Dr. BerNadette Lawson-Williams - JCSU "The Rise of HBCU Esports"

Dr. BerNadette Lawson-Williams

Johnson C. Smith University

"The Rise of HHCU Esports"

By Dr. Marrissa R. Dick

Photos Provided by Todd Youngblood

In today’s world, video games are dominating the scene and have become part of the culture and community known as esports. Esports stands for electronic sports, which translates to competitive video gaming. Those who participate in this culture travel the world to join in gaming tournaments that enable them to win cash prizes and recognition. Today, gaming has excelled to the heights of tournaments, leagues, and matches, just like conventional sports. Now, students can learn about the theoretical framework that recognizes the value of the esports and gaming industry.

One person who helps students achieve their passion for video gaming is Dr. BerNadette Lawson-Williams, founder and coordinator of Johnson C. Smith’s Sport Management Esports and Gaming Trifecta and Professor of Sport Management Program. She has worked at JCSU professionally for more than 20 years and is a tenured full professor and a gamer. Thankfully, she is not a novice at implementing, coordinating, and designing curricula.

While an Assistant Professor at South Carolina State University (SCSU), she developed academic programs in Sports Communication and Physical Activity Management, both the first of their kind in the State of South Carolina. Forging ahead, she continues to be a pioneer and trailblazer in academia. Dr. Lawson-Williams is the Founder and Coordinator of the first HBCU Esports and Gaming Trifecta, which consists of the first esports and gaming academic program of any kind to be offered at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), the first HBCU Esports Lab, and a highly-competitive Esports Club.

Dr. Lawson-Williams states, “Esports involve competitive video gaming among solo and multiple players, much like tennis, basketball, or football. The term esports was coined in 1999. Prior to that, it was simply known as video gaming. I was a gamer girl in the 80s, so I understand gamers’ attraction to video games. Most people aren’t aware that the United States of America has been competing in video games for fifty-two years. The first esports tournament was held at Stanford University in 1972, and it is widely documented that video games were being developed at MIT in the 1960s. However, what’s most transformative is that out of the 100+ HBCUs,

Johnson C. Smith University became the first HBCU to recognize the impact that the esports and gaming ecosystem could have on collegiate scholars when we launched the first Esports and Gaming Trifecta at an HBCU. At the time, there were over 200 Predominately White Institutions (PWIs) that were offering an esports and gaming presence on their campuses and zero HBCUs. There are now over 67 HBCUs offering esports and gaming programming, which is truly exceptional, particularly because 67 has a special meaning at JCSU. Our institution was founded in 1867. This makes this finding twice as special to us, as we view it as an affirmational nod to our dynamic impact in the HBCU Esports and Gaming landscape. We are not only widely recognized as the blueprint, but also the black-print of HBCU Esports. As the only HBCU in Charlotte, NC, we provide exceptional academic programming that is fueled by innovation, practicality, and experiential learning. We are indeed experiencing a New Era of Excellence at JCSU!”

The initial planning phase of the Esports and Gaming Trifecta began in 2019, and the Esports and Gaming Management program was officially launched at JCSU in January 2020. Dr. Lawson-Williams says, “It was a campus-wide process. We were fortunate to have the unwavering support of our university president, provost, deans, chairs, faculty, staff, and students to implement this program. Having this type of support is monumental because it means that our entire JCSU campus community not only recognizes the program’s value but also embraces and appreciates it. As academicians, we continually value ingenuity and are adamant about gaining exposure to innovative concepts that will recruit, retain, and graduate our scholars, many of whom are accustomed to more traditional academic offerings, such as biology, mathematics, and psychology. These are some of the most prevalent academic offerings at the majority of colleges and universities, so when we proposed esports and gaming as a viable option, naturally, many of my colleagues were skeptical. When I first introduced the concept of developing this program in March 2019, I had to first introduce and explain the importance and benefit of esports through a certain lens that I knew would entice my fellow academicians to understand its value, specifically how the program would provide an interdisciplinary approach that would foster our scholars’ acquisition of the soft and technical skills that are commonly associated with esports and gaming. For instance, most gamers utilize acute soft skills such as situational awareness, critical thinking, and problem-solving during their engagement in video game play and technical skills such as

