Shenandoah University Wins Trio Of Scholastic Esports Awards

Shenandoah University won three major honors at the 2025 Scholastic Esports Awards, which recognize the efforts and commitment of individuals, schools and organizations to advance scholastic esports. The event took place on Jan. 11-12, in Columbus, Ohio.

Shenandoah Esports won Program of the Year, Program Director Alyssa Duran was voted the Director of the Year (four-year college/university) and Esports Lecturer Zander Merle-Smith, MBA, won Educator of the Year. In all three categories, Shenandoah was lauded for providing a wealth of experiential learning opportunities for its students.

I am honored that our program and staff were recognized for their hard work amongst so many talented esports programs and professionals. This past year, our program underwent many changes, and this award shows that our students, staff, and faculty truly rose to the challenge. This award recognizes the standard of excellence that we set for ourselves, but also the uplifting and joyful community that is fostered amongst one another.”

Alyssa Duran, Shenandoah University’s director of esports

The complete list of all Scholastic Esports Awards finalists states that Shenandoah, which is home to one of the first academic esports programs in the country, combines “academic rigor with community engagement” and concludes that the program’s “holistic approach to esports education and program development” makes it a “trailblazer” in scholastic esports.

Duran, who was named the National Association of Collegiate Esports’ (NACE) 2024 Emerging Director of the Year, transitioned from SU’s competition coordinator to interim director in January 2024 before taking over the full-time role last April. The Scholastic Esports Awards praised Duran for her leadership and for serving as a “role model for the next generation of directors” while “championing student success and professional growth.”

“It’s no mistake that she was recognized for both Emerging Director of the Year and Director of the Year from different esports governing bodies this past year,” Merle-Smith said. “The expectations we had for her in this leadership role have been tremendously exceeded through her passion, meticulous attention to detail, and dedication to Shenandoah Esports’ growth. She leads by example and sets the tone for what it means to go beyond gaming, and I’m proud to call her my director and friend.”

Merle-Smith was recognized by the Scholastic Esports Awards for using project-based learning methods to provide students with hands-on experience in areas such as esports event planning, broadcast production and professional networking, and for being a “trusted mentor” who supports students while combining education with real-world opportunities.

“Personally, this award doesn’t necessarily recognize my achievements in the space, but the strong foundation of our academic and experiential preparation for our learners at Shenandoah Esports,” Merle-Smith said. “While I am incredibly honored to receive this distinction, it would not have been possible without the steadfast conviction of our students to push themselves through every challenge we present. This conviction is further recognized by the Scholastic Esports Awards through the Program of the Year award, and I could not be more proud of everyone in our community. To have our program achieve a pinnacle distinction despite recent restructuring shines a light on the perseverance of our students and staff.”

In addition to its three winners, Shenandoah was a Scholastic Esports Awards finalist for Production Team of the Year, and Esports Lecturer Chase Neukam, M.S., was a finalist for Educator of the Year and the Game Changer Award.

(Photos courtesy of Cora Kennedy)