ESA Foundation awards $90K in video game scholarships

The ESA Foundation, the philanthropic offshoot of the Entertainment Software Association, has given out its 2013-14 video game scholarships, the organization announced today.

Each of the 30 recipients, all of whom are minorities and/or women, will receive $3,000 toward a video game-related degree that they are pursuing at a four-year college or university. The individuals in question are enrolled at 25 different schools across 16 states; you can see the full list of students below. They are earning degrees in fields such as game design and development; computer science and engineering; graphic design; and visual arts.

"These exceptional students represent the future of digital entertainment," said Michael D. Gallagher, president and CEO of the ESA, in a press release today. "They will bring diversity, innovation, and growth to our dynamic industry. We are proud to support their pursuit of critical 21st-century skills that will undoubtedly put them on a path toward professional success."

Here are the 30 winners of the 2013-14 ESA Foundation Scholarship:

Brandon Bell
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Institution: DePaul University
Major: Computer Games Development

Ashley Carli
Hometown: Harvard, Ill.
Institution: DePaul University
Major: Computer Games Development

Brandon Cimino
Hometown: Branford, Conn.
Institution: Becker College
Major: Interactive Entertainment Design

Tiffany Entwistle
Hometown: Northborough, Mass.
Institution: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Major: Games & Simulation Arts and Sciences

Desiree Fernandes
Hometown: Granby, Mass.
Institution: Champlain College
Major: Game Art & Animation

Michaela Ginder
Hometown: Dillsburg, Penn.
Institution: Valley Forge Christian College
Major: Digital Media Communications

Jessy Jo Gomez
Hometown: Yonkers, N.Y.
Institution: Parsons School of Design, The New School
Major: Design & Technology

Eileen Heilsnis
Hometown: Apex, N.C.
Institution: Junior Savannah College of Art and Design
Major: Visual Effects

Jaylon Hines
Hometown: Gary, Ind.
Institution: Indiana State University
Major: Marketing and Public Relations

Cara Jones
Hometown: Elgin, Ill.
Institution: DePaul University
Major: Animation

Capri Kowsky
Hometown: Batavia, Ohio
Institution: Art Institute of Ohio - Cincinnati
Major: Media Arts & Animation

Alyson Kuch
Hometown: Parchment, Mich. 
Institution: Spring Arbor University
Major: Graphic Design and Digital Media

Michelle Lam
Hometown: Elk Grove, Calif.
Institution: California Polytechnic State University
Major: Computer Science

Warren Lindsey
Hometown: Sherwood, Ark.
Institution: Savannah College of Art and Design
Major: Interactive Design & Game Development

Karyn McCollough
Hometown: Woodinville, Wash.
Institution: DigiPen Institute of Technology
Major: Game Design

Donisha Miller
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
Institution: Southern Illinois University - Carbondale
Major: Computer Science

Nicole Moeckli
Hometown: Lewiston, Idaho
Institution: University of Idaho
Major: Virtual Technology & Design

Monnisa Nash
Hometown: Kihei, Hawaii
Institution: University of Washington
Major: Computer Science

Karen Navarro
Hometown: Kyle, Texas
Institution: Rochester Institute of Technology
Major: Game Design and Development

Heidi Neunhoffer
Hometown: Kerrville, Texas
Institution: Laguna College of Art and Design
Major: Animation

Anna Nguyen
Hometown: Harwood Heights, Ill.
Institution: Drexel University
Major: Game Art and Production

Abigail Riffle
Hometown: Kettering, Ohio
Institution: Cedarville University
Major: Computer Engineering

Wilbert Rivera
Hometown: New York, N.Y.
Institution: City College of New York - CUNY 
Major: Studio Art

Joss Schafer
Hometown: New York, N.Y. 
Institution: Johns Hopkins University
Major: Computer Science

Neel Shah
Hometown: Billerica, Mass.
Institution: Northeastern University
Major: Game Design & Computer Science

Jennifer Tran
Hometown: La Mesa, Calif.
Institution: University of California - San Diego
Major: Computer Science

Julia Tuason
Hometown: Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Institution: Rochester Institute of Technology
Major: 3D Digital Graphics

Mariko Wakabayashi
Hometown: Belmont, Calif.
Institution: University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
Major: Computer Science

Maurice Westbrooks
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
Institution: DePaul University
Major: Computer Games Development

Nancy Wong
Hometown: Chattanooga, Tenn.
Institution: University of Pennsylvania
Major: Digital Media Design