in what comes next. “This July will mark my 14th year working at DigiPen, and I have seen a lot of tech, animation, and game industry changes throughout that time,” she says. “And still, I’m not sure I’ve ever felt more hopeful, given the maturity and the quality of work displayed by these students. I have to remind myself daily that these people are not professionals… yet.”
Thank you to all our industry guests who helped make the day such a success!