{"id":173013,"date":"2023-02-17T15:27:55","date_gmt":"2023-02-18T01:27:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=173013"},"modified":"2023-02-22T14:59:39","modified_gmt":"2023-02-23T00:59:39","slug":"aloha-pacific-fcu-esports-scholarships","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2023\/02\/17\/aloha-pacific-fcu-esports-scholarships\/","title":{"rendered":"Aloha Pacific FCU<\/abbr> starts $26K<\/abbr> scholarship fund for UH<\/abbr> Esports students"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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UH<\/abbr> Esports students pose for a photo with Program Director Nyle Sky Kauweloa, UH<\/abbr> President David Lassner and Aloha Pacific Federal Credit Union President and CEO<\/abbr> Vince Otsuka<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> esports program<\/a> received a $26,250 donation from Aloha Pacific Federal Credit Union<\/a>, Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s third-largest credit union, to establish the team\u2019s first scholarship fund.<\/p>\n

“We are grateful for Aloha Pacific Federal Credit Union\u2019s support of UH<\/abbr>\u2019s esports program and for recognizing the opportunities it provides our athletes, the esports industry and the state\u2019s economy,” said Nyle Sky Kauweloa<\/strong>, UH<\/abbr> Esports program director. “Esports is more than playing video games. Our athletes gain a wide range of experience and skills, including strategy development, time management, leadership and even sports broadcasting.”<\/p>\n

According to Kauweloa, scholarships will be awarded beginning in fall 2023 to the five students who qualify for the fall varsity Overwatch<\/em> team. Each scholarship will be worth $2,000. As of now, the scholarships will only be for the Overwatch<\/em> team, however, Kauweloa said the program plans to award scholarships to students on the other teams in the following year.<\/p>\n

Related story: Learn more about UH<\/abbr>\u2019s esports program<\/a><\/span>\t<\/p>\n

UH<\/abbr>\u2019s Overwatch<\/em> team will participate in the Western Regional Qualifier for the Collegiate Esports Commissioners Cup in Boise, Idaho, March 3–5. This will be the first time UH<\/abbr>\u2019s Overwatch<\/em> team will represent UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa for this event.<\/p>\n

Since its inception in 2019, the UH<\/abbr> esports program has won several collegiate tournaments and was named the best collegiate esports program of the year<\/a> at the 2022 Esports Awards. Among its tournament wins include its first international title in August 2022 and first collegiate title in 2021 for UH<\/abbr>\u2019s Valorant<\/em> team. UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa was the host location for another Overwatch<\/em> League tournament for the second straight year in 2022, after becoming the first higher education institution to host the league\u2019s regular season tournaments, playoffs and grand finals in 2021.<\/p>\n

“Like football, volleyball, basketball and other athletic teams, esports athletes have to juggle class assignments, practice and training sessions, game day events, and sometimes, even a part-time job. Through this scholarship program, we hope to alleviate some of the financial burdens these talented esports players face,” said Vince Otsuka, president and CEO<\/abbr> of Aloha Pacific FCU<\/abbr>.<\/p>\n

Visit the UH<\/abbr> esports team\u2019s Twitter<\/a> and Discord<\/a> pages. More stories on UH<\/abbr>\u2019s esports program<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Scholarships will be awarded beginning in fall 2023 to the five students who qualify for the fall varsity Overwatch<\/em> team.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[1405,1466,572,9],"class_list":["post-173013","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-esports","tag-manoa-enhancing-student-success","tag-scholarship","tag-uh-manoa","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t