Men’s basketball adds UM recruit to 2017-18 roster Read more on B2
The official student media group at Florida Gulf Coast University since 1997
AGLE NEWS www.eaglenews.org
Volume 15, Issue 19
In the know
Wednesday, January 18, 2016
Incoming freshmen raise the bar First-time-in-college students’ GPAs, SAT and ACT scores rise
Entertainment
The xx’s new album “I See You” falls short of “great” after the band’s five-year hiatus.
Sports
Read on A7
FGCU men’s lacrosse team continues to grow as a club and as a team. Read on B1
Opinion A reflection on Barack Obama’s eight years as the 44th President. Read on B6
Outreach
New FGCU RSO tallies 1,500 service learning hours in fall. Read on B8
EN Photo / Taylor Crehan At the Tuesday, Jan. 10 Board of Trustees meeting it was revealed that first-time-in-college students’ GPAs, SAT and ACT scores have steadily risen over the last few years. Pictured above is Provost Ronald Toll addressing trustees during the meeting. Not only have incoming freshmen’s scores increased, but also the number of merit scholarships given out to students has as well. Director of Admissions Marc Laviolette said that as competitiveness increases, it is projected for the fall 2017 semester approximately only 2,500 students will be admitted into FGCU.
By Alexandra Figares Contributing Writer @fgcueaglenews Every year, academic standards for incoming FGCU students rises. At the Tuesday, Jan. 10 Board of Trusteees meeting, it was revealed that FGCU first-time-incollege students’ GPA, SAT and ACT scores have risen steadily in the past few years.
In fall 2016, the average FTIC GPA was 3.81, compared to 3.78 in 2015 and 3.68 in 2014. ACT scores increased correspondingly, as scores averaged at 24.1 compared to 23.9 in 2015, yielding an academically competitive year for FGCU. As the number of applications increase, enrollment numbers remain fixed. In consequence, GPA and test scores increase,
requiring a more selective admissions process. In the fall of 2016 alone, only 7,374 students were admitted out of 13,627 applicants. It is projected for the fall semester of 2017, only 2,500 students will be admitted into the university, according to Director of Admissions Marc Laviolette. With a high demand in applicants, admissions officers are compelled to be
selective and choose more academically prepared students. Applications are reviewed to see if candidates meet university criteria. To apply, students must have their academic units completed along with a minimum 3.0 GPA, 1070 SAT score, foreign language credits and an ACT score of 21. Admissions officers examine other factors in
addition to test scores and GPA. “We look at how well they did in core classes, if they’ve taken AP classes,” Laviolette said. “Even if they’ve submitted other documents like a resume or a letter of recommendation.” Embellished resumes
>> Continued on A3
Student Government discusses budget for next school year By Travis Brown Staff Writer @teebrowns Student Government members came together during their second meeting of the year in Cohen Center 247 on Tuesday, Jan. 17. The meeting kicked off with a presentation by Sandra Pavelka, vice president of the FGCU Faculty Senate and political science and public administration professor. Pavelka discussed the importance of timely graduation for students among other topics relating to education and mentorship. During the executive report, vice president Emmalynn Green brought to SG a selection for the new Chief of Staff. Senate voted previous senator Maddie Quinn to the
INSIDE:
position after a roll call vote. Shortly after SG saw the entrance of two bills that were presented in their first reading. First on the itinerary was the requested budget for the 2017-18 school year, Bill 1617-022. Presented by senator Garrette Parsons, the bill detailed a gross expected collection from A&S Fees of $4,315,387. Leaving $4,013,310 available, $3,830,609 will be allocated in the next fiscal year. $57,156 will be allocated to Eagle News based on a $.15 per credit hour amendment. In addition, $120,000 is being left aside for RSO travel funds. The total remaining amount in the budget is $5,545, a significant lower number than the previous year’s remaining total. “The appropriation
Entertainment and Lifestyle.....A6 Sports............................................B1 Opinion..........................................B6 Outreach.......................................B8
committee worked very, very hard on getting this budget done,” Parsons said. More details will be provided during the second reading, set for Tuesday, Jan. 24, where senate will vote on whether or not to implement this budget. Next on the agenda was 1617-023, a bill proposed for the allocation of funds to the Caribbean Student Association. The bill details a request for $3,350 for a variety of promotional items such as t-shirts and wristbands, and several planned events such as a “Lock-in,” Karaoke Night, Coffee with a Cop and a Caribbean potluck which will include decorations, paper ware, cups, $350 for food and $600 for an item
>> Continued on A2
EN Photo / Kim Smith Student body president Thieldens Elneus (center) addresses senators during Student Government’s Tuesday, Jan. 10 meeting. SG members discussed the budget for the 2017-2018 school year on Tuesday, Jan. 17.
FIRST ISSUE FREE Eagle News McTarnaghan Hall 201 10030 FGCU Blvd. S Fort Myers, Fla. 33967
A2 NEWS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18
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 Nikki Henkell
businessmanager@eaglenews.org
Service-Learning Events & Opportunities >> The 4H Club Livestock Show and AgVenture Day needs 12 volunteers to lead games and other activities with young children, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 20. The Immokalee Pioneer Museum at Roberts Ranch is hosting the event. Please contact Grant Matthews at 239-252-8722 or Grantmatthews@Colliergov.net for more information.
helping a good cause needed. Help set up, clean, park cars, work security and man booths, 10 a.m. — 6 p.m. Contact Breanne Hastings, Museum Coordinator at capecoralmuseum@gmail.com or call 239-772-7037 for more information.
>> On campus opportunity! Help plant trees and beautify FGCU on Friday, Jan. 20, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Light breakfast and lunch provided. Wear closed-toed shoes and work clothes and meet at the soccer complex. To sign up, go to campusbeautification2017 at eventbrite.com.
>> Become a tutor — Change a life! One out of every five families in Lee County speaks a language other than English. The Literacy Council Gulf Coast holds tutoring classes in 50 locations in Fort Myers, Cape Coral and Lehigh. You do not have to speak another language to tutor, and programs are available to morning, afternoon and evenings. Please contact Bob Sorenson at 239-676-5202 or bobvsorenson@gmail.com for more information.
