Ottawa University-Arizona continues to grow with the recent addition of three new student programs — esports, musical theater and leadership — and the hiring of coaches to lead them.

Kevin Andres, OUAZ’s assistant dean of students and director of club sports, made the moves official with an announcement Jan. 11.

“We’re proud to add these new programs and excited to welcome our new coaches to the OUAZ family,” Mr. Andres said. “With the launch of esports, musical theater and leadership, we continue to fulfill our ongoing mission of being a participatory campus by providing prospective students with more choices to earn scholarships and pursue their passions at OUAZ.”

OUAZ esports is preparing for its inaugural season under the leadership of program manager Bob Doran. Mr. Doran comes to OUAZ with a diverse background in gaming, visual communications and IT.

In his previous professional experience, Mr. Doran designed national digital ad campaigns and has supported workplace IT in various arenas from deskside support to setting up networks and live streams.

“I don’t want to just focus on the gaming abilities of my esports team, but their health as well,” Mr. Doran said. “Gamers can sit for 12-hour stretches at a time. Learning to exercise and eat right is vital to long-term health. I want to train my team for balance in life, so they are successful not only in gaming but academically and socially as well.”

Mr. Doran will be assisted by newly hired graduate assistant Daniel Coppock, who comes to OUAZ after helping launch esports at Ottawa University’s Kansas campus. Mr. Coppock has been an active member in the esports scene for eight years and has earned national recognition as a Super Smash Bros. Melee player. He has also competed in Overwatch and Hearthstone.

Lauren Frazier, a 2011 graduate of Ottawa’s Kansas campus, has been hired to lead OUAZ’s new musical theater program. Ms. Frazier has a wealth of experience in theater, acting on stages at Ottawa University and in Kansas City.

Her move to LA in 2015 led to steady acting jobs on television and in film.

Ms. Frazier has been seen in TV shows such as “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Middle,” “Ballers” and “How to Get Away with Murder.” She will also appear in Amazon Prime’s “Run Sweetheart Run” to be released in May 2021.

“My passion for the arts has given me rich experiences that nurture my desire to grow and excel in this next exciting chapter,” Ms. Frazier said. “I’m excited to partner with OUAZ to create a rich foundation for theatre, student success, self-development and community relationships for the arts.”

OUAZ’s new leadership program manager is Mike Ward. He has a background in education and also has experience with educational outreach and business development.

Mr. Ward has held leadership roles within his past organizations, ranging from department leadership, district-wide team leadership, and coaching. He has directed a department of top-performing academic teachers and contributed to the success and growth of business development in the West Valley.

“I’m blessed to be joining the OUAZ family as the inaugural program manager of leadership,” Mr. Ward said. “Coaching and leading are things that inherently have come natural to me. My ultimate passion is for helping people challenge themselves and grow to reach their fullest potential.”

In two years, OUAZ has built its competitive club sports program to complement the university’s robust varsity athletic offerings. With the addition of esports, the program competes in five sports with four coed teams, a men’s team and a women’s team.

Ultimate frisbee, bowling and outdoor adventure were the inaugural club sports launched in 2018. In 2019, women’s wrestling, men’s wrestling, and cycling were started. Esports and badminton were added in fall 2020. Most recently, this spring, the musical theater and leadership activity programs were launched.

Scholarships are available for all club sports and activities, and prospective students can fill out the form at https://bit.ly/OUAZ_Club_Sports to open a dialogue. Or email Mr. Andres at kandres@ottawa.edu for more information.