The Ultimate Gift Guide provides shopping tips for this holiday season Read on A8
The official student media group at Florida Gulf Coast University since 1997
AGLE NEWS www.eaglenews.org
Volume 15, Issue 17
In the know Entertainment
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
With decorated caps, FGCU students are ready for graduation
Local artist Sam.Sun aims to move his audience through his music and lyricism. Read on A6
Sports
Albert Ruiz looks back on his childhood and the success of the 2016 season. Read on B1
Opinion
EN Photos / Kim Smith (Right) Some graduating seniors decorate their graduation caps with an FGCU related theme by including the school’s mascot, Azul or incorporating the schools colors. (Left) The Cap Decorating Party was held on Monday, Dec. 5 and hosted by Student Alumni Association for students graduating on Sunday, Dec. 11.
By Caylee Weintraub Contributing Writer @fgcueaglenews
What can established religion learn from Pastafarians? Read on B7
Outreach
Students were recognized at the Paragon Award Ceremony for their mentoring program.
On Monday, Dec. 5, from 6 to 8 p.m., the Student Alumni Association hosted a Cap Decorating Party for students graduating from FGCU this December. Glitter glue, pipe cleaners and confetti were spread in wide arcs across Cohen Center Ballroom tables for students to use as they personalized their graduation caps. Students chose decorations they felt best represented their time at FGCU. Jessica Goodstein, an environmental major, wrote the words “Graduating Naturally” across her cap.
After dedicating so much of her time and studies to the natural world, she said she believes these words reflect the passion she feels for her discipline. Brenee Miller, a forensic studies major, searched for the right materials to express the quote “Be the change you want to see,” articulated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1947 but still resonating with her today. Miller envisioned surrounding this quote with small butterflies, representing the Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Society she has been part of during her years at FGCU. While decorating their caps, FGCU students discussed their plans after graduation.
Kelsey Abell, an English major, looks forward to going to law school. Jennifer Gladstone, a communication major with a concentration in public relations, said she is looking forward to moving back to Fort Lauderdale where she can be closer to her family as she begins to build her life after FGCU. Throughout the event, students went back and forth between tables, trying to capture what they believed to be the essence of their college experience. Some went the extravagant route, cutting silver paper to place over their cap’s black cloth and crafting flowers from red and blue pipe cleaners. Others were more
minimalistic, writing their major in black marker on a white sheet of paper. Some fell in between, using a combination of both to express their interests and convictions. Students of all fields bonded as they came together as a community for one last time. Alumni circulated around the room, hoping to forge a connection and foster FGCU’s growing alumni network. Alumni coordinators gave advice to graduating students, reminding them to “always remember FGCU and the values you have learned.” Members of the Student Alumni Association expressed their hope that this event not only would
unify the graduating class but would also unify current and former FGCU students. The Student Alumni Association believes this connection will build a strong bridge between life before and after FGCU. The wide range of cap decorations, from detailed three-dimensional creations of butterflies to subtle phrases written in Sharpie, reflects the diversity of the FGCU community. The creativity and originality shining through at the Cap Decorating Event adroitly conveys all the FGCU community contains and all it will continue to inspire.
Read on B8
Student robbed at gunpoint at Starbucks in Gulf Coast Town Center By Emily Ford Editor-in-chief @152emily An FGCU student was robbed at gunpoint at the Gulf Coast Town Center Starbucks on Sunday, Dec. 4 at approximately 10:44 p.m. Freshman Chase Richardson was going to Starbucks with his girlfriend around 10:30 p.m., and when they realized it was closed, Richardson parked so he could throw away garbage in the nearby trash can. While walking back to his car, a man parked two spaces over called out, asking for help. The man
INSIDE:
then walked in Richardson’s direction, flashed his gun and said, “Give me all your money.” “I was pretty on edge and terrified,” Richardson said. “You see people getting mugged in a movie, but you kind of never process that something like that can happen in the real world.” Richardson handed the man $60 in cash, and then, the attacker took off. According to the police incident report, the suspect is described to be a white male standing at 5-foot 10-inch, thin build with a thin black beard. He was wearing a black hoodie and drove off in a black Jeep
Entertainment and Lifestyle.....A6 Sports............................................B1 Opinion..........................................B6 Outreach.......................................B8
Cherokee. “Really only after did it set in how close I was to actually getting shot,” Richardson said. “I’m just glad I had money and didn’t make him mad enough to blow my head off in Starbucks’ parking lot.” Richardson said he dialed 911 and Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded. He said they had him pull over at Foster’s Grill and wait for the cops. At the time of publication, there were no further details on this investigation. EN Photo / Rachel Iacovone FGCU student Chase Richardson was robbed outside of the Starbucks in Gulf Coast Town Center on Sunday, Dec. 4.
FIRST ISSUE FREE Eagle News McTarnaghan Hall 201 10030 FGCU Blvd. S Fort Myers, Fla. 33967
A2 NEWS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7
EDITOR: TAYLOR CREHAN NEWS@EAGLENEWS.ORG
The official student produced newspaper at Florida Gulf Coast University since 1997.
SERVICE LEARNING
AGLE NEWS
Eagle News receives these volunteer opportunities from the FGCU Office of Service Learning every week
Editor-in-Chief Emily Ford
editorinchief@eaglenews.org Advertising and Operations Manager
Service-Learning Events & Opportunities
lcarr@leegov.com or 239-432-2154 for more info.
>> Big Brothers Big Sisters needs your gift-wrapping skills on Dec. 8 and your gift-handing-out skills at their holiday party on Dec. 10. Both events take place at Venetian Bay of Naples. There are additional volunteer opportunities doing office work. Please contact Lois Ferguson at 239-331-7133 or email lferguson@bbbssun.org.
>> Rookery Bay Research Reserve is one of the few remaining undisturbed mangrove sanctuaries in North America. Would you like to help the Reserve thrive? Join a new volunteer orientation Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 11 a.m. Learn about the many volunteer opportunities and internships available. Contact Donna Young, volunteer@rookerybay. org. A separate orientation can be scheduled if necessary.
Nikki Henkell
businessmanager@eaglenews.org Managing Editor Rachel Iacovone
managing@eaglenews.org News Editor Taylor Crehan
news@eaglenews.org Assistant News Editor Travis Brown
assistantnews@eaglenews.org Production Manager
>> Collier Parks and Rec is hosting a family friendly event on Dec. 10., Christmas Around the World. Help with decorating, set up and overseeing games, 4 p.m. – 10 p.m. Contact Elizabeth at ElizabethMorris@colliergov.net if you’d like more info. >> Wa-Ke Hatchee Recreation Center is holding Santa Fest on Friday, Dec. 16, at 6 p.m. Join in for a fun-filled evening of holiday cheer. Crafts, snacks and a chance to see the jolly ol’ man himself. Many volunteer opportunities are available. Contact Laura Carr at
>> The Florida Helps Foundation is dedicated to supporting the development of non-profits and raising funds for their PADLS Program. They improve business set-up, execution and management for start-ups and non-profits alike. Help is needed in re-building and re-designing the Foundation’s WordPress website. About 60 hours of expertise is needed -- negotiable number of hours/week and scheduling. Contact Mike VonPlinsky at mvp@flhelps.org or 239-8962847.
Audrey Mobley
productionmanager@eaglenews.org Entertainment and Lifestyle Editor Allie Taylor
entertainment@eaglenews.org Assistant Entertainment and Lifestyle Editor Julia Browning
assistantentertainment@eaglenews.org
Sports Editor Miguel Rodriguez
sports@eaglenews.org
The world in brief Italian Prime Minister resigns Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi resigned Dec. 6 from his position in light of crushing defeat of his referendum, which was designed to help Italy’s civic structure and foresaw potential economic growth. Renzi was asked initially to stay until after the country’s budget for the next fiscal year was decided, however, the referendum’s crushing blow prompted hastier action.
German Chancellor speaks out against Burkas German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke out in opposition of full-faced veils, calling for a ban. Merkel says that the ban should include schools, courts and other public facilities. German citizens, however, massively recognize this call as a violation of their constitution.
Assistant Sports Editor Emily Kois
assistantsports@eaglenews.org
Opinion Editor Luke Janke
opinion@eaglenews.org
Rome, Italy
Berlin, Germany
Assistant Opinion Editor
Karachi, Pakistan
Sam Palmisano
assistantopinion@eaglenews.org Senior Copy Editor Sarajane Sullivan
copydesk@eaglenews.org Photography Editor Brad Young
photography@eaglenews.org
Rio De Janeiro
Assistant Photography Editor Kim Smith
assistantphoto@eaglenews.org Media Editor Katie Hopkins
media@eaglenews.org Assistant Media Editor Aubrey Westmoreland
assistantmedia@eaglenews.org ENTV Director Cassidy Mace
entvdirector@eaglenews.org
Deadly hotel fire reveals safety concerns
Protester in Brazil clash with police Protestors in the streets of Rio de Janeiro have begun to clash with police violently. The demonstrators were public workers who were gathering in anger of not receiving any income in months. Both protestors and police officers have been injured.
ENTV Assistant Director
On Dec. 5 at around 2:25 a.m. local time, a Regent Plaza Hotel in Karachi broke out in flames, killing 11 people and leaving nearly 75 people injured. According to reports, the hotel had no fire exits and none of the existing fire alarms worked. The fatalities were likely from suffocation.
Katie Hopkins
entvassistantdirector@eaglenews.org
Third racially charged incident disturbs FGCU campus
ENTV News Content Manager Nora Reca
entvnews@eaglenews.org ENTV Entertainment Content Manager Olivia Keegan
entventertainment@eaglenews.org Distribution Coordinator Katie Hopkins
Media Adviser Rhema Thompson
rhthompson@fgcu.edu
CONTACT: 239-590-7945 Main Office 239-590-7996 Media Adviser 239-590-7712 Advertising
By Sam Palmisano Assistant Opinion Editor @SamPalmisano On Thursday, Dec. 1, a white supremacist flyer was found posted to a pole outside the FGCU library. The flyer contained racially based language, such as “white guilt” and “free yourself from cultural Marxism.” It also contains a URL link to a website run by a group who identify as part of the “alt-right”
movement. “The only information about a flyer we’re aware of was seeing the TV interview (on WINK News),” said Susan Evans, the university spokesperson for FGCU. “The University Police Department, Title IX Office, Office of Student Affairs, etc. have not received any reports from concerned students or anyone else about this type of flyer.” According to WINK
News, these posters have appeared on campuses like University of Central Florida and Purdue University. Flyers with similar language from similar groups have shown up on campuses across the country. The flyer found outside the FGCU library has since been taken down. This is the third racially based incident to take place this year.
EN Photo / Rachel Iacovone Posters have been spotted across campus linking to a white supremacist website.
MISSION STATEMENT:
ABOUT US:
ONE COPY PER READER:
Eagle News, the official student media group at Florida Gulf Coast University since 1997, represents the diverse voices on campus with fairness.
Eagle News, founded in 1997, is the student newspaper at Florida Gulf Coast University. The newspaper is the only student produced publication on campus and is entirely student run.
One copy of the print edition is free anyone, but limited one per reader.
We select content for our publication and our website that is relevant to the student body, faculty and staff. Members are committed to reporting with accuracy and truth. Our purpose is to encourage conversations about issues that concern the on-campus community. Eagle News views every culture with equal respect and believes every person must be treated with dignity.
Eagle News is published weekly during the fall and spring semesters and monthly in the summer, with the exception of holiday breaks and examination periods. Eagle News can be found on campus and in the community and online daily at eaglenews.org.
Newspaper theft is a crime. It is also a terribly effective form of censorship. While most college newspapers are distributed without charge, they are certainly not “free.” Publishing a student newspaper is an expensive undertaking. Like other types of theft, newspaper thieves deprive rightful owners of their valuable property. If you are interested in obtaining more than one issue, please contact the editor-in-chief in writing.
WWW.EAGLENEWS.ORG
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7 EAGLE NEWS NEWS A3
FGCU makes efforts in conserving biodiversity in Florida
EN Photo / Jack Lowenstein
FGCU aims to play an active role in conserving biodiversity, saving wildlike like the vast array present on campus.
