Erin Ashley Simon, Co-owner of North American esports organisation XSET, has expanded the University of Kentucky esports internship fund.
The Erin Ashley Simon Esports Internship Fund, designed for students who are interested in a career in esports and gaming, has grown and now amounts to $5,000 (£4,120).
The fund is aimed at providing opportunities to make progress in the esports and gaming industries. Started by Erin Ashley Simon in 2021, it includes a multi-year internship with mentoring and learning opportunities, according to XSET.
Simon noted that she wants to grow and develop the fund by attracting support from other companies and influencers.
According to XSET, the initiative wants to make the path to a career in esports easier for students who may not have the opportunity to take college courses directly tied to esports. As such, it focuses on students who might struggle financially, but are still very interested in esports.
Erin Ashley Simon, co-owner of XSET, commented: “There are a lot of industries out there who are curious about gaming, but I’m encouraging all of them to stop eyeing and get involved with the fund. This is the perfect opportunity for non-endemic companies to see and understand the growth of this industry and the people who make it move.”
Simon has personal ties to the University of Kentucky, since she was a student there herself. The fund is her way to give back to the university where she “built her journalism skills and had professors and fellow students who believed in her”, Simon noted in 2021 at the launch of the Fund.
