VFS Partners with The Coalition, Blackbird Interactive, and A Thinking Ape for $150,000 ‘Women in Game Design’ Scholarship Fund

Full-tuition and select partial-tuition scholarships include mentorship from The Coalition, Blackbird Interactive, & A Thinking Ape and a six-month paid internship.

Announcement Highlights:

• The fund includes three full-tuition scholarships and three $10,000 & five $5,000 partial scholarships. The scholarship is valued at over $150,000.
• Full-tuition winners will be selected by The Coalition, Blackbird Interactive, and A Thinking Ape.
• The winners of the three full-tuition scholarships will enroll in VFS’s 12-month, award-winning Game Design program.
• For the first time, partial-tuition winners may enroll in VFS’s 3D Animation & Visual Effects, Programming for Games, Web, & Mobile, Sound Design for Visual Media, Writing for Film, Television, & Games, and VR/AR Design & Development programs, in addition to the Game Design program.
• Recipients of the full-tuition scholarships will receive monthly mentorship from VFS instructors and design professionals at The Coalition, Blackbird Interactive, and A Thinking Ape, as well as six-month paid design contracts at their respective game studio upon graduation.
• Submission process is currently open and closes on April 10, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. PDT.

VANCOUVER, BC, March 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ – Vancouver Film School (VFS) announced on International Women’s Day that they, in partnership with The Coalition, Blackbird Interactive, and A Thinking Ape have renewed the Women in Game Design Scholarship, including mentorship and a paid internship for the top three applicants. The scholarship fund, valued at over to $150,000, is available exclusively to women and non-binary persons looking to enter the game industry.

Game developers recognize that 44% of their customers are female and that equity in the gaming workspace should be a priority. The best way to bring about this change is by having more women build games in the industry.

The Women in Game Design Scholarship is a collaborative initiative between VFS and Vancouver-based game studios The Coalition (Gears of War franchise), Blackbird Interactive (Homeworld 3, Hardspace: Shipbreaker), and A Thinking Ape (Party in my Dorm, Kingdom of Heckfire).

Three full-tuition as well as three $10,000 and five $5,000 partial-tuition scholarships will be awarded and can be applied to any remaining start dates for 2022 at VFS. Full-tuition winners will be selected directly by The Coalition, Blackbird Interactive, and A Thinking Ape.

While the three full-tuition winners will enroll in VFS’s Game Design program, partial-tuition winners will have their choice of VFS’s Game Design, 3D Animation & Visual Effects, Programming for Games, Web, & Mobile, Sound Design for Visual Media, Writing for Film, Television, & Games, and VR/AR Design & Development programs. VFS recognizes that these programs, collectively, prepare students for the many careers available in the video game industry.

In addition, the three full scholarship winners will each receive private mentorship by design professionals from top-tier AAA studios The Coalition, Blackbird Interactive, and A Thinking Ape, as well as by their instructors at VFS. Upon graduation, these three recipients will also receive a paid six-month work contract at their respective studio. 

The Coalition will also provide the same mentorship and internship opportunities for two partial winners – one who enrolls in the 3D Animation & Visual Effects program, and one who enrolls in the Sound Design program, while Blackbird Interactive will also provide the same mentorship opportunities to one partial winner who enrolls in the Game Design program. A Thinking Ape will also offer mentorship and a paid internship to one partial winner who enrolls in 3D Animation & Visual Effects.

“Video games tell stories that connect, entertain, and inspire us. More than ever, we need these stories to be told by, and for, people of all walks of life and perspectives. The Coalition is excited to partner with VFS and Blackbird Interactive to mentor, train and hire more women into creative roles so their voices, experiences and stories will better shape the games of tomorrow.” –Mike Crump – Studio Head, The Coalition

“More and more diverse profiles continue to join our industry, bringing in their unique viewpoints. However, true progress is to be measured not just at the industry level, but per role and discipline. With this scholarship focused specifically on game design, we want to stress the importance of making sure those design positions are as equally accessible to women as other roles. We want to hear their unique voices and see their touch on the design of our products. Diverse design makes our games, and our industry as a whole better.” –Rory McGuire – Chief Creative Officer, Blackbird Interactive

“DEI has always been incredibly important to me on a personal level. I love talking to people with different points of view and helping me learn more about the world also leads to making better decisions, both as a human being and for our products at A Thinking Ape. I am thrilled that ATA is supporting the Women in Game Design initiative and I’m grateful for what small part I can play in making the industry a better, more welcoming place.” –Chloe Chan – Art Lead, A Thinking Ape

“VFS is honoured to once again be offering the Women in Game Design Scholarship, in partnership with The Coalition and Blackbird Interactive, to promising women game developers. This year, we’re pleased to be expanding the scholarship from just the Game Design program to include our 3D Animation, Programming, Sound Design, Writing, and VR/AR programs, which we are confident will provide unmatched opportunities for our talented winners to explore all facets of the game industry. This scholarship aims to bring more women into key roles at tech companies, so they can one day grow into design leads and shape the games of tomorrow. We look forward to finding and supporting those champions.” –Christopher Mitchell – Head of Game Design and Programming for Games, Web & Mobile, VFS

For more information about the 2022 Women in Game Design Scholarship, or to apply, visit https://vfs.edu/scholarships/women-in-games.

About Vancouver Film School

In 1987, Vancouver Film School introduced the world’s first true immersion film program. Today, VFS is Canada’s premier post-secondary entertainment arts institution, offering an immersive curriculum in film, animation, design, and beyond. VFS is known for providing high-quality education in accelerated time frames and offers 15 industry-integrated programs in which students graduate in 12 months as an in-demand, industry-ready creative professional. VFS alumni are consistently credited on the highest grossing films, television shows, and games worldwide, in a global industry set to generate US$2.1 trillion in revenue in 2022.

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SOURCE Vancouver Film School