Pokimane donates $50,000 to UCI’s esports program, scholarships

Streaming personality Imane “Pokimane” Anys has donated $50,000 to the University of California’s esports program. 

According to a recent tweet from Pokimane, she’s created the Pokimane Scholarship and is now sponsoring four scholars. The money will create an endowment that will fund tuition and fees for gamers selected by UCI Esports. 

“I remember being 20k+ in debt while juggling streaming and university, and am so lucky to be where I am today. I want to continue to give back to the incredible community that has given me so much, so stay tuned for more,” Pokimane tweeted. 

The Twitch streamer started her career playing League of Legends and Fortnite. She has since blossomed into one of the most popular video game content creators on the broadcasting platform. Her Twitch channel currently has over 17 million followers. 

“I love being able to share my experience of how I got to where I am today in hopes that it will help others who are on their way. I’m also especially happy to be supporting UCI’s esports program because their students are focusing on gaming in addition to pursuing their college degrees – which, I can say from experience, isn’t easy!” she told UCI News. 

Pokimane’s donation is the first endowment of the UCI’s esports program since it was founded for years ago. According to UCI News, the Pokimane Scholarship will give $2,500 to deserving undergraduates every year, beginning in 2022. There’s no limit to how many students can earn the scholarship. 

UCI Esports director, Mark Deppe, said he couldn’t be more excited about Pokimane’s donation. 

“The gaming community contributes so much passion and energy to the world of esports, and we are thrilled to recognize and reward some of the outstanding leaders. I am incredibly thankful for Poki’s generosity, and I hope this will inspire other successful gamers and streamers in the future,” Deppe said. 

President of The Association of Gamers at UCI, Shannon Chan, was in agreement. She called the donation “inspiring and heartwarming” and thanked her for the gift. 

“As a leader in our campus gaming scene, I’ve gotten to know so many passionate gamers who, I’m sure, will be thrilled about this. I’m excited to see how this will support them,” Chan said.