Zach Beesley, president of UTSA’s Roadrunner Gaming, mentors SAISD students at the ESIX Arena.
SEPTEMBER 13, 2023 — University Technology Solutions’ (UTS) Bold Careers Program and Roadrunner Gaming at UTSA have teamed up with San Antonio theme park Six Flags Fiesta Texas for a one-of-a-kind internship project that brings esports and experiential learning under one arena.
In May, Six Flags Fiesta Texas opened a new esports experience arena called ESIX that combines high-tech gaming and hands-on learning opportunities for UTSA students. With UTSA just across the street, the theme park tapped members of Roadrunner Gaming, a UTSA student organization, to help support the setup of the esports operation as consultants and help with the design. Roadrunner Gaming is dedicated to community development in esports, competitive gaming and console gaming.
Since ESIX’s grand opening, Roadrunner Gaming has received sponsorship opportunities to continue serving the UTSA esports community. Companies such as Dell Technologies Alienware and Rackspace have reached out to support Roadrunner Gaming’s ideas and keep the esports projects ongoing. These projects include an esports lounge on the UTSA campus, esports courses and continuing Roadrunner Gaming events at the Six Flags ESIX Gaming Arena as well as on the UTSA campus.
SAISD summer camp students enter the ESIX arena at Six Flags Fiesta Texas to hone their esports skills with Roadrunner Gaming.
“University Technology Solutions is committed to helping students cultivate the skills they need to succeed in a technology-driven workforce. The partnership between Roadrunner Gaming and the Six Flags Fiesta Texas executive team has been an outstanding opportunity for the UTS Bold Careers program and has helped open the door to projects for our students with the UT System and Rackspace,” said Vanessa Hammler Kenon, UTS’ associate vice president of technology compliance and community engagement.
“Roadrunner Gaming has held fundraisers outside of campus to earn support for the organization with the help of local cafes such as Boss Tea, which allows the students to host tournaments,” added Zach Beesley, a UTSA cybersecurity major and president of Roadrunner Gaming.
UTS Bold Careers students are also using the ESIX arena to reach out to the next generation of college students. This summer, the division hosted an esports program event for 150 middle school esports summer camp students from the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD). In addition to providing an exciting and educational experience for the students, the camp highlighted eSports' growing relevance and potential in education and career opportunities.
The SAISD students enjoyed a unique opportunity to explore the world of competitive gaming and entrepreneurship and gain insights into the rapidly growing esports industry. They visited Six Flags Fiesta Texas’ ESIX facility, met with gaming professionals and members of Roadrunner gaming, and enjoyed immersive gaming experiences.
UTS, Roadrunner Gaming and ESIX will continue to look for ways to grow the breadth and diversity of its experiential learning opportunities to inspire and nurture the next generation of talented gamers, foster a passion for esports and encourage students to pursue careers in this dynamic field.
“As a student working with ESIX, I find the experience amazing. It allows me to provide my unique perspective on the program and share my insights as a Roadrunner gamer,” said Jacques Ballou, a UTSA cybersecurity major and vice president of Roadrunner Gaming. “Our goal is to bring the world of esports to the UTSA campus and help students connect with the resources available. This presents a wonderful opportunity to expand my network and connect with fellow technicians.”
By 2028, UTSA aims to have 75% of its students participate in one or more experiential learning opportunities. Initiatives such as the UTS Bold Careers Program are helping the university to reach that goal.
UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.
Each fall and spring semester, students convene at the Main Campus at UTSA with booths, ideas and prototypes. A crowd of judges, local organizations, students, faculty and sponsors walk around and talk to the students about their projects and ask questions. Students get the real-life experience of "pitching" their project with hopes of getting funding or support to move to the next level.
UTSA Convocation Center, Main CampusJoin the doctoral candidates for the Doctoral Conferreal Ceremony and celebrate their accomplishments.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusCelebrate the graduates from the Carlos Alvarez College of Business, College of Education and Human Development, Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design and University College.
AlamodomeCelebrate the graduates from the College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and College of Sciences.
AlamodomeThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.