Chippewa Valley Times

For the second straight year, UW-Eau Claire is offering five one-time $2,000 scholarships to first-year students for the 2024-25 academic year.

Billy Felz, UW-Eau Claire’s vice chancellor for enrollment management, noted that colleges across the country are turning to esports to increase enrollment. The university's Esports Club has grown to about 500 members in less than five years, with both competitive and casual gamers utilizing the expanded lab in Room 112A of Hilltop Center.

“It is hugely popular at the high school level, and it’s something that a significant number of prospective students are looking to continue in their college experiences,” Felz said. “We’ve enhanced our esports program with dedicated coaching and recruitment scholarships which allows us to keep up with our competitors across the state. It’s great to know that our reputation is growing when it comes to competitive and casual opportunities for our students through esports.”

The scholarships offered through the UW-Eau Claire Foundation provide an opportunity for the university to “differentiate itself from other colleges in the area who also offer competitive esports,” according to Nate Garvey, advisor for the university’s Esports Club.

“We like to give the scholarships out to students we believe will bring value to the program,” Garvey stated. “Not just the best players, but good leaders and those that want to take on roles to continue moving the program forward. That could be as a student coach or as a program administrator — or someone who wants to take on vocational roles within the program.”

Garvey mentioned that both scholarship recipients and their parents were excited about these opportunities.

“They were surprised to know that esports scholarships were available, and we believe that it helps show those parents and other students that esports are taken seriously and that there is value in allowing students to participate in these activities,” Garvey said.

Scholarship recipient Hayden Boeckmann of Forest Lake, Minnesota, northeast of St. Paul, chose UW-Eau Claire because of its “chill environment, the opportunities it has and its distance from home.” Boeckmann was impressed with how well-organized and managed the university’s esports program is and was pleased with receiving a $2,000 scholarship.

“I had never thought I would get a scholarship for esports since it’s not seen by many as a big enough thing to consider a scholarship for," Boeckmann remarked. "But I think it’s a really cool way to get people interested in esports and the program.” He plans on majoring in computer science while competing in Valorant or Counter-Strike 2 esports competitions.

Lindsay Brockert, mother of scholarship winner Christopher Brockert from Kimberly High School, described college esports as a “remarkable way” for making friends, staying engaged, and competing for school pride. She noted her son was accepted into many colleges but decided on UW-Eau Claire largely due to its esports program.

“I know for Christopher this esports scholarship and opportunity helped him decide he wanted to come here,” Brockert said. “Of course he's extremely excited about studying neuroscience and psychology with nation-leading experts at UWEC and Mayo Clinic; however, enjoying his downtime as a student is important too.”