LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Believer Company and the Black Collegiate Gaming Association (BCGA) have partnered to launch a brand new mentorship program kicking off later this month. This three-month mentorship program seeks to pair BCGA students and grads with like-minded members of the Believer team in an effort to help them grow their careers in video games. Candidates can today sign up directly with the BCGA for consideration.
“As part of an effort to pursue the bright future of games, Believer is partnering with the Black Collegiate Gaming Association to mentor aspiring game developers and we couldn’t be more excited,” said Grace Park, Director of Operations at Believer. “We will pair BCGA students with mentors from Believer based on shared interests, areas of focus, and time commitments. We expect Believers who are Senior level and above to dedicate time each month to mentorship, and encourage every single Believer, regardless of level, to participate in mentorship. We do so because we believe that one of the best ways to serve our players is to invest in game devs who look and play like they do.”
Requirements for the mentorship program include a one-hour minimum commitment per month and an interest in working in the video game industry. Mentors and mentees can revisit the relationship at the end of the three-month program to further partnering. The mentorships are not discipline-specific and are open to students at every year level.
"It is an honor to partner with The Believer Company, who are just as passionate about providing resources for students to reach their career goals,” said Keshia Walker, The Founder & Chairwoman of The Black Collegiate Gaming Association. “We are happy to be a part of pouring into our next generation of leaders and stars who will soon turn their ideas about the gaming and esports industry into a reality. African Americans and women of color are the most overlooked audiences in esports, gaming, and the overall tech industry; yet that is where the greatest opportunities lie. It is time to ascend from just consumers to being contributors and creators. BCGA is here to provide exposure and pathways to these promising fields. Our goal is to aid in creating future groundbreakers and trailblazers who will be the next set of history makers.”
Mentorship areas include, but are not limited to, breaking into the games industry, navigating studio structure, working in games as a certain demographic and networking. Mentors will also help aspiring game developers with resume building, interviewing, and career coaching as well as developing soft skills like public speaking and presenting, communications, confidence, collaboration and conflict resolution.
Sign-ups for the mentorship program are currently open and interested parties can go here today to enroll. For more information, details or questions, please email da@bcgausa.org. Spots in the program are limited and mentees will be chosen based on the strength of their submissions; registration closes on September 15.
The Believer Company is a Los Angeles-based independent video game development company that was announced in early 2023 with $55 million in Series A financing from partners like Lightspeed Venture Partners, Andreessen Horowitz and many others. The BCGA was founded in 2020 with the mission of providing education, access and career opportunities in the gaming and esports industry to Black and women of color high school and college students.
About Believer
Believer is a global games company with developers all over the world, headquartered in Los Angeles, California.
Believers have built their lives around creating and serving games they're proud of—from Words With Friends to League of Legends, from Destiny to Plants vs. Zombies.
This is just the beginning.
The last half-century of progress has culminated in a global congregation of players, creators, and technologies that blur the line between possible and impossible; player dreams that were previously unimaginable are now within our grasp. Today is a singular moment in the history of games.
Believer is uniting the best and bravest game creators to deliver next-generation experiences equal to this unparalleled moment of possibility.
The team is bonded together by a deep love for players and a commitment to put them at the center of the games, worlds, and stories to come—to keep the fun going for as long as players keep believing.
Believer is always seeking more world-class talent to help build the world we want to play in. For more information, please visit believer.gg.
About the Black Collegiate Gaming Association
The Black Collegiate Gaming Association (BCGA) was established to provide education, access and career opportunities in the gaming and esports industry to Black and women of color high school & college students. BCGA offers virtual and on-campus curriculums; inter-collegiate video gaming competitions; internships and post-graduation job opportunities; team-building and leadership training; professional development and networking events; scholarships and mentorships; on-campus esports and gaming labs.
Founder and Chairwoman Keshia Walker launched BCGA in May of 2020 after more than 20 years of running a successful celebrity events and experiential marketing firm. She made history herself by being the first Black woman to enter the male-dominated field of collegiate gaming & esports. A two-time honors graduate of Florida A&M University, her goal is to diversify the corporate gaming and tech industry.
“I may be the first, but I will not be the last,” Walker said.
For more information, please visit https://bcgausa.org/
