Kai Cenat’s Streamer University has wrapped up its second edition after drawing a record online audience during a five-day creator bootcamp at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas.
Held from July 15 to 19, the event attracted more than 53 million hours of watch time, the equivalent of over 6,000 years of continuous viewing. That marked a 120% increase from the inaugural edition in 2025.
Cenat, the most-followed streamer on Twitch, launched Streamer University after proposing the idea during a livestream in early 2025. His vision was to rent a university campus where aspiring creators could learn, collaborate and grow their brands. The first edition was held at the University of Akron.
Interest surged this year, with more than one million people applying for just 120 places. Successful applicants were chosen through online submissions and in-person tryouts in New York City, Atlanta and Los Angeles.
Hendrix College President Karen Petersen said hosting the program aligned with the school’s long-standing mission of helping students reach their full potential. She said administrators immediately saw the initiative as a good fit when approached about using the campus, adding that Cenat’s team visited Hendrix several times before selecting it as the venue.
The 2026 class featured a mix of online personalities and entertainers, including Jasontheween, PlaqueBoyMax, former Disney star Skai Jackson, rapper DreamDoll and Love Island alum Jeremiah Brown. They were mentored by creators and artists such as Agent 00, Duke Dennis, T-Pain, Lizzo, Fanum and Markell Washington.
Alongside workshops on content creation and audience growth, participants took part in a fashion show, basketball game and talent competition, all of which were streamed live to millions of viewers.
The event also attracted major commercial partnerships, including a $100,000 real-life treasure hunt led by Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson and a collaboration with Fortnite developer Epic Games.
During the closing ceremony, Cenat presented awards including Most Improved, Most Honourable and MVP. The overall winner received a $50,000 brand partnership.
He ended the event by announcing that the third edition of Streamer University will be held in Europe in 2027, giving creators outside the United States a chance to compete for places.
For Hendrix College, which has about 1,000 students, hosting the event brought unprecedented global exposure. The spotlight comes as the college prepares to launch “Via Hendrix,” a career-readiness programme that will require every student to complete a professional work experience beginning with the incoming fall 2026 class.
By: Andrews Kwesi Yeboah