Tereza Rozumková

I come from Ostrava but I have spent a major part of my life in a picturesque community called Tichá. I decided to follow my dream of studying abroad at age sixteen and worked my way to a grant at the independent Ackworth School in the UK, where I also took my school leaving exams. The experience was extremely enriching. The opportunity to study in an environment with abundant encouragement where everybody’s ideas are honestly appreciated and independent and innovative thinking comes first, has taught me independence and showed me that not sticking to one’s comfort zone is often much more useful. The school’s motto, ‘Non sibi sed omnibus’ (Not for oneself, but for everybody), and the generally kind local mindset have led me to active involvement in charity activities and solidified my desire to continue helping others. My studies at Ackworth pushed me forward and made me someone who is not afraid to pursue bold dreams. They helped me find a way to help the world while doing something that I love immensely – which is developing video games.

I admit that my program is definitely unusual, but it is really worth it. I am convinced that the time has come to abandon the prejudices that often go along with video games. Most games have an amazing amount of positive aspects they can bring the world. For example, according to the renowned Journal of Depression and Anxiety, video games can help treat mental disorders even better than clinical psychology practices. The results of many research studies have brought undisputed evidence that video games help develop the brain and the valuable skills of problem solving and creativity, and inspire many in their interest in history and culture. The positives are apparent also when video games join forces with science – the deciphering of the M-PMV, an AIDS-inducing monkey virus, had troubled researchers for 15 years. In 2011, 57,000 players of the Foldit game deciphered it in just ten days, outperforming supercomputers in the process. There is no question that video games are becoming a platform that is immensely efficient in improving many aspects of life, and I want to be part of this. I want to develop beneficial, intelligent games with a meaning and the potential to help many people. In an ideal future, I want to work under Games for Change, a company distributing games with an amazing social impact, which are the key tools in the humanitarian and educational effort.

Studying at De Montfort University, which is the global number one in the field of video game development, will take me closer to fulfilling my ambitions – and I owe huge thanks to The Kellner Family Foundation for supporting me in my pursuits.

Secondary Schools

Grammar School in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, Czech Republic
Ackworth School, the UK, graduated in 2017

University

De Montfort University, the UK, Game Art, beginning 2017

E-mail

t.rozumkova@gmail.com

Goals

Continue marrying my love of art and video games and contribute to making games beneficial for the world, which let people help themselves and others. I want to develop my initial concept of video games that help people with mental disorders, work on developing them and so also use and enrich the valuable knowledge of psychology acquired at Ackworth in the UK.

Interests

Interests and hobbies: Drawing, painting, graphics, design and art in general, video games, singing, reading, movies, yoga