La Vie Collegienne Vol. 85 Issue 6

LA VIE COLLEGIENNE LEBANON VALLEY COLLEGE’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1924 VOLUME 85, NO. 6 | FEBRUARY 8, 2018

Esports comes to LVC COLIN ALBRIGHT ’18 STAFF WRITER Lebanon Valley College became the 51st member of the National Association of Collegiate Esports when it announced its plans to organize an esports team for the spring semester.

Esports, to put it simply, is competitive video gaming. Teams, ranging from three to 10 players in size, compete in tactical video games against other schools’ teams. LVC’s esports team will compete in three games: Hearthstone, Overwatch and League of Legends.

“We currently have about 36 active students who are playing esports at LVC,” David Shapiro, esports director of operations, said. “We have several other students who are deciding whether they want to commit to the team officially.”

Esports is The College’s 26th varsity sport and the athletic staff

Brim surprised himself when his book was published in six months.

Brim dedicated plenty of time to make sure his book is as appealing to others as it is to him.

“Writing a book is 99 percent research and one percent writing,” Brim said. “You have to make sure you are not plagiarizing other authors’ work. Each name, place and personality go together and mean something. You must be very Book continued on Page 3

Gaming continued on Page 3

the right way.”

Collegiate esports is currently governed by the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE), which is a nonprofit membership association dedicated to developing the structure and advancement of esports on college campuses. NACE is the most Esports continued on Page 3

Freshman’s first published book SHILESKY MONTALVO ’19 STAFF WRITER It only took six months to get his first book published.

It all began when Khalil Brim realized he loved to write and knew he eventually wanted to be an author.

The freshman English major began writing the beginning of his first book, “The Flower of the Valencia,” in his senior year of high school. Brim loves fantasy stories, which explains the book’s genre -- fantasy and action.

“I really love doing this,” Brim said, “I think I can make a career out of this.”

Brim has the support from his mother, grandmother and sister as he navigates this journey. He knew writing was something he loved to do and had to put a lot of effort into it in addition to going to classes and being involved on campus.

“I did not see myself giving up on it because I just had to keep writing,” Brim said.

JALEN CLIATT ’18 STAFF WRITER Lebanon Valley College’s newest sports team is generating quite a buzz.

With the announcement of The College’s esports team, questions ranging from uniforms to play schedules have been posed by the student body.

Justin Knecht, an A-team jungler in League of Legends, helped to shed light on what some players are doing to prep for the upcoming season.

“We practice twice a week for 3 hours,” Knecht said. “After the games, we break into teams [based on team roles] and review what we could improve and do better.”

Like other athletes, Knecht has figured out how to balance his workload and his training regimen. Knecht has been playing the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) franchise for years, but getting a chance to play for an official team has really expanded his opportunities. “[League] has become such an important part of my life that if I had a chance to enter into the pro scene or become a [Twitch] streamer, I’d love to do it.” Knecht said. “[I’d like to] graduate first though.”

When Knecht told his friends, the reception was warm and quizzical.

“My friends whom I game with were super excited to hear about the team and my position, but when I told my friends outside of the gaming scene, they didn’t understand. But they kind

Photo by: Colin Albright ABOVE: Members of the esports team work on their skills during an evening practice.

is expecting the new sport to be well received by prospective students and current students. Esports will also be LVC’s first co-ed sport.

“Offering esports as a varsity sport really separates us from other schools,” Rick Beard, director of athletics, said. “Another reason we are doing it this way is because we already have the model setup to do it

One student’s gaming experience

INSIDE THIS ISSUE OF LA VIE

WIG AND BUCKLE PLAY PAGE 2

PHONEATHON PAGE 3

MAKE-A-WISH PAGE 4

PRESEASON PREVIEW PAGE 4

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FEATURE

February 8, 2018 La Vie Collegienne

‘Gaslight’ hits Leedy Theater stage CASSANDRA BARRETT ’19 STAFF WRITER Wig and Buckle Theater Company will raise its curtain again on Feb. 9.

“Gaslight” is the third student-run performance to hit the Leedy Theater stage in the 2017-18 season. This Victorian thriller, also known as “Angel Street,” was written by Patrick Hamilton in 1938 and tells the story of Jack and Bella Manningham, who lived on Angel Street in 19th century London.

At the beginning of the show, the life of the Manninghams appears to be normal. However, as the show progresses, it becomes evident that things are not as they seem.

