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Nawaal Nackerdien/Fourth Estate

BY CHRISTIAN SEGOVIA, SPORTS EDITOR

Editor’s Note: This article is part one of a two-part series. 

Video games can be seen  as a waste of time by those in the general population, but not Jordan Whitaker. “Competitive gaming is a lot more than just playing video games. It’s about community, it’s about interacting with people who have similar passions. It’s about expressing your skills and making it work toward your passions,” said Whitaker,  Mason adjunct professor for Sports Recreation and Tourism Management. 

Esports is centered around online gaming competitive play.  Amateur and professional “gamers” can play individually or compete as teams. This is often through organized leagues, with prizes on the line. Mason Esports, under University Life,  draws esports players together to compete at the collegiate level. Whitaker secures the program sponsors, partners and potential funding.

Esports leagues are created by video game companies such as Riot Games, Activision, Valve and many others. To draw attention to online games within their roster, these companies host tournaments for games. Many of these include first-person-shooters (FPS) such as Call of Duty, Valorant or Counter-Strike. These companies, also known as developers,  then form teams consisting of both professionals and amateurs. 

Gaming organizations (gaming orgs) research top players within a certain game, recruit them, evaluate players for their teams, select their players, then sign contracts . Teams compete to win money and trophies. 

In order to enter an appropriate Esports league, a recruited team must purchase franchise slots. These slots allow the team access into the league and build an organization on top of it.  However, Esports owners need to carefully choose the game they wish to get involved in. Factors to be considered include revenue share from content creation, sponsorship money, viewership and production. 

“It gives a way for investors to come in, make sponsorships with things like Alienware or State Farm, you name it, Honda, for example,” Whitaker said. “Create a brand and … an identity. And I think that’s where Esports is kind of growing still.”

Gaming orgs owners also have to decide which city to base their team, locations such as New York, Texas or California. Franchise slots can be easier to manage in places like Korea, where cities are closer together. Teams don’t have to travel far to face each other in a tournament. This setup ensures that players can compete on local area networks, which helps maintain the highest level of competitive integrity.

In the United States, however, the logistics can be more challenging. For example, in the Overwatch League, the Washington Justice would travel to Boston to face the Boston Uprising. Teams must factor in flight cost and travel time, if they want the best gaming experience. While a team may play in their base cities, it won’t yield the best competitive experience. 

“The infrastructure can be built for smaller areas,” said Whitaker. “Trying to do it in America is a little bit difficult because, you know, it’s a six-hour flight, seven-hour flight across the country”

Once teams are accepted into the franchise slots for games like Valorant, they can form a team of five players to compete on a stage representing their organization. These teams then use their players to build the organization through social media like Instagram, X, and TikTok. They create YouTube videos and live-stream their games on Twitch.   

“One of the most important things every organization and every team has to be doing…is creating content,… developing a brand, developing who you are,” Whitaker said. “It’s all about creating a brand and showcasing yourself, because in a lot of ways, when you’re creating content, it’s like having a living resume go into the hands of the viewers.”

In recent years, developers such as Riot Games, the creators of League of Legends and Valorant, have laid off employees. On Jan. 22, 2024, a total of  530 employees were laid off, 11% of the workforce. 

Gaming orgs such as 100 Thieves also cut 20% of their company’s employees. This particularly particularly affected workers in smaller companies, for instance, Juvee and its gaming studio. This decision was made in order for 100 Thieves to focus more on gaming content and brand. The layoffs sparked questions on whether Esports is sustainable in the far future. 

This summer, the Esports World Cup will feature a variety of games such as Street Fighter 6, Counter-Strike 2, Apex Legends, Rocket League, Chess and many more—with its own tournament structure. The goal of the Esports World Cup is to promote sustainable methods for gaming orgs to generate revenue by driving fans to watch the events. 

“There’s global events now around Esports, like the Esports World Cup, that’s huge, and Olympics touching Esports,” Whitaker. “It’s going to lead to an increase in interest now, again, from the rest of the world, and then people are going to re-approach Esports in a way that makes it more sustainable.”

