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E-Sports has secured another victory in getting its name known after Bay State College in Boston launched a new E-Sports program. In an effort to attract more video gamers to campus, this program will have a team up to five to six players under a head coach, that will compete against other schools across the region. However they’re still missing a coach, but Bay State is searching far and wide for one.
According to Mass Live, Rich McCarthy, Vice President of Admissions at Bay State said, “Ultimately, we believe the esports program will have a very positive impact on enrollment and more importantly increase our student retention, persistence, and graduation.”
Bay State will be the first school in Massachusetts to join the National Associations of Collegiate Esports, an organization that is set to help institutions grow strong e-sports programs.
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But instead of E-sports being an outlet to help alleviate stress or provide a sense of entertainment, McCarthy also believes that it has an intrinsic learning value to it.
“It’s really intended to provide and promote a holistic approach to the college experience and the goal is attracting students who possess skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving and teamwork,” he said. “They’re very transferable to success in the classroom and after that in the workforce – these are skills that are valued immensely by employers.”
Bay State is currently not offering any E-Sports related majors at the moment, but another school in Massachusetts is. Becker College is the first college in the United States to offer an E-Sports Management major. It also offers scholarships up to $5000 per year to varsity esports student-athletes.
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Some games that are currently popular in E-sports are, Leauge of Legends, Overwatch, HearthStone, and Smite.
