Xbox console creators to fund program

USC alumni Kevin Bachus and Chanel Summers donated money Tuesday to establish the Bachus-Summers Fund for Innovation in Interactive Entertainment at the School of Cinematic Arts.

The fund, which was made to the SCA’s Media and Games Division, will support scholarships for students who show interest and initiative in pursuing interactive media.

“When thinking about this fund, it was critical to us that it be used directly to support the efforts of tomorrow’s creative and entrepreneurial leaders,” Summers told the USC Interactive Media Division blog.

SCA’s Interactive Media and Games Division has been recognized as the No. 1 game design program in North American by the Princeton Review in the last three years. The division offers a Bachelor of Arts in interactive entertainment and a Master of Fine Arts in interactive media. The multidisciplinary faculty encourages students to design, create, research and collaborate on projects.

Bachus, one of the co-creators of the Xbox, works as senior vice president in entertainment and game strategy at Dave & Buster’s, Inc. After graduating from the university in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in cinema-television production, he held jobs at companies such as Bebo, Nival Interactive and Capitol Entertainment Group.

Summers helped to design video games and platforms for Microsoft, including the internet game Fighter Ace, as well as Xbox. She currently works for Syndicate 17. Summers also lectures part-time at SCA.