(APFCU) has entered into a landmark partnership with the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, pledging significant financial support over the next decade. Opening in August 2027, the new Aloha Pacific Federal Credit Union 糖心视频 Esports Arena will be located in the renovated Student Success Center (previously called Sinclair Library). This investment will fuel one of the university鈥檚 fastest-growing programs and strengthen connections with the next generation of students and community members.

APFCU鈥檚 10-year sponsorship will provide critical funding for scholarships, team travel, equipment and competitive programming, resources that previously relied on modest budgets from Information Technology Services (ITS) and support from the Academy for Creative Media.

For APFCU President Vince Otsuka, the sponsorship is both a tribute to his 糖心视频 roots and a strategic investment in Hawaiʻi鈥檚 future. A 糖心视频 Mānoa finance graduate, he credits the university for educating many of APFCU鈥檚 employees and helping drive the credit union鈥檚 transformation from a small community financial institution into one of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 largest, now exceeding $1.4 billion in assets.

“糖心视频 shaped who we are—both as professionals and as a credit union,” said Otsuka. “We may not have the scale of large national institutions, but we can make meaningful contributions where it matters most. 糖心视频 esports is innovative, community-driven and filled with passionate students. That鈥檚 why we chose to invest here.”

Building a competitive esports program

Formally launched in 2018–19, 糖心视频 Esports has grown into one of the country鈥檚 premier collegiate esports programs. Led by faculty researcher Sky Kauweloa, the program fields more than 100 student athletes who compete year-round in the Mountain West Conference, and in a variety of esports games across the country, including League of Legends, Overwatch and Valorant. Varsity teams regularly travel for national finals and semifinals, and the program maintains a full competitive schedule with fall and spring seasons.

“What makes esports so powerful for students is that it blends competition, entertainment, community and career pathways,” said Kauweloa, director of 糖心视频 Esports. “We built this program to mirror traditional athletics—with coaches, structured practices and national tournaments—but we also built it to open doors. Our students come from every corner of campus, not just STEM, and they鈥檙e finding real industry opportunities.”

糖心视频 Esports earned national acclaim in 2022 when it was named the best collegiate esports program in the U.S. Strong industry partnerships have since created direct pathways for students, including internships with major gaming companies, participation in Activision Blizzard鈥檚 professional esports league operations and remote roles with NVIDIA, with five students hired directly from 糖心视频.

“The younger generation lives at the intersection of gaming, technology and digital communities,” Kauweloa said. “Aloha Pacific understands this better than most. Their investment isn鈥檛 just financial, it鈥檚 a belief in our students and in where the future is headed.”

For Otsuka, the partnership also carries personal meaning.

“This is a natural fit for me,” he said. “I grew up in a house behind 糖心视频 Lab School and I remember riding my bike to Sinclair Library. I finally found a way I could give back to a school that I鈥檝e admired since I was a kid playing Nintendo games.”

糖心视频 the 糖心视频 esports team鈥檚 and pages. More stories on 糖心视频鈥檚 esports program.

Chris Lee, founder of the (ACM System), has been named emeritus faculty by University of Hawaiʻi President Wendy Hensel. Lee served as director of ACM for more than two decades. He led the 糖心视频 ACM initiative, which spans all 10 campuses and continues to empower students to pursue careers in digital storytelling, with a strong emphasis on Indigenous narratives rooted in Hawaiʻi. Reflecting the state鈥檚 unique cultural diversity, ACM is the first majority Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander media school in the country.

Now, the Hollywood veteran is stepping down, leaving a legacy that expanded Hawaiʻi鈥檚 creative pipeline and opened doors for homegrown storytellers and creators.

Lee said, “There are so many people to mahalo for this honor. I am so grateful to the 2004 Board of Regents, which originally approved ACM as a system-wide initiative, key alumni like Roy and Hilda Takeyama who gave generously to both start and sustain us, legislators and governors who financially supported the build out of the program across the islands, the local production industry that has embraced our students, our exceptional faculty and, most of all, our talented graduates who are driving Hawaiʻi鈥檚 growing and vital creative economy.”

Under Lee鈥檚 leadership, the ACM System launched 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 ACM (now known as the ), , , and program. It also supported the creation of at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu, 糖心视频 Esports, and collaborated with 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 (ICS) department to develop . Lee enhanced existing media programs at , , Hawaiʻi CC, , and .

