SCHOLARSHIP FUND CREATED BY ACADEMY OF INTERACTIVE ARTS & SCIENCES SUPPORTS HIGHER EDUCATION FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF GAMING GURUS
CALABASAS, Calif. - January 31, 2008 - The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) has announced the creation of the Dr. Randy Pausch Scholarship Fund, established to support students pursuing careers in game design, development and production. The AIAS will award four $2,500 scholarships to students attending accredited universities.
This new scholarship fund, which will cultivate the gaming industry's brightest young minds, is a collaborative effort between the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences and Bing Gordon, chief creative officer of Electronic Arts. The AIAS will donate $1 for every Academy member's vote for the 2008 Interactive Achievement Awards.
The AIAS has more than 12,000 members who are dedicated to serving the entertainment software industry. The 11th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards ® , hosted by actor, comedian and avid video game player, Jay Mohr, will take place during the 2008 D.I.C.E. Summit on Thursday, February 7, 2008 at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas.
The scholarship fund honors Dr. Randy Pausch, professor of computer science, human-computer interaction and design at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). Dr. Pausch, a co-founder of CMU's Entertainment Technology Center (ETC), has had great influence within the industry through his teachings, sabbaticals at Walt Disney Imagineering and Electronic Arts, and consultation with Google on user interface design.
"It makes sense that the Academy's first scholarship fund honor Dr. Randy Pausch, who has been an inspiration to those who want to be involved in making great games," said Joseph Olin, president, AIAS. "We hope these scholarships may help the next Will Wright or Mike Morhaime get their start. This new effort is a wonderful opportunity for the video game industry to support its future by providing a foundation in academics."
A scholarship committee comprised of AIAS board members Rich Hilleman, Electronic Arts; Don Daglow, Stormfront Studios and Mike Capps, Epic Games, along with the University of Southern California's Chris Swain and Carnegie Mellon's (former AIAS board member) Jesse Schell to select scholarship recipients. The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences will begin accepting applications after the 2008 D.I.C.E. Summit. Additional information on the Dr. Randy Pausch Scholarship Fund and the application process will be available at www.interactive.org.
About the Interactive Achievement Awards:
The Interactive Achievement Awards ® are the only peer-based awards that recognize the year's best video games, computer games, online entertainment, outstanding individuals and groundbreaking development teams that have propelled the advancement of the multi-billion dollar worldwide entertainment software industry. The awards presented by the AIAS are determined by a vote of field-specific, qualified Academy members, making the Interactive Achievement Awards the most sought-after, respected and credible recognition for creators of entertainment software.
About the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences:
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) was founded in 1996 as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and recognition of the interactive arts. The Academy's mission is to promote and advance common interests in the worldwide interactive entertainment community; recognize outstanding achievements in the interactive arts and sciences; and conduct an annual awards show (Interactive Achievement Awards) to enhance awareness of the interactive art form. The Academy also strives to provide a voice for individuals in the interactive entertainment community. In 2002 the Academy created the D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit, a once yearly conference dedicated to exploring approaches to the creative process and artistic expression as they uniquely apply to the development of interactive entertainment. The Academy has more than 12,000 members, with the board comprised of senior executives from the major videogame companies including Bioware/Pandemic, Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony and Ubisoft. More information on AIAS and the D.I.C.E. Summit can be found at http://www.interactive.org and http://www.dicesummit.org
CONTACT:
Wendy Zaas/Angelina Duran
Rogers & Cowan
310-854-8148 / 310-854-8168
wzaas@rogersandcowan.com
aduran@rogersandcowan.com
Geri Gordon Miller
Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences
818-876-0826 x202
geri@interactive.org