Scholarships to be awarded to two students as the University partners with North America Scholastic Esports Federation

(Orange County, CA – August 20, 2020) – The North America Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF) has partnered with the University of St. Thomas (UST) in Houston, TX, to enable high school students to earn college credit as they learn about the business of esports.

Practical Application in Growth Industry

The esports industry is booming, with projected revenues of $1.8 Billion by 2023, according to BusinessInsider. The “Intro to Esports” course will provide students with a clear understanding of opportunities and obstacles in the esports space. Students will get an accurate view of esports and gaming markets in order to competently approach new employment opportunities. They will learn about:

•        Player contracts and rights
•        Operations and intellectual property issues
•        How different types of entities monetize their business
•        Identifying and tracking key stakeholders and trends in the esports industry
•        Applying analytics tools to understand and manage player performance 

UNIV 2393: Intro to Esports is a 3-hour credit course that counts as a “free elective” for undergraduate degrees. Not simply a theory course, it will be taught by working professionals at Mainline.GG who are pioneers in the esports industry. Chris Buckner is co-founder and CEO; Keith Landry is COO.

Significant Savings for High School Students

Classes at UST are generally priced at more than $1,000 per credit hour. The esports course taken by a high school student seeking college credit will only cost $375 total. Each student will save $2,500 to earn 3 credit hours towards a degree at UST. In addition, the University of St. Thomas is offering scholarships for the class to two students.

Benefits of Dual Enrollment

“We are always looking for ways to help high school students learn about career options in the world of esports. We’re thrilled that UST will give NASEF students significant insights into the business world of esports and help them get ahead of the game on earning college credits at the same time,” said Gerald Solomon, founder of NASEF and executive director of the Samueli Foundation.

“Our university is educating youth to take advantage of the tremendous career opportunities that are presented by esports,” said Beena George, Ph.D, who oversees the esports program as chief innovation officer and professor of management at UST. “As we worked to establish a meaningful program, we recognized that high school students would benefit from learning the same foundational principles so they could plan their education paths accordingly. We’re excited to welcome NASEF students to our program.”

Scholarship and Enrollment Details

The first step to apply for a scholarship to take UNIV 2393: Intro to Esports is for students to express interest by emailing Justin Pelt, assistant director of esports at UST, at [email protected]

The course is open to high school students across the United States. All high school students who choose to later attend the University of St. Thomas will have the credits automatically applied when they enroll. Those who attend other colleges will find that most offer credit for classes taken in other settings, as do many high schools. Students are encouraged to retain the course syllabus and work with their counselors to seek equivalent credit in either setting.

For Fall 2020, students will be accepted into the course until August 28. To apply for the class, a high school student must submit a dual credit application with their transcript (official or unofficial) to the UST admissions office. Once accepted, they will register to get a UST ID and pay for the course.

The University welcomes NASEF students to the class and is impressed with high school students who will be stretching themselves academically in a college setting. UST and the course instructors will work with participating high schoolers to provide a positive experience.

About the University of St. Thomas

For more than 70 years, UST has been graduating students into successful careers in medicine, education, business, and more. The University of St. Thomas is Houston's Catholic University, committed to the religious, ethical and intellectual traditions of catholic higher education. Undergraduate students of ALL faiths and of no faith are welcomed. The University has four schools: the School of Arts & Sciences, the Cameron School of Business, the School of Education & Human Services, and the Peavy School of Nursing. UST offers 40+ undergraduate majors and 25+ graduate programs.

About the North America Scholastic Esports Federation

The North America Scholastic Esports Federation is working to ensure that ALL students possess the knowledge and skills needed to be society’s game changers: educated, productive, and empathetic individuals. NASEF is on a mission to provide opportunities for ALL students to use esports as a platform to acquire critical communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills needed to thrive in work and in life. The Federation’s core values are intertwined through all aspects of education and play: learning, opportunity, community, diversity, and respect.

Learn more at the NASEF website. See matches streamed live on our Twitch channel, and join online conversations on Twitter @NASEFedu, Facebook, and Instagram.

Media Contact:
Claire LaBeaux
[email protected]
925-337-0244