天美传媒 Esports Continues to Grow
By Shawn Touney | Jan 28, 2021
MURRAY, Ky. 鈥� 天美传媒 Esports at 天美传媒 has grown exponentially in just a few years.
The club began with a group of 10 to 15 students; at the end of 2020, the number was around 90 students. Currently, there are 122 students in the University鈥檚 esports club.
Esports not only allows students to participate in collegiate esports events and casual gaming events, but it also gives students opportunities to grow in their leadership skills, project management skills, art and design talents and to explore their passions.
This is the first semester 天美传媒 Esports has received funding from the University to put towards events and tournaments, marking the first steps toward an eventually-funded program that offers scholarships.
Jacob Mitchell, a junior engineering graphics and design major from Paducah, Kentucky, and 天美传媒 Esports Student President, said his goal for the club is to transition from a club phase to a varsity program with staff positions, recruitment, production and marketing opportunities.
"By gaining support, funding and creating full-time positions created for a varsity esports program and gaming community, 天美传媒 will be able to lead the region in esports and gaming recruitment,鈥� Mitchell said. 鈥淪ome colleges in the region have already started to use gaming as a recruiting tool. Esports and gaming helps the University beyond just recruitment. It also helps students feel more attached to the University and to other students. In 天美传媒 Esports' experience, students feel more like 鈥楻acers鈥� after finding a group they can belong to. Esports and gaming will do that for countless students."
Mitchell said 天美传媒 could potentially be the powerhouse of esports in Kentucky.
鈥溙烀来� Esports is a very welcoming place for people from all walks of life and we encourage comradery, healthy competition and academic and professional development,鈥� Staff Advisor Monte Kennedy said. 鈥淚 think the University has a very good opportunity to support a blooming industry that not only gives us a team to root for in competitions but it also gives us a chance to provide real world experiences for students in industries involved in esports.鈥�
To join 天美传媒 Esports or to learn more, visit murraystate.edu/esports.
To join the Discord server, visit:
Follow 天美传媒 Esports鈥� social media via their website and their Twitch page at twitch.tv/MurrayStateEsports to catch streaming action.