Morris Brown expands esports program as students turn gaming into career skills
When Kevin James became president of Morris Brown College in 2019, he said he wanted to do something different from other schools.
He kept hearing about esports, but wasn’t sure what it was.
An emerging sensation across college campuses, esports offers students the chance to explore their love of video games and apply it to real-world scenarios. By gaming through academic settings, students are able to utilize critical thinking skills and simultaneously engage with technology.
The nonphysical sport has gained so much popularity that an annual Esports World Cup is held. This year, 850 million viewers tuned in to watch the games.
According to Esports Insider, the gaming world is a $1.6 billion industry with over 220 million gamers worldwide.
“I started doing some research on it, and I found out that it was a multibillion-dollar industry,” James said. “We meshed our esports program into our business school, where the students learn about the business of gaming, science and technology.”
From gaming to careers
Launched in 2021, Morris Brown’s Esports program falls under the Bachelor of Science Global Management and Applied Leadership major. Students can either take the course as a stand-alone, one-year certification program or have it as a concentration as part of their undergraduate degree.
The course load includes computer science, technology, social media management, streaming and business in gaming.
Students also train on how to operate drones, where they can become eligible to take the Federal Aviation Administration drone licensure test.
When the program began, James said it started with just a few students. Now, there are over 50.
“This is a worldwide phenomenon,” James said.
Growing the program
On Aug. 19, the school scored a $5,000 grant from Delta Community Credit Union that will be used to expand the school’s overall esports program.
“We’re very excited to grow the program, and we want more students to come to Morris Brown College to earn a degree,” James said.
Coach Levoski Brown, who leads the esports program, said the donation will go to technology hardware.
The list includes monitors, filming equipment, and wireless computer mice, keyboards and headsets.
“Now all of the computers have the same hardware,” he said.
Delta Community Credit Union offers a grant within its Schools Program to support science, technology and financial literacy from elementary through higher education.
In June, Morris Brown applied for the grant, a one-time donation that must be used during the current academic year.
“We help to underwrite with equipment and for costs associated with competitions and club fees,” said Reina Jones, the assistant vice president of community development at Delta Community Credit Union.
Creating space for women in esports
As an academic course of study, Brown said esports is changing the way people view gaming — especially women.
“It was always kind of a stigma around gaming for women,” he said. “A lot of them were told that this is for boys and this isn’t something that typically you’re seeing that girls do. So even among their friend groups, it was just uncommon.”
Now, he says women look at gaming with a different perspective.
“There is no physical barrier that’s blocking (women) like traditional sports,” Brown said. “Now it just comes down to who mentally wants it more.”
Morris Brown College senior Courtney Stanback, who never thought gaming was exclusive to boys, said esports have taught her additional professional skills.
With plans to go into the sports and entertainment space, Stanback said esports classes have given her the chance to experience every aspect of the field.
Morris Brown also has campus clubs and a competitive team that plays in esports tournaments against other colleges.
Coach Brown said esports is good for student engagement. Students play rounds of Rocket League, Marvel Rivals, Call of Duty, chess and a number of fighting games.
Sophomore Brooklyn Greene, a lifelong gamer, said she had no idea the school offered esports classes and clubs until she saw the game room on campus.
As the only woman on the college’s esports competitive team, Greene said it gets challenging communicating with her teammates. However, as a hospitality major and esports minor, she said she’s gotten a number of fun streaming and broadcast opportunities because of her participation on the team.
“I’m a girl. I’m always gonna be a girl gamer, and I’m proud of being a girl gamer,” she said.
Gaming provides her with freedom and relief.
“It’s a really freeing experience being able to just showcase my skills and being able to be recognized for them,” Greene said.