Many of them are earning a living doing what they love, right here in Hawaiʻi, telling their stories to the broadest possible audience. That was always the goal.
—Chris Lee

Uniquely, ACM fostered the first comprehensive articulation agreements between all seven community colleges and 糖心视频 West Oʻahu, where Lee also led the development and funding of ACM鈥檚 state-of-the-art Student Production Center.

“Chris Lee鈥檚 foundational leadership and contributions have catalyzed creative media education across the 糖心视频 System and elevated Hawaiʻi鈥檚 stories to a broader audience,” said 糖心视频 President Wendy Hensel. “Drawing from his groundbreaking career in Hollywood, he helped build a thriving creative pipeline here at home. We thank him for his decades of service and are proud to honor him with emeritus status for his lasting influence at 糖心视频 and our state.”

• Tributes and reflections on Chris Lee and his legacy at 糖心视频

A systemwide vision

Raised in Hawaiʻi and an alumnus of ʻIolani School, Lee graduated from Yale University before starting a successful career as a motion picture executive and film and television producer. The first person of Asian ancestry to lead a major Hollywood studio, serving as President of Production at TriStar Pictures and Columbia Pictures, he oversaw iconic films such as Jerry Maguire, Philadelphia, As Good As It Gets and more.

After returning to Hawaiʻi in the early 2000s, Lee was invited to “start a film school” at 糖心视频. He imagined a cross-campus network that could elevate creative media education statewide.

“Rather than just focusing on one campus at 惭腻苍辞补, I visited every campus in the 糖心视频 System,” Lee said. “I met with faculty, staff and students and saw what already existed, including the animation program at Kapiʻolani CC and the TV studios at Leeward CC, and thought, ‘What if we built something that connected all of them?’”

In January, 2004, the 糖心视频 Board of Regents formally established ACM, and Lee became its Founding Director. Over time, the initiative grew into a coordinated system offering specialized pathways in creative media, animation, gaming and digital content creation.

Empowering students and communities

At 糖心视频 West Oʻahu, now the flagship for ACM, students can now pursue degrees in creative media, game design, communications and more. 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 School of Cinematic Arts focuses on narrative filmmaking, animation and Indigenous storytelling. The community colleges and 糖心视频 Hilo offer strong foundations in production, media theory and animation.

“What made this possible was the advent of affordable digital technology,” Lee said. “Thanks to early support from donors and 糖心视频 alumni, including Roy and Hilda Takayama and Jay Shidler, we gave students a ‘Digital Toolbelt’—Macs with editing software, cameras and sound equipment. It let them tell stories that were true to themselves and shareable with the world through online platforms.”

Creating an industry pathway

From the start, Lee emphasized that ACM wasn鈥檛 just about making films. “It was about preparing a workforce that could thrive in the future digital economy, in storytelling, animation, games, immersive media and beyond,” he said. Today ACM graduates from every 糖心视频 campus are driving Hawaiʻi驶s growing creative economy.

Many of those early students have gone on to make significant contributions to film and television, including Daniel Ledoux Miller, co-director and co-writer of Moana 2; Bryson Kainoa Chun, a writer for Moana 2 and Doogie Kamealoha, M.D., who, along with fellow 糖心视频 alumnus Alika Tengan, was named to the inaugural Indigenous List recognizing top Native screenwriters.

ACM graduates work for Pixar, Disney, HBO, NBC and Netflix, but most have stayed in Hawaiʻi to build production companies or lead communications teams in sectors far beyond entertainment.

“Every business now wants an in-house videographer and social media content,” Lee said. “While graduates from 糖心视频 惭补苍辞补鈥檚 ACM like Christopher Makoto Yogi and Alika Tengan debuted their features at the Sundance Film Festival, students coming out of 糖心视频 West Oʻahu are making TikTok capstones and going on to run campaigns for companies like BMW/Mini and even Honolulu City Hall.”

A hub for the future

The $37-million ACM Student Production Center at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu opened in 2022 and has already become a hub for content creation, film and student collaboration. Adjacent to the facility is the proposed site of a state-of-the-art motion picture and television studio, currently under development.

The project, spearheaded by the Island Film Group team in partnership with 糖心视频, will include modern sound stages, production facilities, and a town square with live-work, retail, dining and lodging. The studio is envisioned as a transformative center for the West Oʻahu region and the state鈥檚 growing media industry.