By Jesse Martin Staff Writer @jessemartin247 More than two-thirds of planet Earth’s wildlife could go extinct by the end of the decade, according to a new report from the World Wildlife Fund. Animals are thus in danger on even FGCU’s campus, which is built on preserved land. “From a global perspective, it’s pretty clear we are in our sixth mass extinction,” FGCU biology professor John Herman said. “Extinction is a natural process, along with evolution. The rate is supposed to be balanced out.”
FGCU is known for its wildlife and nature trails on its campus, so any wildlife loss around campus could be a hindrance to the university. “If you look at the campus right now, there is actually more wildlife, which would suggest greater preservation,” Herman said. “But, around FGCU there are huge amounts of development taking place, so we are actually pushing them into our campus, creating an influx.” According to Herman, wildlife activity, like that of Florida panthers, has increased on campus from there being about only one reported observation
per semester to there now being around 10 reported observations. Herman said the wildlife activity is misleading because people are limiting wildlife habitats in the same area where FGCU is located, such as Miromar. “We have a duty as human beings to protect wildlife since we are partially responsible for its destruction,” Herman said. Herman said he believes it is not too late for improvements to be made in species preservation. One of the main things FGCU plans to improve on and keep doing right is their outreach in the community. Students and faculty
hope to educate the younger children in grades K-12 and also adults who may not be aware. “The focus has to be education when it comes to improving the biodiversity on campus,” FGCU colloquium professor Brent Jackson said. “Colloquium is our best example. No other university has a class like this. It’s a graduation requirement, which allows FGCU to send more wellrounded individuals out into the world.” Jackson said the first step into creating conservation plans is doing field studies by biologists to see how organisms react to changes in their habitat and knowing how species can
survive in certain habitats. “You can’t take care of something if you don’t know it’s there,” Jackson said. “We need to budget our conservation efforts more wisely. You can throw money at something, but that doesn’t always fix the problem.” The College of Arts and Sciences will be hosting a biodiversity conference on March 7, 2017. The conference will feature internationally recognized specialists in the biodiversity field talking about how to tackle the current biodiversity crisis in Florida. “FGCU students can be a driving force for education and
conservation,” said Jayne Johnston, a recent FGCU graduate now working as a Public Information Specialist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “Access to accurate information and giving people purpose and validation that no matter how small their contribution, they are needed, they matter and they are appreciated.”
Annual Eagle Biz awards brings engineering and entrepreneurship under one roof By Allie Taylor E&L Editor @journonajourney The Eagle Biz award ceremony has each year by FGCU’s Institute for Entrepreneurship as a way for students to showcase their semester-long projects. This year, the award ceremony was held on Saturday, Dec. 3 at the Emergent Technologies Institute. Students in engineering course ENG 3641C Engineering Entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship course ENT 3114 New Venture Lab divided themselves into teams and set out on a mission to develop a product. The final presentation, consisting of a marketing pitch and prototype, featured 22 participating teams competing to win first place. Sandra Kauanui, the director of the Institute for Entrepreneurship, explained the process of
getting teams ready for the big day. “The teams have to come up with presentations,” Kauanui said. “They have to come up with pitches, and they have to practice.” The students then receive feedback from the Eagle Biz judging panel, which averages 15 to 16 judges each year. “We have special judging documents for each of the groups because engineering-only students we judge differently than the entrepreneurship and engineering students,” Kauanui said. The winning team for the New Venture Lab course Go Lite started with the hopes to make clean, renewable energy accessible to developing nations while benefiting developed countries. “(It’s) kind of like the Toms shoes model,” said Stanley Stouder, a senior business marketing major. “Everybody needs shoes, but they’re also helping someone else by doing it.”
From the beginning of the semester to the night before the event, Go Lite continued to work on their product; similar to a watch, users can wear the portable charger on their wrist. A pendulum inside of the charger swings with the user’s movement while batteries collect and hold the charge. The device is completely dependent on kinetic energy produced during movement. One of the challenges Go Lite faced was creating the end design for their product, said Stouder’s partner Josh Mueller, a junior civil engineering major. Along with trying to find a design, the calculations were also an obstacle the team had to overcome. Endoco won first place for the Engineering Entrepreneurship course alongside Go Lite’s first place win and being awarded people’s choice. Following, teams Run Free and Neck Tech both won second place. Teams Nimbus and Aquaseal won
EN Photo / Taylor Crehan Director of the Institute for Entrepreneurship Sandra Kauanui spoke in front of the competitors during the Eagle Biz awards ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 3. Combined teams of entrepreneurship and enginnering majors are given real-world problems in society, and are asked to to create an innovative product prototype and business launch plan designed to provide a solution.
honorable mentions. Dean Robert Beatty from the Lutgert College of Business shared his favorite moments from the ceremony. “I’m always amazed
by the creativity and ingenuity,” Beatty said. “Even though people are very creative, it has to be brought out, and Dr. Kauanui and the several entrepreneurs who
volunteer their time to help these kids think creatively and come up with new ideas is evident in that room.”
A4 NEWS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7
EDITOR: TAYLOR CREHAN NEWS@EAGLENEWS.ORG
Police Beat Eagle News writes this beat every week from the official UPD weekly summary Missing Roach Found On Sunday, Nov. 27 at 2:34 a.m., a UPD officer conducted a vehicle search. Suspecting the subjects were in possession of marijuana, the officer searched the center console of the car and found a small roach, beneath which was 20grams of marijuana. Drug Search On Monday, Nov. 28 at 1:48 a.m., a UPD officer conducted a traffic stop on FGCU South Bridge Loop. While the driver and passenger in the stopped
vehicle were in the process of searching for their registration, they removed a small wooden box. When the UPD officer asked what was inside the box, the subjects responded “nothing.” However, further investigation revealed there was a small plastic bag with a leafy green substance, confirmed to be marijuana. Nighttime Snack On Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 5:19 p.m., a male of brown complexion in a grey, long-sleeved shirt was found trespassing through the Cohen Center Food
Court, including ChickFil-A, Blu Sushi, Papa John’s and Jamba Juice. Dangerous Backpack On Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 8:52 p.m., UPD officers detected suspicious activity in Garage B. Upon arrival, UPD found students running away from a backpack left on the sixth floor containing drug equipment. Although the officers were unable to identify who the students were, they seized the backpack and placed it into UPD property. Smoking in Whitaker Hall
On Thursday, Dec. 1 at 9:02 a.m., a complainant called into UPD stating that a faculty member had been smoking on the bridge way of the second floor of Whitaker Hall for the past two weeks. UPD issued a verbal warning to the subject listed, although the subject was not caught in the act of smoking. Harassed Alligator On Thursday, Dec. 1 at 4:38 p.m., a complainant called to state there were three students harassing an alligator in the Everglades Lake Complex.
The complainant stated that the students were spitting at the alligator, and requested UPD issue a warning. Violent Newspaper Stand On Friday, Dec. 2 at 11:32 a.m., UPD officers responded to an alert from a panic button. The complainant reported to UPD that a 70-year-old man had slipped outside of his office, and was hit on the head by a newspaper stand. The man was found to be alert and conscious, and denied transport to the hospital.
Authority Problems On Friday, Dec. 2 at 5:40 p.m., an AOC requested a UPD officer in South Village’s Biscayne Hall. An irate and uncooperative student argued with UPD officers upon their arrival, stating that he did not have to listen to anything the police told him. After being told to calm down several times, the student told the AOC he would not cause another disturbance. Later, his roommate told UPD officers that the subject has a problem with authority figures.
University makes amendments to alcohol regulations By Caylee Weintraub Contributing Writer @fgcueaglenews On Friday, Dec. 2, the Florida Board of Governors, in cooperation with Vice President of Student Affairs Mike Rollo, made significant amendments to a prior regulation addressing possession, service and consumption of alcohol on FGCU premises. The Florida Board of Governors is a statewide regulatory mechanism that oversees university guidelines and makes recommendations as how to most effectively communicate and establish
university policies. In this case, the Board of Governors specifically aided in updating FGCU’s alcohol policy, regulation FGCU-PR9.002, which has been in effect since 2008. The major changes to this regulation involved establishing succinct definitions of terms previously left more ambiguous and streamlining the approval process needed to supply alcohol on campus events and functions. The updates to this regulation make great efforts to clarify all terms encompassed throughout the paper. Terms such
as “alcoholic beverages,” “distilled spirits” and “university premises” are explicitly defined to eliminate former grey areas. Previously called “Use of Alcoholic Beverages”, this updated regulation, titled “Possession, Service, or Consumption of Alcohol,” has been expanded to include both alcohol and distilled spirits, these two products distinguished by the percentage of their alcoholic content by volume. The regulation specifically details that distilled spirits “maybe not be possessed, served, or consumed (at student-only events) without prior approval.”
The approval process to provide alcohol and alcoholic products at school functions remains essentially the same. The individual interested must obtain approval from the vice president and may only provide alcohol through vendors and caterers with an appropriate license. The most specific updates to this regulation can be found in section D, the violations section. Previously, this regulation stated that those individuals found in violation would be subject to “disciplinary action.” This updated regulation now lists specific processes
that must be followed and outlines the repercussions that can result from transgressing FGCU’s alcohol policy. The former regulation also stated that nonuniversity subjects in violation with federal, state or local law would result in the loss of university facilities. Now, these vendors may face more serious consequences and be directly referred to law enforcement. While the majority of changes were made for greater clarity, one of the most distinct changes comes at the end of the regulation. In section C,
subsection 6, the president of FGCU calls for the creation of a committee composed of a “minimum of two (2) students to develop a policy to address the possession, service, and consumption of Alcoholic Beverages at events to which students are invited.” FGCU hopes the committee would Foster a more profound sense of community and responsibility, as it would allow for greater student involvement in the development of university protocols.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7 EAGLE NEWS NEWS A5
WWW.EAGLENEWS.ORG
Bower School of Music receives substantial donation By Travis Brown Assistant News Editor @Teebrowns Maurizio and Laura Nisita, residents of Estero gave a significant donation to the Bower School of Music Tuesday, Dec. 6. The money provided will help fund scholarships for future and current musicians in the program, while the left over amount will go to fund the schools concert series Laura, retired Minnesota based company Ecolab Vice-President and a musician herself, is
president of the Naples Music Club and an award winning painter. The Nisita’s are patrons of Bower performances, “We love the small concert hall here — it’s just beautiful,” Laura said in a Office of Media Relations press release. Maurizo had similar feelings and said, “They are producing the performers of tomorrow.” The money is well received by students as well. Eduardo Ortego a sophomore majoring in music education was happy to hear about the generosity.
“It restores faith in humanity that people believe in art with a similar passion inside of me and my peers,” Ortego said. “I hope that this is only the start to a bright future for the Bower School of Music.” In light of their generosity, the 2017 concert serious will be named after the donors titled, Nisita Concert Series.
EN Photo / Hannah Kornitsky Bower School of Music received a significant donation from Estero couple, Maurizio and Laura Nisita.
