the
Mr. Etown Q&A
LAUNCH Music Conference
Professorial background checks
Etownian Campus Life, page 6
Centerfold, page 8 & 9
Opinion, page 11
elizabethtown college
LOCAL HOMELESS MAN SEARCHES FOR LOVE
Features, page 4
On the Web: www.etownian.com
One Alpha Drive • Elizabethtown, PA 17022-2298
March 25, 2010• Volume 106, No. 16
achievements
Erdman takes second at NCAA wrestling championship
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t is not very often that an Elizabethtown College athlete is recognized on a national level, but sophomore Tyler Erdman earned that honor Saturday, Feb. 28. Erdman finished as the runner-up in the 125-pound weight class at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships at the U.S. Cellular Center in Clear Rapids, Iowa. Erdman fell to the top-seeded Clayton Rush of Coe College in the championship match but finished the season with a 25-2 record, bringing his career record to 58-8. The Etown squad finished 17th out of 59 schools at the championships with 21 points, the school’s best finish since 1995. “I was definitely nervous because of the atmosphere, but I was also intimidated because my opponent was in the finals before, so he was not nervous,” Erdman said. “Plus, his fans were there because his college was two blocks from the arena.” Losing in the finals has only added to the fire, and Erdman has become even more motivated. Despite his impressive accomplishments here at Etown, he couldn’t help but feel some nervousness and intimidation in the championships. “It is awesome to be an NCAA runner-up,” Erdman said. “It was not the finish I wanted, but I have no reason to be ashamed. I just plan on training hard all summer for next season. It was an awesome experience. It has always
been my dream to wrestle in the national finals on the raised platform. Erdman’s runner-up-finish allowed him to become the third Etown wrestler to be a two-time All-American, joining Eric Mast (1974 and 1977) and Justin Barbush (1995 and 1996). The second place finish makes Erdman one of the most respected wrestlers in the country, but also it brings more credibility to Etown’s wrestling program. “Tyler is on his way to becoming the most dominant wrestler in Etown’s history,” junior teammate Bill Meaney said. “As a team we all benefit from watching and learning what he does because he knows what it takes to be the best. Any time you have a national finalist, it helps get your program out to recruits. It allows them to know that the program is going in the right direction by seeing wrestlers get to nationals and dominate, as well as letting them know that our coaching staff is just as good if not better than any other school in the nation.” Every athletic program, whether professional, collegiate or high school, has its ups and downs. After some disappointing seasons, Erdman believes that the wrestling program is making strides. “The wrestling team hasn’t had a lot of success in general for a few years, but … we had a winning season [8-5], were ranked for the first time in a while [29th, 20th, and then 17th], and earned a top three conference placement, three national qualifiers, one national finalist [first since
1977] and four academic All-Americans. This just shows the wrestling team is heading in the right direction after some down seasons,” he said. With all these positive indications, such as athletic and academic All-Americans, winning seasons and national finalists, the Etown wrestling program is poised to become a dominant force throughout the Metropolitan Conference and even the country for years to come.
Tyler Erdman wrestles at Nationals, where he earned his second AllAmerican title.
Image: etownbluejays.com
Marc C. Weber Assistant Business Manager
on campus
Writers House to foster creativity, accomodate events Kara M. Luzik Staff Writer
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short walk off campus from Ober, Brinser or Founders, on the far side of the Simon Farm property, you can find a small, white ranch house. Most recently home to the Hess family, this building will soon undergo renovations to become an intellectual venue for students, faculty and the public. Elizabethtown College will begin programming for the Writers House, located between Cedar and Cherry Streets, in the fall of 2010. T h e Wr i t e r s H o u s e will host an array of events. Students and faculty will be invited to attend luncheons and workshops w i t h p ro f e s sional writers, scholars from fields outside the humanities and nonacademic experts. Faculty and student groups will have the opportunity to host receptions,
awards banquets, and many events traditionally held on campus in the house. “It is a dynamic venue in which we bring in outside writers, performers and artists to create a greater sense of multiplicitous diversity in the university,” the house’s future director, Jesse Waters, visiting assistant professor of English, said. The idea for the Writers House was originally suggested by faculty of the English department. Dean of Faculty Christine Bucher and Provost Susan Traverso are also advocates of the house’s establishment. Bucher believes the House will open up many new opportunities for students. “Not all learning occurs in the classroom,” she said. “[The] Writers House will offer a venue for talking about writing outside the formal classroom setting.” Programming at the House includes hosting academic and professional writers who will give presentations
and meet with students and faculty on a personal level. “We’re bringing in folks who have a strong sense of social and intellectual diversity to offer the campus community,” Waters said. Bucher and Waters both said that students will have a large say in the future programming of the house. Waters believes it will become a strong resource for the entire College community. “While this house may be grounded in the humanities, through its sense of programming, we plan to show that every department on campus can and should feel like they have a vested interest in what goes on there in terms of selection of personnel and events,” he said. The House will also give faculty a space to use off campus that is still within walking distance of the College. “Faculty can have a place that’s a little quieter and a little more relaxed to do research and to conduct scholarly work,” Waters said. Waters, who has been at Etown since the summer of 2008, said he was glad to find a way he could be at the College on a more permanent basis. “I find that this is a really vibrant student community that has a very dynamic
Jesse Waters gazes off into the distance, pondering the excellence of the new Writers House, in front of which he stands.
relationship with the faculty and with themselves,” Waters said. “I’ve been to other colleges and other universities, and this is a really special place.” He was chosen as director in part because of his past experiences with similar venues. Waters worked with a writers house at UNC Wilmington as a senior lecturer in the English Department there. “To be a part of [the House] as a director and to take the torch of that project was something that I felt would be very good for me personally and professionally,” he said. “I felt it would be something that I could contribute to and my own sense of experience would lend itself to.” The house will have a large residence suite (similar to the Alumni House), a public area able to accommodate 50 to 70 people and two offices. It also has a large, flat backyard that will feature a prominent patio, providing space for outdoor events. Several ideas for the property’s use were discussed both before and after the College acquired the property, Bucher said. Construction to create parking areas and paths to the House will begin this year. Efforts to establish lighting around the House have already begun. Photo: Melanie R. Giardina