Bhea Louisse Rico is an achiever in school. A Mechanical Technology student at the Technological University of the Philippines-Taguig, she also serves in leadership positions in her school’s student government.
But there’s more to Bhea than her academic pursuits. She’s a passionate gamer with a special love for the popular game VALORANT—a part of her life that she had kept hidden from her mother, who once saw gaming as a distraction rather than an inspiration.
Everything changed when Bhea was honored with a Php100,000 scholarship grant as the first-ever scholar of a program launched by Globe and Acad Arena’s CONQuest to empower and nurture up-and-coming talents in the gaming industry.
For Bhea, this scholarship became the bridge that finally brought her mother on board, fully accepting the passionate gamer within her. “I told my mom ’Ma, I got a scholarship,’ and she cried. That made me emotional. Tanggap niya na ‘yung ginagawa ko,” she shared.
“Kung saan ako masaya, masaya na rin siya para sa akin. Mas lalo ako na-inspire na ipakita ‘yung skills ko with the scholarship I got,” she added.
Beyond the financial support, the award also granted her a Conquest All-Access Pass for an unforgettable meet-and-greet experience with popular streamers, along with a Globe content feature to chronicle her journey at CONQuest 2023, the country’s largest gaming, music, and pop culture convention that happened in June.
Now that her mom has embraced her “other side,” Bhea is determined to channel her dedication into both her studies and her gaming pursuits. “With this scholarship, I can further pursue my academic and gaming dreams,” said Bhea.
While she’s no ordinary student, she’s not just any average gamer either. Drawing inspiration from Valkyrae, a streamer popular for her thrilling exploits in the world of VALORANT, she efficiently juggles her studies and her love for gaming. She’s even the current VALORANT event manager at Grayhawks Esports.
“I take inspiration from Valkyrae. Kaya niyang balansehin ‘yung pagiging entrepreneur and being co-founder of 100 Games. At the same time, she’s very passionate about what she wants to do and how gaming affects her life,” she said.
Ralph Aligada, Head of Globe Games, Esports and Innovation, said they were excited to support Bhea in her gaming journey.
“As one of Globe’s scholars from our gaming and esports programs, she embodies the essence of what Globe Gaming stands for—a balance of academic achievements and a passion for gaming. We believe in empowering the youth, and our gaming scholarship is just one way we are turning this belief into action,” he said in a statement.
