Lane Pywell
WSU SMGT Student
Esports-Varsity/Overwatch 2
Esports-Intern
WSU Sport Management Student Spotlight: Lane Pywell
What made you decide to study Sport Management at WSU?
I first came to WSU to study Game Design but after two years of doing so, I realized that it was not for me and so I looked at where my life was headed and realized that Esports was taking over a large part. After deciding that I wanted to pursue a life in Esports, the Sport Management program was the next step in completing that goal.
Tell us about any Internships you have done or are currently doing. What do you hope to learn from your internship experience?
I am currently doing an Internship through WSU’s Esports program for the duration of the 2023-2024 school year. I am currently working directly under our Director of Esports, Travis Yang, and our Assistant Director of Esports, Joeseph Mazzara. I’m hoping to learn what it takes to run a successful varsity Esports program in a Division-I school. Event planning, team management, recruiting, and program growth are all areas that I hope to improve in and gain enough knowledge to properly work in the Esports industry. Read More
Professional Basketball
Trainer and Consultant
WSU Sport Management Welcomes Coach Marshall Cho
Mr. Cho stands out as one of the most prominent Asian American basketball coaches in the United States. Arriving in the country as an immigrant from South Korea at the age of 10, he embarked on a multifaceted journey, engaging in roles as diverse as an educator and a community volunteer, all while pursuing a career in basketball coaching. Despite facing numerous setbacks and hardships, Mr. Cho's unwavering resolve to forge his own path not only resulted in his success as a basketball coach but also paved the way for him to become a passionate advocate for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.
WSU Sport Management will host Coach Cho on October 25th to discuss “Building Your Brand: Transforming the Narrative of Asian Americans in the Sport Industry". The event will be held from 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. in Devlin Hall, Room 010.
On October 26th Coach Cho will be leading further discussion on “Leadership and Resilience: Embracing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” from 7:00 p.m.– 8:00 p.m. in Devlin Hall, Room 010. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about his work advocating for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community as it pertains to the sport industry and issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
WSU Esports Varsity
WSU Esports director nominated for 'Scholars-Collegiate Gaming Program Director of the Year'
Travis Yang, director of Shocker Esports, has been nominated for the Scholars – Collegiate Gaming Awards Program Director of the Year. Yang joined WSU in 2021 and has played a major role in the growth and success of the university’s Esports program. Early on Yang felt it was important for the program to be housed in the College of Applied Studies because it reflects the desire to highlight the interdisciplinary aspect of the program. “Our students are spread across all of the colleges,” Yang said. “Esports should be interdisciplinary. It should be reflected in our students, and it should be reflected in how we work across campus.” Voting is now open. Follow the link and cast your vote now!
Partnership Building in Action- ICT Food Rescue and OLL Partner for Service-Learning Project
Students in EDUC405/EDUC405H: Partnership Building for Leaders spent the semester working with ICT Food Rescue on building informational displays, flyers, and postcards to support two unique programs of ICT Food Rescue. The first team focused on the Condiment Surplus Drive, which invites locates to collect unwanted extra condiment packets and wrapped utensils to be re-distributed to local non-profits serving the food insecure. The second team focused on a new program working to create a “shared-table” space at Northeast Magnet High School for students to drop off unwanted food items from their school lunch and for their peers to grab an extra item if they would like. This closed-loop system avoids food ending up in the landfill and helps students rescue and re-distribute food in their school ecosystem. Both teams met with Stephanie Merritt, founder and executive director, Amanda Pickens, director of operations, and the lead volunteers from each program. ICT Food Rescue representatives helped co-facilitate the partnership project in the classroom at Wichita State. Students and Dr. Chelsea Redger-Marquardt visited ICT Food Rescue to present their final designs which will be used in the coming weeks to help support both the Shared Table and Condiment Drive programs.
WSU SMGT Hosts WISHING Panel Discussion and Networking Event
On August 10th WSU SMGT was proud to partner with the non-profit Women in Sports Helping Inspire the Next Generation (WISHING). Kristen Nett, founder of WISHING, set out with the goal to establish a mentorship program designed to give women in Title 1 high schools the opportunity to learn about careers in sports. The event hosted an informational panel session and networking opportunity with women from various backgrounds in sports. Panel members included Angie Smith with Wichita Thunder, Madison Stein representing WSU Athletics, and Tara Tallman with the Wichita Wind Surge. Through these events WISHING hopes to inspire and provide guidance and encouragement for the next generation of women working in sports.