American esports organization Cloud9 has launched a collegiate esports initiative in collaboration with Uconnect Esports, the company announced yesterday. The program will see Cloud9 provide resources for college students aiming to enter the esports industry, as well as host an intercollegiate tournament through the Uconnect platform. The Cloud9 University initiative will officially launch next week, with the opening of the Cloud9 collegiate Discord.
Cloud9 first formed its partnership with Uconnect Esports in August, revealing plans to support collegiate esports with online events during the fall semester. “We know this has been a highly sought-after initiative by the community,” Cloud9’s announcement post states, “and we’re excited to be bringing the next generation of esports talent a thrilling collection of events and resources in collaboration with Uconnect Esports.”
The program will begin on November 5th, with the launch of the Cloud9 University Discord. The server will act as a place to “[congregate] collegiate leadership” and “provide a platform to communicate our upcoming collegiate events.” The organization will select eight US schools to act as their “affiliates” for the program.
The affiliate universities will gain access to “exclusive events and resources” as well as early notifications for internship and employment opportunities. This includes the Collegiate Fireside, which will only be available for the affiliated schools. These schools will also be assigned Cloud9 mentors who will work with them throughout November and December.
Cloud9 will also host a two-day panel on their Twitch channel in late November. The panel will provide information on day-to-day esports organization operations and career opportunities within the industry. The organization is also set to host an intercollegiate League of Legends tournament through the Uconnect platform in December.
December will also bring the Training Grounds, Cloud9’s “youth initiative program that brings together teens for a unique online training camp experience.” Training Grounds aims to introduce teenagers to affiliated schools’ esports programs as they consider what to pursue in college.
The Cloud9 University Discord server will launch next week. Players who wish to compete in the Cloud9 University League of Legends tournament should sign up for Uconnect Esports. Collegiate organizations are also encouraged to sign up for Uconnect and apply for Cloud9’s collegiate program.
Source: Cloud9