Jacob “Oculus” Ross, community and labs manager and graduate assistant, is graduating from OU with a Master’s in Business Administration and looks to become the second full-time employee of OU Esports and Co-Curricular Innovation.
Ross began his collegiate esports career as a Rocket League player for Slug Esports at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he attended his first year of undergraduate studies. After coming to OU, he played on the Rocket League team, eventually setting the controller down to become a Rocket League ambassador.
Ross has a passion for his community, at one point considering working as a school counselor. He became the assistant community and labs manager at OU Esports during the second semester of his senior year.
After graduating from OU with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science in 2023, Ross was unsure where life would take him next. That’s when Mike Aguilar, Director of OU ECCI, asked Ross to complete an MBA and join him full-time as OU ECCI’s community and labs manager. He was promoted to the lead community and labs manager as he entered graduate school.
“I never expected to be in a business mindset until this was thrown upon me,” Ross said. “Getting an MBA was never on my bingo card; it’s a lot of pressure, obviously, but you can’t pass this opportunity up.”
The role of community and labs manager is ever changing. Ross’s work includes anything that connects with people outside of OU ECCI, especially OU students. He works with other OU clubs and organizations, deans in OU Student Affairs and beyond and the Oklahoma Children’s hospital. He also gives tours to prospective students and sponsors, among many other things.
“July to August is very time consuming. There is so much going on between the back to school work and onboarding all of the new people,” Ross said. “When you see everyone gathered together before classes start, it’s like, ‘we did it.’”
Since becoming community and labs manager, Ross has overseen the development and operation of the OU Esports & Gaming Venue. The Venue is open to all OU students and hosts gaming tournaments, tailgates, and other unique programming.
“This was the first semester of [the Venue] being open for seven days a week,” Ross said. “It has definitely been a challenge getting this thing launched in terms of revenue and getting foot traffic.”
When Ross becomes a full-time employee next semester, his role within OU ECCI will expand. His experience as a graduate assistant will serve him well as he transitions to 40-hour work weeks.
“Everything I do now, I am continuing,” Ross said. “I get more tasks, more face-to-face time with people from student affairs and college deans; I’ll do more events now that I have more time to focus.”
Ross knows he could not have accomplished everything he did during his time at OU ECCI alone. He wants to shout out his peers and former fellow ambassadors.
“There have been so many great ambassadors here throughout the years,” Ross said. “I appreciate all of the help I’ve gotten for events, especially bigger events like Back-to-School; none of this is possible without them.”