Board of Trustees to meet for the end of the semester By Mindy Paniagau Staff Writer @mindypaniagau On Friday, Dec. 9, FGCU’s Board of Trustees is scheduled to convene for their last meeting of the year. During this meeting, BOT will decide on the approval of a revised timeline for the presidential search and have an informational discussion regarding Performance Based Funding. The revised timeline would extend FGCU’s presidential search application period to Jan. 31, 2017. There were 10 candidates selected by FGCU’s Presidential Search Advisory Committee. These candidates were scheduled to be interviewed on Nov. 17 and 18. Two out of these ten candidates withdrew from the search prior to
their scheduled interview. Therefore, the committee interviewed eight candidates. From these eight candidates, only two were selected to be advanced to the BOT for hiring consideration. The committee’s task was to advance a minimum of three candidates for the hiring process. After speaking with Chancellor Marshall Criser in Tallahassee, Dudley Goodlette, chair of FGCU’s BOT determined that the last minute withdrawal by the two candidates did not constitute exceptional circumstances in the regulation. This in turn requires more than two candidates to be advanced to the BOT. In an email sent to all FGCU eagles, Goodlette said, “We (BOT) look forward to receiving a full complement of candidates through the good work of the Presidential Search
Advisory Committee and our executive search firm Witt/Kieffer.” The revised timeline states that the BOT would have selected the new president by Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017. However, he or she is subject to confirmation by the Board of Governors. On March 29 and 30, the BOT-selected candidate would be presented to the BOG for confirmation action and the BOG would act on confirmation of the new FGCU president. This last meeting will also involve an informational discussion of performance-based funding and metrics significant to FGCU. The discussion will revolve around the history of the FGCU funding model, the overview of the 10 metrics that compromise the Performance Based Funding Model of the BOG, and the specific changes to metric three. Metric three involves
EN Photo / Brad Young President Wilson G. Bradshaw pictured at a fall 2016 Board of Trustees meeting in the Cohen Center.
addressing the issue of affordability for students. It also involves the average cost per bachelor’s degree. The change to this metric would mean a transition from a “cost per degree” to a “cost to the student” measure.
It is being looked at as a disadvantage because “it creates a net tuition cost to students that is largely dependent upon the amount of grant and scholarship aid the student receives,” according to item two of the released agenda
for the meeting. The scheduled meeting is open to the public at 9:15 a.m. and will take place in FGCU’s Cohen Center Ballroom.
Four students awarded the Excellence in Civic Engagement stole By Emily Ford Editor-in-chief @152emily
Photo courtesy of James Greco (Left to right) Rachel Whittaker, Jessica Sauer, Jennier Hays and Carlie Pierre were awarded the Excellence in Civic Engagment stole on Tuesday, Dec. 6. Collectively, they accumulated 2,717 hours of service learning.
Four FGCU students were awarded the Excellence in Civic Engagement stole on Tuesday, Dec. 6. Jennifer Hays, Carlie Pierre, Jessica Sauer and Rachel Whittaker collectively accumulated 2,717 hours of service learning hours during their time at FGCU.
According to the Office of Service-Learning and Civic Engagement website, the office “recognizes up to 10 graduating seniors each semester who greatly excel in engagement and service to their community.” FGCU requires students to have at least 80 service learning hours to graduate. To be eligible for the stole, students need to complete 400 or more hours. To be eligible for the stole, students have to fill
out an application, and all service learning hours must be turned in a month prior to the application deadline. There is an application packet to be completed, which includes a personal statement, a letter of support from a community partner and another letter of support from a member of FGCU’s faculty and staff who has knowledge of one’s service to their community. Students will then be selected to receive
the Excellence in Civic Engagement recognition by a Selection Committee appointed by the Office of Service-Learning and Civic Engagement. Recipients are then awarded at a special ceremony luncheon. For more information on the Excellence in Civic Engagement stole contact Director of ServiceLearning Jessica Rhea at 239-590-7016 or email her at jrhea@fgcu.edu.
SHOP SMART AND SAVE AT
MIROMAR OUTLETS
®
UP TO 70% OFF RETAIL PRICES!
INFO: (239) 948-3766 • MiromarOutlets.com
Copyright © 2016, Miromar Development Corporation. Miromar Outlets is a registered service mark of Miromar Development Corporation.
120716-3006
Voted the Best Shopping Mall and Best Factory Outlet Mall in Southwest Florida
ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE
www.eaglenews.org
‘No one is nobody’
Local musician Sam.Sun makes music with a message
Photo courtesy of Sam.Sun Samuel Hilarie, also known as Sam.Sun, plays the ukulele on his tracks to accompany his voice. The ukulele is a unique instrument that perfectly adds to his beachy sound.
By Julia Browning Assistant E&L Editor @juliabrowningxo Sam.Sun, the 22-yearold musician, radiates vitality when he talks about music, a great love in his life since he was a little boy. “I was always surrounded by music when I was young,” Sam.Sun said. “My family members were all very musically inclined. My cousin would play the piano and just fill the room with beautiful sonnets.” For Sam.Sun, that’s when the curiosity began to spark. As he grew older and his schedule began to fill with extracurricular
activities, music always stayed in the picture, with a heavy focus on chorus and band. Though music was weaved into the fabric of his life, he never felt it was something that he could, or should, pursue. It all changed with his first keyboard, a gift from a friend. After that, his musical inclination soon grew to a full on obsession. For the next few months, Sam.Sun spent the majority of his time sitting in his room, closed off from the world, giving life to the music that had so long been in his head. As his love for music grew, so did support from
his peers, and it wasn’t long before he was recording original tracks and putting EPs together. Sam.Sun is an artistic factotum, playing the ukulele, tuba and piano. “Never all on the same track,” Sam.Sun joked. But in Sam.Sun’s opinion, his strongest instruments are his voice and his lyrics, as he exclusively plays original songs. “People want to hear your soul sing,” Sam. Sun said. “I want to show people a new song for them to potentially fall in love with. If you support your music 100 percent, people
feel that. Singing covers for me would only be like 50 percent, not singing it as the person who wrote it intended it to be sung. I sing my own music knowing exactly where to hit it and how to sing it with heart.” Writing his own lyrics allows Sam.Sun to send out a specific message to his listeners; a message that’s close to his own heart. The message: No one is nobody. “I’ve felt like a lot of times in my life I’ve been overlooked in some ways,” Sam.Sun said. “Or people will only see me as one thing. You’re more than just a person in a room. That’s what my music says. I want to make sure everything I sing has that message behind it, and I think people relate to that.” In “Lost in Paradise,” Sam.Sun’s three-song EP, the message resonates. With love songs, like his tracks “Superglue” and “7 Ways,” to, “Holiday,” a song about coming of age, the EP is a tender example of what Sam.Sun continues to give in his regularly dropped singles: passionately sung lyrics that sound as real and raw as the experiences that inspire him. “I mix and master everything myself in my own studio,” Sam.Sun said. “It’s completely self-made. It’s real; it’s raw; it’s not perfect. But I’m staying away from big industry sound, I don’t want it to be boom boom boom all in your ear. I want it to be about listening further.” As far as being locked into a specific musical genre, Sam.Sun isn’t interested in being put into a box.
“I’ve had a really tough time explaining to people what I do,” Sam.Sun said. “It’s like R&B/Hip Hop meets ukulele beach vibes. I’m really not afraid to go anywhere with my music. I go from acoustic guitar/ pop to Hawaiian rhythms to beats that are deep with psychedelic melodies.” Sam.Sun feels music is a universal language, all about connecting. With recent experiences connecting to the crowd, his music has never felt so real. He performed most recently on FGCU’s campus, playing at Eagle Radio’s listening party and at SoulFest, a concert that donated all proceeds to HIV/AIDS awareness put on by the student organization SoulFlowers. “Playing Soulfest really made me feel alive,” Sam. Sun said. “I could really feel the crowd. And at the listening party, that was the first time I saw people out there singing my lyrics. We were all really connected.” As far as the future goes for Sam.Sun, he keeps his dreams big, hoping to be making his way up the line of Florida by this time next year, having toured across the state, but that doesn’t mean that he wants to rush the little things. “I really want to get to know my locals,” Sam. Sun said. “I want to make a connection with people more than anything, and my music allows me to do that. I want to be at a place with performing where small coffee shops hit me up like, ‘Come through and perform.’” Performing live two nights a week, he’s starting
to build that rapport. Monday nights you can find him playing at No. 3 Craft Brews and Beer Bar out in Cape Coral, and Thursday nights he plays on South Street in Naples. He also drops music frequently on SoundCloud, under Sam. Sun. Sam.Sun takes his music as seriously as he does his part-time jobs, working both at Nordstrom’s and MASA, a restaurant in the Mercato in Naples. As a solo artist, he knows he has to work hard to hold himself accountable for making his dreams come true. “Every single time I clock out of work, I’m clocking into my life,” Sam. Sun said. “It’s not that I’m just clocking out, I’m going straight into music and arts, connections and networking. That’s what I’m clocking into. Any moment is an opportunity.” Through realizing his dream, finding a good group of supporters and seizing every opportunity that’s come his way, Sam.Sun is now on the brink of a life he didn’t think was possible, and continues to work until music can become his fulltime profession. “I always tell people, ‘Don’t settle, don’t be afraid to dream bigger than what you are right now,’” Sam. Sun said. “Things that at first were shocking to me slowly have become normal. Make greatness your normal. Don’t settle for small success. After SoulFest I said ‘What’s next?’ immediately. Always be looking.”
Victoria’s Secret models strut their stuff on a star-studded runway
Photo courtesy of Victoria’ s Secret Fashion Show 2016 Media Kit (Left to right) Models Romee Strijd, Stella Maxwell, Josephine Skriver, Jasmine Tookes, Lilly Aldridge, Adriana Lima, Elsa Hosk, Alessandra Ambrosio, Taylor Hill, Martha Hunt, Sara Sampaio and Lais Ribeiro celebrate the VS Fashion Show finale.
By Brynna Stilwell Contributing Writer @brynnstil As the first Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show to be held in Paris, all models were extremely excited to travel to the City of Lights. At 51 models, the most the show has ever seen, 18 of those models had never walked the runway for Victoria’s Secret before. All of the models traveled together on a private plane, dressed in
matching VS Fashion Show 2016 crop tops and white high-waisted skinny jeans. After riding a few charter buses to the venue, the models began getting ready for the show. In an interview featured in a segment of the fashion show, Alessandra Ambrosio said that if you do a couple shows in Paris, you can model anywhere. With the theme being Moulin Rouge, the show opened with a Chinese New Year mini theme of bright
reds, greens and blues. The theme was called Road Ahead. The models were not accompanied by a live singer, but the glitter runway and thigh-high boots drew attention straight to the models. Model Elsa Hosk even wore a Chinese dragon in place of Victoria’s Secret’s famous wings. Victoria’s Secret’s Instagram boasted that the purpose of this section was to focus on the accessories.
The second mini theme, called Mountain Romance, was Swedish, showcasing a lot of sheer folk dresses, puffy sleeves and long skirts. The models were accompanied by Lady Gaga, who sang “Million Reasons” in a floor length floral gown. As featured in every VS Fashion Show, a section of the show is dedicated to the brand’s teenage line, PINK. Accompanied by Bruno Mars, who sang “Chunky” from his newest album “24K Magic,” the models encompassed the title of the brand, decked out in various shades of pink. The outfits included PINK’s famous dogs, sheer robes, athletic wear, ribbons and bows. The Weeknd performed next with his hit song “Starboy.” The models dressed ready to hit the town in Paris, decked out in trench coats and neutral colors, accented with reds and greens. The most talked about moment from this section of the show was when Bella Hadid walked
past The Weeknd, her exboyfriend. One Twitter user said that “Bella Hadid walked past her ex in the VS Fashion Show as he was singing to her so now I’m pretty convinced that girls can do anything.” It was the pair’s first sighting together since their reported split and while Bella strutted past The Weeknd, he couldn’t keep his eyes off of her. The final section of the show was mainly black. Lady Gaga referred to the models as “Black Angels” on Twitter, and her outfit matched the theme. Decked out in a glittery black jumpsuit and fringe hat, she sang “John Wayne” and walked around in huge platform heels. Gigi Hadid danced along with Lady Gaga’s singing, and maybe danced a little too hard. She suffered a wardrobe malfunction in which one of the straps on her strappy lingerie jumpsuit broke off. Handling it with grace,
she continued to walk the runway with confidence, and the wardrobe malfunction was cut from the recording. However, as all the models came out for the finale, the broken strap was visible. This section also showcased the largest wings in the history of the show, worn by Joan Smalls. Irina Shayk, who wore a red robe with a lacy red bra, modeled while pregnant. At the end of the segment, Lady Gaga put on a white fringe jacket that sprouted wings when she turned around. Jasmine Tookes wore the 3 million dollar Bright Night Fantasy Bra, made up of 9,000 gemstones at 450 carats. At the finale of the show, gold glitter confetti rained down as the models and performers took one last bow.
