Alumni Spotlight: Caroline Creidenberg

Meet Caroline Creidenberg, BS ’17, Computer Science 

From tech startups to once‑in‑a‑lifetime celebrations—and even a memorable appearance on Shark Tank—Caroline Creidenberg’s career has taken her in some truly unexpected directions. A Ritchie School of Engineering & Computer Science (Ritchie School) alumna with a passion for entrepreneurship and innovation, Caroline has built a path that blends technical skill, creativity, and curiosity and even includes running an event that was officiated by Hillary Clinton. 

We caught up with Caroline to talk about why she chose University of Denver (DU), the experiences that shaped her journey, and the advice she has for today’s engineering and computer science students. 

Why did you select DU over other schools? 

For me, it came down to a few key things. One was the scholarship support DU offered. It was hard to pass up and made me feel truly wanted. The other was the location. DU was the perfect mix of an urban campus with easy access to the mountains. It also checked all the boxes in terms of academics and size, which were important to me. I loved the emphasis on study abroad, too. I had studied abroad in high school and knew I wanted to do it again, so altogether it just felt like the right fit and an easy decision. 

Looking back, what experiences at the Ritchie School most influenced the path you ended up taking after graduation? 

Dynamize, the entrepreneur and startup club at the time, was a key introduction for me to the entrepreneurial world. It was based in the Ritchie School and gave me an important bridge to the business school. Being part of that community and building on the technical skill set I developed in the computer science program helped me succeed and be taken seriously as I moved into the startup space. 

Can you share one cool or inspiring thing about your career that students might not expect? 

We once ran a wedding where Hillary Clinton officiated. We also hosted many weddings where celebrities joined virtually to officiate or give a speech, which was always a fun and unexpected part of the job. 

If you could give one piece of advice to current engineering or computer science students who want to do meaningful or innovative work, what would it be? 

Don’t be afraid to try, fail, tweak, and try again. Especially with AI, you can move so quickly these days. Put less emphasis on perfection and more on curiosity. You’ll learn the most by simply putting something in front of customers.

Photo by Caroline Creidenberg (Wedfuly)