Origins
In the summer of 2019, the Studio for Teaching and Learning Innovation inspired faculty to collaborate in exploring strategies to enhance student learning through the University Teaching and Learning Project (UTLP). Our UTLP team chose to research and explore play, games, gamification, and game-based learning. Through our quest, the path kept bringing us back to the $1 billion esports industry and how universities have a unique opportunity to embrace the academic and applied objectives that esports offers.
Dr. Karen Conner, Director of Academic Innovation, Raymond A. Mason School of Business, chaired the UTLP team which included:
- John Drummond, Technology Spaces Strategist;
- Dr. Michele King, Speech Professor, Theatre, Speech, and Dance;
- Dr. April Lawrence, Associate Director of eLearning, School of Education;
- Dr. Gene Roche, Professor Emeritus and Coordinator of UTLP (2019-2020);
- Terry Trojak, Senior Creative Producer, Academic Innovation, Raymond A. Mason School of Business; and
- Katalin Wargo, Instructional Design Manager, Studio for Teaching and Learning Innovation.
Motivated, the UTLP launched a student interest survey, formed a focus group, and also supported the grassroots effort by students, faculty, and staff to bring esports to campus. All types of majors, cultures, and genders sought to build an inclusive gaming community.
As the result of its exponential growth, esports is becoming mainstream with international professional leagues, collegiate teams, and pilot programs in high schools. Incoming freshmen who are looking for an esports community can now call W&M home.
After fulfilling the UTLP mission, the team created the Esports Advisory Board (EAB). The five core members of the former UTLP team (Conner, Drummond, King, Lawrence, & Trojak) intitally served on the EAB with Dr. Michele King serving as the Director of W&M Esports.