EDITOR: ALLIE TAYLOR ENTERTAINMENT@EAGLENEWS.ORG
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7 EAGLE NEWS E & L A7
New year, new foods Curated this week by special guest Opinion Editor, Luke Janke
2016 Rewind 1. “Sorry” - Beyoncé 2. “Pink + White” - Frank Ocean
EN Photo / Alex Newman Protein-packed foods like nut butters can be found at your local grocery stores, from Wholefoods to Publix.
3. “Your Best American Girl” - Mitski
By Alex Newman Staff Writer @xandreannewman
4. “Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales” - Carseat Headrest 5. “Cranes in the Sky” - Solange 6. “33 ‘GOD’” - Bon Iver 7. “Too Good” - Drake 8. “Cry All Day” - Wilco 9. “Juicy 1-4” - Blood Orange 10. “No Problem” - Chance the Rapper
EN Illustration / Audrey Mobley
A new year often prompts individuals to start making healthy changes. Nonetheless, with all of the diet fads around the block, where to begin can make for a difficult decision. The simplest place to start is breakfast. Instead of driving to Starbucks for the first meal of the day, try incorporating these healthy breakfast alternatives into your daily routine. Toss the white bread in the trash and go ancient with your grains: Bread crafted from sprouted grain tends to be rough in texture, and is great for the gut. The increased amount of
nutrients and low amounts of anti-nutrients aid in easier digestion. To ensure your sprouted-grain bread remains fresh and nutrientrich, be sure to keep it in the refrigerator. Consider your options in the nut coffee creamer aisle: Many nut milks are high in the natural minerals Niacin and Iron. Not only do these minerals help maintain healthy levels of energy, they also support a healthy metabolism. If you’re looking for the closest carbon-copy to milk, almond milk offers the same thick and creamy consistency. Pick up a jar of fresh salsa to top your eggs and hash browns with: Ketchup can be multifaceted. Nonetheless,
its ingredients containing synthetic sugars and dyes may make you think twice. Fresh salsa not only adds texture, but incorporates additional nutrients and antioxidants, such as lycopene, that the multi-ingredient friend offers. Lycopene offers a surplus of benefits, including anti-inflammation and cancer prevention. Replace your dairy butter and incorporate more nut butters: Regular butter tends to be high in saturated fat, like most other dairy products. In a recent study, it was shown that when trade offs were made for butters higher in mono and poly unsaturated fats, like those found in nuts, risks for diseases dropped 25 percent.
From soundtrack to mixtape ‘The Hamilton Mixtape’ is the best thing to happen to music of this generation By Sam Palmisano Assistant Opinion Editor @SamPalmisano Creative genius LinManuel Miranda released “The Hamilton Mixtape,” on Friday, Dec. 2. The album corresponds with Miranda’s 2015 Broadway musical, “Hamilton,” about the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. The album is made up of an unprecedented combination of artists from all musical backgrounds. Miranda released the track list on Nov. 3 via Twitter. Hip-hop band The Roots provided the intro and much of the musical background to the album. The first full song on the album, “My Shot,” features Nate Ruess, Joell Ortiz and Busta Rhymes. The remix of the original song contains three new verses, but uses the familiar hook to tie the historical context into the modern era. My favorite song, “Wrote My Way Out,” is unique to the album. With contributions from Nas, Dave East, Miranda and Aloe Blacc, the song combines powerful vocals in the hook with verses being wrapped by artists who “wrote their way out” of their own personal struggles. Usher contributes his vocals to the song “Wait For It,” which is sung by Aaron Burr (Leslie Odom
Jr.) in the musical. The song introduces the idea that the album isn’t so much about Hamilton as it is about what everyone can learn from the narrative. The album contains three interludes, two of which, “Take A Break” and “Stay Alive,” contain little lyrical content. “An Open Letter,” covered by Watsky, is a humorous diss track insulting John Adams. The short song was cut from the musical, but lives on through the mixtape. “Satisfied,” a passionate love song covered by Sia featuring Queen Latifah and Miguel, relates directly to the musical. Despite the lyrics depicting a love triangle between two sisters and Hamilton, the beautiful musical background makes the song a fan favorite. A song that appears twice on the album, “Dear Theodosia,” is covered by two different sets of artists. Regina Spektor and Ben Folds cover the first version, with Chance The Rapper and Francis and the Lights adding an extra verse to their cover. The peaceful melody adds flourish to the sweetness of the lyrics. Miranda raps his own two songs on the album, “Valley Forge” and “Cabinet Battle 3.” In the songs, Miranda raps as various historical characters. He added the demo tracks
to the album since they weren’t able to make the final cut for the musical. The most beautiful song on the album is Kelly Clarkson’s “It’s Quiet Uptown,” which is the first song to remove all references of history and the musical. The song describes the pain Hamilton and his wife went through over the loss of their son, Philip. Clarkson, who was pregnant with her own son at the time of recording, claims this song was “the hardest thing I’ve ever done in the studio.” Alicia Keys adds her vocals to “That Would Be Enough,” an uplifting and motivational love song. The lyrics are short and simple, but Keys powerfully demonstrates a beautiful vocal range set to another peaceful melody. Lyrically, the best song on the album is “Immigrants.” The song features four artists with immigrant backgrounds: K’naan, Snow Tha Product, Riz MC and Residente. Miranda describes the song as a musical counterweight to the xenophobia and vilification of immigrants brought by the recent election. The song’s most impactful lyric describes immigrants as “America’s ghost writers.” The ever-talented Jimmy Fallon covers the song “You’ll Be Back”, which is sung from the
perspective of King George III toward the American colonists. Its satirical lyrics combined with the humorous interpretation and Fallon’s vocals provide a break from the deeper content in the album. Ashanti and Ja Rule combine to sing “Helpless.” It’s an easygoing love song that brings back memories of when the two artists featured on many songs together. Jill Scott covers “Say Yes To This” in a soulful love song that follows the previous song perfectly. Another perfect duo of songs follows suit
with Dessa’s cover of “Congratulations” and Andra Day’s cover of “Burn.” “Congratulations” is sung from the point of view of Angelica Schuyler, Hamilton’s sister-in-law, and expounds on her reaction to Hamilton’s affair. “Burn” is his wife’s reaction to the scandal. A set of powerful vocals carries the album through a lyrically dull period. Wiz Khalifa and John Legend each contribute a song, giving the album “Washingtons By Your Side” and “History Has Its
Eyes On You,” respectively. The artists heavily modified both songs, but both new versions provide a unique adaptation only artists like Khalifa and Legend can provide. The last song is “Who Tells Your Story” by The Roots, Ingrid Michaelson and Common. The song’s reflective tone wraps up the album perfectly. The Hamilton Mixtape makes for an amazing listening experience, especially when partnered with its theatrical counterpart. It can be listened to on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Cast members perform musical selections from the Broadway musical “Hamilton” in the East Room of the White House, March 14, 2016.
EDITOR: ALLIE TAYLOR ENTERTAINMENT@EAGLENEWS.ORG
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7 EAGLE NEWS E & L A8
The Ultimate Gift Guides
Two guides to help you pick the perfect presents for everyone on your list By Alex Newman Staff Writer @xandrannewman Gift giving can feel more stressful than rewarding when you’re drawing a blank on what to purchase. Some of the best one-stop shops are World Market, Target and Home Goods. Not only do they offer a plethora of options, they’re also wallet friendly. Most of the items listed below for that “one person” in your life could be found at one of those locations. The Burly Boyfriend Bearded or not, the manly-man can be the most difficult to shop for. The possibilities are really endless, but below are some unique and trendy items that will turn that beard-frown upside down. If you want to spend more: Old-fashioned beard shaving kit, beer making kit, poker set or a DVD collection of his favorite television show. If you want to spend less: A monogrammed flask, a money clip or favorite sports team’s memorabilia. The Host/Hostess With the Mostess We all have that one friend that throws the perfect parties, but even he or she could use a little assistance. Help them improve their soiree game by gifting one of these classy, but timeless, items. If you want to spend more: A monogrammed cheese board, cheese knives or an iHome. If you want to spend less: Coasters, wine stopper, a succulent, wine glass charms or coffee table books. The Fitness Fanatic If their closet is mostly filled with Lululemon, Nike or Underarmour, the options below will help accentuate their biceps. If you want to spend more: A FitBit Charge Wristband, new earphones or a new gym bag. If you want to spend less: A water bottle with a kitschy phrase, a yoga mat or postworkout gym bag necessities like travel sized perfume and deodorant. The Coffee Connoisseur Most often found at their local coffee shop, the coffee connoisseur can be very particular about the gift they expect. While most would be pleased by a bag of their favorite Arabica blend, these gifts will get you thinking outside of the coffee bean bag and floating your way into their java-infused heart. If you want to spend more: A French press or Chemex pour-over glass coffee maker. If you want to spend less: A Milk frother, hand painted mug or coffee sugar scrub. The Lush Life It’s easy – and boring – to just run out and buy someone’s favorite bottle of wine or liquor. However, there are more fun and exciting things to get that can help accessorize their favorite drink. If you want to spend more: Bar tool set, copper Moscow-Mule mugs or a set of wine glasses. If you want to spend less: Bar recipe book, W&P Carry-On Cocktail Kit, recipe cocktail shaker or a novelty beer bottle opener. The Confident Cook
EN Photo / Alex Newman Among food, fun and family, presents are a festive way to show those near and dear that you’re thinking of them.
Depending on whether this person is a stellar cook, the purchase of a new smoke detector to prevent them from burning down their apartment may be more appropriate than this cookbook. For the sake of it, let’s just assume that they are at least a tad savvy in the kitchen. These gifts will be sure to knock their oven gloves off. If you want to spend more: A set of knives, vegetable spiralizer, a crockpot or new pots and pans. If you want to spend less: An apron, cookbook or gourmet seasonings and mixes.
By Angela Lugo Staff Writer @AngMarieTweets It’s holiday time again which means that it’s time to go shopping for your friends and family. This gift guide will give you ideas on how to get started. For Mom: Woman’s Sterling Silver Mom Heart Pendant – Target $19.99 Moms love sporting things that say “Mom.” This necklace is a pretty and simple way to let your mom do just that. For Dad: Miami Dolphins Bottle Opener $19.99 If your dad is a sports fan, then the FanHQ Wanelo page is the perfect place to start looking. A
Miami Dolphins bottle opener is just the tip of the iceberg; the page has tons of sports memorabilia and surely has something your dad will love. For Your Sibling: LongDistance USA Keychain – The Light and The Dark via Etsy $16.99 If you’re out of state, this is a totally cute way to remind your siblings that you miss them, but they’re still annoying.
EN Photo / Allie Taylor Pop Vinyl figures, like Poe Dameron from “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” are a popular gift for those looking for small companions from their favorite shows and movies.
For Your Roommate: ICONIQ Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Bottle $16.95 Another page on Wanelo, ICONIQ, has a vast selection of bottles and thermoses in lots of different colors. It’s the perfect gift to get your roommate so they stay hydrated and stylish on campus. For A Bibliophile: “Go Away” Bone China Mug – The Literary Company $20.33 If there’s anything that a book lover holds as close to their hearts as their favorite book, it’s a good mug. The bibliophile in your life will get a kick out of it — but also expect you to heed its warning. For A Nerd: Funko Pop! Vinyl Figurines $9.99 Funko Pop! Figures are all over the place, cheap and adorable. Plus, there’s a figure from pretty much every TV show, movie and
anime. If you have a nerd in your life and you have even a vague idea of what shows they like, it should be easy to pick out a figure they will love. For A Makeup Lover: EcoTools Essentials 6 Piece Eye Brush Set $10.99 Don’t bother trying to pick out the perfect shade of eye shadow or lipstick for your friend this season. Instead, pick them up a set of brushes. Everyone who loves makeup can always use new brushes, but doesn’t always take the time to go out and pick them out themselves. Something Small for Everyone: If you’re looking to make something small in mass to hand out to everyone, cookies in a jar is a great choice. It’s cute and requires almost no effort on your part. Just pick up the ingredients and a few mason jars at the grocery store and you’re ready to go.
