EDUCAUSE 2024: Counseling Model Meets Students Where They Are: In the Esports Arena

Esports has come a long way from its beginnings as a misunderstood, niche extracurricular activity bubbling up on college campuses in the early 21st century. Today, it’s not a question of whether a university should support esports on campus but a matter of how and to what extent.

At San Diego State University, a grassroots, student-led esports team grew so much that school officials decided to invest in a new Esports Engagement Center inside the school library. That’s nothing new, of course, but the way SDSU collaborated across campus to tackle other pressing issues facing higher education was truly innovative.

In the new space, SDSU is compiling data based on student use patterns, providing top-end hardware and peripherals for serious gamers, and giving a corner desk to a Coordinated Care Advisor, a position created to help first- and second-year students acclimate to higher education. Advisors assist with navigating academic challenges, coordinating mental health services and even intervening with students at risk of dropping out. SDSU believes the comfort students feel in the esports space will make it easier for them to form bonds with their CCAs, making students more likely to reach out and share their personal challenges.