Shawn Dunning
Director of IT,
North Carolina State University
Esports Impact Beyond Competition: Centering Education, Research, and Community in Collegiate Esports
Thursday, October 24, 2024 | 9:45AM–10:30AM CT | Meeting Room 007CD, River Level
Session Type:
Breakout Session
Delivery Format:
Presentation/Panel Session
NC State Esports is a new program that supports the university’s mission of teaching and research, while providing opportunities for student wellness and recreation. NC State leveraged one-time legislative funding to develop an experiential gaming and esports program that builds on the university’s core academic strengths, its proximity to industry leaders in gaming and esports, and its vibrant student-led gaming and esports community. We will share strategies for identifying the educational components within your institution that are aligned with esports and gaming; tactics for engaging with key campus stakeholders, from faculty to facilities managers; and ideas for engaging with an existing esports club program with well over one thousand student members. Finally, with no ongoing operational budget designated for the program, strong and sustained collaboration across numerous campus units was required to tackle complex technical challenges and move from idea to reality. We’ll share our successes, failures, and ongoing efforts to develop this robust program.
