While many organizations and student groups struggled to maintain a presence throughout the coronavirus pandemic, the esports club at Slippery Rock University defied that trend and actually saw growth.

Likewise, the industry around esports has been growing for years, as more and more people find interest and entertainment in competitive video gaming.

“We've had a lot of ways to continue the growth of our club,” said Caleb Grabowski, a sophomore at SRU who is president of its esports club. “We set up a lot of different things: scrimmages with other schools, thanks to our online aspect.”

In addition to his work with the esports club, Grabowski also helped Department of Exercise & Rehabilitative Sciences Assistant Professor Seth Jenny research lessons for an esports minor program, which SRU will offer this fall.

SRU already offers an introduction to esports class, and the minor will offer classes that build off its foundation. Jenny said the minor is intended to be interdisciplinary, and will focus on the business, communication and health and performance aspects of esports.

“It has really laid the foundation for having students really understand what a massive industry it is,” Jenny said of the esports class. “I really think a minor is most appropriate for the undergraduate level because if someone, say, wanted to be an esports lawyer, they need the other side of it.”

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