FUTURE EVENTS COMING SOON!!!
*** Find recordings of the April 2024 Conference below ***
About the Event
SAVE THE DATE FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3RD, 2024!
Check back for updates on the conference, sessions, and speakers.
“Level Me Up” is the ultimate conference for high school students, parents, coaches, and transfer students looking to explore collegiate esports opportunities. Our goal is simple: equip attendees with the insights and tools they need to navigate the collegiate esports landscape effectively. Through panels, workshops, and networking sessions, participants will gain valuable advice on finding the right esports program, understanding recruitment processes, and positioning themselves for success.
If you are a high school student, a transfer student seeking programs, a parent trying to understand esports, or a coach/director/counselor looking to help your students in their next phase of esports, join us and level up your esports journey!
SESSIONS
Game Plan: Selecting the Best University for Your Esports Journey
Presented by: Josh Nichols | Esports Coordinator – Dickinson State University
Time: 10:00-10:50 AM (Mountain Time) | Click Here to Watch Session
Uncover the blueprint to crafting your esports legacy through strategic university selection. Beyond the game, we’ll delve into essential factors such as cost, location, and academic offerings that shape your university experience. Explore the direction of esports programs, facilities, and gaming community. Join us as we equip you with strategies to identify the best match for your esports journey while balancing academic and financial considerations.
Game Changers: Exploring the Rise of Collegiate Competitive Gaming and Its Societal Impact
Presented by: Michael Brooks | Executive Director – National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) Time: 11:00-11:50 AM (Mountain Time) | Click Here to Watch Session
Join us for an insightful session where we explore the emergence of competitive gaming in higher education and its far-reaching effects on sports and society. From its modest beginnings to its current prominence, esports has reshaped our digital entertainment landscape. Discover how esports has redefined our perceptions of gaming and its implications for our modern society.
Bridging Passions: Navigating Esports Enthusiasm with Marketable Degrees
Presented by: Debora Dragseth, Ph.D. | Professor of Business & Leadership – Dickinson State University
Time: 12:00-12:50 PM (Mountain Time) | Click Here to Watch Session
Building a career that blends your passion for gaming with a college degree that’s widely applicable in today’s workplace is a daunting task. This session will offer you a toolkit for crafting a future where your passion for gaming and your professional aspirations play on the same team. Join Dr. Dragseth and explore the balance between following your heart and securing a degree that will set you up for success in an ever-evolving job landscape. From discovering your strengths to exploring diverse career paths, this session will equip you with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate your journey successfully.
Perfecting Your Profile: Maximizing Your Online Presence for Collegiate Esports Recruitment
Presented by: Marty Wetherall | Co-founder & CEO – LeagueOS
Time: 1:00-1:50 PM (Mountain Time) | Click Here to Watch Session
Step into the world of collegiate esports recruitment in this engaging session focused on the power of online gamer profiles. In an era where collegiate athletics are expanding to include competitive gaming, your online presence can be your strongest asset in securing a spot on a collegiate esports team. Join us as we explore the importance of crafting a compelling gamer profile that highlights your skills, achievements, and unique personality. Learn how to elevate your game and stand out in the competitive world of collegiate esports recruitment.
Embracing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is More Than a Checkbox
Presented by: Cora Kennedy | Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC)
Time: 2:00-2:50 PM (Mountain Time) | Click Here to Watch Session
Join us for an enlightening session as we celebrate the diversity that defines collegiate esports. From novice players to seasoned veterans, esports welcomes individuals of all skill levels, backgrounds, and identities. Discover how fostering an inclusive environment not only enriches the esports community but also empowers students to excel both in and out of the gaming arena.
Game Strong: Strategies for Healthy Gaming Habits
Presented by: Mike Anderson | President, Co-founder and Head of Physical Maintenance – FITGMR
Time: 3:00-3:50 PM (Mountain Time) | Click Here to Watch Session
Join us for an engaging discussion on wellness strategies tailored for gamers seeking to optimize their performance and well-being. Discover how to play smarter by integrating healthy habits into your gaming routine. From setting boundaries to incorporating movement breaks, explore practical tips to enhance focus, reduce stress, and maintain physical health while gaming. Join us as we empower gamers to prioritize self-care and game healthier for long-term success.
