Higher Ed Advisor: University of Washington propels its esports program through its mission, values and student gaming culture

Welcome to Higher Ed Advisor, the Baker Tilly podcast series where we speak with higher education industry leaders about practical and proactive guidance to help colleges and universities protect and enhance their value.

Esports shows no sign of slowing down as it continues to take higher education by storm. In this engaging podcast, University of Washington’s (UW) Associate Professor of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Policy, Dr. Jennifer Hoffman, joins us in a conversation about what institutions should keep top of mind as they plan to launch a robust esports program or enhance their current program. We explore the opportunities esports offers students, importance of aligning esports programs with an institution’s mission and values and esports as a catalyst for collaboration, as well as connecting esports with novel ways of learning and the student of the future.

Dr. Hoffman challenges listeners to think differently about esports and reveals some of her institution’s best practices and building blocks for its student-driven esports program, including how:

• Embedding UW’s three pillars – community, career and competition, enables the institution to focus on its rich gaming history and culture
• Focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) helps campus leaders meet the needs of their diverse campus stakeholders and student body
• Recognizing the synergy between esports and online learning creates the digital education experiences students seek
• Connecting student health and wellness with esports programs creates a holistic, student-centered opportunity

Don’t miss Dr. Hoffman’s top three takeaways that will help colleges and universities pave the pathway to success in this disruptive digital playing field.

Meet this episode's guest speaker

• Dr. Jennifer Hoffman, Associate Professor, Educational Foundations, Leadership and Policy, University of Washington