Mason Korea held its annual Progress at Play Competition Awards Ceremony at the Mason Korea Global Lounge on Saturday. The competition, organized by the Strategic Partnerships Office for two consecutive years, was held from May through July to raise awareness on social issues through digital art.
This year, the competition expanded to include international contestants and middle school students in addition to high school and college students. Students from Hanoi, Shanghai, Moscow, Germany, the US, and Korea submitted original computer games, illustrations, and animations on themes such as low birth rates, aging society, low growth, income polarization, environmental issues, education, youth unemployment, and gender conflict.
Submissions that passed the initial screening were on display at Seoul City Hall Citizens’ Hall during the first two weeks of August. Mason Korea Computer Game Design (CGD) faculty John Doran and John McGrew led the competition and served as judges.
Awardees and their families; Mason Korea leaders, faculty, staff, and students; and representatives of corporate sponsors NCSoft and Gen.G Global Academy attended the ceremony. Awardees based abroad gave their acceptance speeches via video.
At this year’s awards ceremony, President Gregory Washington gave congratulatory remarks on site and presented the first place winners in both the college, and middle and high school categories.
“Congratulations to all nine winners of the 2022 Progress at Play competition,” said President Washington in his congratulatory speech, while thanking corporate sponsors NCSoft and Gen.G Global Academy for their continued support. “George Mason is committed to creating positive change in society, and I’m glad that Mason Korea and our Computer Game Design faculty are doing that by encouraging students to address today’s big challenges using their digital skills.”
In the university category, first and second place went to students from Hongik University and third place to a team from Sogang University. In the middle and high school category, first place went to a student from Pureunsol Middle School, second place to a student from CMIS Canada, and third place to a student from Shanghai Korean School.
Mason Korea’s CGD student organization, Gnonymous, received the Viewer’s Choice Award for their computer game “Strange Way Home.”
“I appreciate the creativity and insights of the diverse students who participated in this competition,” said Mason Korea Campus Dean Robert Matz. “We will continue to provide a space for students to cultivate their creativity and curiosity."
For more photos, click here.
August 30, 2022
