By Cambron Alsbrook
The Cameron Association of Interactive Gaming (CAIG) is an organization focused on creating a social haven for gamers.
The organization engages with different video games like Super Mario Bros. and Pokemon Go to help provide stress relief for members.
Games range from a variety of genres not limited to, but including: racing, first person shooting, fighting and horror/thriller games.
CAIG also hosts tournaments for the fourth and fifth installments of the Super Smash Bros franchise—a favorite event of regular attendee Cedric Newkirk.
“I love Smash Bros. tournaments at CAIG,” he said. “[Super] Smash Bros. is one of my favorite fighting games, and it’s even more fun to play with my friends from CAIG.”
Teague Fox said he believes CAIG fulfills their mission of bringing people together to socialize through video games.
“We give people a way to de-stress,” he said. “As long as we offer this, we are accomplishing our goals.”
Being able to remove or lessen stress levels caused from class assignments, quizzes, exams or other daily stress triggers means a lot to Joseph Burke.
“[CAIG] is a place where introverts or extroverts who want to get away from the stress of school can come,” Burke said. “We strive to create an environment where all members can feel comfortable being themselves.”
Office of Teaching and Learning instructor Corey Sanders said he spent a year searching for students interested in starting an organization based on the concept of “nerds having a space to be nerdy.”
Early on, the club averaged six members at meetings but increased in size the past few years by becoming involved in larger events.
Sanders said previous CAIG officers aimed for more engagements among the students in the events they hosted—bringing membership to much higher numbers than seen beforehand.
Election of new officers took place on Feb. 7 with positions decided through nominations and anonymous voting.
Some reelected officers took on different positions; Maurice Wells went from SGA Representative to President, and Teague Fox became Treasurer after formerly serving as Secretary.
The results of the election concluded with the induction of new officers including Cambron Alsbrook as vice president, Joshua Bales as secretary and Shahid McElroy as SGA Representative.
“We look forward to continuing in the community and helping create a safe space where people can just be nerdy,” Sanders said. “That really is what CAIG is about. It’s about trying to make a safe place for people to just have fun; not have to worry about studying, not have to worry about classes, and just at least build into their week some time to do the things that they enjoy.”
For more information on joining CAIG, contact Corey Sanders at 580-581-5901; CAIG meets at 6 p.m. every Thursday in the Shepler Center’s Wichita room.