Michele Togashi is an Assistant Professor at Atlantic Cape Community College, where she teaches and oversees esports courses within the college’s Business Administration Esports Option. Her focus is on connecting classroom concepts to the rapidly evolving business of competitive gaming — and preparing students for what comes after graduation.
Tell us about yourself and how you came to be involved in esports
My involvement grew from an interest in emerging industries and the ways technology is transforming business. As esports expanded into a global industry spanning competition, event management, marketing, and media, I recognized the need for programs that prepare students for the professional opportunities beyond gameplay. That led me to develop and teach courses focused on the business side of esports — where most of the careers actually are.
What does Atlantic Cape’s esports program offer students?
We offer an Esports Option within our Business Administration degree. Coursework spans accounting, marketing, management, economics, and business law, paired with specialized courses like Introduction to Esports, Principles of Esports & Event Planning, and Fundamentals of Game Design. Students also participate in our competitive esports program through the ECAC and Garden State Esports, and our Innovation Center supports hands-on career exploration in gaming-related fields.
How do you measure success?
Success goes well beyond wins and losses. We focus on communication, business acumen, critical thinking, and ethical decision-making — the professional mindset students need across a wide range of careers. A successful outcome is seeing graduates confidently pursue employment, further education, or entrepreneurial ventures using what they built here.
What inspired the program’s direction?
We wanted to reflect the reality of the industry — emphasizing business, management, and event planning rather than competition alone. The curriculum was shaped through industry research, professional conversations, and collaboration across higher education. The result prepares students not just for esports careers, but for business, marketing, and event management more broadly.
After two years as an ESTA member, what’s been the value?
ESTA has kept us connected to industry developments and educational best practices. Engaging with fellow educators and industry professionals has directly informed our curriculum and opened doors for collaboration with institutions facing similar opportunities and challenges. For our students, the greatest benefit is that those connections keep our program aligned with what employers are actually looking for — and help ensure that what we’re teaching today is still relevant tomorrow.
