Fast food restaurant chain McDonald’s, South Korean esports organisation Gen.G and the Black Collegiate Gaming Association (BCGA) will host an HBCU+ College netWORK event that aims to educate students about the gaming and esports industries.
An NBA2K tournament will also take place during the event, taking place September 13th, with 16 participants and a $1,000 prize pool.
Gen.G has been at the forefront of collaborating with educational institutions in the United States for the last few years. The organisation has made several strong moves and partnerships that are aimed at helping younger audiences make their first esports steps. These include an after-school programme in the state of California and a partnership with the University of Kentucky to launch a regional esports conference called CatCon.
The netWORK event will connect industry professionals to students, allowing them to hear firsthand experience of what working in gaming and esports is like. Several panel discussions will take place, exploring topics of in-game toxicity, the future of gaming and esports, and the importance of diversity and inclusion.
Speakers participating in the discussions include Co-Founder of Glow Up Games Latoya Peterson, Verta Maloney, the Co-Founder of gameHERS, and General Manager of Intel’s gaming division Marcus Kennedy.
Craig B. Welburn, President of McDonald’s Capital Business Unit and McDonald’s Owner Operator, commented: “It is an honour to partner with organisations like The Black Collegiate Gaming Association, who are passionate about nurturing and providing resources for students to reach their career goals. The HBCU+ College network event is providing a unique educational opportunity while broadening their perspective.”
This is not Gen.G’s first collaboration with McDonald’s. The pair have already partnered for the McDonald’s Gaming League, an esports competition taking place in North America, among other activations.
