It’s almost redundant to extrapolate on how esports have exploded in the past few years, but the industry right now really seems to be hitting a stride. More and more players are entering the scene with more games forming permanent inclusions on esports calendars, the most recent of which has to be Overwatch. The shooter from Blizzard has made a big splash on the competitive scene, and attracted some new players purely thanks to its diverse roster. In particular, it’s one of the reasons why the first all-woman esports scholarships in the world now exists.
Stephen’s College, an all-woman educational institution in Missouri, will be the first in the country to offer an esport varsity program. The college is currently looking to build an Overwatch team for the upcoming TESPA Cup, while offering scholarships to students who want to further their esports careers wit the game. It’s a massive move that’s been in the works for months, but Overwatch really made it an easy decision for the college executives.
And while esports have experience growth, woman teams haven’t always been keeping pace. Although several teams exist in the Counter-Strike: GO scene, the entire industry is still fairly male skewed. Stephen’s College president Dianne Lynch believes this has something to do with the communities players have to engage with when starting out, and hopes their scholarship will help foster a better space for rising female competitors.
“Our hope is that we will be able to create a culture on campus where the only people in the room who are gaming are women, so you have this dynamic that eliminates that other, sort of negative culture out of their immediate space.”
It’s a great initiative that’s forming part of a larger push in educational institutions to be more inclusive and supporting of esports related endeavours. Hopefully this only manages to spread even further.
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Last Updated: April 21, 2017
Captain JJ
April 21, 2017 at 15:48
But I thought Trump said you’re supposed to grab them and that’s all they’re good for.
Was painful just writing that XD
Captain JJ
April 21, 2017 at 16:01
Regardless of it being great to get women more included and excited about it, it’s just excellent reading that scholarships for it is becoming a proper thing now.
Original Heretic
April 21, 2017 at 16:05
Scholarships, yes, I like that part as well.
Scholarships excluded to all but women? Not sure if I like that part.
“We feel that women are excluded from pro-gaming far too often. So we’re going to offer a scholarship that women can get, but we’re going to exclude men.”
Bit of a mixed message.
Captain JJ
April 21, 2017 at 16:07
Yea. I get what you’re saying
Alessandro Barbosa
April 21, 2017 at 19:15
It’s also a scholarship from a college that’s all women only. So like, it makes sense 🙂
Original Heretic
April 24, 2017 at 08:11
Ah, I seem to have missed that information in the article.
Though I do tend to agree with Skittle’s comment above as well, about the all women college thing.
Original Heretic
April 21, 2017 at 16:03
I wonder how many support groups have been formed by women who feel left out of pro gaming or esports in general?
Skittle
April 21, 2017 at 23:21
Call me ignorant or part of the patriarchy etc but why are all female colleges a thing? Haven’t men only clubs been torn apart lately? Seems regressive rather than progressive
konfab
April 22, 2017 at 08:24
All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others…
Alessandro Barbosa
April 23, 2017 at 21:41
*Shrugs* I haven’t heard really, but I feel they’re still products of the past. Hell just in my immediate vicinity I can name four gender specific schools – two all men, two all women.
Avithar
April 28, 2017 at 11:28
and Lads this is were we will finally find woman that understand an online game cannot be paused lol