Aedin McKenna has several pathways open as a double major in game studies and esports and psychology.

Explaining the game

Article by Megan M.F. Everhart Photos by Kathy F. Atkinson October 28, 2026

University of Delaware student shares lessons learned during a gaming journalism internship

Aedin McKenna didn’t expect to major in game studies and esports. The University of Delaware junior started out as a psychology major but quickly realized they could broaden their studies with a double major.

“I was like, wait a minute! I can do game studies and esports, and psych, and I can combine them, and I can help a lot of people through games,” they said. “I can learn how to write cool games that will help people.”

McKenna explained that esports psychology is a growing field, and games like Minecraft are already used in therapeutic settings for children who have experienced trauma. They predict that in the near future role-playing games will be specifically designed for therapeutic use.

“Once I learn a new concept in psychology, I apply it to something I’ve seen in a game,” they said.

McKenna is also applying concepts from both majors in their current internship with the gaming division of mxdwn.com, an online entertainment magazine, where they write articles about gaming news. The internship began in the summer and runs through December.

Yoel Villahermosa Serrano, chair of game studies and esports in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, said that having an internship is a required part of the major, not just an add-on.

“Every student completes a professional experience connected to their interests and focus area, whether that is games, culture and society; game design and development; or esports,” he said. “This strengthens students’ résumés and helps them develop essential professional skills such as communication, collaboration, time management and teamwork.”

The field is broader than many people realize, and in addition to McKenna’s writing internship, game studies and Esports majors have recently interned in the fields of global finance and technology, and healthcare.

UDaily spoke with McKenna about their majors and how the mxdwn internship is tying everything together.

Q: How do you dispel the myth that all you do is play games in class?

McKenna: Well, we do play games for classes — that’s in the curriculum. We don’t play them for fun, though. It’s like if you have a class where you watch a movie. You're watching the movie, you're pausing it, you're taking notes, and then you're responding to it. We do the exact same thing when we're playing games. It has an additional level of interaction.

McKenna loves writing about independent games — giving a voice to companies that don’t get as much media attention.

Q: How is the internship impacting your goals?

McKenna: I haven’t yet declared my pathway: games, culture and society, game design and development or industry management, but I’m learning so much that would help with whatever I pick.

First, it’s a foot in the door in the games industry, which can be incredibly difficult to break into.

I’ve gotten to cover quite a few psychological horror games, which goes back to my double major. And, I’ve learned how to write professionally, which is essential for psychology.

Q: What’s your favorite topic to write about?

McKenna: I love indie games because it is sort of a mini-game itself to go look for the ones that aren’t getting that much airplay and see what I can do about it. I love giving them some sort of screen time or press feedback. They’re the ones that appreciate it.

Q: What is the most important thing you’ve learned through this experience?

McKenna: I learned a lot of communication and teamwork — and what needs to happen to make everything run smoothly. I got frustrated during Summer Games Fest, an annual industry event. During a festival like that, everything is going on at once, and stories need to go up within minutes. I started to feel overworked at one point, but I talked to the team about it and we worked it out.

Q: Did you take away any other skills?

McKenna: Getting past writer's block and how to manage my time. I’m a procrastinator. Before this, I would not be able to focus on an essay unless it’s due. But here I had to get everything done every night. It was a requirement. So, I’ve learned how to chunk my time a bit and manage everything better. I’m not just sitting there wondering what do I write? What should I write? Because I just have to write, I have to just keep going with it.

Also, I read a lot of press releases, so if I ever develop my own game, I’ll know how to structure the release. I’m learning how to write a two-sentence hook and get people engaged.