Nikita Bair

Nikita Bair (he/him/his) joined the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics and the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications in November 2023 as the program manager of esports.

Prior to joining Syracuse University, Bair was a full-time faculty and coordinator of esports at Shenandoah University (Va.) from 2021-2023, leading the program’s global and experiential learning initiatives and teaching a variety of classes in esports and information systems. Before moving on to Shenandoah University, he founded the varsity esports program at Northeastern University in 2020.

Bair’s experience is on the academic side of the esports industry, having developed esports curriculum for high school and higher education. With a focus on preparing learners for post-graduation, Bair has provided ample experiential learning and professional development opportunities for students including running professional-level events with major game publishers such as Activision-Blizzard and Behaviour as well as traveling abroad to Amsterdam and London to meet with professional esports organizations.

Bair also is an active member in the collegiate esports industry, serving on the advisory board for the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) and the Collegiate Fighting Game Community (CFGC). He has also served on the seeding committee for Collegiate League of Legends (CLOL) and National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE).

In addition, during his tenure, the Shenandoah Esports program won the 2023 CSMG award for Esports Program Impact of the Year and the 2023 NACE National Event of the Year for their “Boost on the Beach” event in Myrtle Beach, SC. Bair was also a finalist for the 2023 NACE Coach of the Year and Scholars Collegiate Gaming Award Student Leader of the Year.

Bair earned an M.B.A. in 2023 from Shenandoah University, and a B.S. in Economics and Finance in 2021 from Northeastern University.