About the American Interactive Games Institute
Expanding access to STEM and creative technology education through game design, mentorship, and real world publishing experience.
Expanding Access to Game Development Education
The American Interactive Games Institute (AIGI) was founded to expand access to game development education and creative technology careers for students historically underrepresented in STEAM fields.
While the interactive entertainment industry offers high paying and creative career opportunities, many students face significant barriers to entry. Specialized training programs can be expensive, mentorship is often difficult to access, and many schools lack the resources to offer coursework in game design, digital art, or interactive programming.
At the same time, university students studying game development rarely receive support to complete and publish their work, missing the critical experience of bringing a project to market.
AIGI was created to close these gaps by building a clear pathway from curiosity to career through hands on learning, industry mentorship, and opportunities to ship real games.
Our Mission
AIGI expands access to STEM and creative technology education through game design and development, supporting student creators from classroom to career.
We believe that learning to make games is one of the most powerful and inclusive ways to understand how the world works, combining storytelling, mathematics, coding, art, and systems thinking.
Who We Serve
AIGI prioritizes students from communities with limited access to advanced technology education and creative career pathways.
Our programs support learners at multiple stages of their development:
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University students seeking support to complete and publish professional quality games
Middle and high school students exploring creative technology through summer and after school studios
Middle and high school students exploring creative technology through summer and after school studios
Students from historically underrepresented backgrounds in STEAM fields
By meeting students where they are and supporting them across multiple stages of learning, AIGI creates a more accessible path into the game development industry.
What We Do
AIGI builds a complete pipeline for game development education, supporting students from early exploration through professional preparation.
Our model operates across three interconnected program areas.
Flagship
College Publishing Support
AIGI funds, mentors, and publishes games created by university student teams. Students receive production guidance, industry mentorship, marketing support, and real experience launching commercial projects.
Learn more about publishing programs
Beginner
Youth Development Programs
Through summer intensives and after school studios, middle and high school students learn professional tools such as Unreal Engine while working in collaborative teams to create playable prototypes. Industry professionals contribute mentorship and curriculum guidance.
Learn more about summer programs
Intermediate
Industry-Aligned Training
All programs are developed with working game developers, ensuring students build portfolios that reflect real studio workflows and professional expectations.
Learn more about after school programsGeographic Focus
AIGI currently supports college student teams nationwide through its publishing program. Youth studio programs will launch first in a small group of cities, with expansion planned as the model demonstrates strong outcomes and return on investment.
Nationwide
University student teams supported through the publishing program.
Initial Studio Locations
Youth studio programs will launch first in:
Los Angeles, CA
Albuquerque, NM
Atlanta, GA
Raleigh, NC
Future Expansion
After early programs demonstrate strong outcomes, AIGI plans to expand to additional cities including Washington, DC and New York City, with long-term growth focused on regions where students have the greatest need for STEAM enrichment opportunities.
How AIGI Delivers Real World Learning
The American Interactive Games Institute operates at the intersection of education, technology, and the creative industries.
Our work combines three core strengths:
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Industry knowledge from professionals with experience in game development and publishing
Educational expertise in teaching interactive media and collaborative production
Publishing infrastructure that allows student teams to release real products to global digital platforms
By combining education with industry practice, AIGI provides students with experiences rarely available in traditional classroom settings.
Revenue generated from published student games is reinvested directly into scholarships and program expansion, helping create a sustainable model where each success supports future learners.
Leadership
AIGI is led by educators and industry professionals committed to expanding access to creative technology education and career pathways.
The organization works with advisors from game development, publishing, education, and nonprofit program development to ensure programs reflect real industry practices and provide meaningful learning opportunities for students.
As programs expand, additional leadership and advisory partners will be announced.
Founder & Executive Director
Jim Huntley founded the American Interactive Games Institute to expand access to creative technology careers through hands on learning and industry mentorship.
Before launching AIGI, Jim worked extensively in the game industry, developing expertise in publishing, studio production workflows, marketing, and development pipelines. This experience informs AIGI’s industry aligned curriculum and mentorship model.
As a university instructor teaching game development, Jim saw firsthand both the transformative power of experiential learning and the barriers preventing many talented students from accessing these opportunities.
These experiences inspired AIGI’s dual focus on supporting college student publishing while creating earlier intervention points through youth programs.
Jim holds [credentials to be provided] and continues to work closely with educators and industry professionals to ensure students build skills that translate directly into professional opportunities.
Ways to Support This Work
Supporters help expand access to creative technology education and mentorship opportunities for students.
Individual Giving
Support student learning through flexible giving options.
- One-time donations
- Monthly support
Corporate & Institutional Support
Organizations can partner with us to expand access to creative technology education.
- Corporate partnerships
- Program sponsorship
Employer Matching
Many companies match charitable contributions made by employees, doubling the impact of individual gifts.
- Employer matching gifts
Support the Next Generation of Game CreatorsSupport Our Students
Your support helps students gain access to mentorship, professional tools, and real publishing opportunities.
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