Fancy $10,000 just for being a girl? Well, spank my thigh if Sony Online Entertainment isn’t about to start splashing the cash to make those very dreams come true. Because it seems SOE has decided there’s not enough female games developers, and is putting its hand in its copious pockets to bankroll some future talent.
The project, known as the Gamers In Real Life (G.I.R.L) Scholarship, is now entering its fourth year, and on offer this time is up to ten big ones towards tuition, as well as a 10-week paid internship with one of SOE’s studios.
Not bad eh?
But why the generosity? Over to Laura Naviaux, Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing at SOE. “The most recent industry studies show that although a large percentage of the game playing population is female, they make up only about one in every 10 game developers,” she explains.
“For the fourth year in a row, SOE is committed to encouraging women to pursue an exciting and rewarding career of developing fun and innovative games for everyone.”
The scheme is run jointly between SOE and Scholarship America, a leading non-profit educational support program, and is now open for applications at the Scholarship America website.
To be eligible to participate, entrants must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate program related to video games, including video game art, design, animation, production, programming or visual effects, must not graduate before the end of the 2012 spring term and must comply with the program’s official rules. Online applications must be completed and submitted on or before April 6, 2011. SOE will announce the winner on or about May 16, 2011.