EDTECH: You must feel very proud to have such a wildly popular program at the University of Oklahoma. To what do you attribute its success?
AGUILAR: When we started development in Fall 2016, we identified three points for our navigational compass.
Prioritizing student voice is No. 1. Our community had to be inclusive, welcoming and allow students to voice their wants, needs and concerns. It had to provide pathways for them to take ownership of the program.
Supporting the university’s mission is No. 2. We had to ensure we could balance the students’ desires with bringing value to the university as we explored opportunities for organic tie-ins.
Lastly, we had to consider the entire gaming and esports industry. From the outside, people tend to see esports as merely “playing games.” But it takes event coordinators, production managers, journalists, on-air personas and leaders to make esports events a reality. This gives students opportunities to build marketable skills.