Texas College, a Historically Black College (HBCU) located in Tyler, Texas, announced today that it has signed an agreement with Blaze Fire Games to launch its new Texas College Esports competitive program.
Texas College is now an official Blaze Fire Games Esports League member, like many other colleges and universities, because of this agreement. In the U.S., hundreds of higher learning institutions have launched similar concentrated video gaming and esports programs as a creative and innovative way to help universities and colleges recruit, reclaim, and retain students.
Dr. Dwight Fennell, President at Texas College, said, "I am ecstatic about this partnership between Texas College and Blaze Fire Games. It offers another extraordinary opportunity for the college to be on the cutting edge and uniquely connect with our students. The partnership will also allow students to build their future career brand in the marketplace with potential employers."
The multi-billion esports industry is one of the world's fastest-growing sports. According to industry experts, 216 million Americans play video games weekly in the U.S. Additionally, 62% of Adults 18+ routinely play video, and the number rises to 76% for students under 18.
The new Texas College Esports Club will emphasize competition in student team play as an official student organization through the Office of Student Affairs.
Dr. Cynthia Marshall-Biggins, Vice President for Student Affairs at Texas College, said, "We at Texas College are excited about our new Texas College Esports program. This is a real game-changer for our students because, with this initiative, the college's leadership team is meeting the students where they are and not where we think they are." Biggins continues to say that it is essential to provide a variety of student-centric program offerings that will allow any student the opportunity to be authentic, creative, and innovative in or out of the classroom and are incredibly excited to partner with Dr. Isiah Reese and his team at Blaze Fire Games."
The academic career pathway has already proven successful for 200 undergraduate students at Texas College in the 2023 and 2024 academic spring semesters. The Texas College Office of Student Affairs, Blaze Fire Games, and the Office of Academic Affairs have collaborated and successfully launched a dedicated educational interdisciplinary series of esports micro-credentialing customized content offered by the Blaze Fire Games Education Department. One hundred students have already received certification.
Students participating in the courses benefit from exposure to the professional preparation of esports or competitive gaming. The surge of this career pathway is quickly gaining popularity in the United States and creating an impressive presence on college campuses and K-12 schools alike. Esports share many benefits of traditional athletics, like sportsmanship, leadership, communication, and teamwork.
Isiah Reese, CEO and co-founder of Blaze Fire Games said, "This partnership with Texas College is significant for our company because it directly aligns with our corporate mission and values. This agreement allows our company to continue creating student opportunities in the multi-billion dollar gaming and esports technology category. They will learn and physically practice what they are learning in current business case scenarios. This career readiness skill in Critical Thinking and Innovation is required to survive today's digital global workforce economy.
For students interested in joining Texas College Esports, click the purple button below.
