CheckpointXP and Blaze Fire Games Announce First-of-its-Kind Joint HBCU Internship Program
Detroit, MI (1/14/21): CheckpointXP, the multimedia video game and esports content arm of Beasley Esports, and Blaze Fire Games, a licensed digital content provider, have announced a partnership to award $500,000 in service-learning hours experience through a joint Internship Program.
Launching this semester, the Internship Program includes 10 opportunities for students, five men and five women selected from HBCU programs including Fisk University, Benedict College, Grambling State University, the 11 MEAC schools with Esports programs, and the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Esports program. With CheckpointXP’s and Blaze Fire Games shared goal of introducing cross-cultural generations to the world of gaming, career education, and erasing the digital divide that exists today, these internships have been established to provide students with real-world hands-on opportunities in marketing, media, and journalism through the lens of esports.
“The students participating in this internship will have an opportunity to gain valuable work experience, develop and hone their business communication skills, work with industry professionals and explore career pathways in the video game and esports industry,” said Leslie Fitzsimmons, Executive Director of Sales and Marketing for CheckpointXP who spearheaded this program in partnership with Isiah Reese, CEO, Co-founder of Blaze Fire Games. “Working with the CheckpointXP staff who will be mentoring them through this program, students will be exposed to content research, creation, production, marketing, and broadcasting, coming away with the skills and the confidence to excel in today’s competitive job market.”
“We are ecstatic to partner with Beasley Media Group in collaboration with CheckpointXP,” said Isiah Reese, CEO, Co-Founder of Blaze Fire Games, “The potential life-long impact career pathway opportunity this agreement will represent for our esports HBCU partners, students, community organizations are immeasurable. African American consumers spend 21% more time than the average adult on media. They also spend more time than other groups with live TV at 5 hours and 4 minutes and with smartphones at 4 hours and 46 minutes per day, according to a recent 2020 Nielsen case study article authored by Cheryl Grace, SVP, Strategic Community Alliances, and Consumer Engagement.”
Reese added, “This partnership will allow minority students to gain invaluable real-world media, production, and broadcasting hands on experience and earn gaming and esports career pathway certificates through the Blaze Fire Games esports Institute so that they can begin to truly understand the “business of gaming.”
About CheckpointXP:
CheckpointXP is the multimedia video game and esports content arm of Beasley Esports, the esports division of Beasley Media Group, a multiplatform media company providing advertising and digital marketing solutions across the United States. The company owns 64 radio properties located in large and medium markets across the country, as well as offers capabilities in audio technology, esports, podcasting, ecommerce and events. BMG’s platforms reach more than 20 million consumers on a weekly basis.
About Blaze Fire Games:
Blaze Fire Games is a licensed digital online games provider, which taps into various creative talent and skills across the globe. The company aims to connect a diverse group of participants by introducing them to a career path to learn to compete in a gaming environment. For more information, please visit www.blazefiregames.com.