School of Business News: Spring/Early Summer 2020

Greg Van Sickler ’11 spoke in May via Zoom to Sport Marketing, Sponsorships and Promotions and Contemporary Issues in Sport classes led by Shenandoah University Vice President for Opportunity Development Fritz Polite, Ph.D. Van Sickler is the manager of premium suites for Major League Baseball’s Houston Astros. He discussed his typical game-day schedule, as well as many of his daily operations and requirements of his position. Van Sickler spoke candidly about many of his challenges, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. He answered questions regarding the sales process and preparation for entering and advancing in the sport business industry. Van Sickler has given many guest lectures in the past, including this past fall when he spoke, in person, to Dr. Polite’s Introduction to Sport Management class. 

Director of Esports Joey Gawrysiak, Ph.D., was interviewed about esports in a recent issue of University Business Magazine. “The goal of our esports program is to prepare students for life after college to be successful,” Dr. Gawrysiak says in the piece. “They might work in esports or they might work in sports or technology, or a medical field. Either way, I want students to have a high-quality college experience, academically, socially, and emotionally.” 

Shenandoah hosted one of the biggest collegiate Minecraft experiments in the spring. Shenandoah competed against George Mason, Virginia Tech, Randolph College, Radford University and Patrick Henry Community College for the title of “best campus build.”