The IGDA Scholarships Presentation I gave for IGDA Chicago in October 2012, in which I detail the scholarships program and how students can put their best foot forward when applying. Includes tips form Scholar Alumni from around the world!

1. presents
IGDA Scholarships
The Insider Look

2. Heather M Decker-Davis, who?
• Secretary, IGDA Chicago Board of
Directors
• Two-time IGDA Scholar
• Currently on IGDA Scholarships
Committee
• Technical Artist at Spooky Cool Labs
• …etc.

3. What is the IGDA?
• Largest professional organization for video
game developers
– with chapters all over the world
• Unites, advocates for, and enriches the
lives of developers
• igda.org

5. What it Is
IGDA Scholarships get students into the
most prominent industry events.
Scholarships include:
• Highest pass to the event
• Mentorship
• Studio tours

6. What it Isn’t
• IGDA Scholarships are not:
 Money towards tuition
 A random drawing
 A cash prize

7. Why Scholarships are Awesome
• It’s a tremendous honor!!!
• Get the ultimate access to conferences
• Make amazing new friends from all over

8. Scholarships are Awesome +1
• Connect with tons of insightful
professionals in your field
• Discover unique opportunities
• Overall have a unique experience you’ll
never forget

9. 2013 Scholarships Events
[not yet announced to the public]

10. 2013 Scholarship Events
• GDC
• E3
• Develop Brighton
• IGDA Summit / Casual Connect
• TGS
• CEDEC

11. Applying
Qualifications
• Meet the application deadline!
• Full-time undergraduate, graduate or
doctoral students are eligible
• Must be at least 18 years old at event date
• IGDA member in good standing

12. Applying
Considerations
• Be realistic
o You may apply for multiple scholarships
o You are responsible for travel,
accomodations, food, etc.
• Supply and Demand
o Limited number selected for each
o GDC will inevitably receive the most
applications and be the most competitive

13. Anatomy of an Application
• All of your basic info
• Short essays (250-500 words each)

14. Anatomy of an Application
• Topics have included:
– How do you volunteer in the game
development community?
– How do you volunteer outside of game dev?
– Why do you think it’s important for developers
to help other developers?

15. Anatomy of an Application
– Describe a game project and what you
learned.
– Career Goals.
– What is a specific initiative you’ve taken for
your professional development?

16. The Judging Process
• Applications are collected and judged by
industry professionals
• Each judge receives a group of
applications, reviews them, ranks them,
and returns the results
• Little by little, applicants are whittled down
to the best and brightest

17. Tips from Scholar Alumni

18. Luke Dicken
Scotland, United Kingdom
• Don't undersell yourself.
• Your achievements may
seem boring and dull to
you, but they are often so
much more and you don't
realise.
• Take pride in your
achievements and
showcase them in your
application.

19. Luke Dicken
Scotland, United Kingdom
• Apply even if you don't think you will win.
– If you don't win, learn from it and try to
become the kind of student who will win next
time.
• If you do become a Scholar CAPITALISE
ON IT
• The Scholarship isn't a golden ticket to be
experienced, it's an opportunity to be
seized.

20. Rebecca Fernandez
New South Wales, Australia
• Sit down and think about WHY
you want to go to the event.
• I wanted to go because I'd just
started my own company and I
wanted to make contacts and
learn as much as I could about
the industry.
• Wanting to go just so that you
can hang out with "cool" game
devs isn't really a reason.

21. Rebecca Fernandez
New South Wales, Australia
• Being able to show that you have initiative
is really important. Getting involved in the
local and/or online games community will
really further your application.
• Volunteer for things!

22. Rob Martin
Ontario, Canada
• I would not be where I
am today without the
IGDA Scholarship
Program.
The relationships and
contacts I made during
my scholarship have
directly led to my
current employment at
Ubisoft.

23. Rob Martin
Ontario, Canada
• Get on Twitter. It has the ability to put you in
direct contact with people you would normally
never of had the chance to meet. Start
following and interacting with the IGDA
community. It can be a great ice breaker and
may give your application or name a
"familiar" feeling.
At the same time, be careful on how you
represent yourself online. Don't say or post
things that you'll regret later or things that
make you look like an idiot. Expect that the
person reviewing your application will google
you.

24. Rob Martin
Ontario, Canada
• Get involved in your city's game development
community. Go to game jams, join an independent
project and volunteer at events or conventions.
These are things any prospective game developer
should already be doing. Volunteer work goes a
long way on an application.
• Talk about some of your interests outside of video
games. If you didn't like video games, you wouldn't
be applying for the scholarship. It's okay to talk
about some of your other interests. Maybe you're
in to competitive wrestling or extreme
barbecuing?, talk about it. It shows you're a
balanced person.

25. Kyle Rentschler
New York, United States
• Make it clear to the judges that
the way you think about games
has the potential to change
games at large for the better,
and that you're passionate
about games.
• There's "thinking" about games
versus truly THINKING about
games, and "loving" games
versus truly LOVING games,
and it's best if you don't come
across as just another fanboy
who merely "thinks" and "loves"
in only the most superficial
ways.

26. Kyle Rentschler
New York, United States
• Answer EVERY question, whether it's
optional or not. And don't just put a couple
of sentences, but, if you can, use up all the
space they give you.
• Check for errors! If your essays are riddled
with grammar and spelling mistakes, it will
be held against you.

27. Nicholas Cassleman
Illinois, United States
Applying
• Write your application early
– Let it cool off for a week or
two before editing
– Ask for feedback from those
who can provide critique
– Make them remember you
– Be specific and concrete
– Apply your knowledge of
game design!

28. Nicholas Cassleman
Illinois, United States
Preparations
• Write down every date on your calendar
• Look for funding sources
– Your school may be able to fund you
• Solidify accommodations early
– Contact friends in the area
– Coordinate with fellow scholars to share a space
• Make yourself accessible
– Print business cards
– Tidy website
– Work on elevator speech

29. Nicholas Cassleman
Illinois, United States
Courtesy
• Make good use of your mentor time
– Have a list of questions ready
– Work around their schedule
– Keep in touch afterwards, but don't overbear
• Make a good impression
– Be friendly and polite
– Write stuff down
• Be on time for meetings
– Communicate if you can't make it
• Send thank you notes

30. Overall Advice
• Be yourself
• Be honest
• Be genuine
• Communicate your deep passion for
making games
• Consider your audience when applying
– Seasoned, volunteer professionals
• Be clear and concise

31. On Standing Out
• This is a competitive field.

32. On Standing Out
• Get Involved!
– Professional organizations
• IGDA
– Organization
– Your local chapter
– Global Game Jam
– Clubs
• School or community

33. Standing Out +1
• Get Out There
– Competitions
• Independent Games Festival
• Imagine Cup
– Game Jams

34. If You're Chosen
• Professionalism++
– Be polite and courteous
– Be punctual
– See also:
• Effective Networking in the Game Industry
– From Darius Kazemi’s blog
– tinysubversions.com/effective-networking/

35. Post-Scholarship
• Definitely Must
o Write a report for the IGDA
o Share your media with the IGDA
 pictures
 videos
o Market your Scholar self!
 add IGDA Scholar to your resume
 mention it in your bios

36. Post-Scholarship
• Should Also
o Stay connected with your scholar friends
o Give back to the program
 mentor
 volunteer

37. How to Apply
• Applications will open soon!
• igda.org/scholarships
• Follow IGDA Twitter
– @igda
• Keep tabs on Facebook
– http://www.facebook.com/IGDA.org
• Prepare your awesome self!