SPEAKERS
Mike Anderson
President and Co-founder of FITGMR and Head of Physical Maintenance
Mike has a Master’s Degrees in Public Health & Experiential Education and a B.S. in Sports Medicine. He has taught elementary school in Compton via Teach for America, health education through the Peace Corps in Thailand, middle school aged youth camps in India and ran the Physical Education department at Pepperdine University for 5 years before becoming an adjunct professor in Sports Medicine. He has been working with Cloud9’s professional Valorant, Overwatch and League of Legends teams in the realm of health and wellbeing (aka performance training) since 2018. FITGMR also currently works with national federations, like India and Colombia; US collegiate programs through the National Esports Collegiate Conference’s 400 member universities; and k-12 school districts in the US providing turn-key solutions for esports programs to achieve excellence in the sport. At the core of FITGMR is a mission to transform gamers into cognitive athletes and to reverse the growing trends of chronic disease through integration of our 5 Pillars of Holistic Health.
Michael Brooks
Executive Director of the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE)
Michael currently serves as the Executive Director of the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE). NACE is a nonprofit membership association organized by and on behalf of its member institutions and is the largest association of varsity college esports in North America. NACE colleges and universities collaborate to lay the groundwork in areas such as: eligibility, path to graduation, competition and scholarships. Additionally, NACE oversees operations and competition for NACE Starleague, North America’s largest collegiate league with nearly 800+ colleges and over 20,000 students, as it advances the competitive experience for student-athletes and provides them with an ideal place to showcase their skills. Michael and his work with NACE has been featured on ABC’s Good Morning America, ESPN, Forbes, Fortune, NBC, SBJ and many others.
Debora Dragseth, Ph.D.
Professor of Business & Leadership, Dickinson State University
Debora Dragseth, Ph.D., currently holds the position of Baker Boy Professor of Leadership at Dickinson State University. Her previous positions include Director of the Theodore Roosevelt Honors Leadership Program, Chair of the Department of Business and Management, and Vice President/Provost of Dickinson State University.
Dr. Dragseth’s areas of expertise include leadership, outmigration, and generational studies. In addition to her academic contributions, she is also a writer for regional business magazines and has won national first place awards in web writing and business journalism.
Her interest in the subject of happiness was showcased in a recent TEDx talk, and she has engaged with broader audiences through contributions to platforms like New Geography, India Times, CNN.com, and MSN.com. Her research on outmigration has been cited in Forbes and Newsweek.
Dr. Dragseth has been named Dickinson State University’s Distinguished Teacher of the Year as well as the Teacher of the Year by the Dickinson Area Chamber of Commerce.
Dr. Dragseth has an MBA from the University of South Dakota and a Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska.
Cora Kennedy
Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC)
Cora Kennedy is a long time educator and advocate for academic esports. While she currently serves as the Director of Esports at Illinois Wesleyan University, she formerly taught high school and helped found and direct the Illinois High School Esports Association. Beyond her involvement at IWU, she is heavily involved with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work in collegaite esports as a loud and open advocate and committee member for VOICE as well as Director of DEI for the NECC. She frequently publishes on DEI in Collegiate Esports and enjoys writing and photography in her free time.
Josh Nichols
Esports Coordinator, Dickinson State University
Josh Nichols is the Esports Coordinator at Dickinson State University since 2019, driving the university’s esports program. Under his leadership, DSU became North Dakota’s first public university to embrace esports.
Josh envisions DSU’s esports program as a comprehensive ecosystem that engages gamers at every level of interest and aspiration. Whether students are drawn to esports competitively, casually, or academically, Josh is dedicated to providing avenues for involvement and growth.
Marty Wetherall
Co-founder & CEO of LeagueOS
Marty’s path to esports traversed through film school at the University of Southern California (before they taught game design there), a career in advertising where he produced several Super Bowl commercials, a TV show for sports fans that he turned into his first startup (which pioneered a way for fans to share photos on jumbotrons at games), and building the system of record for international drone racing, which caught the eye of esports organizers.
That led to the launch of LeagueOS, the all-in-one esports management system that handles everything from signups to streaming for the majority of high school esports leagues and collegiate esports programs in the country. Now his team has introduced LOS Portal, a new way for colleges to recruit student gamers with unprecedented access to season stats and safe messaging. Try searching over 600 college programs for games played, degrees offered, tuition, and more at https://portal.leagueos.gg
