Maya Higa has withdrawn from Kai Cenat’s University Streamer 2026 despite being selected as a professor. The Twitch host explained that the event conflicts with a long-term sperm whale conservation project, making it impossible for her to attend. Kay Senat backed her decision, calling her a “superhero” for her wildlife work, while organizers decide whether to appoint a replacement professor for the event.
Maya Higa shocked fans when she announced that she will not be participating in the much-anticipated Streamer University 2026 organized by Kai Cenat. Her departure was a surprise, as the Twitch creator was one of the selected masters for the event.
But Higa said it wasn’t a last-minute change of heart, but rather an important commitment to environmental conservation that made her stay away.
Maya Higa explains why she didn’t attend Strimmer University 2026
The announcement came shortly after Kay Senat told viewers that one of the scheduled professors would no longer be able to participate. Speculation quickly spread online before Maya addressed the situation herself in a video shared on X.
The Alveus Sanctuary Foundation admitted it was disappointed to miss the event and explained that the dates clashed with a long-term wildlife conservation project.She said, “Hey guys, this sucks. I don’t want to make this video at all. I’m so sad that I had to do this. Some of you may have seen that Kai chose me to be the 2026 Strimmer University Professor, which is such a huge, wonderful honor. I wanted to go so bad. Unfortunately, I can’t go to Strimmer University this year… The reason I can’t go is because the dates conflict with a commitment I made some time ago to work on conservation. A project involving sperm whales.”
“Higa has built her online career around wildlife education and environmental awareness. She began streaming on Twitch but also created Alveus Sanctuary, a non-profit organization that cares for animals that cannot be released and educates viewers through live streaming and conservation content.She praised Kay Sinat for choosing her as a professor despite not making it to the event and said she hopes to continue educating people through her own platforms.She added: “I will definitely be watching Streamer University, cheering everyone on, and I really hope I can be there. Thank you so much Kai. I know how important it is to be chosen as a professor, and I hope I can teach you guys about animals and our planet through my channel and the Alveus Sanctuary channels, even though I won’t be there this year.”
Kay Senat pays tribute to Maya Higa as Streamer University searches for a replacement
Before Maya released her statement, Kay Senat had already informed viewers that one of the professors would not be able to attend, although he initially chose not to reveal the reason.
When discussing the situation during the live broadcast, Kai praised Maya’s dedication to environmental conservation and encouraged viewers to support her decision.He said, “I’ll just tell you who she is. The person who can’t come is Maya. I know. I know. I want her to explain why herself, but this is something that’s very important to her work and what she does. She’s honestly a superhero for the work that she does and what she continues to do.”
“Hey, listen, I got it,” I said to Maya. Do what you have to do. I’ll let you explain everything when you’re ready.”Kai also confirmed that organizers are still deciding whether Maya’s position will be filled before the event begins.“What will happen is that we will either replace her with another professor, and you guys will see who takes her place during orientation, or we may decide that we don’t need to replace the position,” he explained.
i don’t know yet. “We’ll see.”Maya’s decision reflects the priorities that have defined her career. While Streamer University offers one of the greatest opportunities in content creation, it has chosen to honor a previously planned conservation commitment.The update comes just months after Higa publicly shared another deeply personal experience. In April 2026, she revealed that her long-term stalker had died by suicide, saying: “He was schizophrenic and thought we were in a relationship.”Although fans will miss seeing her at Streamer University this year, Maya’s commitment to wildlife conservation remains at the center of everything she does, both on and off of streaming.
