Student Name: Tyson Utesch
Major: Product Design with a minor in Entrepreneurship
Hometown: Bethlehem PA
Objects:
- Pole vault pole
- Board game, GO-BETWIXT!
Meaning behind the objects: Utesch was able to bring to fruition the board game—GO-BETWIXT!—after coming up with the idea while he was a junior in high school. And with two parents who are track and field coaches, his pole vault pole also provides meaning. He’s been pole vaulting since he was a child, but at Lehigh it led to what he considers his most proud athletic achievement.
Tyson Utesch came to Lehigh as an economics major and with the idea for a board game. He’s leaving Lehigh graduating with a degree in product design, a minor in entrepreneurship and GO-BETWIXT!, his own board game.
What started as just an idea when he was a junior in high school, is now a fully developed game and it’s no surprise GO-BETWIXT! is one of Utesch’s most important items as he graduates.
After getting accepted to Lehigh, Utesch said he quickly knew he wanted to be involved in the Baker Institute so he could grow his board game idea into a business. He also thought spending time on the Mountaintop Campus could help him.
“There was just such cool stuff up there,” Utesch said. “I always kind of liked creating and 3D printers, and then I had this game idea. So I was like, ‘How can I just be at Mountaintop all the time?’”
So Utesch switched his major and got his wish, spending a majority of his time at Mountaintop for studio classes.
“It really was so cool,” Utesch said. “It felt like I was working at a startup while I was in college because I'd be up there until midnight getting stuff done.”
Utesch plans to continue his studies at Lynchburg University and hopes by the end of next year he’ll launch his own board game company.
Another item that was important to Utesch during his collegiate career was his pole vault pole.
With two parents who are track and field coaches, Utesch has been pole vaulting since he was a child and continued at Lehigh. At first, Utesch had some self-doubt at the college level but said he came into his own with the training plan laid out and the support of his teammates. He was even able to score at the conference meet in his first year, something he calls his most proud athletic achievement.
The Class of 2026 reflects on the keepsakes, memories and milestones that shaped their Lehigh experience. Through personal stories and meaningful objects, these Future Makers share moments of growth, discovery and connection. Read the stories behind the keepsakes, or view the expanded photo essay.
