Tolarian Community College is a YouTube channel which covers different aspects of Magic: The Gathering. The channel is run and presented by Brian Lewis, known as “The Professor” who has an official Flesh And Blood card, the channel's writer is Jesse Robkin. The channel hosts games, unboxings, product reviews, gameplay tutorials, lore and analysis and a podcast. The channel has raised over one and a half million dollars for charities.

Channel

The channel was started in August 2013, it is named after the Magic: The Gathering card Tolarian Academy.[2] The Tolarian Community College channel provides videos of games, unboxings, product reviews, gameplay tutorials, lore and analysis as well as a podcast.[3][4] The channel has also covered antisemitism, sexism, racism and transphobia within the Magic: The Gathering community.[2][5] The channel became Lewis's full-time job after setting up a Patreon account, the channel also has a writer Jesse Robkin.[6][7] Lewis has also appeared on other Magic: The Gathering channels including playing a game with Post Malone.[8]

Charity work

Trans Lifeline

Beginning in 2020 the Tolarian Community College runs an annual fundraiser for the charity Trans Lifeline which offers phone support to transgender people.[7][9][10] In 2020 the channel raised $120,000,[11] in 2021 $220,000,[12][13] in 2023 $240,000,[14] in 2024 $418,000[15] and in 2025 over $560,000.[16][17][17][18]

Fundraiser for black communities

In 2020 Tolarian Community College raised more than $140,000 for black community charities 'Saving Our Sons and Sisters International' and the 'Trans Women of Color Collective'. The channel fundraised through the sale of rare Magic: The Garering Cards, selling cards from some of the game's earliest sets including the Black Lotus.[19]

Serious Fun

In October 2019 the channel ran a fundraiser for Serious Fun, a charity that runs summer camps for children with serious illnesses. The Professor raised $11,000 for the charity by shaving his head.[2]

Flesh and Blood card 'The Professor'

In 2023 Flesh And Blood created "The Professor" card based on Lewis as part of the Round the Table: LSS x TCC box set.[20][21][22] The card is a 'hero' card and was illustrated by Simon Dominic.[23][24]

The Academic card box

In 2022 The Professor collaborated with game compacy Gamegenic to produce a Magic: The Gathering card box called 'The Academic'.[25][26][27] A KickStarter campaign was run for the card box with a goal of $50,000, almost 4 million dollars worth of preorders were placed.[28][29]

References

  1. ^ a b "About Tolarian Community College". YouTube.
  2. ^ a b c Shotwell, Alyssa (2023-11-09). "YouTube's Favorite 'Magic The Gathering' Course Turns 10". The Mary Sue. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  3. ^ Comments, Joshua Nelson | (2019-12-30). ""Tolarian Community College"'s 2019, Ranked – "Magic: The Gathering"". bleedingcool.com. Retrieved 2025-03-20.
  4. ^ MTG, Proxy (2023-04-27). "Five YouTube Channels to Watch for Magic: The Gathering Fans". Proxy MTG. Retrieved 2025-03-20.
  5. ^ Tamburro, Paul (2017-11-28). "Magic The Gathering Cosplayer Quits Over Harassment". GameRevolution. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  6. ^ Betão (2021-04-25). "Eleven Questions to The Professor, our favorite Tolarian!". Cards Realm. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  7. ^ a b Riedel, Samantha (2025-02-14). "A 'Magic: The Gathering' YouTuber Has Raised Nearly $500,000 For Trans Lifeline". Them. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  8. ^ Parlock, Joe (2021-10-01). "Watch Post Malone Play Magic The Gathering With I Hate Your Deck And The Professor". TheGamer. Retrieved 2025-03-20.
  9. ^ GCN, Intern (2025-02-21). "YouTuber raises over half a million dollars for trans crisis hotline". GCN. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  10. ^ "MTG YouTuber makes $400k for trans charity giving away the best sets in Magic". Wargamer. 2025-02-14. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  11. ^ Forster, Danny (2020-10-08). "Magic players donate over $100,000 to trans charity in one day". Dot Esports. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  12. ^ Parlock, Joe. "The 'Magic The Gathering' Community Raises $220,000 For Trans Lifeline Charity". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  13. ^ Carter, Chase (2021-03-01). "MTG YouTuber Tolarian Community College fundraises over $220,000 for Trans Lifeline". Dicebreaker. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  14. ^ "Tolarian Community College Fundraiser For Trans Lifeline 2023". give.translifeline.org. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  15. ^ "Tolarian Community College 2024 fundraiser total". X.com.
  16. ^ Chancey, Tyler (2025-02-14). "Tolarian Community College Fundraises $460,000 for Trans Lifeline | TechRaptor". techraptor.net. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  17. ^ a b Waller, Arin (2025-02-18). "Magic: The Gathering YouTuber raises Half a Million for Trans Lifeline". LGBTQ Nation. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  18. ^ Ball, Nathan (2025-02-13). "MTG Community Raises $150,000 For Trans Lifeline In Just 24 Hours". MTG Rocks. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  19. ^ Carter, Chase (2020-12-08). "Magic: The Gathering YouTuber sells $140,000 worth of rare cards for charity". Dicebreaker. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  20. ^ Sun, Trinity (2023-08-30). "Flesh And Blood Releases New Multiplayer Game Format Featuring The Professor From Tolarian Community College". Geek Culture. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  21. ^ Hall, Charlie (2023-08-30). "Flesh and Blood, Tolarian Community College team up for new multiplayer boxed set". Polygon. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  22. ^ "'Flesh and Blood' Tolarian Community College Boxed Set Incoming". icv2.com. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  23. ^ Miller, Nick (2023-07-06). "Flesh And Blood Crossover With The Professor Coming In September". Star City Games. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  24. ^ Carter, Chase (2023-08-31). "Flesh and Blood team with YouTube's Tolarian Community College for a Commander-esque multiplayer set". Dicebreaker. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  25. ^ Miller, Nick (2022-02-25). "Tolarian Community College Launching Kickstarter For 'Dream' Deck Box". Star City Games. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  26. ^ Miller, Nick (2022-03-02). "Tolarian Community College Reveals The Academic Deck Box". Star City Games. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  27. ^ "Gamegenic Teams Up with YouTube Channel Tolarian Community College". icv2.com. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  28. ^ Anderson, Tom (2022-03-24). "About the Academic – an Interview with the Professor". Card Kingdom Blog. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  29. ^ Anderson, Joshua (2022-03-23). "The Academic Deck Box Is the Professor's Magnum Opus". Twin Cities Geek – MN Geek Culture Magazine. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
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