SPRINGFIELD, Mo., March 11, 2025 — Drury University students Justin Kroh ’26, Sean Greeley ’25, and Richard Walker ’26 made their mark on the national stage over the weekend, winning Best in Sound at Chillennium — the world’s largest student-run collegiate game jam. Hosted in the Hildebrand Equine Complex at Texas A&M, the competition culminated in an awards banquet where top teams were recognized for their achievements in game design, storytelling, technical execution, and audio.
This year’s theme, “In Plain Sight,” was revealed on Friday night, kicking off an intense creative sprint. By the submission deadline on Sunday afternoon, 56 teams had successfully built and submitted a playable game—though several others were unable to finalize a working version before time ran out.
“We knew we had a dream team, but since this was our first trip to Chillennium, we had no idea what could happen,” said Dr. Scott Simmons, Associate Professor of Mathematics and Mathematics & Computer Science Department Chair. “A&M has a huge program and they fielded multiple teams. Our team was the only non-A&M team to win one of the coveted awards. The sound is a stunning achievement that glues together an artfully campy game with a 90s look and feel. Under the hood, one finds a well-executed backbone that makes us professor types proud.”
Drury’s participation in Chillennium underscores the university’s emphasis on hands-on learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and industry readiness — key pillars of its Game Development major. Students in the program combine technical skills in coding and design with creative problem-solving, preparing them for careers in gaming, interactive media, and beyond.
Words from The Winners
Justin Kroh: “I know we made Dr. Branton proud with that Best In Sound award. One of the first things he told us in our Foundations of Game Development course was that game developers often overlook sound design. It’s amazing how much a game can benefit from having a catchy soundtrack and some well-placed sound effects.”
Sean Greeley: “With organizations like the Drury Indie Game Studio, we were not only able to apply the lessons we learn in class into practical applications, but we were also able to expand the knowledge of all the students we work with. The ability to collaborate and apply ourselves helped our understanding of game design, both for this competition and for future applications.”
Richard Walker: “Our experience with Drury and its professors has shown us what other people have learned before us and the lessons they can pass on. Those lessons allow us to make fewer mistakes in our projects. We also appreciate Dr. Simmons for putting up with us in class and on this trip.”
To learn more about Chillennium, visitchillennium.com/. For more information on Drury’s Game Development program, visit drury.edu/math-and-computer-science/game-development/.
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Media Contact: Cris Belvin, Director of University Communications & Media Relations | (417) 873-7392 | gbelvin@drury.edu