Director Sydney Fuhrman, a senior English major, is no stranger to the Wig and Buckle stage. She has performed in many productions at LVC including: “Blithe Spirit,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Amadeus” and “Lion in Winter.” But this is Fuhrman’s first experience directing a show; she was eager to direct this show having had a great deal of experience not only as an actress on stage, but also with her literary knowledge as an English major.

“Since I’ve been involved in theater,

Photo by: Cassandra Barrett ABOVE: The crew of “Gaslight” practices for opening night of the show.

mostly on stage since I was pretty young, I thought it might be a really good experience to try it from a different perspective and see how my experience in theater and also my literature studies would translate to being a director,” Fuhrman said.

While Fuhrman was eager, she was also very nervous to take on such a large task. Luckily, she had a partner to help.

Stage manager Tyler Miller, a junior English major, makes sure that everything behind the scenes runs smoothly.

Miller is also a Wig and Buckle vet-

Helping commuters feel at home CHELSEA MOYER ’18 STAFF WRITER Commuting to campus every day can be a struggle, but Lebanon Valley College offers services to make things a little easier.

Roughly 25 percent of full-time students at LVC are commuters. For some of these students, it can be difficult for them to feel like they fit in.

“It can be tough for commuters to get involved on campus,” Jennifer Evans, director of student activities, said. “Some work full-time jobs or have families, so they don’t have time to participate in activities.”

The commuter lounge, located in the Allan W. Mund College Center, is one of the main ways LVC helps commuters feel at home. It gives them a place to relax and focus before they leave campus.

“We don’t like to hear that students feel the need to sit in their car between classes,” Evans said. “We want to make sure they have a place to hang out for a little while.”

Students may not always have a place to study at home for a number of reasons. With the help of a few commuters, the lounge has been renovated to fit their needs. There are tables and seating for studying along with a separate room in the back which includes a couch, bean bags and a television.

“If I need a quiet place to go, I’ll go to the lounge,” Jolie Winemiller, a senior applied history and communications major, said.

Afternoon Apps is a new activity LVC will introduce this semester. Different offices on campus will host each event from 1:30-3 p.m. and provide appetizers for commuting students.

“We hope this will help commuters get to know the campus staff and feel more comfortable,” Evans said.

Metz now allows commuting students to bring their packed lunch into the dining hall. This allows them to eat lunch or dinner with friends who live on campus.

eran. She directed “Kiss Me, Kate” and stage managed “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” shows performed in the 201617 season. She returns this season to stage manage “Gaslight” and is grateful for these valuable stage experiences because she hopes to be a stage manager after graduation.

Miller enjoyed working with Fuhrman on this production and looks forward to seeing all of their efforts come together on stage.

“I really liked working with Sydney,” Miller said. “She knows what

she wants as a director and she isn’t indecisive. We’ve both created a really great rehearsal and production environment.”

But Fuhrman and Miller can’t put this production on alone. They rely on help from the lighting crew, costume and makeup team, prop team, set crew and many others to be able to have such a successful final product.

Fuhrman encourages everyone to see the show not only because it’s entertaining and suspenseful, but also because the students have worked tirelessly to bring the production to the stage.

“The amount of work that the cast and crew have put into this absolutely deserves to be seen,” Fuhrman said.

The show runs Friday, Feb, 9 until Sunday, Feb. 18 with performances as follows: Feb. 9, 10, 16 and 17 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 11 and 18 at 2 p.m. Tickets can be reserved online through Wig and Buckle’s newly updated website, by email and also by calling the box office. Tickets are $15 for adults; $10 for non-LVC students and LVC alumni and staff; and $5 for senior citizens and children 10 and under. Tickets for LVC students are free.

February 8, 2018

FEATURE Freshman’s first published book continued from page 1

thorough because you have to write and think like the character you are writing about.”

A piece of advice Brim gives to anyone who plans to write a book is to write everything down. Brim suggests this because no idea is considered a bad idea; the more one writes, the better one’s writing skills will be.

Brim has already started his second book and hopes to have it published in the near future.

Brim will have a book signing event at Lebegern Learning Commons on Monday, Feb. 12 at 3:30 p.m. There he will discuss the process of getting “The Flower of the Valencia” published and his reasoning behind the book’s topic.

La Vie Collegienne

Esports at LVC continued from page 1

prominent esports association and will provide LVC’s team with competition once the program is established.

“NACE is essentially the NCAA for esports,” Beard said. “There are entry requirements, admissions requirements and transfer rules that you must comply with in order to be a part of this program.”

