More Than a Game: Brightspeed Helps Power the Next Chapter of NC Wesleyan Esports

Walk into the Bishop Gaming Association room at North Carolina Wesleyan University and you will quickly realize that esports is about much more than playing video games.

You might see students practicing with teammates before an upcoming match. Across the room, someone could be preparing a livestream, creating graphics, editing video or working behind the scenes to make sure everything is ready for competition.

Every computer, broadcast and online match has something important in common: connection.

For today's esports programs, high-powered and reliable connectivity is not a luxury. It is part of the foundation that allows students to compete, communicate, create content and learn.

That connection between technology, education and opportunity is also at the center of NC Wesleyan Esports' renewed partnership with Brightspeed.

A Partnership Creating Opportunities

Brightspeed has renewed its partnership with North Carolina Wesleyan University's Bishop Gaming Association (BGA), continuing its support of the University's growing esports program.

But this next chapter comes with something even more meaningful for students.

As part of the renewed partnership, Brightspeed will provide a $2,500 scholarship to a Bishop Gaming Association player for the Spring 2027 semester.

For NC Wesleyan Esports, the scholarship represents exactly what the program is working to build: opportunities that start with gaming but can reach far beyond it.

"Esports at NCWU is evolving, and this renewal from Brightspeed allows our students to evolve with it," said Chantoni Grant, Director of Esports at NCWU. "We're not just playing games. We are building leaders, creators and future professionals. Brightspeed's continued support gives our students the tools to take that next step."

Where Gaming Meets STEM

That next step looks different for every student.

Some students join the BGA because they want to compete. Others discover that they enjoy what happens behind the competition just as much.

A student interested in streaming might discover broadcasting. Someone who enjoys making graphics could develop an interest in digital media and marketing. Another student might become interested in computers, networking, analytics or information technology.

Those experiences are helping turn esports into a hands-on learning environment where students can explore STEM, technology, media and communications while still participating in something they are passionate about.

It is one of the reasons esports has become an important part of the student experience at NC Wesleyan.

The goal is not simply to develop better players.

It is to develop students.

The Connection Behind the Competition

When an esports team enters an online match, every second matters.

Players must communicate instantly. Games have to respond quickly. Broadcasts need to reach viewers without interruption. Content creators may be uploading, streaming and producing digital media at the same time.

Behind all of it is connectivity.

As esports and other technology-driven industries continue to grow, access to fast and dependable internet infrastructure becomes increasingly important—not only for gaming, but also for education and career development.

That makes Brightspeed's mission especially relevant to what NC Wesleyan is building through esports.

Brightspeed's support of the BGA is part of the company's broader $580,000-plus commitment to STEM and esports initiatives across North Carolina. Its investments have supported esports programs, tournaments, technology labs and other opportunities designed to connect students with technology and digital learning.

"We're proud to support organizations like Bishop Gaming Association as they spark creativity to help students see what's possible," said Sabrina Anderson of Brightspeed. "Our investment reinforces the power of community partnerships and the importance of bringing high-quality educational resources to students across North Carolina."

Investing in the Next Generation

For the Bishop Gaming Association, partnerships like this can be seen in the opportunities available to students.

Brightspeed's continued support helps NC Wesleyan Esports invest in areas such as scholarships, equipment, tournament travel and the overall growth of the program.

Those investments give students opportunities to compete while also gaining experiences they can carry into their future careers.

A student may enter the BGA because they love gaming.

They may leave knowing how to produce a livestream.

They may learn how to create a marketing campaign, manage an event, analyze data, troubleshoot technology or lead a team.

They may even discover a career they had never considered before.

That is the bigger story behind collegiate esports.

Building Something Bigger Than Esports

The renewed Brightspeed partnership also shows what can happen when a university, a business and a community come together around students.

Brightspeed's investment in NC Wesleyan is not simply about putting a name on an esports program. It is about supporting education, expanding access to technology and helping students see new possibilities for their futures.

For NC Wesleyan, that fits directly into the vision for the Bishop Gaming Association.

Winning will always matter.

Competition will always matter.

But the real measure of the program is what students are able to accomplish because they were part of it.

The next match will eventually end. The stream will eventually go offline. The final score will become part of the record books.

But the skills, experiences and opportunities students gain can follow them long after they put down the controller.

And with Brightspeed renewing its partnership and creating a new $2,500 scholarship opportunity, another NC Wesleyan student will have an opportunity to take that next step.

Because at NC Wesleyan Esports, the game is only the beginning.


 

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NCWU Esports Takes the Stage at Game and Geek Expo

For North Carolina Wesleyan University Esports, competing at the 2026 Game and Geek Expo was about more than wins and losses. It was an opportunity for student-athletes to compete on a larger stage, connect gaming with education, and show prospective students how esports can open doors to college and future careers.

Held September 5–6 in Raleigh, the Game and Geek Expo brought together gamers, families, colleges, and industry professionals for a weekend of competition and opportunity. NCWU joined Barton College, Louisburg College, USC Upstate, and Carolina Games Summit in an initiative that made more than $500,000 in esports scholarship opportunities available to competitors.

NCWU Esports made its presence felt throughout the weekend.

Lamont Taylor (SoulkingLJ) placed 17th out of 74 competitors in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Singles and helped earn a fifth-place finish in Doubles. Anthony Conner and Shafiq Nuijts also represented the Battling Bishops in Smash, while Nuijts added an eighth-place finish out of 60 competitors in the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Singles Finals.

Those performances were another step forward for a program that continues to expand what collegiate esports can mean at NCWU.

Powered by Opportunity

Behind opportunities like the Game and Geek Expo is the continued support of Brightspeed.

Brightspeed's investment in NCWU Esports has helped provide resources for transportation, lodging, meals, technology, equipment upgrades, scholarships, and other program needs. That support has allowed NCWU students to travel beyond campus and compete on larger stages, including previous events in Texas and South Carolina.

But the impact goes beyond getting students to tournaments.

Modern esports depends on high-powered, reliable connectivity. Competition, livestreaming, broadcasting, content creation, game development, and digital production all rely on the technology and infrastructure that keep people connected. Through its partnership with Brightspeed, NCWU Esports can help students better understand the connection between the games they love and the technology that makes those experiences possible.

That connection also creates a natural bridge to STEM education and careers.

Students involved with NCWU Esports are exposed to opportunities in broadcasting, production, networking, information technology, digital media, content creation, event management, and other technology-driven fields. The goal is to show students that esports can be an entry point into an entire ecosystem of educational and professional opportunities.

"North Carolina Wesleyan University Esports is focused on showing students that esports can be much bigger than just playing video games," said Chantoni Grant, NCWU Director of Esports. "It can create opportunities for education, leadership, content creation, broadcasting, technology, and future careers. Being part of an event offering more than $500,000 in scholarship opportunities allows us to connect directly with students and families and show them what is possible through collegiate esports."

Investing in Students and Communities

Brightspeed's support of NCWU Esports represents something larger than sponsorship. It is an investment in students and in creating opportunities within the communities the University serves.

Scholarships can help make college more accessible. Technology can give students hands-on experience. Reliable connectivity can support competition, education, and innovation. Travel can expose students to new people, universities, industries, and career possibilities.

Together, those opportunities help transform esports from something students simply enjoy into something they can use to compete, create, learn, lead, and build their future.

For NCWU Esports, that is what made the Game and Geek Expo important.

The trophies and tournament finishes matter, but so do the conversations with families, the scholarship opportunities, the exposure to technology, and the chance for students to see where their passion could take them next.

At North Carolina Wesleyan University, esports is becoming more than a game.

It is becoming a pathway.