Audrey Mobley
>> Like bacon? Love to jam? Then you want to lend your time and talent to the 94.5 Bacon Jam in support of Caleb’s Crusade Against Childhood Cancer. The event is Jan. 21, 11 a.m. to sunset, at Centennial Park. Volunteers must arrive prior to 10 a.m. for final set up and instructions. To volunteer, sign up at calebscrusade.org/volunteer.
>> Play ball! Saturday, Jan. 7 - March 25, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., the Foundation for the Developmentally Disabled Baseball League needs you to play baseball with the adults with disabilities. Cheer them on and assist the teams. Located at 5770 Osceola Trail, Naples. For more information, please contact Lauren Morimanno at lamorimanno0809@eagle.fgcu.edu
Entertainment and Lifestyle Editor
>> The Cape Coral Historical Museum is holding its second annual Bluegrass Jamboree Jan. 28. Volunteers who love live music, BBQ and
Managing Editor Rachel Iacovone
managing@eaglenews.org News Editor Taylor Crehan
news@eaglenews.org Production Manager productionmanager@eaglenews.org Allie Taylor
entertainment@eaglenews.org Assistant Entertainment and Lifestyle Editor Julia Browning
assistantentertainment@eaglenews.org
Sports Editor Miguel Rodriguez
sports@eaglenews.org Assistant Sports Editor Emily Kois
The world in brief U.S. ends ‘wet foot, dry foot’ policy
Russia prepares to decriminalize domestic violence
As one of his final foreign policy decisions, president Barak Obama ended the longstanding “wet foot, dry foot” policy that previously allowed Cubans to come to the United States as permanent residents without a visa. The policy stood for over two decades after replacing an “open door” policy. President Obama reopened ties to Cuba in 2014, leaving no reason to continue the policy.
Russian legislators are moving to decriminalize some forms of domestic violence. The Russian Orthodox Church is heavily influencing the decision, claiming that current laws go against traditional family values. Woman’s rights groups are opposing the legislation on the grounds that one Russian woman dies from domestic violence every 44 minutes.
assistantsports@eaglenews.org
Opinion Editor Luke Janke
opinion@eaglenews.org Assistant Opinion Editor
Moscow, Russia
Sam Palmisano
assistantopinion@eaglenews.org
Washington, D.C.
Senior Copy Editor Sarajane Sullivan
copydesk@eaglenews.org Photography Editor Brad Young
photography@eaglenews.org Assistant Photography Editor Kim Smith
Townsville, Australia
Curitiba, Brazil
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 ENTV Assistant Director Katie Hopkins
entvassistantdirector@eaglenews.org ENTV Sports Content Manager
Twenty-eight prisoners escape in deadly prison riots Two weeks into the new year, Brazil has had six deadly prison encounters, leaving at least 27 dead so far. The latest took place early Sunday, Jan. 16 morning when prisoners blasted a hole through a wall and began exchanging fire with police. About 15 heavily armed men outside the prison provided cover fire for the escaping prisoners. Twenty-eight prisoners escaped during the exchange.
Shylah Soares
entvsports@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
>> SG continued from A1 called “Island Escape.” The RSO meets six times per semester, or twelve times per year. Parsons first raised concern over the lack of a budget being formally submitted in two years, even though the RSO has been on campus since 2010, to which the presenting senator was unable to address. A representative from the RSO could not speak on behalf of that action.
Senator Ryan Denson was also confused regarding the name of the “potluck” in the aforementioned events. It was cleared that the RSO plans to change the name as they have plans to have the event catered. The bill will be reviewed and voted on in the upcoming meeting. Several SG members will be traveling to Washington, D.C. to attend presidentelect Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration. “It is an exciting
Zebra shark gives birth with no male partner A female zebra shark, named Leonie, at the Reef HQ aquarium in Australia recently surprised scientists by asexually producing offspring. It’s been three years since Leonie was separate from a long-term male mate. Scientists have previously observed that vertebrates — sharks, rays, reptiles, etc. — can have “virgin births” as a survival strategy. This is only the third time a captive vertebrate has done so, and it is the first time by a shark.
moment to be a part of the process, to see first-hand the transfer of power,” student body president Thieldens Elneus said. “It is one thing to be a part of the voting process, but another to (be) a part of the outcome.” Participants will leave early morning on Wednesday, Jan. 18, and will travel by bus. Students attending the inauguration will be returning on Sunday, Jan. 22 and will have the opportunity to tour the capital.
EN Photo / Kim Smith Student Government senator Garrette Parsons (left) and senate president Jason Finan (right) during the Tuesday, Jan. 10 SG meeting.
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 >> FTIC continued from A1 paired with impressive test scores do not necessarily declare success in terms of admission, as one element in a student’s academic career speaks louder than the rest. “GPA is a better predictor in student success than a test score,” Laviolette said. High test scores and GPAs are critical factors when applying for merit scholarships. A student that qualifies for in-state tuition may receive up to $5,000 a year and out-of-state students may receive up to $15,000 in
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18 EAGLE NEWS NEWS A3 scholarships. In the past year, there has been an increase in merit scholar presence on campus. According to Laviolette, merit scholarship offerings are expanding. There are currently two levels of merit scholarships available at FGCU as opposed to one. Augmenting merit scholarship levels provides a greater opportunity for students to obtain one, explaining the surge of merit scholars on campus. Students are not alone in having to adapt to ever rising standards. According to Laviolette, FGCU is growing on a
state level. For the first time in FGCU history, the university is competitive to other state schools affecting enrollment and scholarships. According to Laviolette, USF is a major competitor this year particularly due to the football team’s success. Consequently, FGCU may lose up to one percent of potential students. Financial packages change accordingly in efforts to adapt in a competitive environment. “You never know how it’s going to go from one year to another; I get thrown various surprises,” Laviolette said.
Photo courtesy of James Greco Incoming freshman carry personal belongings to their dorms in fall 2013. First-time-in-college students’ GPAs, SAT and ACT scores have steadily been rising.
UPD releases composites of sexual battery suspects By Taylor Crehan News Editor @taylorcrehan
Screenshots courtesy of UPD UPD Chief Steven Moore sent out these composite sketches of the two individuals suspected of committing sexual battery in North Lake on Friday, Jan. 13 to all students, faculty and staff.