Esports, as a whole, is a low-expense sport because student-athletes are not required to travel, no meals need to be provided and there is no need for officials. LVC’s esports team will be provided with uniforms and other necessary equipment in order to be successful in competition.

“As of right now, nothing is being reallocated out of the athletic budget to fund esports,” Beard said. “We’re hoping to build this [program] on projected revenues coming in from sponsors.”

The esports team will use existing space on campus as its arena where the student-athletes will practice

Photo provided by: The Office of Marketing & Communications ABOVE: Joe D’Angelo, head coach of esports, trains the team in Overwatch, one of the three competitive video games esports offers.

and compete in matches. The College plans to add spectator seating at some point in the future, but no official plans for that have been released.

The esports arena will be in an unused portion of Clyde A. Lynch Memorial Hall that would’ve been converted into a conference room.

“We felt it was better use of the

Every gift matters HUNTRE KEIP ’20 STAFF WRITER From landscaping to academic scholarships for future and current students, one LVC fundraising program helps all aspects of The College.

Phonathon is a fundraising program that occurs three times in an academic year and lasts for five to six weeks. The program is led by Kelsey Bair-Gross and other assistant managers, but the majority of this fundraiser is run by current students. The students are called Dutchmen Dialers.

Dutchmen Dialers call alumni, parents and friends of LVC to discuss current College events; they politely ask for donations related to past organizations the person may have been involved with at LVC. By calling alumni, students create special bonds while discussing new renovations and academics.

"It is always fun when I call an alum who studied my major at LVC, as I love seeing where the degree led them after graduation," Kailee Romanchik, a sophomore physical therapy major, said.

Phonathon typically runs Monday through Thursday in the evenings in

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room for esports than turning it back into a conference room,” Shapiro said.

“We wanted to support our students in any way that we could. This was the right move to make.”

The athletic department is looking forward to having current and future Dutchmen join the esports roster this semester.

One student’s gaming experience continued from page 1

of get it.” Knecht said. “A lot of people don’t think [competitive] gaming is a sport, but there hasn’t been any backlash.”

While these games might not take physical strength, Knecht explains Photo provided by: Kelsey Bair-Gross ABOVE: Dutchmen Dialers calling alumni, parents and friends of LVC.

Laughlin Hall. Each night, Dutchmen Dialers call different giving levels and societies of The College such as, Quittapahilla Club, Charter Club, Valley Club, the Thomas Rhys Vickroy Society and more. The people in these societies are annual donors to LVC. Dutchmen Dialers also call individuals who may not have given before. For example, on Valentine's Day, students will call alumni couples. By having a different theme each night, the students find it enjoyable to pick up the phone.

"It's beneficial for people to donate through Phonathon because it goes

directly back to the College," Romanchik said. "The donations help so many aspects of everyday life for the people at LVC." Phonathon provides opportunities and advancements on campus, but it also provides experience for the Dutchmen Dialers.

"Our students do make a difference, especially in terms of learning about fundraising," Kelsey Bair-Gross, director of leadership and giving, said.

Bair-Gross said more Dutchmen Dialers are needed for the spring semester. For more information, go to La Vie's website www.lvc.edu/lavie.

that it takes mental strength.

“You have to be thinking 10 plus things at once, know what’s best for you and your team in each situation, assess the strategies of your opponents and location, gold income, map vision -- there’s so many things to take care of it causes a mental strain,” Knecht said.

The tactical prowess of esports has been recognized by the Olympics and international sports conglomerates such as Twitch and Cloud 9. With the recognition now extending to LVC, Knecht couldn’t be happier.

February 8, 2018

SPORTS

La Vie Collegienne

Softball preseason intensifies

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Granting wishes

KURT HARNISH ’20 STAFF WRITER LVC’s softball team is preparing for a successful season on the diamond.

The softball team trained especially hard this off-season as they had multiple lifts per week with LVC Strength and Conditioning Coach Jared Hatz. The team also participated in fall ball competitions.

“We focused on mainly power lifting and gaining strength this off season,” Tianna Yanoscak, a sophomore pitcher, said. “We also played really well in our fall ball competition at Millersville going a perfect 3-0.”

The softball team has holes to fill; however, the team noticed the newly recruited freshmen have stepped up and have taken a larger role.

“The freshmen are helping to fill the roles of the seniors who we lost to graduation,” Kate Whelski, a sophomore second baseman, said.

