MILLTOWN — Two students from the University of Delaware have arrived at Saint Mark’s High School as interns in Saint Mark’s esports department, the school announced Feb. 13. Pete Thomas and Ethan Ciarlo are both majoring in esports at UD.
Chris Ruffini, the esports manager at Saint Mark’s, said he was thrilled that the university reached out to ask if the high school would consider creating internships for Delaware students.
“They studied the various esports programs in the area and determined that Saint Mark’s could offer a valuable opportunity for their students to experience a one-of-a-kind program in a high school setting,” Ruffini said in a statement.
Thomas and Ciarlo will be creating educational units for the game concepts course, designing graphics for Spartans teams and live streams, and assisting in coaching the esports competitive teams after school, according to Saint Mark’s.
Ruffini said the program offers a pathway into what has become a multi-billion dollar industry.
“Students can focus on different areas of study within the esports major, including business management, graphic design, computer science, event planning and much more,” he said.
Thomas is focusing on esports management, while Ciarlo is concentrating on game design and programming.
Saint Mark’s president Tom Fertal is enthusiastic about the partnership, calling it a “win-win.”
“The UD students are afforded the opportunity for hands-on experience at a leading esports facility and program, while our students learn from and are inspired by mentors who are pursuing their dreams in this exciting field,” Fertal said.