UPD is working toward finding the two suspects from the sexual battery that occurred on campus on Sunday, Jan. 1. UPD chief Steven Moore sent a “be on the lookout” document containing composite sketches of the two suspects via email to all students, faculty and staff on Friday, Jan. 13. The sketch on the left depicts a light-skinned black male, who was described as being 5 feet 8 inches and wearing black jeans, a black t-shirt and black tennis shoes during the incident. The sketch on
the right depicts a white male, described as standing 6 feet tall, who was wearing a black t-shirt, sweat pants, a blue baseball cap and white shoes during the incident. The document also included a paragraph underneath the sketches with information regarding the incident. On Sunday, Jan. 1, UPD received a report that a sexual battery had taken place in North Lake between the hours of 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.
A4 NEWS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18
EDITOR: TAYLOR CREHAN NEWS@EAGLENEWS.ORG
Police Beat Eagle News writes this beat every week from the official UPD weekly summary Pink Skateboard Needs Loving Home On Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 4:18 p.m., UPD officers found a pink skateboard in Garage 3. The item has yet to be claimed by its owner. Out for a Stroll On Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 10:02 a.m., a complainant called into UPD to state that there was an elderly white male walking through the bottom floor of Garage 3. The male was reported to be wearing a white
shirt that was up around his neck and small blue pants. Officers identified elderly male as a person who routinely walks the campus. Vanishing Bike On Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 5:56 p.m., a complainant called into UPD, reporting his bicycle had been stolen. The bike is reported to be a silver Giant Revel 2 with a handlebar light across its front. The bike has not been located to date.
Marijuana Mystery On Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 10:27 p.m., an officer reported a strong smell of marijuana near Alico Arena. An officer investigated the area but no marijuana was found. Danger by Dumpster
outside South Village Eagle Hall. The RA reported she saw an arm come out of the door and go back in. UPD officers spoke to individuals in the car to discover everything was clear, the driver was simply picking up the passenger. Dog in Lot 1
the
On Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 11:17 p.m., an RA advised UPD that she had heard someone scream “help me” from inside a vehicle parked by the dumpster
On Thursday, Jan. 12 at 10:13 a.m., a complainant reported to UPD that there was a vehicle parked in Lot 1 with a dog inside. The officers were unable to locate the owner, but noted
that the air conditioning was on in the car. The dog appeared to be in no kind of distress, and UPD officers believed the dog to be okay. Ghosts at College Club Loop On Friday, Jan. 13 at 1:14 a.m., UPD received two calls within minutes of each other advising of a group of individuals who were screaming/chanting/ practicing for some kind of event. The group’s noise woke several residents. When a UPD officer
canvassed the area, no one was seen or heard. Pocket Dial On Friday, Jan. 13 at 12 a.m., UPD officers were advised that two calls had been made to 911 with no voice contact. Lee County Sheriff’s Office reported hearing shuffling sounds, believing the incident to be a pocket dial.
Renaissance Academy announces 2017 schedule Noncredit classes offered in various subjects across Lee and Collier counties By Mindy Paniagua Staff Writer @mindypaniagua Classes at FGCU have began, and the Renaissance Academy at FGCU is open for spring term enrollment. The Renaissance Academy is an academy where adults can enroll in noncredit classes to continue their educational experience. Its creation is part of FGCU’s mission of “cultivating lifelong learning and the discovery of new knowledge.” All of the revenue generated at the academy is used to benefit the university. The academy itself offers a variety of courses from finding your creativity to managing stress with hypnosis. “Our goal is to find something interesting, something affordable, something that is available to just about anybody,” said Renaissance Academy Director John Guerra. Guerra has a test that he gives to students in the academy which involves challenging students not to find at least one class in the course catalog that is of their interest. Til this day, Guerra said there has not been a student to beat his challenge. From his personal experience, Guerra said
that as a teacher at the academy, one of the best days he’s ever had is when someone walks up to him and says, “I’m a PHD. I’ve gone to school for most of my life or I have been an educator most of my life. I have taught in the university level, and I have to tell you this is one of the most fun, interesting and dynamic experiences I’ve ever had.” Courses at the academy vary from being a one-day class to course with a series of classes. The average class size is between 20 to 25 students. Courses available through the Academy include ones focusing on archaeology, art, business, the arts, psychology, science, foreign languages and history. The Salke Renaissance Art study group is a part of the academy. Part of the study group’s activities this semester involves four lectures with experts, where students will discuss aesthetics, the art of Norman Lewis and much more. Classes are held in several locations such as Naples, North Naples, Bonita Springs, Marco Island and Estero. In addition to paid courses, the Academy typically offers free classes at the Naples Center and
the Atrium Center in Fort Myers once a month. Preregistration is required for such a class. Individuals also have the ability to purchase annual and seasonal memberships, as well as course bundles. The academy itself offers travel opportunities as well. Students enrolled can visit many destinations that include: Germany, Scotland, Japan, Cuba, Venice and the city of Bordeaux in France. Future plans involve expanding class locations to be offered in the Glades and Hendry county region. Currently, courses are offered in a variety of locations in Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties. Students can also be a distance-learner and enroll online at http:// RegisterRA.fgcu.edu. For more information regarding registration, programs offered, and cost, visit http://www.fgcu.edu/ racademy/index.html.
www.greatclips.com
FGCU STUDENTS
Total EyeCare
For a Lifetime of Better Vision
Let the Specialists at Frantz EyeCare improve your quality of life.
HAIRCUT WITH STUDENT ID
Great Clips IT’S GONNA BE GREAT! 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
Photo courtesy of the Office of Continuing Education and Off-Campus Programs While the majority of classes offered at FGCU are held on the school’s main campus in Fort Myers, the university also has off-campus locations, such as the Naples Center as well as the Emergent Technologies Institute located off of Alico Road.
