In collaboration with Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU), Soniqs will co-host summer camps for high school students in the greater Harrisburg area. For two weeks in June, the HU Storm x Soniqs Esports Program aims to provide students with the skills needed to seek out and land competitive jobs in the esports landscape. This fast-paced, hands-on experience, led by industry professionals with a combined 30+ years of experience, will give students the chance to develop a greater understanding of what it takes to not only compete at the highest level, but also develop successful competitive programs through non-competitive roles. 

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Soniqs, who host professional teams in both Rainbow Six Siege (R6) and PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), are a globally recognized organization with nine national and global titles. The organization is opening its Harrisburg LAN center to host the HU Storm x Soniqs Esports Program summer camps, providing campers with top-of-the-line equipment. Supported by key sponsors Intel and ViewSonic Gaming, students enrolled in the camp will use Intel NUC PC’s with 12th Gen Intel Core i9-12900 CPUs and RTX 3060 TIs paired with ViewSonic 27-inch 1080p 240Hz IPS gaming monitors - the same equipment utilized by professional esports athletes and creators. 

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"Our partnership with Harrisburg University, allows us to host grassroot competitions, workshops, and collegiate courses which fosters a passion for esports and the roles necessary at every level of the esports ecosystem beyond just competing,” said Darren Moore, Soniqs CEO. “Managers, producers, on-air talent, and more flow through the university's program pipeline, on their way to becoming the next generation of esports workplace professionals."

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Working with Soniqs, HU’s varsity collegiate esports program has also found national success, with three championships and nationally ranked teams in League of Legends, Rocket League, and VALORANT. These summer camps are an extraordinary opportunity to take advantage of highly accoladed industry professionals across collegiate and professional esports.

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"Soniqs has been a premier esports organization for several years and has a solid foundation in the esports industry," said Michael Navarro, HU’s Director of Esports. "The HU Storm was one of the first successful collegiate esports programs in the country and it continues to adapt and grow. By combining the knowledge basis of HU Storm and Soniqs, we have created summer camp programming that gives students the most thorough and up-to-date education about the worlds of collegiate and professional esports and the opportunities present within."

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In addition to HU Storm, Navarro has worked extensively in esports broadcasting, growing alongside it for the past decade.

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"When I discovered casting and stream production I began to learn about all of the different career paths within esports that were available besides being a player,” said Navarro. “No matter what your skill set is, there is likely a career path for you in esports. Our camp aims to show students these paths, and how they can get started working towards their goals."

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Building a successful foundation of skills and habits is essential to working within the esports industry. At Harrisburg University, students enrolled in the Esports Management, Production, and Performance (ESPT) Bachelor of Science combine business administration, interactive media, and technology integration to turn a passion for gaming into career opportunities. A 2023 alumnus of the ESPT program serves as the Assistant Director of Esports and Partnerships for HU Storm. Lynzie Wagaman reflects on her involvement in designing this year's camp.

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“Covering areas like the esports ecosystem, broadcasting, and competitive gaming strategies provides students with a chance to discover areas they may not have otherwise explored and opens the door to furthering these interests in esports,” said Wagaman. The HU Storm x Soniqs Esports Summer Camps provide a glimpse into the world of esports that I wish I had before I started university.”

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For Navarro, creating clarity around the career opportunities within esports is one of the desired outcomes of these summer camps.

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"I believe that while students and their families are becoming more aware of the growth of esports, they may not be fully aware of the potential career paths that can be found in the esports industry.,” said Navarro. “The goal of our program is to not only show students how playing the games they love can get them into college but also show students and their families how many career paths are available in the esports industry after graduation."

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For more information on the HU Storm x Soniqs Esports Program summer camps, including key dates & times, and to register for the camp, please navigate to Harrisburg University's Enrichment page, located at https://enrichment.harrisburgu.edu/esports-exploration/.

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