Photo courtesy of Target This gingerbread cookie mix is stored in a mason jar and includes mint chocolate chips, gingerbread sprinkles and cookie batter essential ingredients.
SPORTS
www.eaglenews.org
From hanging up his boots to NCAA golden boot winner Albert Ruiz reflects on his past and the historic 2016 season
(Left) EN Photo / Brad Young (Right) Photo courtesy of Albert Ruiz Playing his final three years in Barcelona for UE Cornella, Ruiz enjoyed a successful 2016 campaign, earning the Atlantic Sun Player of the Year award and leading the nation in goals with 22.
By Miguel Rodriguez Sports Editor @Miguel_Rod0914 Albert Ruiz walks across the pitch without a care in the world. Taking the same field as he has done time and time again from his youth, to his career with the FGCU men’s soccer team, Ruiz seems calm after experiencing feelings of euphoria and disappointment on the pitch through the 2016 season. Ruiz, a Barcelona, Spain
native, led a historic season for the FGCU men’s soccer team, propelling the team to the second round of the NCAA College Cup for the first time in program history and its highest national ranking – No. 11 – while leading the nation in scoring with 22 goals. “In Spain, you play soccer since you are 0.1 years old,” Ruiz said. “The first day you are probably are going to get a soccer ball. I started really, really young. I can’t even tell because I don’t remember.” One of the most
decorated nations in the world of soccer culture, a FIFA World Cup winner in 2010 and a UEFA Euro Cup winner in 2012, Spain and its population as a whole are well-known around the world for their love for the game of soccer. “In high school, in between classes, you always played games,” Ruiz said. “You might play a least two games a day.” Ruiz said in high school, classes were always divided into A, B, C and D, and they took the divisions to make teams when they played
pick-up games. “My class was always B,” Ruiz said. “B was always trying to kick ass in high school, and we were able to do it.” Although the country and the players who played professionally in Spain itself might influence kids to play soccer, Ruiz said his family played a big role in his passion for the sport. “My grandpa went to every single one of my games since I was 16 years old,” Ruiz said. “When I was really, really young he teached (sic) me how
to kick the ball with my left foot and when you are young you don’t even care.” Finding the back of the net on 22 separate occasions through the season, Ruiz scored multiple goals with his nondominant left foot, scoring both of his goals with his left foot in the Eagles 3-2 victory against Lipscomb in the semi-finals of the ASUN Soccer Championship which the Eagles went on to win. “I told (my grandpa) the other day, because against Lipscomb I scored twice,
I’m really thankful that you teached (sic) me how to kick the ball with my left foot when I was 8 or 7 years old because now you see what happens,” Ruiz said. Along with the support from his grandfather, Ruiz said his family always supported him “200 percent” and his family is a very big push for him on and off the field. In his last year living in Barcelona,
>>Continued on B3
A lifestyle turned into a company Norelia hopes to inspire others through positivity
EN Photo / Brad Young Prior to the season, Marc-Eddy Norelia encouraged his followers on Twitter to put a light bulb next to their name to promote enlighment.
By Emily Kois Assistant Sports Editor @emilykois FGCU men’s basketball player, Marc-Eddy Norelia, has been an influential force both on and off the court for many years; however, more recently, his impact has led him into even greater things. The 5-foot-6-inch forward has created his own Make You Marc LLC to help spread positivity and give back to youth through basketball training sessions.
“A lot of people have done a lot of great things for me and (have taught me) how to carry myself and be a role model for the youth, and I’ve decided, before I move on to the next chapter of my life, to start a company to help give back to the community,” Norelia said. This company aims to give back to the Fort Myers community through free youth basketball training sessions. Norelia hopes to teach young players fundamental basketball while also
spreading positivity and enlightenment. “A lot of the training I do is for free; the only time I charge is to pay for equipment,” Norelia said. “I train the kids in basketball and show them a lot of great things coach (Joe Dooley) has showed us through the past.” Unlike most companies, Norelia hopes to keep his business small and local, finding satisfaction in giving back
>> Continued on B3
EN Illustration / Audrey Mobley
EN Photos / Rachel Iacovone (Right) Nathan Pelligra skates in the FGCU DII men's hockey home opener against Merrimack College. He assisted on the first goal of the night - and season - in the 7-1 victory. (Left) Nathan stands beside the lake near Sugden Hall on the campus he will be graduating from in spring.
www.eaglenews.org
SPORTS
e ic e th f of d an on s al go s ha or ni se ey ck FGCU DII ho
hockey take a break now following attribute “I cted, other sports — every sport, Debbie Pelligra, interje our his injury. raise nd to helping us he said, besides basketball laughing, to ask her husba After blocking a shot “It said. e Debbi en,” childr on the — but it always came back to to please not say that ys and taking a puck sidewa made them good boys and record. hockey. of his skate in the side the to “I think the other great men.” the all g playin tried “I r, Nathan has was a opene Nathan Pelligr As an example of their home hockey, boys know that,” Bill a foot injury g battlin been e Debbi standing on the sidelines other sports, but in character, bit of continued. “They’re fine son’s good agreeing nally fi — season all n Natha of a grassy field when he you’ve got a little that oned with that. They’ve always menti said. n Natha hing,” of the everyt part be to slower the want use to didn’t realized he Thursday the been competitive but in a is flying home four last the out sit to season will there. His lacrosse coach was “You’ve got the skill, and for winter break brotherly way. They know.” . games g drivin chastising him for taking a finesse, the grit.” iately immed be Nathan grew up in That was no surprise With six weeks of rest swing at an opposing player ster, New York, where from Greater Rochester Roche the knew who e anyon s to the upcoming thank to rt after the guy kept hitting him to Airpo l parents still reside. Internationa his less even and family a Pelligr stick. in the head with his out a friend holiday break, head coach ts, Though he said the freezing Buffalo to help Bob Brinkworth hopes to see “He goes, ‘What are you of a surprise to his paren has taken ill. hockey temperatures and proximity whose father Nathan back on the ice and at ate, doing? This isn’t hockey!’ who raised two teamm n’s Natha to Canada surely played a him. before s player soon. look a took of And, I kind also fellow forward and third 100 percent again “First time I put him on part, his love of hockey long to very take didn’t “It el Micha around and realized, like, scorer highest goal his parents. from comes his off,” took just he ice, part the tant impor why an r see he’d be ‘Yeah, you’re right, so Bill said he grew up loving Chemello, expressed simila said. a, Pelligr Bill , orth father Brinkw n team,” Natha the this?’” of g playin am I the sentiments. Nathan said this first time the sport but playing higher a played “He said. we — said. Nate and “Me street variety mainly, as he than a lot of He went on to play for was when he was 2 years of both think the same way level of hockey “more was y hocke ice said ngly laughi Bill in here.” come that people easy the Buffalo Junior Sabres in old though was so it was a suburban sport” in the ‘60s. hockey-wise, anticipates who n, Natha ello their 2012-13 season, which corrected that it Chem s,” friend e becom I to until wasn’t “It of age the to closer bly proba spring, is in io ating Ontar the gradu on named work saw them got to high school that said. “We both try to to play g lookin tly curren of e Junior Hockey League’s West 5. outsid even Bill when we can “At first, he was a little I started skating,” either in the ly, sional profes Division champions and the ces.” practi said, said. “Nowadays, you’d be e. top seed in the Southwest wild in his stride,” Bill The two see each other states or abroad in Europ he considered behind the eight tell y alread could up, you ends “but he where r matte No en betwe Conference for the 2013 week a g at four times ates was going to be on the ice like ball if you started skatin playoffs. the two practices and two Nathan said his teamm 14.” or 13 sport. the of part best the are top After transferring in from his brothers.” on s Like his two eldest sons, games Nathan attend The eldest, Mark Pelligra, “My favorite part of SUNY Brockport his junior continued playing after of his full-time course load Bill he’s h Thoug 30s. his in now is ranked on the ice is probably now is being n year, Natha Bonita Beach. he still graduating — in a men’s and job at the guys — joking with being p ionshi fifth in points for the reigning married with kids, champ a “Winning games. league for 12 years — before lot, running into a d aroun r,” tighte national champion FGCU makes time to referee you makes er togeth r, Alex going on to coach his sons’ brothe middle The little bit to let all with a team other y each hocke a men’s DII “We’ve got in teams from the time they Chemello said. Nathan said. out,” stress the you and eight goals and 24 points Pelligra, is still very active s, player lot of new were 6 to 13. uing contin well, as sport the one enjoys Every team fun. The . “It’s on the season Nathan’s mother came know, you kind of stick with s postny.” compa s other’ each the with is undefeated, so far this to play in men’s league into their marriage with a the guys you’ve been campaign, with an average graduation. t.” She longes “I think Nate has the similar love of the sport. gap of five goals between Because of that bond, g growin y hocke eld fi played Bill boys,” the of talent it and its opposition by the most local Chemello was the one to sit the all to went and up said. final. Nathan down and tell him to mother, ice hockey games. Nathan’s Growing up, Nathan tried
By Rachel Iacovone Managing Editor @totesrachel
Photo c ourtes
y of Na than P elligra
Nathan played for the Buffalo Junior Sabres from 2012 to 2013, helping them become Ontario Junior Hockey League's West Division Champions.
Nathan poses fo Photo courtesy of Debbie Pelli gr r one of his firs t hockey shootsa .
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7 EAGLE NEWS SPORTS B3
WWW.EAGLENEWS.ORG
FGCU Assistant Athletic Trainer guides student athletes back on the field
(Above) Photo courtesy of FGCU Athletics (Right) EN Photos / Brad Young (Above) FGCU Assistant Athletic trainer Alyssa Romasco (Left) Arion Sobers-Assue made his way back on the pitch this season for the FGCU men’s soccer team scoring 11 goals and tallying 11 assists. (Right) Ciara DeBell started all nine of the games she played in before tearing her ACL on Sept. 10. DeBell was averaging 2.92 points per set and 2.47 kills per set.
By Miguel Rodriguez Sports Editor @Miguel_Rod0914 A student-athlete goes down on the pitch and grabs her knee as Assistant Athletic Trainer Alyssa Romasco sprints on the field to aid the hurt player, thinking about the injury she could have sustained and the road to recovery ahead. Romasco, a native of Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania, works with student athletes who sustain season-ending injuries while performing in their respective fields. “Season-ending injuries are pretty intense,” Romasco said. “It’s a long process, there’s obviously a physical and
>> Norelia contiuned from B1 rather than making it big. “Personally, the way that I am, I’ll probably always keep it small just because the satisfaction I get is from the kids actually learning and the personal connections I have with the kids I’ve trained thus far.” However, Norelia differentiates between work and play, keeping his focus on the team’s overall goal of winning the ASUN Championship. Norelia has also managed to reach people on social media sites, specifically Twitter, to share is Positive Vibes enlightenment. A light bulb emoji is the easily recognizable sign spread out across his profiles for those whom are a part or want to be a part of the #POSITIVEVIBES2016 movement.
