On March 1, 2021, Michael "Moog" Aguilar, Director of Esports & Co-Curricular Innovation, Kara "Kel" Brightwell, Community Outreach Coordinator of The OU Esports Club, and Ricky "Timmy Skorcher" McNeal, Founder and CEO of HXC Gaming Events presented a tribute jersey set for Forest "Solidus" Sharp to his mother Gretchen "Momma Solidus" Evans in front of Evans Hall at The University of Oklahoma on behalf of the entire community.
The Solidus Scholarships and Awards
Thanks to a gracious initial donation we knew immediately what needed to be done. So we set out to create a namesake fund to a story we learned about in 2018, 2 years after we started our roadmap. Hearing the story of Solidus inspired us to establish his legacy and immortalize this Sooner who had been after the very thing that started our energy despite not knowing about him at the start. We are proud and humbled to introduce this legacy establishing namesake collection, The Forest Dayne "Solidus" Sharp Fund, Scholarships, and Awards.
SUPPORT THE SOLIDUS FUND
With the creation of the Solidus Fund, scholarships & awards we have also created the first 501(c)3 contributions portal 100% aimed at creating opportunities for students.
About Forest Dayne "Solidus" Sharp
Forest Dayne “Solidus” Sharp was a huge influence in the gaming community at OU, in Norman and across the state of Oklahoma. He is largely recognized as the primary founding energy behind one of Oklahoma’s premier gaming events called Super Bit Wars which has existed since 2012. Forest personified the same energy that founded the current developments of The University of Oklahoma’s gaming and esports programs focusing on grassroots community growth for inclusion as priority. Forest graduated from The University of Oklahoma in 2007 with a Bachelors of Arts in Anthropology and was finishing his thesis for his Master’s degree in the History of Science which was posthumously awarded in 2012. Forest passed in 2011 at the age of 28.
Context & Tribute
In March 2018, we partnered with HXC Gaming Events, a current partner of ours since 2017. We learned about a fighting gaming community (FGC) tournament that was birthed on OU's campus way before we even started development. During the event this tribute video played to which Momma Solidus was also in attendance. This was the first time since it's start that Super Bit Wars had returned to it's birth place at OU. After hearing this story presented like this, it was clear to us Solidus was the future name of our first scholarship offerings. In February 2021, we made it a reality. Please take a moment to learn about this Sooner who was way ahead of the curve and the energy he established, not only at OU, but for the entire state. In the same spirit of our development, it was community that taught us about our own legacy and further solidified who we needed to be and stay at our core.
This video was aired at 2018's 6th Annual Super Bit Wars by HXC Gaming Events. With permission of Ricky "TimmySkorcher" McNeal of HXC(featured) and Gretchen "Momma Solidus" Evans(featured), we felt the original tribute was perfect as is.
The Solidus Awards
This award finds and enables high achieving students capable of keeping OU's esports and gaming community and operations developments in tune with culture needs and business evolution. It is a job posting that keeps the leadership ranks of the club efforts filled as well as the departmental needs of the university moving forward.
Award Prerequisites:
- Current or prospective FULL-TIME student of OU at any status
- Good standing with the university
- 2.5+ GPA
- Full-Time Status
- Must be a member of OU Gaming Club with at least 1 semester of membership
- NOT STACKABLE WITH AN OTHER AWARD
- Only available when previous students graduate or step down. Applications in Discord ONLY.
- Maximum amount for 2022-2023 school year: $2K+/yr
Program Overview: This program will mentor the student leadership of the OU Esports Club as an incubator to maturing and elevating the business and marketing needs of the OU Esports & Co-Curricular Innovation department. The end result will be the realization of equity building fully executed into the future workforce of gaming and esports demand across the industry and including The University of Oklahoma.
Application on Discord ONLY! Apply Here! Learn More About the Leadership Program
ALL SCHOLARSHIP APPS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN AUGUST 21 @ 12PM!
The Solidus Scholarships (Fall 2021+) "PRIMARY"
Awarded to students who showcase community focused leadership ability and willingness to host events that are both big and small that create inclusive programming for the diverse interests of gamers collectively. Tournament and community operators are the foundation of communities abroad. Without good event coordinators there are no events, opportunities for engagement, or business opportunities for sponsorship.
Scholarship Prerequisites:
- Current or prospective FULL-TIME student of OU at any status
- Good standing with the university
- 2.5+ GPA
- Full-Time Status
- Must be a member of OU Gaming Club
- Stackable with one(1) other primary award
- Previous event planning experienced recommended but not required. Applications in Discord ONLY.
- Maximum amount for 2022-2023 school year: $1K+/yr
Program Overview: The community program is our way of giving back and engaging OU’s population as well as the region. We aim to find a method to cater to all gamers regardless of their diverse interests. From MOBAs (Massively Online Battle Arena) and FPS (First Person Shooter), to fighting games and cards, every game is just as unique as its player-base. We also look at opportunities to develop programming regionally by fostering events with the public or with students K-12.
