Name: Nick Yanik

Year: Junior

Major: Communication Studies

Minor: Marketing

Hometown: Edison, N.J.

High School: Edison HS

Position: Wide Receiver

Driving force for your decision to come to Wilkes?

Being a wide receiver, I loved how much Wilkes loves to throw the football.  Also, I loved the scenery of campus and our Communications program. Everyone here is just so nice and welcoming.  

Post-graduation plans in terms of a career?

I want to play football for as long as I can, however, my dream career is to be a journalist at Vice in New York City.

Favorite building on campus?

I’m a big fan of the Karambelas Media and Communications Center because of all its cool features. The TV studio, theatre, control room and music studio all provide me with the experience I need for my future career.  

Hopes for this season as a Colonel?

I hope we can just take it one game at a time, and win each week.  If we do this, our season will go down in history.  

When/Why did you first begin playing?

I started playing in elementary school because all my friends were playing at the time.  Plus, I kept falling while skateboarding, so football was a better hobby for me.

If you had to choose one thing about your program that you could improve, what would it be?

I would throw more baby blue into our uniforms because the color is fire.

Most influential person(s) in your life?

It’s tough to pick just one, but I would say my father. He has been through so much and still moves through life with such a happy vibe. He taught me to see beauty in everything, even if most people cannot.  

If you could have dinner with a famous person from the past, who would it be? 

Tupac. He is still very influential in the music industry. He had a great mind for creating music. Dying in his prime makes me really want to pick his brain about what life and music was like back then.

Favorite Professor?

Dr. Churcher.  She’s easy to talk to, caring and overall the coolest.

Coke or Pepsi?

Coke, preferably cherry vanilla.  

Favorite meal to eat on campus?

Oof … I’ll go with the mozzarella sticks from Grille Works.

A quote you live your life by?

“Tomorrow hopes we learned something from yesterday.” – John Wayne

What does “Be Colonel” mean to you?

It means living life with purpose, no matter your situation, and being there for everyone. Anyone can be there for someone they care about, but being a Colonel means you have to be there for strangers as well.

Anyone to give a shout-out to?

Shoutout to my team and everyone who believes in us, to my family and friends back home supporting and to my boy Waskiii.

-Compiled by Kirsten Peters, Co-Sports Editor