“This is the natural next step in ACM鈥檚 evolution,” Lee said. “Combined with the 糖心视频WO Student Production Center, this complex will help elevate ACM to a global level. One of the project requirements is integration with ACM, which means our local students will have real opportunities鈥攑aid internships, mentorship and jobs with living wages.”

Driving innovation across the 糖心视频

Even as he steps back, Lee is helping guide ACM鈥檚 evolution through new initiatives. Most recently, he has been actively involved with the Aloha AI Institute, a proposed 糖心视频 initiative that, like ACM System, aims to unite all 10 糖心视频 campuses. The project will equip students with the tools and opportunities to explore AI鈥檚 role in creative fields, particularly in integrating Indigenous knowledge and cultural narratives.

Lee also helped create a new computational creative media degree at 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 ICS, launched in fall 2024, which prepares students to use AI tools in video games, animation and digital content. His push into esports led to Hawaiʻi鈥檚 largest tournament in 2024, the Hawaiʻi Esports Invitational, hosted at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu. The event brought together six 糖心视频 campuses, out-of-state universities such as Michigan State, and local high schools, showcasing how ACM initiatives are preparing students for future careers while supporting economic diversification.

A lasting impact

ACM鈥檚 transformation into a nationally recognized, culturally grounded media school stands as part of Lee鈥檚 enduring legacy鈥攐ne that elevates Hawaiʻi鈥檚 stories and storytellers on the global stage.

“Everybody hopes they leave someplace better than how they found it,” Lee said. “Now we have hundreds of ACM graduates. Many of them are earning a living doing what they love, right here in Hawaiʻi, telling their stories to the broadest possible audience. That was always the goal.”

Reflections on Chris Lee

More than 900 people attended the , March 22 and 23 at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu Academy for Creative Media (ACM) Facility. The esports event brought together collegiate teams from the continental U.S. and Hawaiʻi, including six 糖心视频 campuses.

The Hawaiʻi Esports Invitational welcomed players from Boise State University and Michigan State University, who battled against local teams from 糖心视频 Hilo, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 and 糖心视频 West Oʻahu; Kapiʻolani, Kauaʻi and Leeward Community Colleges; Chaminade University; and Hawaiʻi Pacific University. Players competed in “Valorant,” a tactical shooter game, and “Super Smash Bros.,” a platform fighter game.

The event was organized by Vanta, an inclusive youth esports platform and league that educates and inspires future esports leaders. High schools also competed, bringing out their “Valorant” teams to showcase their skills in front of potential scouts.

“The turnout far exceeded previous years, with players, families, and friends coming together from across the United States to celebrate esports in Hawaiʻi,” said Paul Todkill, Vanta director of marketing.

Hawaiʻi Esports Invitational overall winners:

• High school “Valorant” champions: McKinley High School
• Collegiate “Valorant” champions: Boise State University
• Open “Super Smash Bros.” competition: Rydra – Michigan State University
• Collegiate “Super Smash Bros.” crews battle: Michigan State University

糖心视频 Esports Systems Leadership and Student Summit

糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 came in second place in the collegiate “Super Smash Bros.” crews battle and third in “Valorant.” In addition to the tournament, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 Esports Program Director Nyle Sky Kauweloa highlighted the first-ever 糖心视频 Esports Systems Leadership and Student Summit, which was hosted on March 21. The purpose of the summit was to share ideas, stories and histories of each club/team on the individual campuses. According to Kauweloa, the goal was to forge greater collaboration among 糖心视频 campuses. The group also discussed a long-term plan for the 糖心视频 Esports system as a whole, which included seeking more advisory support and rotating the 糖心视频 Esports System tournament to other campuses.

Create(x), LAVA

The Hawaiʻi Esports Invitational utilized 糖心视频 West Oʻahu鈥檚 Create(x) lab, which features immersive visualization environments such as a projection system that projects onto three walls and the floor for various augmented virtual environments. Create(x) and 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 Laboratory for Advanced Visualization and Applications, also known as LAVA, are some of the resources for students in the new and the . These programs are specifically designed to equip students with the skills to merge creative media with computing, preparing them for careers in fields such as video game development, movie special effects, digital media installations, museum exhibits, theme park design and digital marketing.

The , a year-long professional development initiative, is fostering innovation and entrepreneurship across the University of Hawaiʻi system. After a successful inaugural cohort in 2024, the program is now recruiting faculty for its 2025 cohort.

