ESA Foundation LGBTQ Scholarship names its four 2020 recipients
The ESA Foundation has announced this year’s recipients of their LGBTQ Support Scholarship specifically aimed at helping LGBTQ students which is co-awarded by Gay Gaming Professionals. The scholarship is a bolt on to their main ESA Foundation Computer and Video Game Arts Scholarships.
The ESA Foundation’s scholarship fund exists to support women and minority students across the US. Since 2007, this program has awarded nearly 400 scholarships, to power the dreams of students earning a computer science or video game arts-related degree.
Aside from receiving financial help for education, ESA Foundation scholars form bonds with each other, network with industry professionals, establish mentorship relationships and attend events like the Game Developers Conference and E3, the industry’s premier annual trade show. In recent years, ESA Foundation scholarship alumni have gone on to work at some of the industry’s most prominent corporations, including Microsoft, Ubisoft and DreamWorks.
“We’re at a tipping point for positive social change, and the ESA Foundation is committed to powering the dreams of game developers from communities underrepresented in the tech industry. At a time when the industry is exploding with innovation and breaking new ground, these talented young people who identify as women, Black, Latinx and LGBTQI+ are breaking barriers in their own right. Part of our mission at the Foundation is to encourage them along their educational journeys and this year, our new esports scholarship enables us to reach even more brilliant, hard-working students around the country.”
Anastasia Staten, ESA Foundation’s executive director
The ESA’s LGBTQ Support Scholarship is co-awarded by Gay Gaming Professionals (GGP), a professional network for LGBTQ+ individuals and their allies in the gaming industry.
“I understand first-hand the positive impact scholarship and mentorship have on youth who are pursuing dreams they might feel are out of reach because of who they are. ESA Foundation scholarships show these future creators that they are valuable to our industry today, and the added commitment to nurture their growth through community allows them the space to learn, explore and innovate in their chosen craft. Those experiences are invaluable.”
Gordon Bellamy, CEO of Gay Gaming Professionals
Let’s meet this year’s recipients…
Audrey W – The University of Texas at Austin
“My classes are truly engaging, and I feel that I have grown a lot in my abilities to actualize the creative visions I desire.”
Isaac W – New York University
“Growing up, I had a motor skills deficiency and Tourette’s syndrome, making it very hard to play games requiring a joystick and motion controls. I want to make games as accessible as possible to everyone.”
Meha M – University of Southern California
“My classmates have an immense diversity of skills and talents, and the biggest thing I’ve learned from working with them is how to communicate and collaborate as a game designer.”
Steven H – University of Southern California
“My plan is to break into AAA in a research-and-development design position and, with all the experience gained, branch off into making educational and serious games that make the world fairer by telling important stories.”
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