Overview
Hawk Gaming is Evergreen Valley College’s official gaming and esports initiative, bringing together students through community events, career-focused projects, and competitive play. Built on a foundation of collaboration and leadership, students gain real-world experience by organizing tournaments, connecting with industry professionals, and participating in project-based learning via Discord and creative platforms like Google Drive and Canva. Whether you're into casual games or aspiring to enter the gaming industry, Hawk Gaming offers a place to grow, lead, and play.
Turning students passion for gaming into something more meaningful.
Supporters
The Red Bull Gaming Hub hosts our teams, students, and San Jose college events that connect students with gaming professionals.
As an official affiliate in partnership with Corsair for Business, we bring Corsair Academy’s industry-level training to our student leaders.
Certificate
Evergreen Valley College is actively developing a Certificate of Proficiency in Esports that will align with industry needs and student interests. The program is being shaped through collaboration with an advisory board made up of educators, students, and gaming industry professionals. Together, we are exploring curriculum pathways that integrate project-based learning, career exploration, and workforce-ready skills across. This effort is part of our broader commitment to connecting students to meaningful opportunities in gaming, media, and technology
Advisory Board
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Evan Bennett Evan Bennett is a seasoned brand marketeer specializing in Gaming & Esports and Brand Partnerships. He has worked on high-profile campaigns for leading companies, including Red Bull and Rubicon Dog, where he led product launches and marketing campaigns. His experience spans product and event management at Game Kastle, rebranding Elders Action Network, and driving digital marketing at Copado. Evan holds an MBA from Santa Clara University and has successfully launched a start-up. |
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Claire Labeaux Claire LaBeaux serves as the Chief Advancement Officer for the Network of Academic and Scholastic Esports Federations (NASEF), where she has played a pivotal role in growing the organization from a regional pilot into a global leader in scholastic esports. Claire leads initiatives that amplify the value of esports in education, guiding programs like Beyond the Game Challenges and Minecraft-based learning, while building bridges between educators, students, and the industry. She also drives NASEF’s global partnerships across the esports, education, and nonprofit sectors. Beyond esports, Claire brings more than two decades of experience in strategic communications, having supported organizations including UC Irvine, the U.S. Army’s educational outreach, and Science Buddies through her public relations consultancy. |
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Deborah Lemon Deborah Lemon and Ohlone gamers founded Ohlone College Renegade Esports in 2014, and she established its Department of Esports in 2020 with the first course ESPTS 101. She advised the Esports Club, created esports curricula, and coordinated an annual esports cooperative with a Japanese college. Deborah taught esports both at Ohlone College and Northern Illinois University, and consults on esports program development. She completed UC Irvine’s Esports Management program in 2019. With a background in the Defense Industry and in online learning, Deborah spoke at the NSF Radical Innovation Summit in D.C. and NSF Language Flagship Technical Innovation Center Symposia. She is active in think tanks, speaking on futurism and women in gaming & tech. |
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Josh Priddy Over the past decade, Josh has worked to integrate his passion for competitive gaming with business best practices. His expertise spans tournament operations, content, marketing, client relations, and both project and product management. Currently, he spearheads PlayStation's global esports operations, overseeing products such as PlayStation Tournaments, Repeat, the MLB The Show Championship Series, and the Evolution Championship Series. While he may play every competitive title out there, he'll be lucky to make it out of Gold… |
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Cory Vincent Cory Vincent is the Vice President of Marketing at NRG Esports, a leading esports organization with exceptionally competitive teams in Valorant, Counter Strike 2, Rocket League, and League of Legends. With over seven years at NRG, he has driven fan engagement and brand growth through various positions focusing on social media, events, team management, and content. Cory has also worked extensively with the Overwatch team, contributing to its success. In addition to marketing, he is involved in sales and partnerships, enhancing NRG's commercial opportunities. Cory is excited to help accelerate student gaming careers by sharing his extensive knowledge of the space with schools. |