>> Ruiz contiuned from B1 Ruiz said he as an individual and as a team performed very poorly. “I actually quit soccer,” Ruiz said. “I made the decision to stop playing because someone said I was not good enough and I gave up.” Although Ruiz hung up his boots and put his playing days behind him, the opportunity to come to FGCU was brought to his attention. “The opportunity to
then a mental component, so it’s kind of a balancing act. Romasco said when student-athlete get hurt, they can experience some stress as a result of not feeling a part of the team, and it’s a part of her job to recognize those signs and make sure the athletes stay on track with their physical demands. Although she’s worked with various student athletes, Romasco recalls working with men’s soccer player, Arion Sobers-Assue, who tore his meniscus in his left knee his freshman year and tore it again before the start of his sophomore year. “Arion worked with several of our athletic trainers,” Romasco said. “For knee injuries, there’s a
lot of components that you are trying to get back. As you get further along into the rehab process, you may try to make it a little more sport specific. For him, as a soccer player, a lot of the focus was helping his awareness when cutting.” Sobers-Assue made his full return to the team in May and made an immediate impact, starting 15 games, scoring 11 goals and providing 11 assists. “Alyssa (Romasco) helped me with little small details that I didn’t pay attention to,” SobersAssue said. “It made it a lot easier on me so I could just focus on doing the physical aspect of things. Even when I didn’t want to do it, they still made me do it because they knew it would benefit
When asked about this identifiable symbol, Norelia responded, “Basically, my dad and coach, at a very young age, always told me that education is the key and I think the light bulb came on for me essentially when I noticed how important and valuable that was in life and being a better person and doing the right thing.” Seeing other students with the infamous light bulb in their Twitter bios is uplifting for Norelia, and he believes it shows the value of higher education. Recently, Norelia has been recognized for his community involvement. On Friday, Nov 30., Norelia was nominated for the 2017 Allstate NABC and WBCA Good Works Teams. This award honors college basketball players for their community service and is one of the most prestigious off-the-court
honors in men’s college basketball. Along with his company, Norelia is also involved with other community projects like reading to local school children as part of the Eagle Reading program and delivering Christmas presents to the Children’s Hospital. However, even with all of his success and positive influence, Norelia remains humble and gives credit where he believes credit is due. “I don’t think I’d be where I’m at today without the help of FGCU and everybody that has supported our program here. I wouldn’t give myself total credit because if it wasn’t for my parents, my family and my friends and everybody who’s been a great supporter of me, I don’t think I would’ve ever gotten to the point of starting this stuff.”
come here (FGCU) came through some agents and some people who wanted me to still play,” Ruiz said. “I will always be thankful to coach Bob [Butehorn] because I was at zero three years ago, but now, I’m in a pretty good po 1 before losing to UNF 3-2 at home. The Eagles went on to win the program’s fourth ASUN men’s soccer title with a 3-2 victory over Jacksonville. Facing USF in the first round of the NCAA college cup, FGCU
advanced to the second round of the tournament for the first time in program history defeating the Bulls 3-0 in penalty kicks after playing to a 2-2 draw, before falling to UNC in the second round 3-2 in overtime. “This season means everything, individually the best season of my life and as a team the best season in program history,” Ruiz said. “I can say that I am a part of something everyone will remember and I’m really, really proud of everyone.”
me in the long run.” Making it to the second round tournament of the NCAA College Cup for the first time in program history, Sobers-Assue said that it was everything he had been waiting for, having the opportunity to play with his teammates and affect his team’s results with his play on the pitch. Tearing her ACL on Sept. 10, freshman volleyball player Ciara DeBell started all nine of the games she played in before injuring herself in a game against Indiana. DeBell said she didn’t have surgery to repair her injury until 12 days later. Romasco said that with knee injuries like a torn ACL, it’s important to do prehab before the surgery
to reduce swelling and to bring range of motion back to the knee. “The first two weeks were hell,” DeBell said. “I can’t really do much and it’s very frustrating. It was challenging and I’m doing really well now.” DeBell now has full mobility back in her knee and has rehab for at least an hour every day. She recently began to do squats and lunges to go along with her constant biking. DeBell said it has been difficult to watch her team from the sidelines after enjoying success in her first nine games. However, she has enjoyed seeing her team make history in her absence. “My team is my second family,” DeBell said. “I’m
really proud of my team. and how they’ve done. We We’re able to actually get past the first round of the ASUN tournament for the first time since 2009.” DeBell has plans to return to the court in March, hoping to play beach volleyball in the spring. Romasco said once DeBell gets further down the line in her rehab, she and her staff will begin to incorporate more sportspecific exercises. “If she gets further down the line, we try to start incorporating it a little more sport specific to volleyball knowing that the jumping is going to be a huge factor, as well as her landing mechanics,” Romasco said.
Brandon Goodwin Position: Guard Redshirt Junior 6 feet 2 inches Hometown: Norcross, Georgia In his most recent game against Georgia Southern, Brandon Goodwin posted his second career double-double with 12 points and a game-high 10 assists. A transfer from UCF, Goodwin has been an influential force on the court for the Eagles thus far, leading in most offensive categories – total points (124), field goals (47), free throws (17) and assists (30). Goodwin also scored a game-high 19 points on 7-8 shooting to lead FGCU in scoring for the fifth time this year against a dominant 120-60 win over Ave Maria. Finishing in double figures in all but one game so far this season, Goodwin proves to be an Eagle to watch, as he continues to dominate offensively for FGCU.
EN Illustrations / Audrey Mobley
B4 SPORTS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7
EDITOR: MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ SPORTS@EAGLENEWS.ORG
FGCU men’s basketball outlasts Georgia Southern to extend win streak to four
EN Photo / Brad Young
Playing in his homestate of Georgia, Brandon Goodwin recorded 12 points and dished out 10 assists to notch his second career double-double .
By Miguel Rodriguez Sports Editor @Miguel_Rod0914 Coming off of a 120-60 win against Ave Maria, the FGCU men’s basketball team defeated Georgia Southern 85-82 to earn their first road victory of the season. Christian Terrell, Zach Johnson, Brandon Goodwin and Antravious Simmons combined for 58 points, as the Eagles shot 61 percent from the clip while limiting the Georgia Southern to 46 percent from the field. Simmons secured his
fourth career doubledouble, scoring 13 points and grabbing 12 boards en route to FGCU holding a 40-26 advantage on the glass. Playing in his home state, Norcross, Georgia, native Goodwin notched the second double-double of his collegiate career, dishing out 10 assists, while scoring 12 points. “At the end of the day, it’s a road win and those are hard to come by,” FGCU head coach Joe Dooley said. “It was a good step for our team.” After giving up a big
run in the first half to allow them to get back into the game, we had our bearings back a little bit better in the second half. But when we had a chance to put the game out of reach, we didn’t; and I’m a little disappointed in that.” Controlling the tempo on offense early on in the first half, FGCU took a 14-point lead after Rayjon Tucker slammed home an alley oop from Reggie Reid, to give them a 20-6 lead in the first 6:29 of the half. In the first of many runs by each offense, Georgia Southern suddenly woke
up after falling behind in the contest, sparking a 15-0 run to take a one point advantage. Having its 14-point lead erased, Johnson knocked down 3 of his 16 points, sparking a 12-0 run. Georgia Southern once again went on another run, this time a 9-0, to pull within three, 36-33, but the Eagles went on a 6-0 run to close out the half to hold a 42-33 lead as both teams headed to the locker room. Coming out of the half with their lead quickly cut to just five, the Eagles sparked a 12-2 run to build
a 15-point lead thanks to a tip-in by Demetris Morant. FGCU’s 15-point lead quickly rose to 17, as Simmons scored a lay-in to give the Eagles a 6952 advantage at the 10:28 mark. Despite holding a 17-point lead, the Eagles double-digit lead disappearance act continued, as Georgia Southern assisted FGCU’s act, cutting the game to three points, 79-76, with two minutes remaining. After Tucker collected a loose ball and banked the ball in off the glass to push
FGCU’s lead back to five, 81-76, Georgia Southern knocked down a free throw to cut the lead to four. With a four-point lead on what would be the Eagles final possession of the night. Terrell knocked down three of his game-high 17 points to put the game out of reach and give the Eagles the victory despite a threepointer at the buzzer by Georgia Southern. FGCU will now face Siena on Friday, Dec. 9 at 8 p.m., in game one of its three-game home stand at Alico Arena.
FGCU women’s basketball cruises past Ave Maria By Miguel Rodriguez Sports Editor @Miguel_Rod0914 Coming off of a four game losing streak after dropping three of their games at the Gulf Coast Showcase at Germain Arena, the FGCU women’s basketball team defeated Ave Maria 101-34 at their final game of the showcase. “We emphasized defensive intensity and positioning heavily this week, and I thought there was definitely a higher energy level and enthusiasm on that side of
the ball today,” FGCU head coach Karl Smesko said. “I give Ave Maria credit. They didn’t get down on themselves, and they had a nice run at the end of the game. But, I thought a lot of our kids competed on the defensive end, and that helped us get a big lead early.” Forcing a DI program record 34 turnovers, the Eagles rode strong play on both ends of the court, holding the Gyrenes to 29 percent shooting from the field, while FGCU enjoyed 56 percent shooting from the clip.
Led by Erica Nelson’s 18 points, Jessica Cattani’s 16 points and China Dow’s 14 points, FGCU hit the triple digit mark for the first time since 2014 when they defeated Ave Maria 102-54. Prompted by Taylor Gradinjan’s six steals, the Eagles stole the ball 22 times, with nine of the 12 players hitting the hardwood for FGCU recording at least one steal. Forcing four turnovers in the opening minutes of the first quarter, leading Ave Maria to call a timeout, the Eagles tallied 14-straight points out of
the short intermission to hold a 33-8 lead at the end of one. FGCU’s dominance on both ends of the court continued in the second quarter, as the Eagles allowed only five field goals en route to scoring 50 points despite knocking down only two shots from long range in the first half. With a 50-15 lead at the half, the Eagles relentlessly came out of the half scoring
27 straight points while keeping Ave Maria off of the scoreboard for the entire third quarter. Despite being down 6715 in the final quarter of play, the Gyrenes went on a 12-5 run, scoring more than half of their points in the final quarter. Unable to stop the FGCU offense from putting points on the board, allowing them to shoot 62 percent from the field and
43 percent from behind the arc, Ave Maria fell to the Eagles 101-34. FGCU will now face Siena on Friday, Dec. 9 in the last one of their quick two-game home stand, before hitting the road to face FAU on Sunday, Dec. 11.
www.greatclips.com
FGCU STUDENTS
HAIRCUT WITH STUDENT ID
Great Clips IT’S GONNA BE GREAT!
EN Photo / Brad Young In the FGCU women’s basketball team’s 101-34 victory over Ave Maria, China Dow (center) scored 14 points while grabbing five rebounds and dishing out four assists.
GULF COAST TOWN CENTER 9924 Gulf Coast Main, Suite 115 Ft. Myers, FL 33913 Salon Phone: 239-415-7703 Hours: Mon - Fri 9am - 9pm Sat 9am - 6pm ▪ Sun 10am- 4 pm Located between Famous Dave’s and JC Penney
ALICO COMMONS 16970 Alico Mission Way, Suite 304 Ft. Myers, FL 33912 Salon Phone: 239-267-4247 Hours: Mon - Fri 9am - 9pm Sat 9am - 6pm ▪ Sun 10am- 4 pm Located next to Around The Clock Fitness
WWW.EAGLENEWS.ORG
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7 EAGLE NEWS SPORTS B5
This week in athletics Women’s basketball vs. Siena
By Matt Rothman Staff Writer @MattRothman3 The FGCU women’s basketball team will play the first game of a double header at Alico Arena where the Eagles will play host to the Siena Saints at 5:15 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9. These two teams have never met prior to this game, as this will be the first time these two teams go at
Men’s basketball vs. Siena
By Emily Kois Assistant Sports Editor @emilykois To begin their threegame home stand, the Eagles are set to host Siena at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9 at Alico Arena. Siena comes into this matchup with an overall record of 3-6, with a 0-6 away game record. The
Women’s basketball vs. FAU
By Jessy Sammarco Staff Writer @Jessy_Sammarco After starting off the season with a 3-5 record, the FGCU women’s basketball team will head to the east coast to face FAU at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4. The Owls and the Eagles both have 3-5 overall records at this point in the season. The
last time these two crossstate foes played was last season, when the Eagles fell 62-55. After facing the Owls, the Eagles will take on North Carolina A&T on Wednesday, Dec. 14, in their second game in four days.
Men’s basketball vs. FIU
By Emily Kois Assistant Sports Editor @emilykois The Eagles are set to host FIU at 8:15 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11 at Alico Arena. This is the second game of their three-game home stand. FIU comes into this game with an overall record of 3-6, and a 0-4 away game record. The Panthers recently lost their last two games, against Elon and
Diving vs. Clemson
Siena has yet to win a road game this year, as it is 0-3 on the season. However, FGCU will need to contain sophomore Jackie Benitez, who led the MAAC freshmen in scoring a season ago. In hopes of turning their season around, the Eagles look to build upon their 10134 victory over Ave Maria on Friday night when they take on the Saints.
