UK Presents 'Women in the Gaming Industry' Panel
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 19, 2020) — The University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information (CI), in partnership with UK Information Technology Services and the UK Information Diversity and Inclusion Committee, is hosting a gaming panel for students that revolves around women in the gaming industry. The panel, “Women in the Gaming Industry," will focus on discussion on industry inclusion, women’s gaming culture, how women have carved unique spaces for themselves in the world of gaming and changes that need to take place for the industry to be more inclusive.
“We wanted to bring together powerful voices with equally powerful stories to tell current and future generations of women interested in getting involved with the video game industry that there is room for them and that they can help pave the way for a new norm that the industry desperately needs,” said Nathan Stevens, the UK CI college media officer.
The panel — which features academics, streamers, marketing/advertising members and developers — includes:
- Rebecca Heineman, CEO of Olde Sküül;
- Manuela Malasaña, owner/director of Team Dogpit;
- Kishonna Gray, assistant professor of communication at the University of Illinois at Chicago and author of "Intersectional Tech";
- Shira Chess, associate professor entertainment and media studies at the University of Georgia and author of "Play Like a Feminist"; and
- Lizzie Killian, founder of gaming PR firm FIFTYcc.
The discussion will be moderated by UK School of Journalism and Media student Gillian Stawiszynski and will feature UK student and streamer Sienna Douglas.
The discussion is 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct 22, and will be streamed on UK’s Twitch channel.
For more information about the “Women in the Gaming Industry” discussion visit https://ci.uky.edu/ci/women-gaming-industry.
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.