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Sony Interactive Entertainment pledges $3 million to the USC Games Gerald A. Lawson Fund, with support from the PlayStation Career Pathways Program. USC games is the best North American game show according to Princeton Review. It has held that spot firmly for over a decade.
This commitment is the first part of a multi-year partnership between Sony Interactive Entertainment and USC Games. It solidifies SIE as a key partner of USC Games’ efforts to support black and Indigenous students studying game development and game design.
“We are extremely excited to be one of Sony Interactive Entertainment’s partners and share the same vision to inspire and enable greater diversity within the gaming industry,” USC Games’ Jim Huntley said in a statement to GamesBeat. “Representation in gaming affairs. We hope the USC Games Lawson Fund, supported by the PlayStation Career Pathways Program, inspires other companies, publishers and developers to reach out to us and invest in addressing a chronic problem the industry has struggled with since its inception.”
Sony knows the importance of diversity and inclusion
A key pillar of SIE’s core mission is to ensure that the games industry is both diverse and inclusive. As part of these efforts, SIE has developed a Strategic collaboration portfolio in support of the black community. It is also founding the aforementioned PlayStation Careers Pathways program.
The goal of the program is to prepare emerging blacks and other underrepresented talent for careers in the gaming industry.
“The USC Games’ Lawson Fund is more than a grant,” said SIE’s Tiffany Johnson. “It is our commitment to create opportunities for black and other unrepresented talent who want to enter the game industry. We have a responsibility to drive change and build an industry that is more diverse, inclusive and welcoming to all. This contribution is just one of many efforts and it all starts with investing in the next generation of talent and creating more exposure and visibility for underrepresented communities.”
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