We’re excited to announce that we’re once again partnering with Gay Gaming Professionals and the ESA Foundation to award two college scholarships and mentorship opportunities for the 2022-2023 school year.
This program recognizes students who are actively performing service or volunteer work for the LGBTQ+ community and attending an accredited four-year college or university. The two recipients of the Dreamhaven partner scholarships will each receive $5,000 toward tuition and school expenses, along with Dreamhaven mentorship opportunities.
HOW DO I APPLY?
Applicants can go to this link for eligibility requirements and to apply. The application deadline is April 29.
Click the “Begin” button, fill out the general application, and after completing the general application, choose from three different scholarship options:
- ESA Foundation Computer and Video Game Arts and Sciences Scholarship
- ESA Foundation Esports Scholarship
- ESA Foundation LGBTQ+ Service Scholarship co-awarded by Gay Gaming Professionals (*If interested in Dreamhaven scholarships, choose this option)
For more information about all of the scholarships, please visit the ESA Foundation website.
We’re pleased to introduce you to one of the scholars from our 2021-2022 program, Morgan Hamilton :
What are some highlights of the program?
The long-term continuous mentorship has been absolutely vital to my professional development. That, plus the discipline conversations really opened my eyes to the inner workings of the industry that I had never gotten a glimpse of before. They have completely changed my perspective of me and my work.
Tell us about your experience with your mentor and the rest of the team?
Oh it's been wonderful. Everyone I've met from Dreamhaven has been incredibly helpful and kind, but I feel that Hadidjah's guidance has been incredibly helpful - sometimes even more so than my actual college courses! But even more than that, they're very skilled at giving critique without crushing my motivations - they've been encouraging every step of the way, which I've found to be uncommon in some of my other mentors.
Do you have a favorite topic or meeting?
I bragged to my partners for days that I got to talk shop with the principal environment artist for Overwatch. That specific discipline conversation gave me lots of really meaningful insight that I've been able to directly use to improve my own work. I think the on-going mentorship has been more beneficial to me overall, but that specific conversation was my favorite specific interaction.
Would you recommend this program to others?
I would recommend it in a heartbeat! In fact, I've already advocated for my younger friends to apply whenever the program opens up again. I think any motivated student would benefit immensely from this program.
Do you have advice for other students looking to work in the industry?
Don't be quiet. Talk to your classmates, and teachers/professors. Ask others for critique, offer feedback, ask questions. Join a community that's a bit more skilled than you - either a local club, or a discord community, so that you can surround yourself with people that will motivate you to improve your work. Reach out to industry professionals, talk to as many as you can so that you can get insight into what the industry is really like. Really just, getting out of your own bubble and interacting with the industry at large, however you can, is incredibly beneficial.
Click on this link to apply!
The application deadline is April 29.
