Eden Jobgen has a passion for gaming that she loves sharing with others as the outreach coordinator for Redbird Esports.
“When facing challenges in my classes, having a place to unwind is essential,” Jobgen said. “For me, my primary outlet is esports, which also happens to be my job. I work in a creative environment where I have the freedom to manage myself, allowing me to express my passion.”
Jobgen, a junior English major at Illinois State University with a minor in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), first connected with the Redbird gaming community as a freshman.
“I joined the Minecraft Club after a chance encounter in the Hewett-Manchester dining hall,” Jobgen said. “Within a week, I became the club’s secretary, and later, the vice president due to my understanding of social media dynamics.”
Through her involvement with the Redbird Minecraft Club, Jobgen met Redbird Esports Program Manager Jack Blahnik, who later hired Jobgen to serve as the esports outreach coordinator.
“The Esports center is where I met a ton of people and a ton of friends. Just by doing this job, I’ve become really close with everybody on the club executive boards. There are some really good people within the community here.”
Eden Jobgen
“When I first met Eden, I knew immediately that she was smart, passionate, and excited about esports and gaming,” Blahnik said. “In everything that Eden does, she puts forth 100% effort. Eden is also incredibly creative in that she comes up with new and exciting programming to engage our students.”
Within her position, Jobgen aims to promote Redbird Esports and encourages students from diverse backgrounds to participate. She organizes monthly events featuring various video games to engage a wide player base. Jobgen has also collaborated with outreach programs and has invited schools from throughout the Midwest to play Rocket League at the Redbird Esports facility.
“The Esports center is where I met a ton of people and a ton of friends,” Jobgen said. “Just by doing this job, I’ve become really close with everybody on the club executive boards. There are some really good people within the community here.”
Redbird Esports promotes a fun atmosphere for students, whether they are interested in competitive gaming or recreational play. The program also offers career opportunities—from marketing to broadcasting.
Jobgen emphasized Redbird Esports’ commitment to inclusivity in gaming, despite it being a male-dominated sport at the professional level. A 2019 report showed that only 5% of professional esports players were women, while 22% of esports fans were women.
“There’s still some stigma around achieving gender equality in the community,” Jobgen said. “You’ll sometimes hear things like, ‘You can’t play this game because you’re a girl,’ and ‘Competitive games are rough,’” Jobgen said. “I was scared coming into this job because I thought there’d be a chance that I was going to get talked down to for my gender. However, I’ve experienced nothing like that with Redbird Esports. Everyone was kind and welcoming. I know I’m valued here, just like all our other players.”
Jobgen was honored to be recognized for her contributions to the program by earning the Sarah Ninan and Annamma John Mathew Scholarship. Created by Associate Vice President for Technology Solutions Charles “Charley” Edamala and his wife, Preethy, the scholarship supports underserved students who participate in Redbird Esports.
The fund pays tribute to Edamala’s mother, Annamma, and Preethy’s mother, Sarah. Both were trailblazers for whom education was transformational.
“The Edamalas have helped fund my education, and being in the position I’m in, it is enabling me to stay here,” Jobgen said. “Their assistance with tuition is pushing me to finish here.”
Jobgen said she loves her role with Redbird Esports, and she hopes to remain employed in the esports industry after graduation, in addition to teaching English.
“Work serves as my escape; it’s where I find my peace,” Jobgen said. “When my shift ends, I get to play games. It’s pretty awesome.”
Sixty Six Games recap
The Redbird Esports team recently competed in the Sixty Six Games Tournament, Central Illinois’ largest sanctioned League of Legends tournament, hosted in Bloomington’s Grossinger Motors Arena October 21-22. Redbird Esports took home the gold medallion by beating Bethany 2-1 to win the consolation bracket. Illinois State also beat the University of Illinois and Illinois Wesleyan University during the two-day tournament.
