HARRISBURG, PA — In 2020, the Esports Management, Production & Performance degree at Harrisburg University of Science & Technology (HU) became the first academic program of its kind in Pennsylvania. It remains one of the only programs of its kind in the United States.
As a leader and trendsetter in the billion-dollar esports industry, Harrisburg University’s students regularly make an impression – whether it’s hosting impactful events at home or turning in top performances at major esports events throughout the country.
For Jordan Willey ‘27, HU’s unique esports experience brought him all the way to Las Vegas, where he competed in Evo 2025 – the oldest and longest-running fighting games tournament in the esports industry.
What Is Evo?
“Evo” – or the Evolution Championship Series – is known throughout the esports world as “The Ultimate Fighting Game Tournament.” First held in 1996 under the name “Battle by the Bay,” the tournament has provided fighting games players and fans with top-tier competition and gameplay in an array of titles like “Street Fighter,” “Tekken,” “Fatal Fury,” “Guilty Gear Strive,” and more. This year’s three-day event was hosted in Las Vegas, Nevada, and featured over 8,000 registered competitors across 15 game titles.
Esports Management student Jordan Willey attended Evo and competed in “Street Fighter 6” this year. HU’s own Lynzie Wagaman (Assistant Director of Esports & Partnerships and a 2023 HU alumna) sat down with Jordan to find out more about the experience.
Was this your first time attending Evo? What did you think of the experience?
“Yes! This was my first time at Evo. The experience there was great, there were so many different booths for upcoming games, controllers, and accessories, and the artist alley was full of great art from lots of people (I, of course, bought some). The people there were also amazing – everyone shared the same passion and love for fighting games. The first thing I did was wait in line to try out an upcoming game, and very quickly I was talking with three other people about how cool the game looked.”
What was the competition for “Street Fighter 6” like? What were your competition results?
“The competition for ‘Street Fighter 6’ and all other games was very well done. There were hundreds of setup areas, each with their own referee. I got to play people from all across the world and felt just how different it is to compete in-person compared to online. I went 2-2 and placed 1,537 out of 4,242 players.”
Do you feel that being involved in esports here at HU helped prepare you for an event at the scale of Evo, whether in competition or in scale?
“HU definitely helped prepare me for Evo through their support of CFGC (Collegiate Fighting Games Conference). I play with lots of skilled people through that and have learned more about how events like Evo are run. It was really cool seeing it all firsthand! Lots of people I met, including some big names, said they loved to see more people being involved with collegiate fighting games.”
What was your favorite part or biggest takeaway from Evo?
“My favorite part of Evo was definitely being able to see just how many people are in the fighting games community and how it will continue to grow even bigger. My biggest takeaway was this: even if you only consider yourself skilled at one or two games, sign up for more. In-person events like Evo are a great way to learn new games and enjoy the ones you are iffy about. Everyone is so respectful – they’ll make your losses feel like lessons and your victories feel deserved.”
Want to learn more about the Esports Management, Production & Performance bachelor’s degree at Harrisburg University? Visit our website; contact the Esports Management Program Lead, Dr. Ashley Harris; or start a conversation with Admissions today!
ABOUT HARRISBURG UNIVERSITY
Harrisburg University was recognized by US News & World Report as one of the nation’s most innovative colleges for 2025. HU is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and is a private, nonprofit university offering bachelor’s and graduate degree programs in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, nursing, and other health science fields. For additional information about HU’s affordable, demand-driven undergraduate and graduate programs, please call 717.901.5146 or email Connect@HarrisburgU.edu. Stay updated by following Harrisburg University on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
MEDIA CONTACT
- Do you have questions about this story? Interested in lining up an interview? Please reach out to Dan Wilhelm, Communications Manager for Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, with media inquiries.
- Want to learn more about esports and esports partnerships at Harrisburg University? Please contact Lynzie Wagaman, Assistant Director of Esports & Partnerships.
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