programming, game development, technology, etc. In fact, many of our program’s scholars have selected academic fields of study in highly technical areas such as computer science, computer engineering, and cybersecurity. Therefore, a minor in Esports and Gaming Management is cohesive with their interests in software development and game development. The esports and gaming discipline has galvanized all of the fields of study offered on our campus since every major program that we offer connects with esports and gaming, whether sport management, business, criminology, psychology, biology, public health, or communication arts. For instance, the psychological, wellness, mathematical, and business aspects of video gaming can be studied through our Esports and Gaming Management minor combined with our majors in Psychology, Public Health, Mathematics, and Business. We are using esports and gaming as a platform to showcase our scholars’ talents and to demonstrate how impactful experiential learning can be when it is utilized both inside and outside of the classroom. Our Esports Lab is the place where theoretical and experiential learning meet face-to-face. At Johnson C. Smith University, we believe that impactful learning will not only change the lives of our scholars and their families but will also have a long-lasting impact on the communities that we serve and beyond. No matter where our Golden Bull scholars may go throughout the world during their matriculation or upon their graduation from JCSU, they will always hold high, the Gold and Blue!”

"At JCSU, we aim to connect our students with corporations that can bring their industry insight to our campus. This enables our students to collaborate with industry leaders who will ensure that they are ascertaining the knowledge and experiences they need to secure highly competitive employment opportunities.”

Dr. Lawson-Williams also shares that, “The coursework for esports and gaming is focused on the business side of the industry, including esports marketing, business trends, esports technology, and project management. The curriculum is also versatile as it aims to maintain alignment with the ever-changing trends of the esports and gaming industry. There are conversations underway regarding future course offerings that will encompass esports broadcasting, diversity in esports, and artificial intelligence.” She is humble in recognizing that she did not achieve this monumental accomplishment without the help of her esteemed colleague and co-founder, Professor John Cash, who instructed the first esports and gaming special topic course in January 2020, which solidified his official status as the first HBCU Esports and Gaming Professor. That course helped to position the curriculum as a viable program on the campus of JCSU and among all HBCUs. It also was a testament to students’ interest in learning more about the business of the esports and gaming ecosystem.

Dr. Lawson-Williams’s role at JCSU is diversified. Not only is she the founder and coordinator of the Esports and Gaming Trifecta program, but she is also the coordinator of its online Sport Management Program, which is also the first of its kind at an HBCU. With her knowledge and unwavering passion, she plans to continue shifting the paradigm and heightening its trajectory by ensuring that all students at JCSU are receiving innovative educational opportunities and experiences that will duly prepare them for success in their desired career pathways.

Dr. Lawson-Williams shares that her vision for the program is continuous growth. In regard to student enrollment as it relates to the Trifecta’s engagement with its campus community and external community, she adds, “We’ve already partnered with several mega esports and gaming corporations, many of which publish the video games that our students play, including, but not limited to Activision-Blizzard, Riot Games, and Epic Games. In fact, the former General Manager and SVP of Call of Duty, which is one of the world’s biggest-selling video games and published by Activision Blizzard, was an invited guest on our campus last year. Johanna Faries, who currently serves as the President of Blizzard Entertainment, one of the most prominent esports and gaming companies, and I co-hosted a session for JCSU students, faculty, staff, as well as community members. We also hosted over 400 middle, high school, and college students on our campus for the historic HBCU Esports and Gaming Week event over two days. At JCSU, we aim to connect our students with corporations that can bring their industry insight to our campus. This enables our students to collaborate with industry leaders who will ensure that they are ascertaining the knowledge and experiences they need to secure highly competitive employment opportunities.”

Dr. Lawson-Williams added, “Recently, six of our esports athletes attended and competed in the world’s largest esports tournament, the Evolution Series Championship (EVO), which was held in Las Vegas. This experience provided them with the opportunity to compete at the highest level of esports. With over 10,000 players and competitors representing 63 countries, it was an opportunity for our gamer-scholars to gain insight into the esports and gaming culture and compete with some of the best gamers in the world, and they were ready. Several placed in the top 25% of their respective titles. This moment catapulted their self-confidence and self-efficacy to another level. While competing against professional and amateur gamers, they showcased their gaming prowess as esports athletes. We also utilized this opportunity to expose them to different career pathways within the esports and gaming ecosystem, as well as opportunities to gain insight regarding the soft and technical skills that they would need to employ in order to succeed in the esports and gaming industry. Resilience, flexibility, adaptability, perseverance, and tenacity are essential components to succeeding in any field, so I was immensely proud to see our Golden Bulls charging ahead and exhibiting these character traits!”

Johnson C. Smith University is the first HBCU to take the plunge into the academic and competitive esports arena and is a formidable force representing all HBCUs within the collegiate ecosystem. This is evidenced by their past victories against varsity teams and Esports Clubs at Power 5 institutions, such as Duke University, Michigan State University, Virginia Tech, the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, and Louisiana State University, among many others. Dr. Lawson-Williams shares, “When our esports athletes defeated teams at PWIs that are widely known for their high-reputable athletic programs, everyone was aghast. However, we always knew our gamer-scholars were capable of competing and defeating their opponents at the highest level of competition, both academically and athletically!”