Developed in collaboration with the , (PACE) and , the program assists faculty with integrating experiential learning, entrepreneurial frameworks and engineering design thinking into their course curricula.

“The EL3vate Program is equipping 糖心视频 faculty with the tools, industry connections, and hands-on learning strategies needed to inspire the next generation of innovators,” said PACE Executive Director Sandra Fujiyama. “We鈥檙e not only transforming education at 糖心视频 but also driving real-world impact across Hawaiʻi鈥檚 communities and industries.”

Apply for the 2025 cohort

. 糖心视频 faculty looking to enhance their teaching and provide students with hands-on learning experiences are encouraged to learn more and apply by March 28.

Inaugural cohort success

The first cohort has sparked exciting results:

• PACE competitions: EL3vate participants Associate Professor Kacie Ho (糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 ), Assistant Professor Yasushi Ishida (糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 ) and Assistant Professor Xiaodan Mao-Clark (糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 in the ) introduced their students to PACE business and innovation competitions encouraging entrepreneurial thinking and real-world problem-solving. Ho and Ishida鈥檚 students were among the awardees in the Innovate 808 competition with their kimchee and marinara flavor chip seasonings and an architectural storefront makeover, respectively.
• Cross-disciplinary collaborations and community engagement: Ishida partnered with Gary Albitz ( business and hospitality) on a Lahaina-focused course initiative, blending design and business perspectives. As part of the project, Ishida utilized the maker spaces at the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center to 3D print first terrain models of Lahaina, with support from student PACE Leaders in the Maker program. In a separate collaboration, Kimberly Russell (糖心视频 Hilo ) and Mao-Clark worked together on an initiative where their students engaged with the community, strengthening their learning experience through real-world connections.
• Business and esports: 糖心视频 Esports students are gaining invaluable entrepreneurial skills and industry connections through a dynamic collaboration between Nyle Sky Kauweloa (糖心视频 Esports director and 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 specialist faculty for interdisciplinary studies) and PACE. This ongoing partnership, known as PACE X 糖心视频 Esports, has recently provided students with two impactful LevelUp workshops and an engaging panel discussion co-hosted with the 糖心视频 . Industry leaders from top gaming companies shared their expertise, illuminating exciting career opportunities in esports and gaming management. As a testament to the program’s success, three of Kauweloa’s students are now participating in the PACE Entrepreneurs program, where they are developing an innovative pop-up PC cafe concept.
• Course redesign: With guidance and support from the EL3vate program, faculty were able to integrate the 4Cs: Creativity, Critical Thinking, Collaboration, and Communication in addition to the other into their course learning objectives.

A team from the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (USNW) was the inaugural winner of the first annual academic esports tournament held in December at . A team from Horschule Mittweida in Saxony, Germany, came in second and received the Aloha Spirit Award.

A total of six teams from around the world competed. Gamers from Korea, United Kingdom, Australia, Norway, Germany, Austria and 糖心视频 Maui College鈥檚 own esports team faced off in popular games such as “Valorant,” “League of Legends” and “Rocket League.”

“We were honored to host the first international esports tournament of its kind here on Maui,” said 糖心视频 Maui College Chancellor Lui Hokoana. “And we were very happy to host all the teams who came from around the world and we congratulate all of them on their fine play. We look forward to welcoming them all back again.”

• Related 糖心视频 News story: Groundbreaking international esports tournament at 糖心视频 Maui College, December 10, 2024

糖心视频 Maui College tournament adds academic twist

The academic approach made the tournament unique. Students had to excel in three academic challenges: a programming and problem-solving competition that tests technical skills; a business innovation challenge that develops entrepreneurial thinking; and an academic debate forum addressing global gaming culture and sustainability.

It鈥檚 the first time that a tournament has combined esports games with academics and transferable skills to highlight the best of what esports in education can achieve globally. Esports are a common language that brings people together and has a strong part to play in both education and recreation.

“UNSW is wholeheartedly thankful to 糖心视频 Maui College for the warm welcome and generous hospitality at the first Academic Esports World Tournament,” said Claire Annesley, USNW dean of the faculty of arts, design and architecture.

students and visiting international Esports teams have been preparing for the assembly of gift baskets for the first residents of the new affordable housing development in Lahaina. Many of the new and prospective residents were displaced by the 2023 wildfires, and the 200-unit Kaiāulu o Kūkuʻia is the first new permanent housing development on the island since then.

