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NIU trustees hear Esports presentation highlighting recruitment, internships and industry partnerships
Summary
Student leaders and program directors presented NIU’s Esports program to the Board of Trustees, describing growth since 2018, varsity competition, a Turtle Beach sponsorship and internship and outreach activities aimed at recruitment and retention.
Connor Bagel, who introduced himself as director of the NIU Esports program, told trustees the program is housed in the division of outreach, engagement and regional development and centers on three pillars: building community, promoting healthy gaming practices and supporting new technologies in learning and research.
Bagel said the program began in fall 2018, opened its first arena in spring 2019 and moved into a larger Esports Arena in Altgeld Hall in 2022. "We hosted our inaugural Healthy Gaming Day conference" in fall 2023 and now offer an Esports Industry Professions minor, internships and varsity teams that compete in five games including Overwatch 2 and League of Legends.
Student Logan Kubganka described the arena as a "second home" that helped him remain enrolled after a mental-health break. Program leaders said varsity players receive a $500-per-year scholarship; the program also employs roughly 10 paid interns each semester in roles tied to students’ academic fields. Bagel highlighted a Turtle Beach sponsorship that supports arena operations, internships and an annual scholarship for varsity leaders and noted NIU is one of only two U.S. schools with that partnership.
Trustees asked about NCAA regulation and gambling: presenters said the NIU Esports program is not governed by NCAA rules and that, while gambling has entered the esports industry, university rules prohibit gambling in team activities. Trustees applauded the presentation and noted the program’s role in recruitment and student engagement.
The presentation concluded with contact information and an invitation to prospective students and community partners to use the program website for inquiries.
