Inside the AIAS Foundation Scholar Experience
Connections, Workshops, Mentorships, and the 2026 D.I.C.E. Summit
Curious about what it’s like to be an AIAS Foundation scholar? We’ve compiled the highlights of this year’s journey. The latest cohort didn't just build lasting friendships; they refined critical professional skills and engaged in high-level activities designed to help them navigate the future of their careers.
Personalized Mentorship
We paired each scholar with a mentor based on specific career goals, aspirations, and interests. To ensure a perfect match, scholars completed a detailed questionnaire. From there, the AIAS Foundation team meticulously paired them with an industry professional, drawing from our extensive database and targeted industry outreach.
Once introduced, mentors and mentees received up-to-date guidance and codes of conduct before beginning their virtual sessions. Together, they set realistic short- and long-term goals and establish a regular meeting cadence. This relationship culminated in a face-to-face meeting at the D.I.C.E. Summit.
Virtual Workshops and Community Bonding
Based on feedback from previous years, we expanded the program to include more virtual sessions prior to travel. The cohort met monthly for game nights hosted by alumni and gained access to a dedicated AIAS Foundation Scholar Discord community to stay connected with both one another and many of our alums.
The Foundation also arranged virtual workshops to prepare scholars for the D.I.C.E. Summit. These included interactive sessions on networking "tips and tricks" and portfolio reviews led by Zebra PR and Greg Foertsch.
Unforgettable Memories at the D.I.C.E. Summit
With their prep work complete, scholars traveled to the prestigious 2026 D.I.C.E. Summit, the industry’s premier executive leadership conference. Upon arrival, they were welcomed by our scholar coordinators, experienced alumni who provided on-the-ground support throughout the week and organized meetups to help familiarize the scholars with the venue and one another.
The conference kicked off with exclusive, in-person workshops featuring sessions like The “Method" Strategy for Production, Soft Skills: Leveling Up, and Resume & Hiring Insights. Scholars then reconnected with their mentors in person, reinforcing the bonds built virtually and providing them with a familiar face among the industry’s top leaders.
Throughout the Summit, scholars took full advantage of the programming: joining roundtable discussions, attending keynote speeches, exchanging business cards in speed networking events, and engaging in specially curated industry Q&A sessions. Scholars also had the opportunity to snap professional headshots by Laura Kinser Studios.
Celebrations at the 29th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards
The week culminated at the 29th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, where the industry gathered to celebrate excellence in game development. Scholars were able to mingle with award nominees, enjoyed front-row seats, and got a special shout-out from hosts, Stella Chung and Greg Miller. Two of our scholars, Yanina Perez-Masud and Ziad El-Rady, took to the stage to assist in presenting trophies to the winners and highlighted for their participation.
Conclusion
The AIAS Foundation programming continues to evolve year-over-year to better serve our scholars’ diverse career journeys. Through mentorship, workshops, and the D.I.C.E. experience, we aim to provide a foundation of support, lasting memories, and a gateway into a vibrant community of industry professionals.
This past year’s scholars who participated in our scholarship program included:
- Sebastian Bolatto, AIAS Foundation Scholar
- Marielle Brady, AIAS Foundation Scholar
- Ziad El-Rady, AIAS Foundation Scholar
- Yanina Pérez-Masud, AIAS Foundation Scholar
- Yuning “Anona” Yang, AIAS Foundation Scholar
- Ruijia Huang, WomenIn Scholar
- Ruari Root, WomenIn Scholar
- Sammy Chuang, Girls for Gaming Scholar
A special and big thank you goes out to all of our coordinators, speakers, and mentors for taking time out of their busy schedule to enrich our scholar experience including:
- Hunter Bridges, Evening Star (Speaker)
- Mark Cerny, Cerny Games (Mentor/Speaker)
- Kayla Chen, Zebra PR (Speaker)
- William Chyr, Studio Chyr (Speaker)
- Teddy Dief, OFK (Speaker)
- Jennifer Estaris (Mentor)
- Greg Foertsch, Bit Reactor (Speaker)
- Samantha Garcia, Riot Games (Speaker)
- Ricardo Graham, ZeniMax Online Studios (Mentor)
- Katelyn Johnson, Turtle Rock Studios (Speaker)
- Christine Lai, Riot Games (Mentor)
- Lis Moberly, Disney Games (Mentor)
- Connie Owens, Zebra PR (Speaker)
- Dotun Oseni-Adegbite, Xbox (Virtual Scholar Coordinator)
- Sunni Pavlovic, Windflower Games (Speaker)
- Jade Raymond (Mentor)
- Alexa Ray Corriea, Gearbox Entertainment (Mentor)
- Andrea Sausedo Piotraszewski, Zebra PR (Speaker)
- Ben Schwartz (Mentor)
- Terri Shi, Riot Games (Speaker)
- Lola Shirashi (Mentor)
- Brian Tran, Riot Games (Speaker)
- Jenny Xu, Talofa Games (Scholar Coordinator)
- Rain Yan, Insomniac Games (Virtual Scholar Coordinator)
Click here for more information on the AIAS Foundation, WomenIn, and Girls for Gaming scholarships.
Click here to learn more on how you can help be a mentor.
Click here to donate to the AIAS Foundation to help fund our scholarship program.