The OU Esports Advisory Board: A Beacon of Professional Development

The OU Esports Advisory Board is a key player in the growth of OU Esports Co-Curricular and Development.

It is a group of OU alumni that seeks opportunities to grow OU Esports through community outreach, networking, and support for members within the organization.

“The Advisory Board was created to provide opportunities for Esports members with professional development, mentorship, and retention for the alumni,” said Elise Siler, an Advisory Board member.

Siler was the Media Lead in 2022 and wanted to give back to the community, so they applied to the board and became a member of the committee. They wished to support and aid new students and members who come through OU Esports.

Lorenzo Rocchi, another member of the alumni Advisory Board, joined to make up for lost time he wasn’t able to spend in the community during his undergraduate studies.

“One of my charges is that I go out and try to contact people in my network,” Rocchi said. “I try to figure out how we can secure things like sponsorships, or in some cases, have sponsored events and give out prizes.”

Justin Lombardo is another member of the Advisory Committee who has been affiliated with OU Esports since 2016. He helped create the Valorant team and even worked as a coach for several years. Now, he helps push the professional development initiative.

“It’s nice to have some alumni that have some experience in the workforce and then come in and help with professional development,” Lombardo said. “The goal of college and where everyone is at is usually to get a job.”

The members of the Advisory Board have been pushing a new professional development initiative as of the Fall 2024 semester to help students understand how to create a good resume and get a job.

“Each semester, we try to do a professional development boot camp for those that want to join in,” Lombardo said. “[We’re] helping people that have like minded hobbies on their road to getting into the workforce after they graduate.”

The professional development initiative and boot camps have been a focus of the Advisory Board, so OU students can have better opportunities to find careers. Networking, resume building, and time management are just a few of the many skills that have been focused on.

The Advisory Board is also setting up connections for future OU Esports alumni to give back to their community.

“I feel that as the department grows, our students will continue to shine,” Siler said. “I hope that [the Advisory Board] continues to make an impact on the students, and that they stay around when they become alumni and become support for future generations of gamers.”

The board has plans and goals for the future, too. None of the members are satisfied with leaving the system the same. They are constantly thinking of new ideas and initiatives that could be pushed in the future.

“I’d like to continue to support the fighting games team,” Rocchi said. “Something that’s been my pet project is finding ways to be able to better support them, whether it’s looking for opportunities for funding or even just showing up to events.”

While board members like Rocchi want to focus efforts on supporting other pillars of OU Esports, others, such as Siler, wish to strengthen individual relationships.

“I would like to continue to strengthen mentorship within [OU Esports], leading to more one-on-one interactions with members,” Siler said. “That would be a  really good opportunity for students to have an insight into life after college and be there for them.”

The members of the Advisory Board work hard to bring OU Esports & Co-Curricular Innovation opportunities for professional development, networking, and sponsorships. Without people like Siler, Lombardo, and Rocchi, the organization wouldn’t be as large or successful as it is today.

The Advisory Board plans on hosting more professional development bootcamps, with the next one planned for April. If you attend one, keep in mind the hardworking people who have made this initiative possible.