On April 18 and 19, UCLA Esports & Gaming hosted its annual Gaming & Esports Expo, or GEEX, on the Hill, bringing students together to celebrate gaming culture.
GEEX lasted from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. both days. Throughout the expo, there were a variety of activities for students to explore such as tournaments, industry panels, meet-and-greets and an artist alley.
GEEX was filled with many students who were already involved in gaming and came for specific purposes such as competing in a tournament or meeting a panelist. In addition, students who were new to gaming attended and explored the various activities. Regardless of experience, many left the expo with merchandise or promotional items from the various tables.
Over 15 UCLA clubs participated in the event, hosting tables and events.
Xiang Li, a third-year student studying economics, is an officer for the Japanese Animation Club, or JAC, at UCLA. Li said that JAC hosted a table where students could interact with the club’s officers and learn about Japanese animation.
JAC’s table was located alongside the Artist Alley, where many artists hosted tables to showcase and sell their artwork. The tables were filled with various types of artwork, including pins, stickers and posters. Furthermore, each artist had their own unique style, which created a diverse showcase for students to explore.
The event was not limited to UCLA students, and it drew students from across Southern California. Kenny Lu, a second-year student studying computer science at Pasadena City College, attended the event on Saturday and enjoyed talking to the panelists.
One panelist at GEEX was Sabrina Kennedy, a brand manager for Riot Games. During the Breaking Barriers panel, she talked about how students, particularly those of underrepresented genders in the esports industry, could enter and succeed in the industry.
With so many different communities involved, it was challenging for organizers to coordinate the expo. Michael Dea, a second-year student majoring in psychology, who helped organize the event, said that despite the large number of organizations participating, he wanted to make “everybody shine in their own way.”
“It’s really the only opportunity for all the gaming clubs to come together and really put a space for everybody in every aspect of the gaming area,” Dea said.
