Nicholls Esports Program Offers More than Gaming to Students

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In the world of Esports, Nicholls State University Colonels have quickly become a top contender in the country. Jason Bergeron, Nicholls State University’s Esports Advisor, and local tech entrepreneur, presented at last night’s Terrebonne Parish about the partnership with Nicholls and how it benefits students, the region, and the state.

 

Bergeron began the presentation by sharing that Louisiana leads the nation in poverty and through a digital equity study completed by Microsoft, it was found Louisiana is third to last in devices when it comes to technology. Being that Bergeron has a passion, a successful career, and a keen understanding of technology, he has partnered with Nicholls State for an Esports program that began two years ago. In the two years, the program has grown to be ranked 16th in the country in Esports. He also shared that Nicholls has one of the nicest arenas and students are seeking Nicholls State specifically for the program. 

 

So what is Esports? It’s a way to get devices, technology, and opportunities into children’s hands and the ability to have technology in a situation such as being third to last in the nation when it comes to just having access to devices. The program will start offering scholarships starting next year and the program offers management, leadership, communication, and all of the skills that are required to be successful in a working environment. “So we’re able to create more than an Esports gaming program,” Bergeron said, “ We’re able to create a leadership program, a mentorship program, a communication program, and teach those that might not normally have the opportunity to get to those or see those skill sets.”  The program started in 2019 with five students, one rec center classroom, and no budget. Fast forward to this year, and they have 62 Esports athletes, 400 active students, more than 50 students daily, two summer camps, and ten scholarships that are $1,000 per academic year for the top two teams.


 

Bergeron also presented a video with plans anticipating working with the local parishes to build schools that will have an 80 percent STEM and 20 percent gaming concept so that students can learn everything science, technology, robotics, coding, and all of the things that support the eSports world. 

 

Pictured (left to right): Monique Crochet, Darren Pitre Jr., Daniel Babin, William “T-Boo” Adams, Elizabeth Layton, Archie Chiasson, Jason Bergeron, Daryl Roy, Jeremy Breaux, Liz McCurry, Jorge Galicia © Colonel Esports

Bergeron presented an opportunity to the council for a partnership with Terrebonne Parish similar to one between Lafourche and Nicholls. The program is seeking to do camps and they are anticipating doing one this Fall. They are also looking for partnerships to offer scholarships for Nicholls State, “When you look at Nicholls, a lot of students are from Terrebonne Parish, so the partnership that creates scholarships that kids are in this program can get scholarships to help,” he said. He reiterated that it is a conversation about tech equity, equality, inclusion, and the opportunity for the children that might not have the opportunity to participate to build leaders for the future.

 

Elizabeth Layton, the eSports Program Manager, shared more information about Colonel eSports. The mission of the program is to educate, facilitate, and innovate, “We strive to teach soft skills to college students as well as campers that arrive at our summer camps,” she said. She said they want to teach them real-life skills that they will utilize in the real work field. They want to facilitate growth, “We use this as a business sandbox, “Layton said, “because it’s just safe enough that if they want to experiment and they want to learn about the way a business runs, they have the opportunity to fail, and they also have the opportunity to grow because we have so many members that are mentors such as Jason Bergeron, Daryl Roy, Robert Atkins, and other individuals,” she added. She also touched on how students admitted if it wasn’t for the safe space that the arena offers, they would not have made it through tough times such as the pandemic and post-Hurricane Ida. “We’ve contributed a lot to their mental health as well as their well-being,” she proudly said.


 

Councilman John Navy commented saying the program brings a different dynamic to sports, “because on the traditional side, you have basketball, football, baseball, football, things of that nature…less than 20 percent are involved in sports. We have no alternative equity sports. They can address that matter, this can actually help… AI is something that’s really going to change this world…we need to engage in a new wave of our community and the kids, and that’s what it is: AI.” He went on to ask about partners and stakeholders and the role Lafourche Parish Government played, to which Bergeron responded explaining they sponsored three camps for approximately $90,000, and bought equipment. He shared they are looking around Terrebonne for locations for the camps and the first camp to happen in Terrebonne Parish will be at North Terrebonne Library. They will also get computers that will allow kids to have access to devices, “This whole program is about buying the equipment that’s going to belong to Terrebonne Parish, that’s going to provide access to devices…we’re going to bring it to the local region to do some camps, but also have the opportunities to go to Nicholls and check it out, and on top of that, be able to do some scholarships for students that are at many levels,” he said.

 

Councilman Navy said, “we have to transition to something that we better adapt to and our kids are on these computers. These things are amazing in what they can do and they’re changing the world. So, I wish that we can support this, I don’t know what the government can do…Anything that we could do to diversify sports, especially when you didn’t want to tilt your population of almost a thousand kids Ellender High School, that’s less than 20 percent that is engaged in sports. What about the 80 percent? To keep themselves active and productive. That’s just my spill on it, but thank you, I appreciate that.”