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
• • • • • • • • •
Bladeless Laser Cataract Surgery Bladeless WaveLight LASIK Dry Eye Center of Excellence Treatment of Glaucoma Treatment of Macular Degeneration Treatment of Diabetic Related Eye Diseases Facial and Body Rejuvenation Routine Eye Exams On-Site Surgery Center
12731 New Brittany Blvd. • Fort Myers
(239) 418-0999 BetterVision.net
Jonathan M. Frantz, MD, FACS Medical Director
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18 EAGLE NEWS NEWS A5
WWW.EAGLENEWS.ORG
FGCU finds Naples-Immokalee-Marco area most diverse in the state By Sarajane Sullivan Copy Editor @xosarajane FGCU’s Industry Diversification Project has found that the NaplesImmokalee-Marco metropolitan statistical area has the highest diversity workforce rate in the state. The Cape CoralFort Myers and Punta Gorda MSAs have been ranked eighth and 18th respectively. According to a quarterly report released in December by the Industry Diversification Project, the Naples-Immokalee-Marco MSA has moved from sixth place to first place in diversified industries from 2015 to 2016. The rankings run through an index, with zero meaning the least diverse, through 10, meaning the most diverse. According to the FGCU
Industry Diversification Index archives, Southwest Florida faced its lowest numbers in 2012 with an index of 7.92. Florida as a whole also suffered with an index number of 8.40. However, in the second quarter of 2016, Southwest Florida’s index number reached as high as 8.41, while Florida as a whole reached 8.56. This is a still a stretch from Florida’s highest numbers in the second quarter of 2003, which had Southwest Florida at 9.14 and the state of Florida at 8.79. The report finds that this growth in industry follows the ebb and flow of the demands of seasonal residents in Southwest Florida. From October to March, tourists and seasonal residents (aka “snowbirds”) cause demand for retail trade and accommodation and food service to increase.
However, once the snowbirds leave in April that demand decreases and allows for a more diverse economy with alternative businesses. The cycle starts up again once August ends and the tourism season resumes in Southwest Florida. According to the Industry Diversification Project, while some MSAs within Florida increased their diversity workforce rate, Florida as a whole slipped in the rankings. In the second quarter of 2016, Florida was ranked 24th in the nation, while in the first quarter of 2016, it was ranked 22nd. This is an improvement from the second quarter of 2015, when Florida was ranked 28th out of all 50 states. Currently, Florida is ranked behind Louisiana and ahead of Missouri, according to the study.
Screenshot courtesy of FGCU Industry Diversification Project A chart found on FGCU’s Industry Diversification Project website detailing metropolitan statistical areas in Florida that have the highest diversity workforce rate. The Naples, Immokalee and Marco Island MSA led the way at 8.65 with Orlando, Kissimmee and Sanford in second at 8.63.
Ringling Bros. announces final shows By Emily Ford Editor-in-chief @152emily
Photo courtesy of Feld Entertainment Big Cat Trainer Alexander Lacey poses with two lions that Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus use during their performances. The circus announced that it will hold its final shows in May 2017.
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus announced that it would no longer use elephants in its performances in January of 2016. On Jan. 14, circus’ parent company, Feld Entertainment Inc., revealed that it would hold its final shows in May 2017. The circus’ final shows will be held in Providence, Rhode Island at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center on May 7 and at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York on May 21. According to Feld Entertainment Inc. press release, the removal of elephants from the circus
act contributed to a decline in ticket sales, which, along with high operating costs, “the circus an unsustainable business for the company.” When the elephants were removed from the shows in 2015, it was announced that the animals would be retired to Ringling’s Center for Elephant Conservation. The reason for the elephants’ removal was due to complicated patchwork of laws enacted by local governments to protect elephants and other exotic animals. Another factor was the overwhelming outcry over the unfair treatment of performing animals. Although the treatment of elephants was widely
protested, they were a major attraction for the circus. According to the press release, their removal contributed to “a decline in ticket sales greater than could have been anticipated.” “This was a difficult business decision to make, but by ending the circus tours, we will be able to concentrate on the other lines of business within the Feld Entertainment portfolio,” Feld Entertainment’s Chief Operating Officer Juliette Feld said in the press release. Feld’s Entertainment’s portfolio includes Marvel Universe Live!, Monster Jam and Disney On Ice.
Retirement workshop to be held at Cohen Center By Luke Janke Opinion Editor @jankeleg The Office of Continuing Education & Off-Campus Programs at FGCU will host a fourmodule professional development workshop on Financial Strategies for Successful Retirement. The 4-workshop will have two opportunities to participate: Tuesdays, Feb. 7, Feb. 14, Feb. 21 and Feb. 28 6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. at the Cohen Center; and Thursdays, Feb. 9, Feb. 16, Feb. 23 and March 2 at the
FGCU Naples Center on 5th Ave. Admission to the workshop series cost $79 for singles and $99 for couples. The sessions will teach participants about financial basics, retirement income, investments, risk management and estate planning. The course includes a comprehensive Financial Strategies for Successful Retirement workbook. Founding partner of Findley Wise Wealth Management and managing director of
UBS Wealth Management Kenneth J. Wise will be the course instructor. According to their official site, FGCU’s Office of Continuing Education & Off-Campus Programs is committed to satisfying the professional development needs of Southwest Florida workers through affordable and diverse learning opportunities. For registration information, call 239-4253270, email continuinged@ fgcu.edu or visit www.fgcu. edu/ced.
EN Photo / Rachel Iacovone The Cohen Center, FGCU’s student union, holds various events throughout the year. Come February, it will be home to a professional development workshop on Financial Strategies for Successful Retirement.
Networking event for small business owners to be held By Luke Janke Opinion Editor @jankeleg The Southwest Florida Small Business Resource Network will host a networking and discussion event about the small business outlook of 2017 for small business owners in
Southwest Florida. The networking event will be held Thursday, Jan. 19, 8 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. at the Lee County Economic Development Offices in downtown Fort Myers. The event is sponsored by Florida Gulf Coast University’s Small Business Development Center.
Business assistance specialist with the Lee County Economic Development Office, Warren Baucom, is the speaker of the meeting. Baucom will discuss topics including what’s happening locally, as well as learning about the mission and operations of
the Lee County Economic Development Office and Horizon Council. The event will kick off with a networking breakfast, followed by topic discussion. Breakfast is included in the $20 per person fee for members, and $30 per person for guests and
unaffiliated small business owners. An online RSVP is required for the event. To register, go online to https://fsbdcswfl. org/sbrnevents/. The registration deadline is Wednesday, Jan. 18. SBRN provides connection between
seasoned professionals who service the small business arena and the small business owner. It also conducts monthly meetings that provide topics of interest to its members. For more information, contact Lorna Kibbey at 239-745-3700.
ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE
www.eaglenews.org
Books-to-movies in 2017
By Deanna Simmons Staff Writer @WondercatDee Our favorite books allow us to escape from the daily grind of life and sink into a fantastical reality that only ink on pages can provide. We’ve all imagined the heroines and heros of choice novels coming to life page by page, playing out like movies on a screen. When book-to-movie adaptations come around, readers rush to the theaters to see how directors, screenwriters and producers come together to replicate the books of the time. Some do books justice, while others leave readers with the infamous saying, “The book was better than the movie.” These are some book-to-movie plot lines that are coming to a theater near you this year.
“Live By Night” by Dennis Lehane:
“Fifty Shades Darker” by E. L. James:
“Before I Fall” Lauren Oliver:
by
Ben Affleck is writing, directing and starring in this film along with Chris Messina, Zoe Saldana and Sienna Miller. The book is set in the prohibition era and talks about the story of a thief from Boston who becomes successful as a rum runner. The set release date is Jan. 13.
Starring Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson, the book is a continuation of “Fifty Shades of Grey” and explores the relationship of Christian and Ana more as their relationship gets deeper. The release date is Feb. 10.
The movie stars Zoey Deutch, Halston Sage and Diego Boneta. The book is a high school thriller that tells the story of a teen reliving the same day over and over again after a car crash which seems to be caused by a mysterious student. It’s set to release March 3.
“The Zookeeper’s Wife” by Diane Ackerman: Starring Jessica Chastain and Daniel Bruhl, this book is a true story which follows the Warsaw Zookeepers. These individuals helped save people from the Nazi’s in World War II by smuggling them into empty cages. It will premiere March 31.
“The Dark Tower” by Stephen King: Starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey, this book follows Roland Deschain as he moves through a society of magic looking for The Dark Tower. The release date is set for July 28.
“Murder on the Orient Express” by Agatha Christie: Starring Kenneth Branagh, Johnny Depp, Daisy Ridley, Michelle Pfeiffer and Leslie Odom Jr., this book follows Detective Hercule Poirot as he tracks the mystery of a murder on a train. The release date is set for Nov. 22.
Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center events to watch for in March available to expand the SWFL art community. General admission is $10 and the event begins at 8 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Fort Myers Film Festival The Fort Myers Film Festival is an annual indie and local film screening that brings national and world-wide filmmakers together for five days of screening, networking and movies for all tastes.
By Allie Taylor E&L Editor @journonajourney March is a big month for the Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center, with events to look for such as Fort Myers Film Festival, Mano Mudd’s “Down and Dirty” exhibit and “Luau of Life.” Below is a list of mustattend events coming to the Southwest Florida area. Mano Mudd – “Down and Dirty” Mano Mudd brings his nationally acclaimed work to Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center March 3, 2017. Mudd’s exhibit “Down and Dirty” will feature 2D and 3D contemporary works, as well as visual art projections, during Art Walk from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. His work has been frequently projected in Downtown Fort Myers over that past two years. Mudd has also won many awards, fellowships and grants, including Arts and Culture grants from the City of Fort Myers. Fort Myers Film Festival The local, five-day Fort Myers Film Festival
will host its seventh annual screening event, showcasing worldwide cinematic works for movie lovers of all genres. From March 8 to March 12, the Fort Myers Film Festival will offer “the most vibrant, intellectual and edgy crowd to grace Lee Country in decades,” according to a press release from Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center. The event will feature hundreds of international and local filmmakers, with hosts and Fort Myers Film Festival producers Melissa DeHaven and Eric Raddatz. The Fort Myers Film Festival will kick off with a Black Tie Red Carpet Gala at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, following with regular programming March 9, and a party and gala at the Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center March 10. March 11 will begin with local programming and the event will conclude March 12 with a champagne and dessert awards dinner gala at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre. Art and Poetry Networking Event March 17 will feature
Gulf Coast Leisure’s Art and Poetry Networking Event to showcase the best art, music and poetry of Southwest Florida. Media such as music, spoken word, poetry and crafts will suit audiences of all kinds. N e t w o r k i n g opportunities will be
“Luau of Life” to benefit Pediatric Oncology Research “Luau of Life” will be hosted at the Sidney and Berne Davis Arts Center March 18, benefitting Pediatric Oncology Research to help find cures for children affected by cancer and other terminal illnesses. Attendees can expect an evening of Polynesian and tropical themes, including traditional hula and fire dancing, while offering a casual yet upscale event.
Photo courtesy of Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center One of Mano Mudd’s many works of art, which he calls a “reflection of my life.” The exhibit “Down and Dirty” features eclectic pieces.
Tickets are $150 per individual, $250 per couple or $1,200 for a VIP table of eight. Cocktails begin at 6 p.m. Dinner and entertainment starts at 7 p.m. Art Walks the Runway The sixth annual Art Walks the Runway fashion show will return March 30 through April 1 at the Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center. The opening night celebration will take place March 30, followed by an immersive experience of local fashion from SWFL’s local and regional boutiques. On April 1, Haute Couture will showcase
their creations by Couture designers. Proceeds will benefit the Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center. Cocktails will start all nights at 7 p.m. The Celebrate Fashion Opening VIP Party featuring hors d’oeuvres by G3 Catering costs $40 advance and $50 at the door. The local fashion event March 31 costs $20 in advance and $25 at the door. The Couture Fashion event costs $35 in advance and $45 at the door. VIP tickets for all three nights are $125 or general admission is $90.
Photo courtesy of Simone Song via Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center The Art Walks the Runway event showcases pieces from local and regional boutiques and designers, including that of Ahmad Couture.
