PANEL

Institution-supported college esports programs have been around since 2014, but student-led initiatives began as early as 2009. Hundreds more colleges and universities are also exploring esports at various levels — from student organizations to recreational sports to full- fledged varsity programs. There are so many different flavors of esports programs that it can be a challenge to figure out the best solution for each school. On this panel, we’ve gathered leaders of programs from around the country and from various types of programs to share their experiences — how they got started (or how they’re planning to) and lessons learned along the way. The panel focused on three areas of esports program creation and development: how to get started, how to adapt to or influence campus culture, and how esports can be used to improve the lives of students,
faculty, and people broadly. Panelists discovered several common trends among their approaches and program visions: there was a desire and need to create well-rounded esports programs focused on not just the competitive success of their players, but also on academics, social emotional learning, and professional development; they had found unexpected allies throughout the various teams on their campuses and discovered the need for many disciplines to get involved with the design and implementation of their facilities and initiatives; students had already established communities for gaming on campus that served as inspiration, if not direct counsel, for campus leadership; and they spoke to the motivation to address issues with representation and behavior when it came to gaming and online spaces. Overall, there was a sense of awe and joy for how large esports has grown, especially now at the collegiate level, and hope for games to continue engaging and
improving the lives of students worldwide.