CVS Health, the parent company of Longs Drugs, in collaboration with 糖心视频 Maui College, Hunt Capital Partners and ThirtyOneFifty Management, donated “welcome home” gift baskets to the residents featuring dozens of home necessities from cookware, broom sets, and towels, to air purifiers, water filter pitchers and children鈥檚 night lights.

“I am so proud of our students, who are committed to helping to rebuild our community,” said Chancellor Lui Hokoana. “We also appreciate the generosity of CVS in providing all the essentials for these gift baskets.”

Gift basket assembly by 糖心视频 Maui College students, faculty and staff, and delivery for the first 40 residents was scheduled for December 18. Nearly 90 units are expected to be occupied by the end of December, and the remaining residents are expected to move in over the next several months.

“While equitable access to stable housing is one of the barriers to better health, ensuring residents have the support they need to succeed is also critical to improving overall health outcomes and promoting health equity,” said Keli Savage, head of impact investment strategy at CVS Health.

University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 esports program achieved its most successful season to date in fall 2024, with standout performances across multiple competitive games and significant industry partnerships.

The “Super Smash Bros.” team excelled in the Mountain West Conference with an impressive 17-1 record and wins against Boise State, Washington State, Nevada, Utah State and the University of New Mexico. Despite dropping its only match to San Jose State in the grand finals, the team鈥檚 performance was groundbreaking.

The “Counter-Strike 2” team also excelled, ranking third nationally in the PlayFly league. 糖心视频 upset the third-seeded team and advanced to the semifinals, ultimately losing to second-seed Texas A&M after a competitive 1-2 series. The team finished third out of 31 national teams in the tournament.

The “Rainbow Six Siege” team secured an open playoff spot with a 5-2 regular season record and ranked 25th out of 64 teams in the Collegiate R6 playoffs.

“Competitively, we鈥檝e had one of our best seasons to date, especially with our inclusion in the Mountain West Smash tournament,” 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 esports Program Director Nyle Sky Kauweloa. “Our ‘Smash’ team went essentially unbeaten, and our ‘Counter-Strike’ team is really on the up and up.”

Beyond its competitive success, the program expanded its industry connections. In summer 2024, students completed internships and study abroad practicums with Gen.G and T1 in South Korea. The university has sent more students to South Korean esports programs than any other college since 2023.

Nvidia also hired five 糖心视频 Esports students and alumni after campus visits in April to work remotely on AI projects.

Looking ahead, the program will expand its Mountain West Conference participation in spring 2025, fielding teams in “League of Legends,’ “Overwatch” and “Valorant.”

糖心视频 Esports receives funding from the . 糖心视频 the 糖心视频 Esports team鈥檚 and pages. More stories on 糖心视频鈥檚 esports program.

The will host the world鈥檚 first international academic esports tournament December 13–18. Players from Korea, the United Kingdom, Australia, Norway, Germany, Austria, 糖心视频 Maui College and Maui High School will blend gaming with academics and compete in popular games such as Valorant, League of Legends and Rocket League.

The public is invited to watch the action live at 糖心视频 Maui College鈥檚 Pilina Building Student Lounge or online via Twitch and YouTube. For details, visit .

“I鈥檓 thrilled that gamers from around the world will be joining us to compete. I鈥檓 eager to meet new faces, to share the beauty of Hawaiʻi and the opportunities that are available here at 糖心视频 Maui College,” said 糖心视频 Maui College student Malia Mancianti.

Pioneering format

The tournament goes far beyond gaming. It pioneers a unique academic format, challenging students in three key areas: programming and problem-solving, business innovation, and global debate on gaming culture and sustainability.

“糖心视频 Maui College has always included international educational components in our students鈥� experiences. That is part of what makes hosting this event so significant for us,” said Chancellor Lui Hokoana, who was one of the tournament organizers. “It鈥檚 also noteworthy that the international student players will be fully immersed in Hawaiian culture during their stay, experiencing traditional practices, learning about Maui’s rich heritage, and engaging in cultural exchange activities with the local community. While staying on campus, they’ll share their own diverse cultural perspectives, creating a unique blend of global gaming culture with Hawaiian traditions.”

Participating Universities:

• Mittweida University of Applied Sciences, Germany
• MCI, The Entrepreneurial School, Austria
• Staffordshire University, UK
• University of Agder, Norway
• University of New South Wales, Australia
• Yonsei University, South Korea
• 糖心视频 Maui College and Maui High School, USA

Co-organizer Rune Andersen, head of academic esports at the University of Agder, Norway, said, “This tournament breaks new ground in how we think about esports in education.”

