By Angel Bhandari
The JuSTEMagine board member spotlight is on Thomas Nguyen! He is a senior at Millard North High School and is the co-director of Esports for JuSTEMagine. He loves to play video games in his free time, contributing to his strive to make the best possible atmosphere for esports!
Why did you want to be the Co-Director of Esports?
“I wanted to be the Co-Director of Esports because of a variety of reasons. I wanted to be able to spread Esports to as many people as possible and give them a chance to compete in something they already enjoy while also helping out an amazing organization, JuSTEMagine!”
What are your responsibilities as the Co-Director of Esports?
“I'm mainly responsible for the Esports club at Millard North High School as well as being a part of the planning committee for the UNO Lan Party. Operating at a local level such as a high school allows for me to not only be heavily involved in the process of spreading Esports to students but also makes it more manageable and actually achievable.”
Do you think Esports is gaining popularity in STEM, why or why not?
“Absolutely. I've noticed over time the rising popularity of Esports and the increase of student interest. The greater accessibility to the hardware that can run games and the overall increase in funding for Esports have created an explosion of interaction. My goal is to facilitate this growth by creating as many opportunities for students such as me to experience what Esports is all about.”
What is your favorite project you have done involving Esports and why?
“My favorite project has definitely been the Esports Club at Millard North High School. I've seen people who would have likely never even talked to each other become great friends through video games and the club and this is evidence of my work in Esports.”
What differences if any, have you noticed between Esports and video games?
“Esports and video games are almost the same. The only major difference is the competitive aspect that Esports offers that just playing video games does not. Esports requires a level of teamwork, practice, and game sense that completely surpasses casual gaming, but at the end of the day, it’s just people playing games and having fun. Despite the fact that we are competing for prizes and titles, the whole point of Esports and video games is to have fun doing something we love.”
What do you hope JuSTEMagine can accomplish in the future?
“I hope JuSTEMagine can continue to create opportunities for students to enjoy not only other STEM-related activities but also Esports-related things as well! I never had this opportunity growing up and want it to be the best it can be for gamers.”
Congratulations Thomas for being our Board Member spotlight, and we appreciate all your work!
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