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ESA Foundation Awards 30 Scholarships to Aspiring Game Developers
$90,000 in Scholarships Awarded to Women and Minority Students
October 13, 2010 – WASHINGTON, DC – Students pursuing careers in computer and video game development at 21 academic institutions across the country are getting a financial boost from the ESA Foundation. The Foundation has awarded 30 scholarships for the 2010-2011 school year to women and minority students enrolled in programs ranging from computer science to 3D animation.
"The video game industry is pleased to foster opportunities for gifted youth to use their creativity, innovation and passion to create games that entertain, inspire and educate," said Michael D. Gallagher, president and CEO of the Entertainment Software Association, which represents U.S. computer and video game publishers. "The ESA is proud to help advance the careers of aspiring game developers and enhance the diversity of our industry by offering scholarships to women and minority students."
Since 2007, the Foundation's scholarship program has provided financial assistance to women and minority students preparing for careers in video game development, including those studying graphic design, computer science, animation, programming, digital entertainment or software engineering. Scholarships are offered each year for full-time study at accredited four-year colleges and universities. Up to 30 scholarships of $3,000 each are awarded annually, 15 to graduating high school seniors and 15 to current college students.
This year, more than 300 U.S. colleges, universities and trade schools are offering video game courses or degrees. This vast range of educational options comes at an ideal time for students, as the entertainment software industry continues to show strong growth and an increasing need for a diverse pool of developers to meet consumers' demands for a wide range of creative works.
The ESA Foundation was created by the American entertainment software industry to provide opportunities that can make a difference in the lives of America's youth. The Foundation is fully supported by proceeds from their limited edition charity game pack's sales and "Nite to Unite - For Kids," its annual fund-raiser, which has raised more than $11 million in the last 12 years. For more information about the ESA Foundation, please visit www.theESA.com/foundation.
Editor's note: please see below for full list of scholarship winners.
2010-2011 ESA FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
• Sapphira Artra
Hometown: Shoreline, WA
Institution: Art Institute of Seattle
Major: Game Art & Design
• Melody Bolton
Hometown: Dripping Springs, TX
Institution: University of Texas - Austin
Major: Computer Science
• Victoria Brake
Hometown: Elma, NY
Institution: Rochester Institute of Technology
Major: Game Design & Development
• Chelsea Brown
Hometown: Yadkinville, NC
Institution: Art Institute of Charlotte
Major: Web Design & Interactive Media
• Andrew Colean
Hometown: Valencia, CA
Institution: DigiPen Institute of Technology
Major: Real-Time Interactive Simulation
• Kelly DeBarr
Hometown: Richmond, KY
Institution: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Major: Games & Simulation Arts and Sciences
• Andrea Emmes
Hometown: Burbank, CA
Institution: Art Institute of California - Hollywood
Major: Game Art & Design
• Tiffany Entwistle
Hometown: Northborough, MA
Institution: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Major: Games & Simulation Arts and Sciences
• Desiree Fernandes
Hometown: Granby, MA
Institution: Champlain College
Major: Game Art & Animation
• Elizabeth Fiacco
Hometown: Scottsdale, AZ
Institution: Chapman University
Major: Animation & Game Design
• Jabari Harris
Hometown: Knightdale, NC
Institution: High Point University
Major: Interactive Media & Game Arts
• Jennifer Johnson
Hometown: Redmond, WA
Institution: DigiPen Institute of Technology
Major: Animation & Digital Arts
• Erica Larson
Hometown: Bozeman, MT
Institution: University of Idaho
Major: Virtual Technology & Design
• Charles Lee
Hometown: Bellevue, WA
Institution: DigiPen Institute of Technology
Major: Real-Time Interactive Simulation
• Jessica Liu
Hometown: Providence, RI
Institution: Brown University
Major: Computer Science & Arts
• Natalia Mercado
Hometown: Powell, OH
Institution: Savannah College of Art and Design
Major: Animation
• Anna Molosky
Hometown: Issaquah, WA
Institution: Carnegie Mellon University
Major: Computer Science
• Daniel Moreno
Hometown: Miami, FL
Institution: Ringling College of Art and Design
Major: Motion Graphic Design
• Hannah Morris
Hometown: Dearborn, MI
Institution: Michigan State University
Major: Media Arts & Technology (Games, Web, and Interactive Media Concentration)
• Margaret Orr
Hometown: Bloomington, IN
Institution: DePaul University
Major: 3D Animation
• Emilie Rodgers
Hometown: Ipswich, MA
Institution: Champlain College
Major: 3-D Modeling & Animation
• Kentaro Rose
Hometown: Ewa Beach, HI
Institution: University of Hawaii at Manoa
Major: Computer Science
• Joss Schafer
Hometown: New York, NY
Institution: Johns Hopkins University
Major: Computer Science
• Alexandra Schultz
Hometown: Cambridge, MA
Institution: Brown University
Major: Computer Science
• Evan Shimizu
Hometown: Edina, MN
Institution: Carnegie Mellon University
Major: Computer Science
• Wennie Tabib
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Institution: Carnegie Mellon University
Major: Computer Science
• Amanda Thompson
Hometown: Yorktown, VA
Institution: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Major: Computer Science
• Jennifer Tran
Hometown: Bellevue, WA
Institution: DigiPen Institute of Technology
Major: Production Animation
• Alejandra Velez
Hometown: Englewood, NJ
Institution: School of Visual Arts
Major: Computer Art & Computer Animation & Visual Effects
• Alexis Xuconoxtli
Hometown: Marietta, GA
Institution: Savannah College of Art and Design
Major: Animation
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