Eagles come into this game 5-3, with a four-game win streak and a home game record of 4-0. This is the first time these two teams have ever played each other, like many other opponents FGCU will face this season. FGCU hopes to expand its home game win streak, while Siena looks for its first on the road win.
Men’s basketball vs. Georgia Southern
South Carolina, leading up to their game against FGCU. The Eagles come into this game 5-3, with a home game record of 4-0. The last time these two teams met was last season on Dec. 6, with the score favoring the Eagles 84-76. The Eagles look to take the game against FIU again, while the Panthers look to regain control of their record.
By Emily Kois Assistant Sports Editor @emilykois
By Jesse Martin Staff Writer @JesseMartin247
Eagles will look to lean on experienced senior Ashley Wright, who is coming off a ninth place finish in the three meter at the Georgia Tech Invite. The Eagles will compete again that weekend, as they host in-conference opponent UNC Asheville Sunday, Dec. 18, at the FGCU Aquatics Complex.
The FGCU women’s diving team will travel to a neutral site at Coral Springs, Florida to take on Clemson on Wednesday, Dec. 14. This is the first time this season that the FGCU diving team will compete on their own without the swimming component. The
Women’s basketball vs. North Carolina A&T
it.
By Emily Kois Assistant Sports Editor @emilykois The FGCU women’s basketball team takes on North Carolina A&T at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14 at Alico Arena. NC A&T comes into this game with an overall record of 1-6 on a five-game lose streak. The Eagles come into
In game three of their three-game home stand, the Eagles are set to host Georgia Southern at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13 at Alico Arena. The Eagles recently played Georgia Southern in Statesboro, Georgia on Dec. 4, with the results favoring FGCU, 85-82. Georgia Southern comes into this matchup
this game 5-3, with a fourgame win streak. The last time these two teams met was during the season opener for the Eagles on Nov. 13, with the score favoring FGCU 60-36. The Eagles will now have home court advantage, hoping to continue their home-game record, while North Carolina A&T looks for another win since Nov. 14.
with an overall record of 4-4, with a 1-3 away game record. The Eagles come into this game 5-3, with a four-game win streak. The last time these two teams met was this season on Dec. 4, with a close 85-82 game. FGCU plans to take full advantage of being at home, while Georgia Southern hopes to take the game at Alico Arena.
OPINION
www.eaglenews.org
Submit a letter to the editor LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
Eagle News Editorial Department Luke Janke opinion@eaglenews.org Opinion Editor
submissions for clarity, grammar and style. There is no
Submission guidelines:
guarantee that all submissions will be printed. Editorials
- 300 words or less
eaglenews.org or by emailing one of the editors to the
represent the majority opinion of the Eagle News staff,
- Must include name, grade and major
left. When you submit a Letter to the Editor, you are
not necessarily the FGCU student body. The editorial
- Letters should focus on issues rather than personalities
giving Eagle News the right to publish your submission
board is managed by the Opinion editor and the Editor-
- If your letter is in response to a particular article, please
online and in print. Eagle News reserves the right to edit
in-Chief.
list the title and date of the article.
A Letter to the Editor can be submitted online at
Emily Ford editorinchief@eaglenews.org Editor-in-chief
Bury this Texas abortion law A woman’s right to choose threatened by new mandate By Emily McClean Contributing Writer @ebmac97 The morality of abortion has been a polarizing issue for decades, even despite the Supreme Court’s decision to make it legal in 1973. Every American seems to have an opinion on this controversial topic and with a new law in Texas that will take effect on Dec. 19, the controversy is only growing. This week, Texas enacted a law that mandates that aborted fetuses be either cremated or buried rather than disposed of as medical waste. Critics estimate the additional cost of each cremation or burial to be around $2,000. The law was first introduced in July by Governor Greg Abbott in an attempt to protect the public’s safety. The Governor also claims that this law will be “giving voice
to the unborn.” However, the law does not require women who have had a miscarriage to utilize these services unless the miscarriage took place in a healthcare facility. Texas, along with several other red states, has a history of trying to block a woman’s right to choose and now other states like Arkansas and Indiana are looking to adopt similar practices. Vice Presidentelect Mike Pence has already shown support for this legislation in Indiana. The Republican response to this was that the law will validate the lives of the unborn by treating them as deceased persons. Democrats responded with outcries that the law violates the Constitution and endangers women’s lives. This is because if a woman needed an abortion due to an unsafe pregnancy but could not afford it, her life would be at stake. Other
critics say the law is an attack against low-income women who cannot afford an abortion. The medical community has also openly opposed this law on the grounds that it requires every piece of fetal tissue to undergo either a burial or a cremation, which medical officials believe is a waste of time and resources. This is a thinly veiled scare tactic that the Texas government is using to try to deter women from seeking abortions. Texas politicians are using psychological ploys in order to push their beliefs onto millions of others. Those who identify as pro-life tend to only do so because of religious affiliations, which goes against everything this country stands for. If this country were truly secular, abortion would not be stigmatized or shamed. The separation between church and state
Photo courtesy of Flickr via Women’s eNews Placard from a Planned Parenthood rally in New York City.
is a necessary part of the United States government and yet religion still has a role in our legislature. Dr. Daniel Grossman, an obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences professor at the University of California, San Francisco states, “Abortion is healthcare – and any
attempt by policy makers to separate it from the rest of medicine is artificial.” It is expected that this law will be challenged by the Supreme Court in the next several months, and Texas Republicans are anticipating having to fight for this. Despite this huge
setback, there are still many people and organizations fighting for reproductive rights. If this is something that you feel passionate about, I encourage you to donate to Planned Parenthood or NARAL.
The extra costs of living off campus Most students don’t factor in the extra time and money
EN Photo / Lauren Kummer The Reef offers off-campus housing for many FGCU students.
By Villy Satine Contributing Writer @fgcueaglenews Students may think that living off campus cost less than living on campus. While that may be true for some students, it is possible that the costs may be similar, or more, to live off campus. It is important that students understand that they will need to factor in not only their portion of rent, but first and last month’s rent, cost of food, cable, internet, transportation to and from campus, cost of utilities – if they are not included in the rent – laundry costs and furniture. College students who live off campus find it very hard to manage two things:
time and money. Twenty-nine-year old Mark Doherty is a senior at FGCU majoring in sports management who spent five years at the Fire Academy right after he left high school. He took a few classes, but did not give it a 100 percent commitment. His mom obtained her degree at the age of 40, and his dad obtained his degree at the age of 38. Doherty knew that one day he would go back to school to get his degree. “I’ve always dreamed of having a college degree,” Doherty said. “Having a college degree is something I’ve always wanted. I didn’t want to go through what my parents did, having kids, working full-time, so I wanted to get it done before I started having a family.”
Doherty is a server at Season 52 Restaurant. He works 35 to 40 hours a week and attends school full-time. He pays $1,100 a month for his house in Naples. There are other students who live off campus who work that many hours a week as well. FGCU student Spencer Marcantonio, majoring in communication lives in Naples and works 40 hours a week. “It’s definitely hard, but you have to do what you have to do,” Marcantonio said. “It makes doing my work a lot harder. The days I’m here I do all my school work.” Students who live in Lehigh, Cape Coral, Fort Myers and Naples have to manage their time well
because of the distance they travel for school. “Scheduling is a big problem for me,” Marcantonio said. “So for me, I have to make sure I get all my classes on two or three days, and I’ll be in school the entire day on those days.” These students get an average of five or six hours of sleep every day. “I have to wake an extra hour early,” Camille Marques, a senior majoring in biology said. “Since I know I have to wake up earlier, I go to bed earlier, so that cuts into my studying time.” With gas prices fluctuating often, these students spend $30-$40 on gas every week. On average, most of them spend $120 a month or more depending on the type of car. Compared to students who live on campus, off campus students cannot go home during their break time. “It definitely impacts my studies,” Doherty said. “You know, I study in between class (on his break time). I just have the motivation to get my work done when I need to get it done, not procrastinate, because that’s the biggest thing.” Everything is included in the same package for students who live on campus. They don’t worry about light bills or internet bills every month. “I pay $2,552 for the
year,” Kress Estime, an FGCU student and West Lake resident said. “Everything is included. I only have to worry about my phone bill and food.” Students who live off campus make more money than students who live on campus because they work more and spend more. Doherty makes $7,000 a month, which sounds like a lot for a college student, but it’s not. He is married and pays for electricity, gas and a phone bill. “I don’t spend my money on unnecessary things,” Doherty said. “I save up as much as I can, especially in season. I budget everything far in advance, so I always have a plan and know where my money is going and have something to lean back on if needed.” Budgeting is a challenge for students who live off campus, and some of them pay for their own classes. Many of these students have no social lives because they spend much of their time working or on campus. By the time they get home, they can’t go out to do anything. “I don’t have much of a social life,” Juliane Escudero, a senior and nursing major said. “The nursing program requires so much study and clinical so studying with a study group is pretty much my social life.” Those students cannot afford to eat out regularly
or spend on unnecessary things. Mary Moreno, senior, in the nursing program at FGCU said, “I try to go out a couple times a month to have sanity or else I’d probably freak out and not do good in my classes.” Michelle Santo, a former FGCU student who graduated in 2013 said, “I skipped going out with friends. If I did go out, my limit was $50. I couldn’t go over it, mainly a lot of budgeting, sacrifice, but you get what you give.” Many of these students cook at home to avoid the headache of not having the money to pay for gas or bills. “I used to go out to eat a lot,” Kress said. “One day, my roommate told me to cook at home. I cook whenever I’m home, and I do see improvement on my savings account. I save $500, which is a lot for a college student.” Ultimately, students who live off campus face more challenges in all aspects than students who live on campus. “Start small, always find what’s more important. Put that before anything else,” Kress said. “Whether it’s eating habits, sleeping habits, work habits, time management, put that first and then work towards the things that you have little time to spend on.”
WWW.EAGLENEWS.ORG
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7 EAGLE NEWS OPINION B7
Church of The Flying Spaghetti Monster What other religions could learn from the Pastafarians
By Angela Lugo Staff Writer @AngMariaTweets Marcus Bowring, a man in Victoria, Australia, was able to take a picture for his driver’s license with a colander on his head. Why might he want this done? The short answer:
religious reasons. Bowring is a part of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, a church that has gained notoriety in recent years for it’s strange beliefs. That, and for being a satire on more recognized religions. The church itself rejects that sentiment,
stating on their website that, “anything that comes across as humor or satire is purely coincidental.” A few years ago, another man requested to have his license picture taken with his religious attire — a colander — and his request was denied. So is the Church of The
Photo courtesy of Creative Commons via Arne Niklas Jansson Touched By His Noodly Appendage is an iconic image of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
Flying Spaghetti Monster becoming more legitimate? And what does that mean for more established religions like Christianity, Judaism and Islam? On the church’s website, they explain that they “are not anti-religion,” but that they “are anticrazy nonsense done in the name of religion. There is a difference.” There is an undeniably valid criticism in that. The fact that people who “believe” in a literal Flying Spaghetti Monster have valid complaints with major religions is probably the reason that Christians love to hate the Pastafarians. Larry Mendte, a Christian religious leader, said that “It has become cool in this country to mock religions, especially Christianity.”
He goes on to say that this has become a huge problem for Christians. However, I believe that mockery and criticisms are vastly different. I also believe that it’s hard to look in the mirror and say to yourself, as a Christian, that people that wear colanders on their heads have a pretty good point about your religious practices. However, there are completely ludicrous limitations and expectations in religions around the world, not just in Christianity. I believe the majority of Christians would agree with me on that, because some of the limitations include not eating shellfish (Lev.11.10-12) and not wearing clothes of mixed fibers (Lev.19.19). Most Christians find
these stipulations to be inconvenient or undoable so they ignore them completely. It doesn’t matter how widely ignored it is. It is still a part of the religion. Just because everyone else ignores it too doesn’t excuse your “sinful” behavior — at least according to the Bible. So, ignoring that they say the satire is a coincidence — which is hard to believe — there is a lot for Christians to take away from the Pastafarians. Their criticism is completely justified. Though I may not agree with their religious views, I can accept their criticisms, purposeful or otherwise. I can even agree with some of them, but I’m not offended by them.
