AIAS FOUNDATION AWARDS FIVE SCHOLARSHIPS TO VIDEO GAME STUDENTS
The AIAS Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS), is pleased to award five scholarships to outstanding students who are dedicating their careers to the advancement of the video game industry. The scholarship winners will each receive $2,500, participate in a year-long mentorship program and are eligible to receive a complimentary pass to the 2018 D.I.C.E. Summit and 21st D.I.C.E. Awards show.
“The global impact of video games reflects the make-up of our scholarship recipients this year – international and diverse,” said Meggan Scavio, President of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. “Each recipient is looking to affect positive change and I have no doubt they will make their mark in their respective areas of code, leadership, education or world building. Congratulations to our Academy scholars!”
"This year's AIAS Scholarship applicants are pursuing careers in every part of the games industry," said Don Daglow, President of the AIAS Foundation. "The winners of these highly competitive awards each displayed natural talent, personal passion and deep commitment to their work."
The Randy Pausch Scholarship was established by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences in 2008 to honor the memory of Dr. Randy Pausch, Computer Science Professor and Co-Founder of the Entertainment Technology Center at Carnegie Mellon University. The scholarship supports students who are pursuing careers specializing in the development of interactive entertainment.
“From the moment I stepped into the United States, I couldn’t help but think about challenges I would need to go through and wonder how I could make new connections after I left Iran,” said Maliheh Rahrovan, student at Rochester Institute of Technology studying Film and Animation. “There are some encouraging and unexpected events in everyone’s life and winning the Randy Pausch scholarship was one of those times. Now I feel more confident and optimistic about my future as an artist. I am looking forward to the day when my imaginary characters and worlds will become animated in video games.”
“Becoming a wizard in the game programming world, playing with codes, logic, math and engines has always been my passion,” said River Liu, student at Carnegie Mellon University’s Masters Program for Entertainment Technology. “I am grateful for all the help and encouragement during my journey. I am especially honored to receive the Randy Pausch scholarship from the Academy. Randy was one of the reasons I came to the Entertainment Technology Center of Carnegie Mellon, he was instrumental in inspiring me to pursue my dream.”
The Mark Beaumont Scholarship was established by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences in 2010 to honor the memory of the COO of Capcom North America and Europe, Mark Beaumont. This scholarship supports students who are pursuing careers specializing in the business of interactive entertainment.
“I am incredibly grateful to have won the Mark Beaumont scholarship,” said Jess Adepoju, student at Stanford Graduate School of Business specializing in Entrepreneurship & Software Development. “I have been fascinated with video games since a young age, so being recognized by a well-known group in the industry like the Academy is an immense honor. Beyond the scholarship money, I am excited for the opportunity to further connect with this group and learn more about video game development.”
The WomenIn Scholarships are a collaborative effort to attract, retain and advance women in the interactive entertainment industry by supporting their education and professional development. This initiative provides support to female students and early career gaming professionals through its year-long mentoring program, education and scholarships. Round 2 of the WomenIn scholarships is now open, deadline to apply is September 30, 2017. Submission forms can be found here.
“I have a passion for both art and technology which has lead me to my goal of becoming a technical artist in games,” said Camille Ramseur, student at Carnegie Mellon University’s Masters Program for Entertainment Technology. “People in technology speak their own language as well as people in art and design. But I believe being in the middle and serving as the bridge between the two branches is where the true magic is.”
“I am very passionate about developing interactive learning games for kids,” said Griva Patel, student at Carnegie Mellon University’s Masters Program for Entertainment Technology. “They often struggle to understand difficult concepts, and so I am interested in bringing these concepts to life through gamification, making them not only easier to understand but also fun. This has been an exciting journey for me already, and I know that I can revolutionize the educational space going forward!”