EDITOR: ALLIE TAYLOR ENTERTAINMENT@EAGLENEWS.ORG
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18 EAGLE NEWS E & L A7
FGCU Programming Board to host Open Mic Night and Casino Night events Curated this week by special guest from Eagle Radio, Simone Nelzi
By Julia Browning Assistant E&L Editor @juliabrowningxo Programming Board is kicking off the spring semester with an Open Mic Night on Thursday, Jan. 19 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Veteran’s Pavilion. The event gives FGCU students and guests a chance to show off their hidden singing talents, or just to support their friends who will be performing — or laugh with the ones who are doing so jokingly. Their second event of the semester will be Casino Night. The gambling-type event will be in the Cohen Center Ballroom on Jan. 26 from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. Activities include poker, blackjack, roulette, bingo, showcasing the Great Gatsby Movie, prizes and more. For more information on PB’s events, including how to become involved, visit PB’s website www. fgcupb.com. General board meetings are held the first Tuesday of every month at 5 p.m. in Sugden 114.
In Your Feelings 1. “Broken Hearted Girl” - Beyonce 2. “Ordinary People” - John Legend 3. “Love Don’t Change” - Jeremih 4. “Foolish” - Ashanti 5. “Did You Wrong” - Pleasure P 6. “On the Run” - Beyonce feat. Jay Z 7. “Love” - Musiq Soulchild 8. “Let Me Know” - Tamar Braxton 9. “Trust” - Keyshia Cole feat. Monica 10. “Stay With Me” - Sam Smith
EN Illustration / Audrey Mobley
Photos courtesy of FGCU’s Programming Board
The xx’s latest album ‘I See You’ speaks to the melancholy hipster in everyone
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons The cover art for The xx’s self titled album “xx,” which was released Aug. 14, 2009. The album peaked to No. 1 on the British Indie Albums charts.
By Sean Thompson Contributing Writer @fgcueaglenews The xx’s debut album “I See You” released Friday, Jan. 13 with a sound molded by their signature electricindie-pop style. After a five-year hiatus, The xx’s “I See You” shows the progression of the band from their 2009 album “xx.” Members Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim and Jamie Smith (aka Jamie xx) began the journey to their current sound inside a garage in a London residential district. They used the space to practice at night, contributing to their quite beats and soft tone. The first track, “Dangerous” offers a cool trumpet sound and upbeat mood. Around three minutes into the song, there is a nice switch up of pace.
“Say Something Loving” was a single released as a teaser for the album earlier in the year. It has a cheery tone with a brief intro. The lyrics are easy to follow, but personally it loses by interest until the last 30 seconds. With a smooth intro, “Lips” slowly builds into a methodical beat. The electronic rhythm gives the song a more intense feeling. I especially love the fact that the song ends abruptly. “A Violent Noise” has a great melody but, just the same as “Say Something Loving,” it becomes a bit monotonous. This song begins with a soft tone and, as the title suggests, grows to sound more violent at about two and a half minutes. “Performance” has a generally slow build with
incredibly simple guitar work by Croft. There is an overall mellow feeling that taxis into an excellent outro. Since it is a slow song, “Performance” is the perfect song to listen to if you want to vibe by yourself or even sleep. “Replica” was the hardest song for me to begin to like. It sounds just like a copycat of their other songs because there’s nothing too special about it. About two minutes in, there is a good melody, but that alone was not enough to save the song. The lucky number seven on the album, “Brave For You,” is a mind-boggling song in all the best ways. It’s a slow song with more outstanding electronic beats, supporting the dicey lyrics mixed throughout. The songs outro is my favorite part and it really ties the whole song together. “On Hold” is my favorite song on the album. The intro starts slow but quickly builds into a fast beat. The bass work by Smith is simply captivating, earning this song endless listens from me. A quick start, followed by Smith’s voice, leads “I Dare You” to spotlight Croft’s superb vocals and excellent guitar work. Despite the vocals, I’d like to see an instrumental version of this song. As the final song on the album, “Test Me” proves to be yet another slow song
that doesn’t appease my taste until nearly three minutes in. However, I do like the piano on this track. Personally speaking, “I See You” is not great by any means, but it isn’t bad.
I expected more from the band after not producing an album for a while. For me, “On Hold” is the only saving grace for this album and their reputation. I feel that a few mediocre
songs really brought the rest of the album down. On the positive side, those few tracks make for great conversation breaks if you’re listening with others.
Photo courtesy of Flickr via Dusty Knapp Vocals and guitar for The xx Romy Madley Croft (above) and Jamie Smith (aka Jamie xx, below) perform at Coachella Music Festival on April 18, 2010.
EDITOR: ALLIE TAYLOR ENTERTAINMENT@EAGLENEWS.ORG
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18 EAGLE NEWS E & L A8
Most anticipated shows of 2017 By Jessie Martin Staff Writer @JessieMartin247 2016 was arguably one of the best years for TV in recent memory. HBO’s “Westworld” redefined storytelling; Showtime’s “Shameless” had one of its best seasons to date and FX’s Golden Globe-winning “Atlanta” gave viewers something entirely original in a comedy with brilliant political messaging. 2017 will see reboots of longtime fan favorites and will also see beloved shows make returns from a multiyear hiatus. With so many channels and streaming services, the television industry has never been more competitive, and it is sure to give every type of viewer something to enjoy. “American Gods” Set to premiere on Starz with the release date still to be determined, “American Gods” is based on the acclaimed Neil Gaiman novel of the same name.
The show is about ancient gods living in America competing with the new gods such as Technology, Money and the Media. American Gods should have a very compelling perspective on today’s society and make for a highpaced, action-packed show. “Twin Peaks” Showtime announced they would be rebooting the early ‘90s TV show in October 2014, and since then, old and new fans alike have been waiting in high anticipation. “Twin Peaks” is known for being a psychological thrilling crime drama with a sense of silliness. Original creators David Lynch and Mark Frost are back in control, and they bring us a stellar cast including Naomi Watts and Michael Cera. “Twin Peaks” is set to premiere in April. “Game of Thrones” – Season Seven The end of the sixth season left fans preparing to see long-developed
rivalries finally coming to a clash. The Starks all are back in the North; Ceresi sits on the throne and Daenerys is finally on her way to King’s Landing. “Game of Thrones” gets better every single episode and every season is better than its last. Season seven should be no different. The HBO juggernaut is set to premiere June 25. “Stranger Things” – Season Two Netflix dropped one of the most beloved TV shows in 2016, and with only a year-long wait until season two, fans are excited. “Stranger Things” is the show longtime “E.T.” fans have been waiting for. In July, fans will see if the show addresses unanswered questions left behind in the first season. “Curb Your Enthusiasm” – Season Nine Coming off a fiveyear break, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” is back with its ninth season.