Application on Discord ONLY! Apply Here! Learn More About the Ambassador Program
Awarded to students who have shown a desire to report, interview, and cover industry-wide and local events alike. These candidates are journalists who may have skills in creative media production, event coverage, professional writing and/or public relations.
Scholarship Prerequisites:
- Current or prospective FULL-TIME student of OU at any status
- Good standing with the university
- 2.5+ GPA
- Full-Time Status
- Must be a member of OU Gaming Club
- Stackable with one(1) other primary award
- Previous writing or media experience recommended but not required. Applications in Discord ONLY.
- Maximum amount for 2022-2023 school year: $1.25K+/yr
Program Overview: The Media & News program are the storytellers of our development and housed on Sooneresports.org. The students that comprise our Media & News team showcase who we are in articles, reviews, opinion pieces, debates, and event coverage. We flex our media-centric focus to gain access to events with press passes and first-hand experiences. We partner with developers and manufacturers to review hardware and software to give opinions. We talk about trends in the industry and showcase the values we have as students at OU in the diverse gaming industries.
Application on Discord ONLY! Apply Here! Learn More About the Media & News Program
Awarded to students who have deep interests in leveraging live streaming as a means to grow personal and affiliated brands and provide entertainment through influencing the community to relate to our brand and culture as well as be an extension of our diverse collective.
Scholarship Prerequisites:
- Current or prospective FULL-TIME student of OU at any status
- Good standing with the university
- 2.5+ GPA
- Full-Time Status
- Must be a member of OU Gaming Club
- Stackable with one(1) other primary award
- Previous streaming experience recommended but not required. Applications in Discord ONLY.
- Maximum amount for 2022-2023 school year: $1K+/yr
Program Overview: Streaming Entertainment is the esports answer to growing fanbases, building a community, and showcasing entertainers that reflect on gaming and its subcultures. Think of our program as all the ancillary programming you see on live sports entertainment, such as talk shows, interviews, and high-tier gameplay. This program works as the other half of our Shoutcasting Program to provide daily content. Shoutcasting represents official coverage of our sanctioned intercollegiate matches, scrims, and competitions while streaming entertainment is casual live streams produced by various members of the organization. From Super Mario Brothers speedruns to video game recipe recreations, our streamers are free to use their creativity to produce unique and interesting content. We always have new ideas in the works, such as a Sooner Esports podcast, and new students that join this program.
Application on Discord ONLY! Apply Here! Learn More About the Streaming Entertainment Program
Awarded to students who possess the ability to announce live broadcasts leveraging vocal inclination, emotional draw and real-time storytelling to elevate gameplay and produce marketable productions. Students with the ability to handle the backend of production are also considered.
Preliminary Prerequisites:
- Current or prospective FULL-TIME student of OU at any status
- Good standing with the university
- 2.5+ GPA
- Full-Time Status
- Must be a member of OU Gaming Club
- Stackable with one(1) other primary award
- Previous casting and/or production experience recommended but not required. Applications in Discord ONLY.
- Maximum amount for 2022-2023 school year: $1K+/yr
Program Overview: Shoutcasting, or sportscasting, is the esports answer to commentary during competition and events. Have you tried watching a football game without commentary? It’s just not quite as engaging, is it? Nope! In the spirit of our drive to be our own esports entertainment powerhouse, we are developing announcers for real-time play by play announcing with heavy analytic breakdown, color casting, and after action review emphasis. Why? Because the industry is hiring them, it helps our cause, and just like sports entertainment, we have to entertain.
Application on Discord ONLY! Apply Here! Learn More About the Production Program
The Solidus Scholarships (Fall 2021+) "ESPORTS"
Awarded to students who possess the talents of high tier gameplay similar to how we scout conventional athletes to develop teams for national representation and success.
Prerequisites:
- Current or prospective FULL-TIME student of OU at any status
- Good standing with the university
- 2.5+ GPA
- Full-Time Status
- Must be a member of OU Gaming Club
- NOT STACKABLE WITH AN OTHER AWARD
- Current enabled teams and maximum amounts for 2022-2023 year:
- Crimson League of Legends (PC) (Diamond IV+, up to $2250/yr)
- Crimson Rocket League (Crossplay) (1650+ MMR, up to $1500/yr)
- Crimson Overwatch (PC) (Grandmaster+, up to $2250/yr)
- Crimson Valorant (PC) (Platinum II+, Up to $2250/yr)
Program Overview: Our Intercollegiate Competition Program is focused on developing teams and individuals for direct competition in various events, leagues, and tournaments. While the lack of governance from known entities is currently limited, every school at this moment is developing their own standards for eligibility referencing their own best practices, governance they are familiar to, and the rulesets of the competitions they are entering into. We are trying our best to standardize all requirements across the board with room for exceptions when they logically come up.
Application on Discord ONLY! Apply Here! Learn More About the Intercollegiate Esports Program
