EA Game Design Scholarship Winner Announced

Author: by Beth A.

Vancouver Film School (VFS) and Electronic Arts (EA) recently announced the recipient of the $25,000 EA Game Design Scholarship to attend VFS. Following the request of scholarship applicants to submit video game concept proposals this past January, VFS, the largest private post-secondary entertainment arts institution in Canada, has awarded Sasha Dunfee the scholarship. After months of reviewing numerous entries, Dunfee’s winning application impressed the scholarship committee with its maturity and creativity. Dunfee’s technical talent won over the committee with original and realistic ideas that could be transferred into the development of games. Dunfee said of the award, “I only really got into video game design about three years ago with the release of Half-Life 2. I find level design to be a fantastic and rewarding way of creative expression. This is a great opportunity for me, and it is an honour to have been selected out of what I am sure was a very talented entry pool.” EA senior director of human resources Jeff Ryan said, “By supporting quality education like the VFS Game Design program, EA can help to foster a bright new crop of gaming talent, while supporting the continued success of the video game industry in Vancouver.” VFS director of admissions Benjamin Colling added, “Having EA sponsor one of our incoming Game Design students presents an opportunity that is difficult to achieve for many Canadians. To have this opportunity go to a young, local recent high school graduate excites VFS, and it allows EA to make a meaningful investment in the youth of today that can literally change the life of the recipient.” The Game Design program at VFS began its 2007 session at the end of June. Graduates of the one-year Game Design program at VFS are employed at nearly every major gaming studio in Canada, including scholarship sponsor, EA. Dunfee will be sharing his VFS experience throughout the year at his blog.