Univision Communications Inc. (UCI), the leading media company serving Hispanic America, established the Univision MAGIC Scholarship Fund in partnership with Miami Dade College (MDC). As part of Univision’s effort to cultivate the next generation of diverse leaders in the media and technology sector, funds for the scholarship and access to resources and opportunities will help to sustain MDC’s Miami Animation & Gaming International Complex (MAGIC), the Miami region’s premier animation and gaming educational facility.
The Univision MAGIC Scholarship Fund has been established with a $100,000 donation to the Miami Dade College Foundation, and the gift was formally presented at MDC’s recent March Board meeting. The partnership supports a fellowship and internship program for students currently attending the MAGIC program at MDC, providing students with expanded resources, tools and guidance from media professionals at UCI. Scholarships will be awarded to full-time MAGIC students who demonstrate academic achievement and unmet financial need.
MAGIC offers two associates degrees: Animation & Game Art, through which students learn core fundamentals such as character and environment design as well as story structure and Game Development & Design, which prepares students to pitch their unique ideas for an animated short or a game. Last year, several MAGIC student ideas were chosen for co-production by leading gaming production studios. The program’s 9,000 square foot operation is complete with an Open Lab – a large multipurpose space featuring state-of-the-art equipment – a full audio suite for recording and a fully equipped motion capture studio.
“Univision is committed to empowering our communities with access to tools; resources; and opportunities in arts, media and technology,” said Jessica Herrera-Flanigan, executive vice president of Government and Corporate Affairs for UCI. “Investing in talented Latino students who are passionate content creators is critically important to ensure that the future of these industries better reflects that new, more diverse reality.”
“Partnerships between the MAGIC program and local industry are a key part of our academic program,” said Mauricio Ferrazza, chairperson of MAGIC. “Collaborating with Univision Communications Inc. is especially relevant since the company is part of our community and who we are. In the face of increasing economic challenges and global competition, an opened dialogue between MDC and local industry will only benefit student success by preparing them for workforce demands.”
The partnership is part of Univision’s continued commitment through Univision Contigo, the Company’s social empowerment platform, to expand existing programs leading the way for diversity in the media and technology sectors and promoting science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) education and opportunities, to increase the pipeline of Latinos in media and technology.
Learn more about how you can make a difference at www.mdcfoundation.com