Castro’s death could mean Cuba’s freedom By Ariana Milian Contributing Writer @fgcueaglenews It’s 1956, and a young woman boards a boat in search of a better life. This better life was more than economic prosperity, it meant total freedom. It meant gaining the right to speak out against the government, the right to gather publicly and the right to own land. This young woman is Josefa Milian, my
grandmother, and an immigrant who fled the rise of the Castro regime. Fast forward to 2016, Fidel Castro is dead. There are parties in the streets of Little Havana, local Cuban-owned businesses are practically giving things away and the hallowed screams of “Viva Cuba Libre!” can be heard in homes across America. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t getting choked up at the prospect of a free Cuba, but there is a more tender
side to the celebrations in Miami. The same people who partied in the street go to the memorial to remember their loved ones, many of whom were murdered in the violent crusades of what Castro promised to be a free and peaceful Cuba. Castro is dead. Cuba is not free, not yet. Castro feigned wanting to reestablish democracy in Cuba. He was a communist, a Marxist. In his alleged fight for equality, he
confiscated privately owned land from citizens for the government. Those who attempted to fight to save their land were killed. Those who spoke out against Castro’s uprising were killed. An estimated 14,000 Cubans were killed during Castro’s rise to power. The Wall Street Journal reports that Cuba was one of the most prosperous Latin American nations before the rise of Castro. The Cuban government
called for a week of national mourning for their deceased leader. However, the population is not distraught by the death of their leader. They remember the government brutally murdering their loved ones. Many were killed by firing squad for protesting the Castro regime or trying to save their land. Castro’s death has become more of a Cuban Memorial Day for their loved ones than a week- long
funeral procession for their leader. In Miami, the parties haven’t stopped. Even a week later, signs that read “Viva Cuba Libre” remain in businesses. This means so much more than the death of a corrupt leader. This is a glimmer of hope for the Cuban people. We will always fight for freedom. Viva Cuba Libre por siempre.
Parking solution alternatives at FGCU University attempts to combat recent parking issues By Carolina Lopez Contributing Writer @fgcueaglenews FGCU offers many alternatives to parking on campus for the 2016-17 school year. As enrollment grows at FGCU, more demands come into play and the students believe one of those demands are more parking spaces. FGCU is an eco-friendly environment, that does not want to spend more money on building other garages. The biggest issue through a student and staff perspective is that turning the dirt lot into another parking garage to alleviate traffic is going to take from the campus’ beauty and rule out any possibility of a future academic building, which benefits the students in their education. “The hardest part is getting students to change their behaviors and live the university mission,” Katie Leone, FGCU sustainability manager said. This campus provides safe alternatives to match whichever method is easier and convenient for the student. Not all students may have a similar situation when it comes to finding transportation to campus
but the next time your car breaks down and you might not be able to fix it right away, these alternatives might be just right for you. Parking Permit prioritizing: Freshman on campus are not allowed to park in the garages because of the convenience of the bus shuttles at FGCU. The bus shuttle system constantly runs from South Village and to the main campus bus loop. Freshman that live on campus do get the best parking available: a drop off right in front of the school. The shuttle system even has a downloadable app called Double Map, which shows the routes in real time even for off campus housing. If you’re a commuter student, the Lee Tran bus services could be your only option. With your FGCU student ID, you could get a discounted bus fare, which is just a dollar to get. Most students don’t have an option. “I think we could work with Lee Tran to improve the effectiveness of route 60, which is the only bus route that serves FGCU,” Nora Demers, an environmentalist expert at FGCU said. She believes if pooled together $200,000, Lee Tran could get the route
working more effectively to serve more commuter students to minimize the wait time to get to campus by 30 minutes. Coastal Village, The Reef and even Gulf Coast Town Center shuttles provide services to the campus, usually running every 30 minutes. Car-pooling is one of the greatest inventions ever to minimize cars on campus and also provides a greener method to our campus carbon footprint. There are great apps available to get in touch with car poolers, such as, Zipcar where students and staff can rent a car on campus for hours or even the day for a membership price, this gives you the luxury of carpooling without all the gas and insurance fee that one usually has to pay. Some students are unaware but the average cost for a person’s vehicle is about $9000 a year to maintain, have them up and running including gas and insurance. Wheeli is a newer app which is another great car pooling app FGCU transportation services offers, which calculates split gas and toll cost for every passenger in the car, it is great if you and your roommate want to split the
EN Photo / Lauren Kummer Students recently shared concerns regarding parking on campus.
cost for coming to campus. The common question is why cant the dirt lot be turned into a garage is commonly herd on school grounds, but there is a method to the madness. “The future demanded growth of FGCU is going to require the dirt lot to be turned into an academic building, so we couldn’t use it for parking space that wouldn’t make sense for our long term needs,” Leone said. The first change does begin with students and their cultural behaviors towards transportation. Leone explains, we live in a very individualistic culture society where people like being
independent. “One of the big things about biking and walking that are globally important to think about is connections,” Dr. Margret Banyan, lead planner for public transportation, land use planning and community planning at FGCU said. A big encouragement is walking and biking for people in close range, the school even offers a bike renting service called Pedal Power where you could rent a bike for a up to a week. “One of the big fixes to encouraging people to walk or bike, is to make sure there is safe interconnections between all of those facilities,”
Banyan said. What Leone was explaining on shifting student culture of thinking the car is the only option, Banyan states with any form of transit you make the desired option the easiest option. Car pool, bike, take public transit, take a free shuttle service that is already included in your school fees which ever option is easiest just remember there are many to pick from before you stress while turning your car on.
OUTREACH Leaving a legacy
www.eaglenews.org
FGCU students are awarded for their work with underprivileged youth
Photo courtesy of Alisa Coccari Members of JWOI, FGCU President Wilson Bradshaw, and other distinguished members pose for a group photo at the Paragon Award Ceremony. FGCU student and JWOI mentor Elizabeth O’Dell was also present to get recognition for the work done in service of youth in Collier County.
By Georgette French Outreach Editor @GeorgetteFrenc For a young girl lacking the proper mentorship, ideas of becoming a doctor or a performer may seem like distant dreams, but thanks to the effort of FGCU students those dreams are closer to becoming a reality. FGCU students that were part of the Junior Women of Initiative mentoring program paired with a senior capstone program to create a curriculum for mentors that would help future students. As a result, they were recognized at the Paragon Award Ceremony alongside FGCU President Wilson G. Bradshaw and other prominent leaders in Collier County on Dec. 1 at the Naples Botanical Garden. Each year, the Boys and Girls Club of Collier County
hosts the ceremony which recognizes members of the community who have made great strides to help the foundation and the impact they have made on youth. Elizabeth O’Dell, Missy Salomon and their team were recognized for their hard work in creating a new curriculum and committing to a foundation where their impact can be seen by the community through their youth which O’Dell described as a great experience. Over the summer O’Dell, Salomon and several other FGCU students paired with Tasheekia Perry, founder of the Crowning Daughters for Success which empowers young girls in the Dunbar area. At the event, both O’Dell and Salomon expressed that they wanted to continue their work with the youth of Southwest Florida and with Perry. This
semester, they were able to take their summer project to the next level. O’Dell and Salomon helped a mentoring program called JWOI, a program created in 2005 by Kelly Capolino, that focuses on the growth and impact of both mentors and mentees from the ages of 13 through 17 through bi-weekly sessions covering topics ranging from etiquette to empowerment. As a mentor with the program, O’Dell wanted to create a new way for mentees to connect with their mentors and did so by creating a book to help underprivileged students as part of her Civic Engagement class with Civic Engagement instructor Courtney Satkoski. Along with Satkoski’s Integrated Core Senior Seminar course, O’Dell and others were able to leave a lasting impression on the
Boys and Girls Club and the students. According to O’Dell, the curriculum was developed and printed without a budget to the JWOI or the Boys and Girls Club and took a total of six students in each class to bring the idea of curriculum into a book which then took months to finish. The book takes Boys and Girls Club alumni America Gutierrez’s artwork and uses it to help students relate to what they are learning. It also features two separate copies, with 13 different lessons, for both boys and girls. “We had FGCU students write the curriculum based off of a dated version of it,” O’Dell said. “The Integrated Core Senior Seminar course kids came out to the club several times to find out what the needs of the mentoring was, and they went from there.” To make the
book, O’Dell said that Gutierrez’s artwork was incorporated with the curriculum created by the Integrated Core Senior Seminar course students. Everything was then uploaded into Adobe which she and others had to learn. Once putting everything into order, 57 books were printed and hand-bound by O’Dell. When talking about the work put into create a long lasting project, O’Dell said the work was tedious and she experienced bouts of frustration when items weren’t printed the correct way, or aligned wrong, but that the work was well worth it. “The book is created in a way that enables mentors and students to move pages around if they need to a make their own curriculum,” O’Dell said, “And that’s what makes it timeless. It also proves that you can do
some big projects for Civic Engagement.” For Satoski, seeing her students pair together to accomplish a project like this and be awarded for it showed how passionate they were about it and helping the youth in the program. She quotes Josh Shipp saying, “Every kid is one caring adult away from being a success story,” and what the students of both the Civic Engagement class and the integrated core senior seminar course did will create that impact. “What was most impactful was how much thought, time and research they placed into the development of the curriculum. They wanted to create something that provided resources and talking points to begin the conversation about issues the mentees are facing today and they did that,” Satoski said.
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth O’Dell Tasheekia Perry (left) and Courtney Satoski (right) pose with the curriculum created for the Crowing Daughters for Success. Satsoki expressed a sense of pride for what her students have been able to accomplish with the Boys and Girls Club and Perry as a partner.
Season for giving Naples Preserve hosts a free holiday house for guests By Romina Combe Staff Writer @RominaValeria85 With Christmas just weeks away, more and more people are entering the gift giving spirit. This year, Naples Preserve offers a special gift to residents in the area. Naples Preserve will be hosting a free holiday open house from Dec. 9-11 for anyone who would like to attend. The event which is geared toward preserving the holiday spirit and allowing families to Photo courtesy of Laura Tichy-Smith have a fun time will be Children decorate a tree at the Holiday Spirit open house at the Naples Preserve. transforming the preserve
into a winter wonderland that is set to amaze visitors and form memories that will last all year. The preserve will feature holiday trees decorated to match both the holiday and environmental themes of the preserve while also teaching environmental education to attendees. Seasonal drinks and food will be available alongside a story time event and a guided night tour through the boardwalk in the nature preserve. For the first time, “The Litter Critter” mascot will also pose for photo opportunities as he
Agency of the Week
teaches children about the importance of recycling to help the local wildlife of Southwest Florida. According to the event organizer Rebecca Speer, attendees will also have the chance to meet the animal ambassadors, like Trouper the blind raccoon from Wildlife Education Project, who was featured on National Geographic WILD channel’s, “Unlikely Animal Friends.” Children can participate in several entertaining, craft and exploration activities, including the opportunity to create a Naples Preserve Passport and earning a free gift.
As it has become one of Naples’s many holiday traditions, this year’s Preserving the Holiday Spirit Open House will offer more fun than it ever has with free activities offered to the public as well as a free concert featuring several musical groups. Admission is free and the holiday house will be open from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. For more information on the event you can contact Rebecca J. Speer at 239-261-4290 or rspeer@ naplesgov.com.
Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties is working to eliminate barriers to a better, healthier more financially stable life. With all of our help, Habitat Homeowners achieve the strength, stability and independence they need to build a better future for themselves and their families. Habitat is looking for groups and individual students to help with construction throughout Lee County. Work on-site at home builds, or help in the warehouse prepping housing materials. To help in the warehouse, contact Rachel Adkins at 239-652-1684. For home builds, site work days are Tuesday thru Saturday, 8 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Groups can be as large as 20 volunteers per site per day. Groups must schedule with the Volunteer Department at least three weeks in advance. During season, they may want to schedule well in advance. Please contact Paula Schenz at 239-652-1684 or paulas@habitat4humanity.org about on-site opportunities.