three to four weeks. The gaming systems help relax anxious patients and keep them from focusing on pain or being confined to their rooms. Our patients look forward to having a GO Kart in their room when they arrive for treatment. The great picture quality and movie theatre sound make them irresistible.”
Back to School Poised, polished and highly articulate, Wigal
has appeared on numerous TV, radio and Internet broadcasts to promote the foundation. He’s also been invited to participate in panel discussions about gaming and charitable initiatives at several prominent video game industry conventions—most recently at PAX Prime, held last August in Seattle. Through his work, Wigal has countered notions
about the perceived connection between video games and violent acts. “I think some of the stereotypes are dissipating
Zach Wigal: Executive Director, Gamers Outreach Foundation (
http://gamersoutreach.org)
Hometown: Saline Major: Marketing
Full-time job: Manager of the Dippin’ Dots kiosk at Ann Arbor’s Briarwood Mall.
Desert-island video games: Starcraft 2, Halo 3 and Final Fantasy X.
Thoughts on video game censorship: “Some games feature more mature content that isn’t suitable for young kids. But I think the industry does a good job of regulating itself with its rating system, and there are many resources available on the web for concerned parents. It’s mainly about using common sense. I’d never let a 12-year-old play Grand Theft Auto. But as my child gets older, I’d let him or her make that decision.”
because video games are becoming more prevalent in our culture,” Wigal says. “But there are still some people who aren’t fully informed about games and gamers. The presumption is that video games lead to corrupted minds. Well, I’ve been playing video games since first grade, and now I’m running a charity. What does that tell you?” To this point, Gamers Outreach Foundation has
operated without formal marketing or public relations plans. Its success has come from grassroots efforts through social media channels and a lot of legwork. Wigal says that’s about to change as he works toward obtaining a marketing degree. “We didn’t have a lot of foresight when we launched the foundation,” Wigal says. “It’s not that we didn’t have any sort of plan—we just maximized our time. Now that the foundation is growing up and getting its own legs, we need to work on infrastructure development. “I’m glad I devoted my time between high school
and college to the foundation. In just a couple years, I’ve learned a lot about marketing, legal issues and how to work well with others—without any formal instruction. That’s one reason why I’m excited to be at Eastern. I’ve spent the past two years figuring things out on my own. Returning to a formal learning environment is refreshing.” Although he’s received job offers from gaming
companies, Wigal says earning his degree and continuing the work of the foundation are his top priorities. “I’ve been building a lot of relationships in the
gaming industry and there are lots of opportunities out there,” he says. “But I don’t want to just jump in if I’m not ready. My college experience will help me sort those things out. If I took a job, it would just delay the process of getting my degree. Eventually, I’d like to stay within the gaming industry—there are lots of cool opportunities out there. But right now, I love exactly what I’m doing.” 3
Eastern | FALL 2011 17
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