GameCon 2.5, a gaming tournament event with a philanthropic twist, is an annual massive video game event sponsored at Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus.
Thursday, April 24, 2014
4:30–10 p.m.
Student Union, Cooley Ballrooms, Polytechnic campus
In order to make an impact in the local Arizona community, GameCon is a large-scale food drive requiring all attendees to donate at minimum five non-perishable food items to gain entry. All the collected food goes toward supporting Sparky’s Pantry as well as local food banks, homeless shelters and soup kitchens. Gaming, software and technology sponsors bring gaming consoles and numerous games to campus for large student tournaments and competitions. Connecting students to expert faculty in the fields of software and game design, GameCon also endeavors to connect students to their academic pursuits, encourage them to become innovators in the field and make connections with the greater ASU community of scholars.
Last year’s GameCon 2.0 was the first of many events by ASU Changemaker Central at the Polytechnic Campus utilized to kick start and support Sparky’s Pantry. The event brought together over 200 students donating over 600 food items. In partnership with sponsors such as Microsoft Store and Best Buy, the event hosted gaming tournaments for flagship titles like Forza Motorsport, FIFA 2014 and Call of Duty: Ghosts, a game which had released 48 hours prior, marking GameCon as one of the first official tournament opportunities for the game in Arizona. Attendees were fortunate enough to walk away with numerous giveaways and prizes ranging from gift cards to gaming accessories.
This year’s event is presented in partnership between the ASU Changemaker Central team, the Undergraduate Student Government (USG), the Programming & Activities Board (PAB), and the College of Technology & Innovation (CTI). The team behind GameCon hopes to repeat last year’s success, making this event a lasting tradition to sustain Sparky’s Pantry and other similar humanitarian efforts across ASU. Additionally, GameCon fosters community connection and involvement in a fun, supportive way, bringing together community members for a fun evening of gaming and change-making. GameCon’s mission is encapsulated by its tagline, “Be a Game Changer!”, the notion that students can create massive, positive impact in their communities from their combined efforts.
More information on GameCon 2.5 can be found at www.facebook.com/asugamecon.
About Sparky’s Pantry
Sparky’s Pantry, a student-led initiative, was formed with the mission to provide basic essentials to all Arizona State University community members in need, so that they may focus on their education, responsibilities and success. All community members accessing the pantry must take an action towards a problem or solution to create meaningful change. While the pantry is helping those in need, we want those in need to help themselves. The mission will make a truly sustainable and lasing difference in the community.
Interested in getting involved or volunteering at the event? Contact Megan Workmon, Student Engagement Specialist, at megan.workmon@asu.edu.
