VOICE Welcomes University of Utah as a National Leader in Collegiate Esports and Games Education

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IRVINE, CA. — The University of Utah is joining Voice of Intercollegiate Esports (VOICE) to help shape the continued growth of collegiate esports through thoughtful policy, institutional governance, and cross-campus collaboration. The partnership brings one of the nation’s most established esports and games education ecosystems into VOICE’s national convenings of university leaders.

“The University of Utah is proud to be a part of VOICE and join the discourse regarding collegiate esports,” said Mitzi Montoya, Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs at the University of Utah. “VOICE is engaging in important work bringing stakeholders, academic leaders, and industry experts together to explore policy and institutional governance approaches that will support the continued growth of collegiate esports.”

Utah has been a pioneering institution in competitive collegiate esports. In 2017, the Division of Games launched the first varsity-level esports program within a school in a Power Five athletic conference, setting an early benchmark for how esports can be integrated into the student experience at leading research universities. Today, Utah fields an initial varsity roster competing across four established game titles, supported by dedicated gaming training facilities, streaming and production studios and the #1 ranked game development program in the world among public schools.

The University’s competitive excellence is matched by its academic leadership through the University of Utah Division of Games, one of the world’s top programs in innovative games education. The Division brings together faculty expertise across the full spectrum of game development, leverages insights from top industry professionals, and emphasizes portfolio-building through studio-simulation project courses, all preparing students for careers in interactive entertainment while advancing research that tackles some of the field’s most complex challenges.

“We’re thrilled to welcome the University of Utah into VOICE,” said Jesse Bodony, Executive Director of VOICE. “Utah has helped define what excellence looks like in collegiate esports competitively and academically. Their leadership strengthens our shared work to build durable governance models and a unified national voice for higher education esports.”

About VOICE

VOICE is a nonprofit organization dedicated to shaping the future of higher education through the development of an inclusive and sustainable collegiate esports ecosystem. VOICE provides resources, networking and advocacy to support institutions nationwide. For more information, visit www.voicecollegiate.org.

About University of Utah Esports

The University of Utah is a national leader in collegiate esports and games education. Since establishing a landmark varsity esports program in 2017 through the university’s Division of Games, Utah has advanced a holistic student-athlete model supported by dedicated facilities, production and events. Through the University of Utah Division of Games, students engage in world-class games education, research, and studio-simulation experiences designed to build professional portfolios and prepare graduates for careers in interactive entertainment.