William & Mary Unveils Cutting-Edge Virtual Reality Lab, Strengthening Innovation and eSports Growth
William & Mary Information Technology has teamed up with the Studio for Teaching & Learning Innovation (STLI) to launch a brand new Virtual Reality Lab in Boswell Hall, Room 340. This new space is representative of a dynamic partnership between the IT department and STLI, both supporting academic innovation and the growing W&M eSports program.
The VR Lab is open for academic use during the day and transitions into eSports training and competition in the evening, showcasing an example of how W&M is maximizing its resources to benefit multiple communities. The dual-purpose lab provides faculty and students with access to immersive learning technologies and offers the eSports team a cutting-edge environment for developing game strategies and enhancing collaboration.
The initial idea for the lab began back in 2018, when STLI Assistant Director for Faculty Engagement, Mike Blum started exploring virtual reality for educational use. Through constant innovation and collaboration with faculty, the project received a boost in 2024 with funding from the Provost’s Interdisciplinary Research Innovation Fund. This enabled STLI to expand its equipment, upgrade infrastructure, and find a home for VR instruction.
"STLI approached IT leadership about a potential space share for the VR lab as a new collaboration between the units. With support from the CIO, deputy CIO, and eSports lead John Drummond, the co-location of the VR lab with an eSports lab emerged as a win-win solution. The lab space in Boswell now houses the VR lab during the day and the eSports program in the evenings and on weekends." said Adam Barger, Executive Director of STLI
Bringing the virtual reality lab to life required a great amount of teamwork and problem-solving. IT played a critical role in ensuring that the lab’s infrastructure was able to support more than 20 Meta Quest headsets, requiring WiFi bandwidth testing and robust technical setup. "As always, our IT colleagues were not afraid to get their hands dirty! Special thanks go out to John Drummond, the networking team, and deputy CIO Andrew Crawford for their active support and collaboration to transform the lab!" Barger added.
For academic usage, the VR lab offers innovative teaching tools such as virtual historical tours, language immersion experiences, and scientific simulations. STLI and faculty partners are very excited to use the space to create virtual hands-on learning opportunities that enrich classroom instruction.
The eSports team is also very excited to utilize the lab for VR-based training exercises and team collaboration. "Mike and I see tremendous potential for students interested in VR programming, immersive learning, and emerging technologies to get involved with the VR lab,” said Barger. Students will have the opportunity to assist other faculty in designing VR experiences for courses, furthering their hands-on learning and engagement with emerging technology.
Looking forward, STLI is focused on sustaining and expanding the lab through additional funding and research. "William & Mary is uniquely positioned to illustrate the value of these experiences as part of a robust liberal arts education,” Barger added. "I am excited for this project to be an example for innovative space use at William & Mary. Both the VR lab and the eSports community represent powerful learning experiences that extend student learning beyond traditional learning spaces."
The creation of the Virtual Reality Lab is a reflection of our IT department’s mission to support digital innovation on campus and showcases the strength of collaboration. Faculty, students, and campus groups interested in exploring the VR lab’s capabilities are encouraged to get involved.
For more information, contact STLI or W&M Information Technology.