Champs! The esports program at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, just 4 years old, was named the best collegiate esports program of 2022 at the Esports Awards in Las Vegas — a triumph for founder Sky Kauweloa, head of the UH-Manoa Esports Task Force, who compares the honor to an Oscar.

Unfamiliar? Don’t count esports out: It’s a growing, $1.3 billion global industry, serving up competitive, multiplayer video games at the collegiate and professional levels, and more than 400 esports programs nationwide. UH students participating in the program gain more than bragging rights; they earn access to related tech jobs and professional opportunities in the field.