ESA Awards $90K In Scholarships To Aspiring Developers

The Entertainment Software Association said today it has awarded 30 scholarships totaling $90,000 to women and minority students who are aspiring to become game developers. It's the fourth year that the industry trade group's charitable arm, the ESA Foundation, has given financial assistance to women and minority students who are preparing for a career in game development. Students that received the money -- $3,000 each -- are studying in game development-related subjects including computer science and 3D animation. Recipients eligible for the annual scholarships must be full-time students at accredited four-year colleges and universities. Video game development is becoming an increasingly accepted course of study, the ESA noted. Today, over 300 colleges, universities and trade schools offer video game courses or degrees. ESA president and CEO Michael Gallagher said in a statement, "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." The winners of the 2010 scholarships are listed below: * 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