EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/HYYkL.jpg)
After a long process and receiving a number of outstanding applications, we are proud to announce the winners of this year’s AZUBU CSL Scholarships. The following four individuals have stood out from the crowd, both in terms of their academic record but also in their contributions and successes. Before announcing the winners, we would like to explain a few of the factors that went into our decision making:
- For the community award, our primary point of focus was the building of a community where none existed before. Our hope is that this will influence other communities to spring up and build lasting bonds that will further the growth of eSports in North America.
- For the leadership award, the main criteria was an individual’s impact on his/her team or organization.
- The MVP award was given unanimously to the most impactful player this season
- The academic award was given to the student who has shown special consideration to his/her academic success above all else
- In general, we weighed the following additional factors: (1) need, in terms of how long the scholarship would be able to contribute to the winner’s education, (2) overall quality of the application, (3) the uniqueness and impact of the application material, (4) academic background, for those who advanced to the second stage of the process, and finally (5) the interviews to those who advanced to the second round
Without further adieu, here are the winners of this year’s AZUBU CSL Scholarships
Community : Andy Hsu, Virginia Tech
Andy’s work in building one of the largest collegiate eSports communities in the United States cannot be ignored. While TeSPA was the first major inter-state organization, the Virginia eSports Association is following suit and growing rapidly. Andy has been instrumental in the establishment of the esports community in Virginia, creating something from nothing. Andy’s plans for VeSPA, his passion for leadership, and his commitment to expanding the community not just for competitive players, but for casual players as well makes him the perfect choice for the Community scholarship. In the near future, VeSPA will expand to include more schools in the greater Virginia area, as well as hosting a major LAN series for college students throughout the East Coast.
Leadership : Adrian Kwong, University of Washington
Few exemplify leadership as much as Adrian. In the first season of StarCraft II for CSL, the University of Washington failed to make the playoffs. After the first half of Season 5 the team finished with just a 4-3 record. During the second half, however, the team went 8-1, advancing to the playoffs and taking 2nd place in the league. Washington has since become a CSL powerhouse – taking a semi final placing at the most recent AZUBU Collegiate Champions tournament. The dramatic improvement of the team was spearheaded by Adrian, whose leadership and teaching abilities have transformed each of the players from diamond to near-GM level. In addition to serving as the team’s ace, leader, and coach, Adrian has instilled a strong sense of community and camaraderie, organizing attending meetups and organizing boot camps and training sessions.
MVP : Conan Liu, UC Berkeley
After a disappointing loss to the University of Washington in CSL’s Season 5 playoffs, Conan Liu and the rest of the Berkeley team took it upon themselves to improve their performance. Conan has been one of the world’s most electrifying players since June 2012, with a top placing at the Blizzard World Championships last year in addition to strong MLG performances. Conan’s skill was absolutely instrumental to the success of the Berkeley team this past season – going undefeated at the live Grand Finals at the Petersen Automotive Museum in February, including the ace match against NoSSave, a CJ Entus B team player. With Berkeley’s season hanging in the balance against a Korea team consisting entirely of eSports majors, Conan overcame the pressure and secured Berkeley’s CSL victory, making them the first ever team to win two CSL championships, and Berkeley’s first win since the very first season in 2009.
Academics : Chris Ostojic, University of Western Ontario
Chris was one of North America’s rising stars, taking 3rd place at the CSL All Stars in 2012, 2nd place at WCS Canada, and securing himself a berth at the Blizzard World Championships by taking Top 8 at WCS North America. Despite his success, Chris made an important decision at the start of the Fall Semester, choosing to forfeit his position at the Global Finals to focus on his studies. This past fall semester, Chris took a double course load and improved his academic standing in the process. His sacrifice turned into a tangible academic benefit and makes Chris one of the most outstanding applicants for the AZUBU CSL Scholarships. No other applicant has demonstrated such commitment to academic success, even if it meant putting less focus on StarCraft.
Thanks to AZUBU for rewarding these outstanding students. The support of companies like AZUBU allow eSports to grow and thrive. We also want to take a moment to champion the cause of collegiate eSports – while we were only able to reward four students, each and every student who participates in the league, volunteers outside the CSL, and watches eSports is contributing and should be proud of their involvement.