“They are filling in at various positions and helping our team be whole again.”

LVC softball will host the MAC playoffs this spring. The girls stressed how important it was for them to not only play but win the MAC title in a

Photo by: Jolie Winemiller ABOVE: Aramya Riley, her family, the players and other LVC students and staff during the Make-A-Wish game.

JOLIE WINEMILLER ’19 STAFF WRITER

“Coach Whitman made the offseason and the preseason flow easier and smoother for us,” Whelski said. She is very good in supporting us and making sure we are prepared.”

The team travels to Florida over spring break to play. When the team returns, its first non-conference game is March 14 against Elizabethtown.

The LVC athletic community made Aramya Riley’s wish come true when it announced her trip to Disney World at the Make-A-Wish game on Saturday, Feb. 3.

The team auctioned off their jerseys and the LVC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) collected donations for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Aramya, the guest of honor, loved her presents from the team and SAAC and had a blast throughout the entire game. The men’s team fell to Albright 86-76.

Basketball battles breast cancer

Hot Dog Frank Service Award

Photo by: Kurt Harnish ABOVE: The team stretches prior to their fourth day of practice.

home setting. They fell short last year.

“Playoffs, we have to make playoffs,” Yanoscak said. “We want to host playoffs and actually have the opportunity to not only play, but to succeed and hopefully win.”

The girls have put in the work in the off-season both on the field and in the weight room with the help of Head Coach Erin Whitman.

Swinging into action KURT HARNISH ’20 STAFF WRITER

JOLIE WINEMILLER ’19 STAFF WRITER

With winter coming to an end and spring in the air, the LVC baseball team has started pre-season practice and hopes to have a stellar season on the diamond.

At the beginning of every season, all teams look for new and returning players to fill open spots left from graduation. The men’s baseball team lost several starting pitchers.

“We expect the young guys to step up and fill the spots,” Colin Albright, a senior captain and catcher, said.

“Since most of our starting infielders and outfielders are back, we will be set up nicely on offense.”

The captains of the team are seniors Colin Albright, Marshal Kiessling and junior Josh Marcelli. The team decided on a set of goals and expectations they have for this upcoming season.

“Our main goal is to make playoffs for the second season in a row,” Albright said. “Last year we were eliminated after our first two games, so it is a goal of ours to make it further in the tournament.”

The off-season was an important time for the Dutchmen as they

Lebanon Valley College’s women’s basketball team not only took the court to defeat Widener University, but they also took on the fight against breast cancer.

During the annual pink game on Wednesday, Jan. 31, the team raised money for the American Cancer Society of Lebanon and Genetics Program at Penn State Health Cancer Institute by selling shirts and hosting a silent auction of the player’s jerseys.

“The importance of the game is to raise money for those who can’t afford care,” Anne Lehr, team captain and point guard, said. “I love that the pink game allows us to help others and reduce the stress of paying for treatment.”

The game included the LVC cheerleaders, dance team, Colleges Against Cancer (CAC) and an enthusiastic crowd of supporters from the community.

“The pink game allows the whole LVC community to come together to support a great cause,” Lehr said.

An added bonus -- the Dutchmen defeated Widener 74-65.

Photo courtesy of: Chad Schell ABOVE: Catcher Colin Albright prepares for a pitch during a preseason practice.

participated in lifts, agility training and skill position workouts. The team played on their own field as much as possible. Coaches and players feel that working as hard as they did will give them a competitive edge during the season.

“The off-season and preseason went really well, and we had 2-3 intrasquad scrimmages a week to give us a sense of game-like situations,” TJ Holdredge, a sophomore pitcher and third baseman, said. “We hit the weight room hard and have focused a lot on base running in this off-season, so we can wreak havoc and score runs.”

The baseball team’s opening day is

Photo by: Jolie Winemiller ABOVE: President Lewis E. Thayne with Jim, Sue and daughter Alex Jones accepting their award.

JOLIE WINEMILLER ’19 STAFF WRITER The annual Hot Dog Frank game was more than free hot dogs and entertaining basketball.

The 2018 Hot Dog Frank Service Award was presented to Susan Sarisky Jones ’92 and her husband Jim. Sue has served in the admissions department of The College and is now the director of alumni and parent engagement. Her husband Jim helps The College host the annual Blue & White Club Classic at Fairview Golf Course where he is the director.

Through their efforts and dedication to Lebanon Valley Athletics, the two were awarded the Hot Dog Frank Service Award on Feb. 3.