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It’s 7 p.m. on a Thursday evening. Gathered in Hartman Union Building is a motley crew racing Yoshi, Peach, Luigi, Bowser, and Donkey Kong along Rainbow Road. Friends surround the projected Mario Kart, cheering on their peers and their characters. Swing by another time and you may see a small group playing blackjack, while another enjoys childhood classics like Monopoly and Clue.

If you’re lucky, you’ll walk into a crowd of secretly assigned werewolves and villagers on a roleplaying mission to survive. It’s just one of the many activities that has made the University’s Gaming Club so popular.

Every week is themed with varied board, card, digital, and storytelling games shared with small groups, large groups, old friends, and new friends. All come together for the two guarantees of Gaming Club: community and fun. It’s a low-stakes commitment, with members popping in and out at their leisure. The doors are always open, by design.

Club President Colton Gaudette ’23 and the Gaming Club’s leadership team stepped into their roles at the onset of the pandemic and revitalized the club while navigating physical distancing and limited funding.

“We’ve been rebuilding from the ground up,” says Gaudette, who also serves as an . “It’s been tough but gratifying to get input from this new group of people and to bring back our community.”

“Their room is always overflowing with students who are really excited to be there,” adds Interim Associate Director of Student Engagement Melina Baker. “There is a sense of belonging.”

Baker sees the club’s ability to attract all different types as one of its greatest strengths. This is what initially appealed to Gaudette, who recalls a “nerdy and timid” childhood where games were a way to find his people. They were an entrance point to connection, which is what he now fosters at PSU.

“Meeting new people is daunting,” says Gaudette. “I’m grateful to help create a space where peers who are nervous to make friends or who aren’t always supported in other venues can meet new people that they wouldn’t have otherwise.”

Several participants have found a mutual interest in designing their own games. After receiving feedback on a prototype from club members, Gaudette is working to publish a card game with artwork created in collaboration with the Student Art Collective. He looks forward to a day when the club might establish a relationship with Plymouth State’s new game design major to help bring dreams like his to fruition.

This spring, the Gaming Club will be partnering with the eSports Club with the goal of hosting an end-of-year convention where family, friends, and colleagues from around New England can play for cash prizes. Think Super Smash Bros. tournament with actual stakes and fun-hearted competition!

It’s experiences like these that Baker says make PSU feel like home. She assures that there is no shortage of ways to get involved.

“Student organizations like the Gaming Club help students create meaningful memories, learn leadership skills, make new friends, and feel welcome on campus,” says Baker. “Try everything you can and you’ll make the most of your time here.”

Game Design (Bachelor of Science program)