Larry David and the rest of the cast are reprising their roles. A lot has happened in five years, and that allows the show to address plenty of topics and be diverse in their subject matter. HBO has yet to announce when the new season is premiering, but fans are just happy that “Curb” is back. “Legion” With the popularity of the Marvel Universe at an all-time high, expectations for FX’s “Legion” are just as elevated. “Legion” will follow Professor Xavier’s son David, who is one of the most powerful mutants ever. Superhero fans were pleased when Emmywinning Fargo creator, Noah Hawley, was named the writer and executive producer of the show. “Legion” should allow viewers to see different perspectives of the Marvel Universe that have never been seen before. The show will be released Feb. 8.
Photo courtesy of Flickr via Gage Skidmore “Stranger Things” actress Millie Bobby Brown speaking at the 2016 Phoenix Comicon Fan Fest in Phoenix, Arizona. Brown plays Eleven in the popular Netflix series.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons The iron throne from the TV series Game of Thrones HBO photographed at the multigenre fan convention “Pykron” in Poznan, Poland.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Larry David spoke at a ceremony for Mary Steenburgen to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in December 2009.
Netflix’s ‘Series of Unfortunate Events’ is anything but unfortunate By Luke Janke Opinion Editor @jankeleg One of the most depressive book series for kids, “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events,” has gone through a tumultuous past of poor adaptations. “Tumultuous,” is a word which here means “confusing” or “disorderly.” However, as it often does, Netflix breathed new life into this classic series. While stunningly popular children’s series like “Harry Potter” had an immediate claim to success with a cinematic adaptation, “A Series of Unfortunate Events” had – for lack of a better word— an unfortunate run with Nickelodeon’s 2004 bigscreen adaptation starring Jim Carrey. Screenwriter Robert Gordon rewrote the original screenplay by Daniel Handler (Lemony Snicket) due to over-budget concerns. Handler was
understandably bitter. Not only was Handler snubbed from the creative process, but the movie’s brief and lackluster approach to only three of the series’ 12 books left fans feeling betrayed and longing for more. It’s taken about a decade, but with Netflix’s massive budget and creative collaboration with Handler as an executive producer, they teamed up with the author and Paramount Television to create a TV series that stays true to the books –almost to a fault — but is satisfyingly acute to detail nonetheless. For those who aren’t familiar with it, the story follows the lives of the Baudelaire orphans Klaus, Sunny and Violet whose parents perish in a mysterious house fire and are flung into the care of various distant relatives, always being pursued by Count Olaf in hopes of snatching their parents’
enormous fortune. Season one of the Netflix adaptation covers the first four books in eight episodes; each book is assigned two hour-long episodes. The show was also picked up for a second season, which will cover books five through nine, and a third season is expected to finish off the rest. Technicalities aside, what makes this adaptation so great are its aesthetics, which stays true to the books’ gloomy overcast aura. Set design mirrors the overall looming depressive state of the series’ theme; an oxymoron I would use to describe the aesthetic is whimsically melancholic. The houses, vehicles and infrastructure mirror early 20th century American culture, but there are some references and pieces of dialogue that make the time of the events unclear. Patrick Warburton’s
portrayal of Snicket as a fourth wall-breaking narrative element is a bold choice, adding context and banter in a fun and charming way. In one instance during the pilot episode, the Baudelaire children are skipping rocks at Briny Beach. When Violet is successful in skipping the perfect stone, she asks Klaus a question. “What’s that thing James Brown said?” Violet asked. Klaus answers with the classic lyric “I got something that makes me want to shout,” and Snicket chimes in from his lifeguard post in the background with “I’ve got something that tells me what it’s all about.” My only qualm with the adaptation is that casting seems slightly off — and not in the Social justice-y “Hamilton” kind of way. Mr. Poe, the banker played by K. Todd Freeman, was typically portrayed in the books as a portly man
in the books. Yet, Mr. Poe in the Netflix series is a slim black man. They got the coughing right though. In fact, the scenes Mr. Poe is in seem upstaged by his awful coughing fits. This is true to the books, but perhaps not good for visual mediums. Neil Patrick Harris in the leading antagonistic roll of Count Olaf highlighted another casting flaw. This might be an unpopular opinion, but I found Harris’ physical stature too meek and non-threatening. Count Olaf always seemed towering and monstrous like a rickety abandoned lighthouse in the books, and Harris didn’t grow into that character. Menacing? Perhaps, but he was more comic relief than genuinely terrifying. The secret organization VFD is in the sub plot of every episode, always watching out for the orphans. Introducing the
spyglass so early brought me away from the mystery of the organization, but the presence of a force for good in the storyline made the grim events less miserable for the viewer. Even though VFD isn’t revealed until much later in the books, it creates a hopeful spur of mystery between the scenes of the Baudelaire children trying to escape the grip of Count Olaf. The Netflix adaptation plays the roll of a love letter to Snicket’s fans. It’s witty, receptive to detail and captivatingly suspenseful. Although there were some episodes I felt I was only watching out of obligation as a fan, the show is a cinematic gem on its own and, I suspect, a crown jewel in the lineup of the best shows of 2017.
SPORTS
www.eaglenews.org
A fast-growing club leads to a nationally recognized team FGCU men’s lacrosse continues to grow year after year
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Briggs Reaching the MCLA National Championships in 2014 and 2015, the FGCU men’s lacrosse team has become a staple in the second division of the MCLA earning recognition in USA Lacrosse magazine for its play in the National Championships.
