Source: Erin Ashley Simon
Erin Ashley Simon is teaming up with her alma mater, the University of Kentucky, to pay it forward and help more people get involved in the Esports world.
Tuesday (Nov.23), the University of Kentucky announced it was partnering with XSET Co-Owner and Esports host Erin Ashley Simon to launch the Erin Ashley Simon Esports Internship Fund. Per a press release, UK students who qualify for the fund will get “mentorship and experiential learning opportunities in Esports.”
Simon, a 2014 graduate of the College of Communication and Information at the University of Kentucky, spoke on the announcement: “I wouldn’t be where I am without UK. UK was where I really built my journalism skills and had professors and fellow students who believed in me and my future. Now that I’m a broadcaster in gaming and entertainment, as well as a co-owner of the new esports organization XSET, it’s my turn to pay it forward.”
The Erin Ashley Simon Esports Internship Fund aims to provide students with the experiences who want to attend the university but can’t due to financial circumstances. Financial support will be provided through the Erin Ashley Simon Esports Internship Fund to those students who wish to pursue UK’s Esports program.
Simon spoke on providing accessibility in Esports and gaming, adding: “I wanted to start this scholarship because accessibility is not only an issue in education but also an issue in esports and gaming. I want to help create an additional route for the youth to not only gain experiences in esports and get an education but to have an amazing experience at the University of Kentucky, the same way I did when I attended.”
To qualify for the internship, potential applicants must have a minimum of a 3.00 unweighted high school grade-point average, show financial need, and have Esports experience with gaming ties. Experience can include “coding, broadcasting, content creation, event, and organization experience.”
Heath Price, UK Associate Chief Information Officer, also spoke on the internship adding will bring new depth to UK’s esports program while helping the university reach a broader student audience.
“UK wants to be a thought leader in the esports and video game community, building a foundation of technology investment that pushes the envelope in areas of social and competitive gaming and seeks to serve important community values,” Price said.
“Practical experiences are very important in the competitive professional landscape of today and tomorrow. Opportunities like the Erin Ashley Simon Esports Internship Fund, which provides a combination of experience and mentorship, have the potential to be transformative when you consider the preparation necessary to compete for jobs and pursue careers across the rapidly evolving video game and esports industries,” he further added.
We love to see it.
Applications for the internship are is set to open in the fall of 2022.
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Photo: Erin Ashley Simon
