Posted: 03/19/2012
CA Logo
"On the Move" with Ilan Beitscher
Ilan Beitscher is a senior IBE – Finance major from Manalapan, NJ and has been "on the move" since his arrival 4 years ago. Whether he is playing with the Roller Hockey Club, serving as an Orientation Leader, Ilan has made quite an impact in our programs. We asked Ilan to share his experiences with us.
You have been an active participant in our Club Sport Program throughout your undergraduate years at Lehigh. Can you share what you have been involved in?
I have played on the Club Roller Hockey team for four years. I have been the president of the club since my sophomore year and it has been an awesome experience. I also have participated in intramural soccer during my four years.
What other Campus activities or organizations are you currently or have been involved with?
I am a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. I held the position of brotherhood events chair for one year and I have helped coordinate the Election for Cancer Research, the second largest philanthropy event on campus, for three years. Additionally, I have been an Orientation Leader for the past two years.
Do you find it difficult being so involved?
I think of being highly involved as a juggling act and makes you have to find a good balance. Hence, I do not find it difficult to be involved, it actually helps me stay on task and get more accomplished knowing that I have a lot on my plate.
Is it hard to keep up with your classes and grades, or do you feel that you balance them well?
I do not find it difficult as I maintain a healthy balance between all of my activities, including classes.
How has participating in our Campus Athletics programs helped to enrich your college experience?
Campus Athletics has really allowed me to enrich my college experience. I have taken on a leadership role that I have never experienced in the past and I was able to improve the Roller Hockey Club and myself during my presidency. I took over the role as president when I was just a sophomore and with other players on the team as old as 28, it was an unbelievable experience being a leader. Starting out I was nervous, but I was able to put the nerves aside and really get the job done. We were able to get new jerseys for the team that were actually Lehigh’s colors, unlike the green, white, and black ones which the team wore my freshman year. We also have changed leagues and are not part of the National Collegiate Roller Hockey Association.
Campus Athletics allowed me to grow individually taking on leadership roles with the team acting as president, coach, captain, and a teammate. I was able to further the role and this year was selected to be the divisional representative by the league.
How has our programs helped you to make connections and friendships with people that you otherwise probably would have never met?
I have made so many friends that I would have never had the chance to meet had it not been for Roller Hockey. A club is a mixture of all types of people regardless of class year, major of study, or any other affiliations. The roller hockey team is just that. The team throughout the years has consisted on undergrads, grad students, and PhD candidates ranging from 18-28 years old. It is such an eclectic mix all brought together and this has allowed all of us to make many new and different friends.
What inspired you to become so involved?
I don’t know if there is one specific thing that inspired me to become so involved. It is just my desire to continue to grow as a person and better myself while bettering those around me. Becoming more involved allowed me to meet new people and have many new and amazing experiences.
Do you think you've grown as a leader? Do you feel more confident in general?
I have definitely grown as a leader and I now feel comfortable in mostly all situations, which was definitely not the case 4 years ago.
How do you think you will be able to apply these leadership skills in other areas such as the workplace and in everyday life?
Leadership skills are invaluable in anything you do in life. Teamwork is the basis of many jobs and I believe my experiences here have taught me how to be a good teammate and leader.
What are your future plans?
Next year I will be working as a consultant for IBM in their Consulting by Degrees program. The skills that I have learned through Campus Athletics will be extremely valuable to me as I start the next chapter of my life. As a consultant, I will always be working in teams, just as I have with the Roller Hockey team.