a college themed card game for students to connect over their shared trauma
Overview
Degree or Not Degree is a chaotic and comedic college-themed card game created by a team of five senior design students. It captures the highs, lows, and sheer unpredictability of college life through 126 hand-illustrated cards, a custom box, rulebook, promo video, and Kickstarter campaign. The game is filled with humor, relatable characters, and strategic gameplay that brings friends together—or turns them against each other—in the race to graduation.
Approach
As Creative Director, I led the development of the game’s visual identity from initial concept to final production. Starting with rough ideas and card mechanics, I created the original pitch, collaborated with my team to define our visual style, and built a comprehensive style guide that ensured consistency across all 126 cards and assets. Through trial, failed attempts, and continual feedback, I helped each team member align with the vision while overseeing the refinement of every final illustration. The process taught me the value of delegation, communication, and adaptability as I balanced leadership with hands-on design execution.