Esports is continuing to expand and spread its opportunities around the world to stay sustainable.

(Courtesy of Philip Wilkerson)

BY JAMIE GHOLSON, CULTURE EDITOR

George Mason’s Spring 2025 Career Fair has concluded after an expanded three-day format, giving students more time to connect with potential employers. Organizers limited the number of participating companies to encourage deeper engagement, a change that appears to have paid off. 

“I think we had a successful first day because students [had] more time and opportunity to connect with employers,” said Philip Wilkerson, an Employer Engagement Consultant at George Mason.

The fair, previously spanning two days, dedicated its first day to STEM fields, the second to all majors, and the third to business, government and nonprofit organizations. On the first day alone, 1,555 students attended, many arriving hours before the doors opened. 

Wilkerson, who had originally started a “first in line” certificate tradition in 2018, said he enjoys tracking recipients’ career progress on LinkedIn. “The fact that they show up early shows their hunger for the work that they want to do,” he said. 

Recruiters from various industries said they found promising candidates among the Mason student body. 

Karen Lopez, a Mason graduate ‘21 and Human Resource agent at AlphaBEST Education praised the students’ enthusiasm. “It is important to talk to everybody, even if you don’t see it as your career now,” she said. “Networking is the best thing you can do in your career to get far in life.” 

Lopez, whose company offers part-time and full-time opportunities in its before and after-school programs, emphasized the importance of time management. “I have experience of being a full-time worker and a full-time student. I managed both and it was very flexible in my scheduling,” she said. 

Ryan Harper, a recruiter at EPIC, a healthcare software company, said problem-solving is the most valuable skill students can have. “Regardless of your major, we want to make sure you can work through different issues,” he said. 

Harper encouraged students to think beyond their elevator pitch. “Don’t be afraid to go beyond just your pitch. It’s not just about explaining what you can do. Ask what the employer is looking for and take us down a path to help us find the best fit for you,” he said. 

JJ Teganini, a senior recruiter from Virginia Cancer Specialists, said her company values applicants from all backgrounds. “Be open to those entry-level positions. They may have aspirations to be a director or a supervisor, but sometimes the best way to reach that goal is to start at the beginning and get that well-rounded look at what every job in the practice looks like because we have to work together,” she said. “We are all one piece to the puzzle and that can help build your career going forward.” 

Teganini added that Mason’s career fair successfully connects students to jobs. “In the past years, we have actually hired individuals from Mason from this career fair,” she said. 

Students attending the fair saw the crucial opportunity to make connections. 

Erfan Ahmed, a computer science major and a previous winner of Wilkerson’s “first in line” certificate, attended the career fair in search of internship opportunities. His efforts last fall resulted in five interviews with companies including CSCI and CGI. 

“Career fairs are one of the most important fairs if you’re looking for an internship or a full-time job because you never know when your luck will hit you,” Ahmed said. 

Mustafa Gurdov, a cybersecurity major and this semester’s “first in line” student winner, said he was eager to meet with tech companies such as Peraton and GuidePoint Security. After attending two previous career fairs at Mason, he understood the importance of arriving early. 

“Showing up early and making yourself known is key,” he said. 

For first-time attendees, he stressed preparation and professionalism. “Bring an updated resume in a folder, dress business-ready, and bring your A-game when speaking with recruiters,” Gurdov said. 

With the job market in flux, he remained open to any opportunity that would advance his career, particularly cybersecurity internships. His decision to arrive early stemmed from past experiences. 

“I had just left my 7:30 a.m. class and wanted to check if they were ready so I could skip the line,” he said. “From my past two career fairs, nothing is worse than waiting in line for another 30 minutes.”

As students and employers reflect on the event, many emphasize the importance of preparation, confidence, and openness to new opportunities. Whether landing an interview, making connections, or gaining insight into a potential career path, attendees left with valuable experiences. 

With the next niche career fair for health and science majors scheduled for Thursday, Mar. 27, Mason continues to provide students with pathways to their professional futures.