HARRISBURG, PA — In a first for Harrisburg University of Science & Technology (HU), students from HU’s Esports Management degree program and The HU Storm hosted a fighting games tournament for HU students and the local community. Dubbed “Cloudburst,” this event is the first in what students plan to turn into an ongoing community series.
Central Pennsylvania has a passionate fighting games community, or FGC, with events being hosted in Harrisburg, Millersville, New Cumberland, and beyond. While some of these events are close to campus, HU students Todd Sanders (HU ESPT ‘25), Jordan Willey (HU ESPT ‘27), and Josiah Kannel (HU ESPT ‘29) saw an opportunity to bring FGC tournaments right to HU’s campus.
Kannel shared: “I’ve been a part of FGC and Smash locals for years and always loved the events, and the community surrounding it. When I started at HU, I, along with many others, saw the potential for an event that could bring together the local FGC and Super Smash Bros. communities, and we wanted to utilize that event as a volunteer opportunity for the school, and an exciting event for the local players and community members.”
On Saturday, November 22nd, Sanders, Willey, Kannel, and a handful of volunteers hosted the first iteration of what they plan to turn into a consistent tournament series, dubbed “Cloudburst.” The event, hosted in the HU Student Union, saw more than 30 competitors and held tournaments in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Street Fighter 6, and Riot Games’ newest title, 2XKO.
“Cloudburst was something that I never really saw happening,” admitted Todd Sanders, an HU senior. “While I had talked with other students about ideas and created proposals for smaller prototypes, it’s incredible to be able to see something like this form. Personally, I always wanted more chances to volunteer at events or have more opportunities closer to my interest, so Cloudburst unlocked a reflection of my own ideals. I look forward to seeing how Cloudburst continues to develop, as I feel it will be an amazing path to get more [people] involved with the esports programs on campus.”
As Esports Management, Production & Performance students, the trio has practical experience running events through their coursework and extracurricular activities; as a result, they were able to translate their skills into leading Cloudburst to success.
Professor Tom Screech, Instructor of Esports Management, noted: “The event was a centerpiece for experiential learning this semester. With freshmen through seniors getting involved, the students who organized and ran Cloudburst represented the best of multiple academic levels here at HU.”
With the first iteration of the event complete, Sanders, Willey, and Kannel are looking ahead to the next event. Jordan Willey reflected: “After running the first Cloudburst with as much success as we did, I only see the series continuing to grow in the future. Having around 30 attendees for the first event was amazing and everyone enjoyed it, even giving feedback on what they would like to see at the next iteration. I hope we can make Cloudburst the best it can be!”
The students are currently planning an early 2026 return for the event. Be sure to follow The HU Storm on social media to stay up to date on Cloudburst and other exciting esports events:
- Visit their official Harrisburg University webpage.
- Follow the team on Twitter/X.com and Instagram.
- Get team and event updates on Facebook.
- See videos from past competitions on YouTube.
- Watch live gameplay on The Storm’s official Twitch channel.
