The University of California, Irvine, takes esports to a professional level. The school has built a 3,500-square-foot esports arena backed by iBUYPOWER, Logitech and Gamefuel, with one of the most decorated esports teams in the collegiate League of Legends scene, and one of the very first esports scholarship programs.

Last week, Team SoloMid paid back to the esports community through an educational talk at UCI, touching on various subjects regarding the professional world of esports, including how to break into the industry. Students from various programs attended the lecture, learning from how to apply to internships to becoming valued team members in an esports organization.

TSM’s Director of Sales, Luke Zelon, lead the talk with two of his colleagues, Director of Partnerships, Allie Hahe, and Director of People Operations, John Ponce. The students present were well versed in the gaming world, with aspirations of one day joining esports in the professional capacity.  Students asked questions regarding the necessary skills prior to working with esports organizations and how to become competitive applicants.

To Allie Hahe, Director of Partnerships, who previously had been part of Team Liquid, problem solving is one of the most valuable traits in their applicants. Hahe shared the value in creating your own opportunities, remembering that back in her school days in the midwest, not many esports events existed, so she seized the opportunity to create her own. 

Team SoloMid’s Director of People Operations John Ponce explained that a degree related to gaming is not necessary for students to join organizations after graduation. His personal experience was related, talking about his background in human resources, he made clear that not every person that works in the esports field has a background in esports. Ponce mentioned he indeed became an avid fan of TSM after joining the team. 

Director of Sales Luke Zelon comes from the Sports field, previously working on the partnership team of Los Angeles Football Club. During the Q&A session with the speakers, Zelon told us that the students are not the only ones benefiting from this lecture. The industry as a whole has a lot to gain when fostering a healthy esports environment. When companies like TSM contribute to the academic world, students have the chance to become more competitive professionals.

When we speak about a company with the caliber of TSM, a wide range of positions have to be filled in order for them to provide services that go beyond professional gaming, including working with brands like Logitech, Lenovo, Chipotle, and NERF. Zelon says that when students participate in their internship programs, they are not just given the opportunity to learn and work with their esports teams, but also to work closely with some of the biggest names in retail. 

If you are a recent or soon-to-be graduate of a four-year college/university and are looking for an internship in the esports field, you can find TSM’s open positions on Hitmarker Jobs here: https://hitmarkerjobs.com/amp/jobs/361357?utm_campaign=google_jobs_apply&utm_source=google_jobs_apply&utm_medium=organic