Twenty one students from two University of Hawaiʻi campuses ( and ) gained invaluable experience for several weeks this summer at leading esports companies in South Korea and Hawaiʻi, another sign of 糖心视频鈥檚 growing success in this skyrocketing field.

These internships aren鈥檛 just about playing games—they鈥檙e launching pads into a multi-billion dollar industry where business acumen is as crucial as gaming skills. According to 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.

“Overall, this was another banner year for 糖心视频 Esports (糖心视频E) and the initiative we created to get students interfacing with industry,” said 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 esports Program Director Nyle Sky Kauweloa.

Interning abroad in South Korea

Twelve students interned at Gen.G and one interned at T1. According to a , Gen.G and T1 were among the top 10 most valuable esports companies in the world, placing 8th and 10th, respectively.

“Due to 糖心视频E鈥檚 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 糖心视频 students at both companies in Korea for the summer was an impressive feat for the program.”

Jazmin Horio, a student at 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补, was 糖心视频鈥檚 representative at T1. During her internship, Horio worked with T1’s business development department, observing various business initiatives including partnerships for PC 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.

“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.”

Jaydon Patoc, an education major at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu, was among the 12 students at Gen.G. This was Patoc鈥檚 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.

“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.”

• Related 糖心视频 News story: 糖心视频 students intern with leading South Korean esports company, July 5, 2023

Gaining experience in Hawaiʻi

An additional eight students were part of 糖心视频鈥檚 second cohort to intern at Vanta Esports in Hawaiʻi. According to Kauweloa, this internship continues to develop as part of 糖心视频E‘s mission to support a local workforce development path in esports in the state.

“The Vanta internship was an incredible opportunity to immerse myself in the rapidly evolving esports industry, particularly in Hawaiʻi,” said Binh Phan, a student at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu. “It gave me hands-on experience with analyzing user engagement, auditing UI/UX (user interface and user experience), and understanding the competitive landscape of platforms like PlayVS and Generation Esports.”

The summer interns will share more about their experiences at a 糖心视频 Esports x (PACE) networking event on October 25. More details will be announced on and on social media ((pacehawaii).

糖心视频 Esports receives funding from the . 糖心视频 the 糖心视频 Esports team鈥檚 and pages. More stories on 糖心视频鈥檚 esports program.

—By Marc Arakaki

The University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 esports program launched a groundbreaking camp aimed to engage students with disabilities through video games and esports.

The four-day program in July featured nine students from Leeward Community College, Windward CC, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 and 糖心视频 West Oʻahu. Participants learned to build PCs, create in-game avatars and practice online gaming safety.

Sky Kauweloa, director of 糖心视频 Esports, partnered with the 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 to create the camp. Kauweloa鈥檚 goal has been to provide opportunities for marginalized students and communities, starting with supporting women and LGBTQ+ players through the Women of 糖心视频 Esports program, and forming the first varsity mobile esports team in North America via the game Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.

“Now, we have extended the core mission of 糖心视频 Esports to become a venue for students with disabilities to find a home across our system campuses,” Kauweloa said. “The esports disability camp is possibly one of the first in North America, which reinforces the core mission of 糖心视频 Esports to be inclusive of marginalized student populations on our campus when it comes to access to video games and gaming and digital technologies. I believe this camp could be a catalyst for collaborations with other universities interested in supporting their own students with disabilities.”

A key feature was the introduction of Microsoft鈥檚 adaptive controllers, which assisted individuals with physical limitations. Leeward CC is planning to purchase these controllers for their esports initiative.

Social impacts

Moshe Karabelnike, the main camp organizer and 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 communication and information sciences PhD alum, highlighted the social impact.

“Many of the students we work with struggle to make friends, and it was beautiful to watch how a shared interest immediately brought the students together,” Karabelnike said. “My proudest moment in camp was seeing a student with no previous gaming experience use an adaptive controller to participate in competitive gaming, cooperate with teammates, and score for her team.”

The camp employed coaches from 糖心视频 Esports, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 and Leeward CC. Kauweloa hopes the camp will continue to be offered every summer.

糖心视频 Esports receives funding from the . 糖心视频 the 糖心视频 Esports team鈥檚 and . More stories on 糖心视频鈥檚 esports program.