Mark Deppe

UCI Esports Director UC Irvine

  • Irvine CA

Mark Deppe's expertise is at the intersection of video games, esports, education, and industry

Contact

UC Irvine

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Social

Biography

Mark led the effort to create the award-winning esports program at UCI. Working closely with student leaders, administrators, faculty, and industry partners, Mark built a business plan that is both cost-neutral to the university and that broadly approaches the world of esports through the five pillars of Competition, Research, Community, Entertainment, and Careers. Mark was selected to serve as the inaugural commissioner for the North American Scholastic Esports Federation, helping connect learning to student interests.

In June 2018, UCI’s League of Legends team won the College League of Legends Championship. In October 2018, UCI’s esports program was awarded “Most Outstanding Collegiate Program” by the esports industry at the Tempest Awards. While at UCI, Mark has coordinated many campus traditions, including helping break Guinness Book World records. Mark has a B.S. in psychobiology from UCLA and an MBA from Cal State Fullerton's Mihaylo College of Business and Economics.

Areas of Expertise

Public Relations
Psychobiology
eSports
Video Games
Operations Management

Education

California State University-Fullerton, Mihaylo College of Business and Economics

MBA

2015

Activities and Societies: Phi Beta Delta Honor Society

University of California, Los Angeles

BA

Psychobiology

2005

Activities and Societies: Bruin Woods, Dance Marathon, Student Alumni Association, Club Soccer, Club Rugby

Media Appearances

With League of Legends world finals approaching, more colleges are welcoming esports

The Athletic  online

2023-11-17

Mark Deppe, [UCI esports director], who helped create a powerhouse esports program at UC Irvine, said his school recognized the power of counterprogramming when he launched the program there in 2016. … Deppe … presented a business plan to campus administrators that sold the world of esports through the five pillars of competition, research, community, entertainment and careers. … “Our leadership thought it would set us apart from the other UC schools ….’’ Deppe said. … By 2018, UCI’s League of Legends team won the college championship, and UCI was awarded “Most Outstanding Collegiate Program” by the esports industry.

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The best TVs for gaming in 2023, according to experts

NBC News  online

2023-03-03

Mark Deppe, director of esports at University of California, Irvine, agreed that big flatscreens have not been up to par. “The students here play Smash Bros., and it's a game that’s famous for the reaction time of its competitors. The game works at a certain speed, and the TV has to be at that exact speed. Otherwise, it's impossible to play at a high level,” he said. TV technology is catching up though, he added. UC Irvine, for example, is currently purchasing some of the newest Vizio models for its UCI Esports Arena. “Vizio’s newer TVs meet that need. They have the right refresh rate and zero latency, so the Nintendo Switch and the TV are in perfect sync,” said Deppe.

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Eighties Arcade Icon Claims Top Video Game Spot in Survey

The Street  online

2022-09-08

"People who are Googling video games are likely older folks who played those games when they were growing up," said Mark Deppe, director of UCI Esports at the University of California, Irvine. "Most of my college students are getting information through Discord communities, on Twitter, Tik Tok, Instagram, and Reddit."

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Articles

Diversity and Inclusion in Esports Programs in Higher Education: Leading by Example at UCI

International Journal of Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations (IJGCMS)

Khaila Amazan-Hall (University of California, Irvine, USA), Jen Jen Chen (University of California, Irvine, USA), Kathy Chiang (University of California, Irvine, USA), Amanda L. L. Cullen (University of California, Irvine, USA), Mark Deppe (University of California, Irvine, USA), Edgar Dormitorio (University of California, Irvine, USA), Doug Haynes (University of California, Irvine, USA), Jessica Kernan (University of California, Irvine, USA), Kirsten Quanbeck (University of California, Irvine, USA), Morgan Romine (AnyKey, Irvine, USA), Bonnie Ruberg (University of California, Irvine, USA), Jenny Song (University of California, Irvine, USA), Judith Stepan-Norris (University of California, Irvine, USA), Constance Steinkuehler (University of California, Irvine, USA) and Aaron Trammell (University of California, Irvine, USA)

2018

The last 2 years have witnessed a tremendous rise in esports in the US and, with it, a growing concern about the lack of diversity and its underlying probable cause: toxicity toward women and minorities. The popularity of this new pastime among undergraduates has skyrocketed and club leagues are quickly transitioning into collegiate sports, leaving universities to rapidly catch up with student demand in order to attract and keep a technologically-adept incoming student body. The University of California, Irvine has become a leader in collegiate esports programs, boasting a centrally located, dedicated esports arena, an active gaming student body (72%), and undergraduate scholarships. The goal is to be a leader not merely on the digital field, however. The goal is to also live up to the long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion across all aspects of campus life. In this article, the authors detail the strategy for accomplishing this. As university esports programs emerge nationwide, so too must campus policies and practices that ensure a welcoming and safe environment for all students.

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