{"id":203655,"date":"2024-09-16T12:55:57","date_gmt":"2024-09-16T22:55:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=203655"},"modified":"2024-09-16T12:55:57","modified_gmt":"2024-09-16T22:55:57","slug":"uh-talent-intern-top-esports-companies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2024\/09\/16\/uh-talent-intern-top-esports-companies\/","title":{"rendered":"Top esports companies tap UH<\/abbr> talent for summer internships"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Interns at Gen.G present their final projects.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Twenty one students from two University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> campuses (UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa<\/a> and UH<\/abbr> West Oʻahu<\/span><\/a>) gained invaluable experience for several weeks this summer at leading esports companies in South Korea and Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>, another sign of UH<\/abbr>\u2019s growing success in this skyrocketing field.<\/p>\n

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Jazmin Horio at T1 in South Korea<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

These internships aren\u2019t just about playing games—they\u2019re launching pads into a multi-billion dollar industry where business acumen is as crucial as gaming skills. According to a 2023 report by Statista<\/a>, the value of the esports market worldwide is expected to grow from $1.64 billion in 2023 to more than $4.8 billion by 2030.<\/p>\n

“Overall, this was another banner year for UH<\/abbr> Esports (UHE<\/abbr>) and the initiative we created to get students interfacing with industry,” said UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa esports Program Director Nyle Sky Kauweloa.<\/p>\n

Interning abroad in South Korea<\/h2>\n

Twelve students interned at Gen.G and one interned at T1. According to a 2022 Forbes<\/em> article<\/a>, Gen.G and T1 were among the top 10 most valuable esports companies in the world, placing 8th and 10th, respectively.<\/p>\n

“Due to UHE<\/abbr>\u2019s presence, Gen.G has expanded its academic operations within the company to bring in more college students globally for their practicum,” Kauweloa said. “T1 is regarded as the top team in esports within Korea, and normally is much more reluctant with accepting international interns to their company, so to have UH<\/abbr> students at both companies in Korea for the summer was an impressive feat for the program.”<\/p>\n

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Jazmin Horio with Lee Sang-hyeok, also known as Faker, a T1 professional League of Legends player.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jazmin Horio, a student at UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa, was UH<\/abbr>\u2019s representative at T1. During her internship, Horio worked with T1’s business development department, observing various business initiatives including partnerships for PC<\/abbr> cafes, tourism events and community engagement. Her main tasks were to propose ideas for a guided tour aimed at foreign audiences and suggest improvements to the fan loyalty program to diversify its demographics. Horio got a headstart with her internship and spent four months in Korea as she was already studying abroad in Seoul at Yonsei University in spring 2024.<\/p>\n

“To be able to join and witness how the most prestigious esports organization in the world navigates being at the top of their industry, it will forever remain one of the best experiences of my life,” Horio said. “Not only did I gain experience in a field I am the most passionate about, but I gained a family at T1 that I’ll be sure to keep in contact with for years to come.”<\/p>\n

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Jazmin Horio and Sky Kauweloa at T1 in South Korea<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jaydon Patoc, an education major at UH<\/abbr> West Oʻahu<\/span>, was among the 12 students at Gen.G. This was Patoc\u2019s second year interning with the company. As part of the education team, Patoc helped create and develop courses for a new Gen.G academy program.<\/p>\n

“Being a part of the Gen.G practicum and internship a second year has allowed me to not only see old mentors, but also to meet new mentors and friends as well,” Patoc said. “Through this internship, it has allowed me to develop as a future educator by having experiences in a classroom setting abroad, and developing my own course and lesson plans before I start my student teaching this fall.”<\/p>\n