The exhibition brings together works from DMD disciplines ranging from animation to interactive design to video production, showcasing the talented Class of 2026
Audiences visit and engage with the DMD senior exhibition projects displayed in Jorgensen Gallery. (Contributed Photo)
For the past year, 59 digital media and design (DMD) seniors were devoted to developing their senior capstone projects. Their efforts culminated in the 8th annual UConn DMD BFA Senior Exhibition and the first ever Film & Animation Festival at UConn.
Hosted in the Jorgensen Gallery, the DMD exhibition featured the web and interactive media design as well as game design work of 28 students, and on April 25, 31 seniors participated in the film and animation festival at the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre.
"In the eight years since we started the exhibition, it nearly tripled in size. From 21 students in 2019 to 59 now, is an incredible growth," says Heather Elliott-Famularo, the department head for digital media and design.
The two-semester senior capstone course allows students to gain professional experience in their field as well as executing skills they've spent the past four years developing.
"Taking the time to experience the whole process of game development was essential in expanding my skillset going forward. While I've developed projects throughout my time at UConn, this was my first time making something fully complete to publish, so spending time on optimization and being prepared for this to work on other devices was an immense learning experience," says Ryan DeFillipo '26 (SFA), whose video game "May Our Paths Cross" was featured in the exhibition.
The various concentrations within the DMD program offers students the flexibility to create a project they are passionate about, while also providing the opportunity to dive into the different areas of their creation.
"I chose DMD because it offered me mobility, not just forced into one major or the other, like a lot of other Digital Media programs, especially because at the time, I was unsure which medium I wanted to tell stories in," says Connor Denecour '26 (SFA), who found his passion for telling stories that have been underrepresented through film, culminating in his capstone film "Running Against the Odds."
A unique element of this project for the interactive game students is that they are doing all the aspects needed to install their work for the public, a vastly different process than creating work for a one-time critique.
"I spent lots of time solving code, creating artwork and rewriting scripts. I designed every component used in the project, which was an incredible learning experience but also time-consuming," says DeFillipo, whose game takes experiences from his life to resonate with others. "For over 30 weeks, I spent hours designing and implementing assets, receiving feedback and then applying that to my work. Over that repetitive process, my game took shape."
The nature of the DMD program is a close-knit and collaborative community. This support is reflective in the capstone project through student cohorts and faculty mentoring.
"My project advisor, James Coltrain, started working with me back in May of 2025 to ideate, and give early feedback on prototypes, mechanics and artwork. From there, I shared my progress with my friends in the major, who've been an amazing support group over the last four years, to receive constructive feedback," says DeFillipo.
Every student selects one faculty to be a DMD senior project advisor who they meet with throughout the year. This structure is designed in a way to help support the students to get the most kind of feedback and improve their projects during the whole experience, explains Elliott-Famularo.
For Denecour, his classmates even ended up being part of his film crew, helping him tell the story of Ellison "Tarzan" Brown, a Narragansett Indigenous runner who competed during the Great Depression.
The exhibition and film festival not only celebrated the work of DMD seniors, but also emphasized the creative freedom that the DMD program offers.
"We really encourage students to find a topic they're passionate about, which shines through in these final projects. Our program is not forcing our students down a certain path, but rather helping them find their creative voice," says Elliott-Famularo.
For DeFillipo and Denecour, their personal passions and digital skillsets flourished through their capstone project, preparing them for a future in digital creation.
"Going into the gallery during the exhibition showcase to see people playing my game was a dream come true and knowing that they could enjoy what I put my heart into for the last year and change was incredible," says DeFillipo, who plans on continuing growing his skillset to make more projects, and share them with others.
After sharing his film with an audience, Denecour is looking forward to submitting his work to local film festivals and continuing to share Tarzan's story.
"Having my work shown was a very touching experience. I am super critical of my work, and when working with the community, I wanted the piece to be the best it could be. When it was playing, I heard people seriously engaging with the film, reacting to the highs and lows of Tarzan's life. I felt that the film did what it was meant to do: getting Tarzan's story out there past Rhode Island and Eastern Connecticut," says Denecour.
