Morris Brown College offers HBCU students esports opportunities through innovative technology lab

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Morris Brown College is advancing the field of opportunity at HBCU with a mission to make esports an actual career path for students. The school recently announced the newest addition to its educational transformation space, the Creative Technology Lab, a partnership with Blaze Fire Games. The lab will allow students to develop and design video games, among other things, when the space opens in spring 2023.

“Everyone is excited. We think this addition opens up a new path for Morris – the first that not only provides access to new and innovative things, but also provides a pathway for our students to complete their degree ,” Louis Graham, director of academic affairs, told the HBCU Times. “One of the things we’re looking at is that this is just the beginning. We want to wrap it up with a degree program within a year.”

Pushing HBCU into the Esports Era

Morris Brown is ahead of the curve with its esports performance major and certificate. The 24-credit program prepares young people for careers in non-traditional sports in the growing field of play.

“There are a lot of students who want to get involved in esports, but not necessarily from a competitive standpoint,” esports strategist Bennett Newsome told EdTech Magazine. “They like watching esports or they like gaming, they just want to be involved in that community.”

The new lab will host 42 machines made by Power GPU, a company that builds custom gaming PCs to create a personally enhanced gaming experience. Ten of the new devices will be optimized for the college’s esports team, while the other 32 devices will be used for gaming clubs and general recreational use on campus. Investment Amount: Between $300,000 and $400,000, signifying the school’s strong commitment to a thriving esports industry.

Their partner, Blaze Fire Games, is a licensed digital content provider that taps creative talent and skills globally, with a focus on diversity.

welcome to atlanta

Morris Brown has come a long way since losing its accreditation in 2002. The school was restructured and received reaccreditation approval in April 2021. Schools now understand that increasing opportunities in niche industries like esports is key to standing out among HBCU schools.

Filling a void in Atlanta’s esports community, the college announced a 2021 bachelor’s degree in global business focused on esports performance.

Now, Morris Brown is ready to maintain the pathway they created and provide another outlet for a younger generation whose culture is more ingrained in the new gaming world. The school received a $160,000 grant in 2021 from esports company Pharoah’s Conclave. This discovery created the Ronald Floyd Thomas Center for Esports and Innovation at the college.

The school also plans to offer an esports certificate program to connect high school and high school students in Atlanta, who can earn up to 24 college credits. Morris Brown has sensed the elevated profile of HBCU athletes over the past few years and has translated that momentum into esports.



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