Collegiate Esports Featured at UH Maui College

Collegiate esports will be featured at the University of Hawai‘i Maui College 2019 Spring Open House on Wednesday, April 10, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Student Lounge in Pilina Building.

A demonstration by UHMC Strategic Gaming Society featuring video game Counter Strike Global Offense will follow the open house.

Those interested can sign up for a limited time to play top PC titles like CS:GO, Apex Legends, Fortnite, Smite, Dota2 or Super Smash Bros Ultimate on the Nintendo Switch.

UH Maui College has signed up for the National Association of Collegiate Esports, the governing body that focuses on the education and development of students through competitive video gaming.

“We want our current and future students to know that now is the time to get in UHMC as we have plans to get competitive, recruit, build a team and get in the NACE esports arena,” said Al Paschoal, director of Student Life and lead facilitator of the initiative. “I know we have really good players on campus and I’m sure others are out there.”

Esports is a billion-dollar industry in the international market described plainly as competitive, organized video gaming. Games streamed online have turned casual players into international stars who rake in seven-figure earnings through competitions and brand endorsements. There are fandoms, corporate sponsors, and behind it is an art and science that has arrived in the academe and collegiate sports.

The Spring Open House is free and open to the public. For more information or to register for this event, visit http://maui.hawaii.edu/.