Whether you’re familiar with competitive video gaming or not, it’s hard to ignore the growing esports community at universities around the UK.
National Student Esports (NSE) operate the yearly British University Esports Championships where university teams, including Durham, compete to be crowned in a number of different categories.
Each month, the NSE community nominates a student to be that month’s Intel Most Valuable Player (MVP). However, an exception was made this October, when Kylie Kendrick, a Technical Specialist here at Durham, was chosen as the first non-student to be MVP.
The NSE chose Kylie for the amazing work that she has been doing with Durham University Esports and Gaming (DUEG) and Durham Unity.
Dialogue caught up with Kylie to find out more about her work with our students and her involvement with esports…
How did you become involved with the collegiate esports scene?
When I was completing my degree, esports was still very new and didn’t exist at all in the UK collegiate scene. When I found out that the NSE existed, and our students already participated (and performed well!), I wanted to get involved to see if we could support them.
I believed they should have the same level of support as any other sports team, and my links with CIS and the AV team seemed to fit in quite well with their requirements for development as a major part of the Wider Student Experience.
I’m pleased they accepted my offer of help. We’ve come a long way since I started working with DUEG and with the imminent creation of an esports space, we can do so much more!
How did you feel when NSE named you the MVP for October?
I was confused at first, as only students have ever been named MVP – then when I found out why I was chosen, I was over the moon!
They wanted to highlight my work with Durham University Esports and Gaming (DUEG) and Durham Unity (which is an LGBTQ+ inclusive esports community for students/staff at Durham that I created).
It’s wonderful to have my efforts recognised by a recognisable body in esports and especially as an ‘older’ person within the esports community, knowing that I’m in tune with what the students are asking for is amazing.
What do you enjoy most about working with students?
I really enjoy working with the students and find myself singing their praises on a regular basis. They are constantly pushing to experience esports as a whole, rather than just the playing of games.
This opportunity has been supported by DUEG, who have offered hands-on experience with streaming equipment (provided by CIS) and attendance at industry events, allowing students to learn how to network efficiently and effectively.
It warms my heart to see them succeed and it really is a pleasure being able to work with such wonderful, well-rounded young adults!
Are you a player yourself outside of Durham?
I am! I currently play VALORANT for Skelp (women’s squad) which is a Scottish organisation that has a focus on community, professional and amateur play.
I also play regularly with friends and colleagues from the industry across a wide range of games. I used to play at a similar level when I was at university so it’s nice to see my reactions and skills haven’t dulled too much!
Find out more:
- Learn about the NSE and the work they do on their website where you will also find an extended video interview with Kylie.
- Read more about DUEG on our website.