The HU Storm varsity esports program is celebrating two early graduates of Harrisburg University’s class of 2024. Elijah “Elk” Gallagher and Estevao “Divio” Gama who have been integral parts of the program since 2019 and paved the way for the Storm to win national titles with the former Overwatch team. Both are receiving their bachelor’s degree: Eli from the Computer and Information Sciences program and Estevao from the Information Systems and Information Technology program.
Eli came to HU to pursue a degree after his time as a professional Overwatch player with the Philadelphia Fusion, Overwatch League—Blizzard Entertainment’s professional Overwatch esports
league. Of the program, Eli says, he is “grateful that the Storm helped me transition from the professional esports space into a successful venture in academia.”
And he was more than successful; he was the model esports student-athlete. Eli completed his degree with a 4.0 GPA, while balancing a full-time class load, practice schedule, and 30-hour work week. Up next for Eli is continuing his work at Everlight Worlds, an LA-based game studio, where he is a product manager/designer for the studio’s upcoming title, Starfall. Eli has been working part-time on Starfall with Everlight Worlds since the start of 2023 and will be transitioning into a full-time role with them in early 2024.
Estevao was also a part of the 2019 recruits for the Overwatch team and was active in the tier-2 competitive Overwatch space before starting at HU which helped lead the Storm team to their national championship titles.
When asked how he felt about graduating, Estevao expressed that graduating is a major achievement for him as a first-generation college student. “It is a big accomplishment and means a lot to me and my parents being able to achieve something they didn’t have the means to.” He adds, “My next step is to find a job in the field of my major. I am aware it may take a while as job searching is a lengthy process, at times. I think it’s time I take a break from esports and start a new chapter in my life. Very daunting, but exciting.” Estevao won’t be going through the job search alone. As an HU graduate, Estevao has been connected to the Career Services Center on HU’s campus that will aid him in all aspects of the job search including interview prep and resume review.
The Storm is proud of Elijah and Estevao as they graduate from the Storm and Harrisburg University and begin their professional careers. We can proudly say that they will always be members of the team, and the Harrisburg University community.