Nanocon is game changer

December 9, 2024

Nanocon is a game changer for members of the student committee who organize the free gaming convention held at Dakota State University.

It may sound like a cheesy pun, but Mikal Bennett said setting up something of this scale really is a game changer because it's something a person can't understand until they do it. Classroom lectures or team projects will not prepare you for it, he said.

"It's a real learning experience that can't learn any other way," he said. "You learn that anything can go wrong and it probably will, so you have to think on your toes."

This year, the student committee was entirely new, and got a bit of a late start with the planning, "but we had a good group and pushed through to get everything done." Throughout the process, they learned about project management, organizational skills, and how to work as a team. They also learned the importance of volunteers.

"We couldn't have done it without the volunteers that help throughout the weekend, from the student body to alumni," Bennett said.

With help from these individuals and members of the DSU Games, Esports, and Chess clubs, the event broke attendance records, with about 1,160 people. "We'd like to thank everyone in the community that showed up," he said. "We can't do this without people showing up."

People have been showing up for Nanocon for over 20 years, drawn by the opportunity to play and celebrate all kinds of games. The four-day con often includes a chess open, a Twister tournament, musical chairs, lip-sync battle, Mario Kart Tournament, and cosplay contest.

The event also included a charity fund-raiser through Extra Life, a program that benefits Sanford Children's Hospital. Through a games and activities livestream, they raised $1,250.

"Charity is a big portion of Nanocon, and that ability to give back is something we'd like to keep," Bennett stated.

In addition to games and contests, vendors are a big draw at Nanocon. "We always have vendors and would love to have more," he said. Bennett, a cyber operations major from Sioux Falls, S.D., served as the vendor coordinator for the 2024 event; he will be the event manager for the 2025 event scheduled for November 6-9.

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