Dr. Lawson-Williams hopes to increase the visibility of the African American population in the esports and gaming field. She says, “Only two to four percent of professionals in the esports and gaming field identify as African Americans, although 83% of HBCU students play video games daily and weekly. Our presence should be more prevalent within esports and gaming corporations.” Still, the number of African Americans working within these companies is minimal. Nevertheless, she and her team are adamant about bridging that gap within the esports and workforce.

The curriculum designed for the Esports and Gaming Management academic program is rigorous. Dr. Lawson Williams states, “The curriculum entails all necessary content that is geared at providing our students with hands-on experiences with planning, organizing, and executing small and large-scale tournaments. The curriculum is a win-win because students can tailor it to fit the career fields within esports and gaming that they wish to pursue. We are excited to revamp our certificate program, which was also launched in 2020, to include other innovative tracks like game development, game design, and artificial intelligence. The uniqueness of our program is that it complements every major program. The crossover is amazing; it is one of the most popular minor programs on JCSU’s campus. Our program is a huge draw for our Gen-Z students, who have practically grown up with technology in their hands!”

Not only does our entire JCSU campus community support our program, but we also receive support through a Department of Education Title III grant. This funding has enabled JCSU faculty, staff, and students to participate in professional development events and field trip experiences and to compete in esports tournaments throughout the nation, including the world’s largest esports tournament in history.

Dr. Lawson-Williams says, “It’s about JCSU’s students realizing that they not only have a seat at the table but also have a plate and utensils. “Our gamer-scholars are directly benefiting through the program’s offering. Last academic year, our Esports Club President was a young lady, and it was phenomenal witnessing her exert herself and exude confidence within the space. Most people don’t realize this, but 48% of American gamers are women. Not only is our

program all-inclusive, but it also reaches the community and prevents youth from having too much idle time on their hands. We want to cultivate an environment that engages our K-12 gamer-scholars, so we host various educational events throughout the academic year that enable our young gamers to visit our Esports Lab and gain an understanding of the innumerable benefits of participating in esports and gaming. We hosted the first HBCU Esports and Gaming Summer Camp for high school students in 2023. This pipeline is purposeful. We want to position future Golden Bulls for success through esports and gaming. We equip our scholars with the tools necessary to succeed!”

Dr. Lawson-Williams encourages gamer-parents to permit their children to delve into their passion for gaming instead of forcing them to invest in academic interests that their parents consider to be a “safe” route for gainful employment. She suggests, “I would like for gamer-parents to encourage their children to pursue recreational, competitive, and career opportunities within the esports and gaming ecosystem. Instead of telling them to put down their controllers, encourage them to use their controllers to learn the mechanical and business intricacies of the esports and gaming industry. With a background in esports and gaming, your child can work for mega esports corporations like Riot Games, Activision Blizzard, or Epic Games, develop new video games, or your child can become an entrepreneur and own a game truck. I want parents to know that there are innumerable career opportunities and pathways for their children through esports and gaming. As a gamer-parent, I am an advocate for my twin sons’ advancement in the esports and gaming sector. They have been playing video games since they were four years old and competing in tournaments since they were nine years old. Now, at 15 years old, they are thriving competitively and enthusiastically pursuing the next steps in preparing to pursue a future within the industry. As parents, we want our children to connect with their passion point, and whatever that passion point is, in this case, if it’s esports and gaming, then let’s recognize and respect their talent and position them to experience success in that area. This will ensure that they can follow their passion journey all the way to the finish line, where success will be waiting!”

Dr. Lawson-Williams graduated Cum Laude with a B.S. degree in Physical Education from South Carolina State University (SCSU). She completed her M.S. in Exercise and Sport Science with a concentration in Sports Administration from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse and received her Doctorate with Honors in Sport Management from the United States Sports Academy. She has also completed post-graduate coursework at North Carolina Central University’s prestigious School of Law. Additionally, she has received numerous awards, including but not limited to being named a recipient of the Dean’s Distinguished Service Award for the College of Business and Professional Studies at JCSU in May of 2024. In 2023, she received the NC SHAPE College/University Sport Management Educator of the Year award. She was also a recipient of the Tepper Sports and Entertainment Achievement Award in 2022.

Dr. Lawson-Williams is a staunch advocate for fostering gamer-scholars’ exposure to innovative and experiential learning opportunities that will enable them to excel with and beyond their controllers!