UK x Gen.G kicks off esports program with event for middle and high school students

Arden Barnes | UK Photo

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 4, 2022) — The University of Kentucky, in collaboration with Gen.G Esports, will be hosting a free community event for middle and high school students to kick off a new esports program on campus.

The event will be held 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8 (Election Day), at The Cornerstone. Early drop off and late pick up will be available to those who may need scheduling accommodations. Lunch will also be provided for the students who attend.

At this event, students will have the opportunity to experience how esports can help them grow and develop key skills, learn about gaming from an industry perspective and understand how and why the rapid rise in esports is relevant.

The new esports program is a part of UK’s larger Smart Campus initiative, aiming to use esports and other technologies to build a stronger and larger sense of community on campus. The program also aims to maximize student success and the potential for career opportunities in the esports industry.

Other upcoming events powered by the esports program include:

  • Scholastic Esports Winter Camps (Dec. 19-23)
  • Panel Discussions & Esports Career Fairs (Early 2023)
  • Scholastic Esports Tournaments & Scholarships (2023)

For more information about the event visit https://esports.uky.edu/events/kick-event-mini-bootcamp. Click here to register.

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.