WIA Partners With Animation Mentor, Toon Boom to Expand Scholarship Program

Terry Flores

Click here to read the full article.

Women in Animation has partnered with Animation Mentor and Toon Boom to expand the organization’s WIA Scholarship Program with workshops and software packages.

WIA scholarships are given to animation students with a financial need and who demonstrate talent and passion for animation that will lead to a promising career in the field. The Animation Mentor and Toon Boom partnerships will augment a cash award.

More from Variety

Animation Mentor will provide scholarship recipients with a free six-week workshop. Awardees will be able to choose from a number of courses, such as Maya Workshop/Animation Basics for Beginners, Game Animation Fundamental, Intermediate Storyboarding and Pre-Viz Basics for Animators.

In addition to a cash contribution to the WIA scholarship fund, Toon Boom will provide scholarship recipients with one-year bundled licenses for Storyboard Pro and Harmony Premium in addition to a base licenses package and remote one-on-one training.

“WIA is so excited to have Animation Mentor and Toon Boom partner with us on our scholarship program. Animation Mentor is the premium mentoring program for our industry, providing years of success in training a new source of talent that can expand WIA’s own mentoring program. We’re so fortunate to have Animation Mentor bring their vast teaching experience to our student membership in this way,” said WIA president Marge Dean. “We’re also very excited to partner with ToonBoom and greatly appreciate their support of our scholarship fund as well as their innovative software and training access, which demonstrates their commitment to the education and training of new and diverse talent.”

Animation Mentor co-founder Bobby Beck said his company and WIA share many of the same values. “The talent of our global student base reminds us how important it is to have diverse storytellers in our industry. Because WIA has so many great resources, and such a worthy mission, we see this partnership as an opportunity for our amazing students to connect and grow in different ways, adding to the solid foundation they receive from us. Any chance to bring artists together to imagine and create, we’re all in,” he said.

Stephanie Quinn, Toon Boom’s marketing director agreed: “Toon Boom Animation is excited to be working with WIA on yet another project to further promote and support a female presence in animation arts, science and business. Projects such as WIA Vancouver’s B.C.’s Five in Focus: Animation and now this WIA scholarship are truly helping to shape the future of animation, and continues our focus on the creative community worldwide.”

Deadline to apply for the WIA Animation Scholarship is Oct. 10. Student members of WIA are encouraged to apply.

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.