Campus News

Applications Open for 3rd Class of $1M Gen.G Foundation Scholarship Pledge

File photo Pete Comparoni | UK Photo.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 9, 2022) Global esports organization Gen.G announced the opening of the application process for the third annual Gen.G Foundation scholarship. As a part of Gen.G’s $1 million pledge over the next 10 years, the scholarship focuses on women, people of color and low-income students enrolled in a U.S. university or college who are interested in gaming, esports, entrepreneurship, journalism or content creation. Students can apply here

Gen.G will select 10 students from across the country to receive a $10,000 grant to pursue their education and take part in Gen.G’s ongoing developmental programming for 2022. Gen.G is building a global community that champions diversity, inclusion and representation through strategic programming and partnerships. Since its founding in 2020, the Gen.G Scholarship Foundation has remained dedicated to fostering a brighter, more inclusive future of esports through empowering young gamers and a commitment of $100,000 annually for 10 years for the development of the next generation of the gaming industry. 

“In this third year of the Gen.G Foundation, we are proud to renew our pledge to promote inclusion and diversity within the esports and gaming industry,” said Gina Chung Lee, CMO of Gen.G.  “We are excited to see the talented student pool this year; every class has impressed us with their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit and we expect that 2022 will be no different.” 

In addition to the grant, Gen.G will equip recipients with resources, knowledge and connections that will prepare them for futures in the esports and gaming industry. Scholarship recipients will take part in resume and LinkedIn reviews, mock interviews and networking calls with Gen.G employees and industry veterans. 

“This scholarship has allowed me to focus on my studies without financial pressure,” said Hyeonyeong Kim, a 2021 Gen.G Foundation scholarship recipient and University of Kentucky sophomore with goals to become a leader in the esports industry by connecting more universities and esports organizations. “It means nothing to only be good at one thing, esports or academics. You should aim to be the best in both and the Gen.G Foundation has helped me improve my abilities in esports and education.”

To date, the Gen.G Foundation has awarded scholarships to more than 20 students across the United States. The application process will close on June 15, 2022, and winners will be announced in September. For more information on the scholarship and the Gen.G Foundation, please visit https://geng.gg/pages/foundation

About Gen.G:

Established in 2017, Gen.G is the leading esports organization connecting the United States and Asia. Currently ranked no. 6 in the Forbes list of the “World's Most Valuable Esports Companies,” Gen.G is the only major organization that owns and operates top teams in the world's leading esports markets — China, South Korea and the United States. Its unique portfolio of teams, winners of seven global championships to date, includes the Seoul Dynasty franchise of the Overwatch League; 2014 and 2017 League of Legends world champion team in South Korea; the world's top all-women's Fortnite team, based in Los Angeles; and the NBA 2K League's historic expansion franchise in Shanghai. 

United under #TigerNation, Gen.G's core mission is to help fans and athletes use the power of gaming and esports to get ahead in and beyond the competition. The company has quickly become a commercial and thought leader, building a global, inclusive and cross-cultural future for sports entertainment. Its widely acclaimed initiatives include: #TeamBumble, the leading team platform for the empowerment of women in gaming; and Gen.G Elite Esports Academy, the world's first fully-integrated academic esports program. Gen.G's teams, content creators and corporate staff work out of their offices in Los Angeles, Seoul and Shanghai. 

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.