By Emily Kois Assistant Sports Editor @emilykois Even though it is a fairly new organization to FGCU, the lacrosse club has made some remarkable growth over the years. With new player interest every year, the team can only go up from here. Coming into the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association in 2011 at a Division II level, the Eagles have made it very clear that they are a competitor teams across the nation should be worried about. “In the past four years we’ve gone to the national tournament twice [2014
and 2015] in California,” said FGCU lacrosse club president Jake Johnson. One would think joining this elite club would be a selective process, however, anyone has the opportunity to be a part of the team. Whether you have played the sport all your life or if it’s a new found hobby, the club encourages fresh players in the hopes of becoming number one in the nation. “We have quite a few freshman, we had a hand full of senior graduate last year, but all in all the team has grown and changed and you can really see it from the older guys to the new guys,” said FGCU lacrosee
club vice president Hunter Migedt. However, those who are willing to pay the travel fee and who also rank within the top 40 will have the chance to make it on the travel team. Also, recognizing that there is varied skill level, the club also offers administrative positions, which still allows one to be a part of the team and have the opportunity to practice with them as well. With an impressive freshmen class new to the team this year, the club has added some dominance on both sides of the ball — offense and defense — and hope to continue that
intensity in future years. “People come to FGCU just to play lacrosse,” Johnson said. “We are nationally recognized, we’ve been in USA Lacrosse magazine, and we’ve been noted in it for making it to the tournament.” Just like any other recruitment process, the club also looks to recruit players through email exchanges and film. “Personally, I couldn’t afford to play NCAA so I looked on the MCLA club website and saw we had a Florida school that was pretty good,” sophomore goalie Austin Cotton said. “I emailed our head coach and
he got in contact with me and said to send film, just like a regular NCAA team.” Even though this team has shown their dominance throughout the past few years, the road to getting there is a challenging one. With similar brackets to an NCAA tournament, the club has to win its conference in order to make it to the tournament. With a schedule that will face them against nationally ranked teams within and without their division, the club will be able to get some beneficial play before tournament time. “To be eligible for the tournament, we have to play teams outside of our
region, so we’re going up to Knoxville in March to play some teams outside of our division,” Johnson said. The team will also participate in several home games throughout the season, allowing the team to get some home support. With six home games scheduled, the Eagles hope to use that to their advantage when thinking about tournament play. Only being in the league for six years and going to the final tournament twice already, this fastgrowing program has the potential to take the top-16 tournament this season.
Men’s lacrosse welcomes 2017 season
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Briggs With its eyes set on California, the FGCU men’s lacrosse team will play ten regular season games with hopes to be one of the top 16 teams that qualify for the MCLA National Championships.
By Miguel Rodriguez Sports Editor @Miguel_Rod0914 With the 2017 season ahead, the FGCU men’s lacrosse club comes into the spring campaign with its sights set on California for the 2017 Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association National Championships. Playing in their sixth season in the second division of the MCLA, the club is a member of the South East region of the Southeastern Lacrosse Conference. Winning the SELC in 2015, the Eagles have gone to the MCLA National
Championships twice in the last four seasons, reaching the tournament in 2014 and 2015. Finishing 4-4 last season, the Eagles made it to the conference playoffs but were defeated by Kennesaw State who ended the season ranked No. 4 in the country. With a handful of seniors departing the team last year, the team welcomes a plethora of returning players as well as a strong freshmen class. “We have a very good freshmen class that came in,” sophomore Austin Cotton said. “Last year was pretty good but this year we
got some good weapons on both sides of the ball.” Each year, the club has to play each member of their division once and to be eligible for the tournament, they have to play teams outside of their division. In order to fulfill the requirement by facing teams outside of their division, the team will travel to Knoxville, Tennessee to face Grand Valley State, Minnesota Duluth and Dayton at the
>> Continued on page B3 EN Illustration / Audrey Mobley
EDITOR: MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ | SPORTS@EAGLENEWS.ORG
B2 SPORTS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18 >> Lacrosse continued from B1 Christian Academy of Knoxville and Charleston, South Carolina to face College of Charleston, Coastal Carolina and Citadel. When the club faces teams outside of their division, the team participates in round robin tournaments where they face at least three teams, getting a chance to compete and see top teams that they could possibly face in California. Last year the team
traveled to Nashville and they played the No. 3, No. 6 and No. 11 ranked teams in the country. “We didn’t play everybody that was there,” club vice president Hunter Migedt said. “We did see teams that we were going to see in California, we got to see play at the tournament and that was very beneficial.” The Eagles will host six games at FGCU taking on Miami, Georgia Southern and PBA, as well as hosting Barry University, Eastern FL and UNF for scrimmages.
Taking on Barry University on Jan. 28 in a scrimmage, the Eagles open up play on Feb. 4 against UF in Gainesville as they begin their quest for their third appearance in the MCLA National Championships.
EN Illustration Audrey Mobley
Women’s basketball rides strong second half to eighth-straight win By Miguel Rodriguez Sports Editor @Miguel_Rod0914 Coming off of 90-63 victory over Lipscomb behind Rosemarie Julien’s 17-point performance, the FGCU women’s basketball team closed out its threegame road trip with a 7556 victory over Kennesaw State. Moving to 3-0 in ASUN play with their victory over the Owls, the Eagles rode a 22-7 run in the third quarter to propel themselves past Kennesaw State after coming out of the half tied at 30. FGCU has looked more comfortable in the second half of play through the campaign, averaging 45.3 points in the second half compared to 37.7 points in the first. “We went on a nice run in the third quarter,” FGCU head coach Karl Smesko told FGCU athletics.
“We defended better and rebounded better in the third quarter, and that helped us get out in transition and get a couple of baskets that took us from a tied game to a 10-point lead.” Tytiona Adderly led a quartet of FGCU doublefigure scorers with her first double-double of the season. Adderly scored 10 points and snatched 12 rebounds en route to her double-double, as well as dishing out three assists and coming away with two steals. “I thought Tytiona was outstanding,” Smesko told FGCU athletics. “I thought she provided the toughness for us inside. She did a tremendous job on the boards and then she found some opportunities to contribute scoring-wise. That was definitely the bright spot for me, seeing how well she played today”
Photo by Linwood Ferguson Tytiona Adderly had a career night against Kennesaw State, notching her first double-double as an Eagle, Adderly scored 10 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.
Following her 17 point performance against Lipscomb, Julien scored 13 points while grabbing a
career-high six rebounds. Tying Julien for the game high in points, Haley Laughter knocked down 13
points in just 16 minutes on 5-8 shooting from the floor. Erica Nelson rounded out the Eagles’ doublefigure scorers, scoring 11 points while dishing out four assists. Beginning the game on a 5-0 run, FGCU allowed five straight buckets from Kennesaw State before China Dow knocked down the first shot from long range on the night to give FGCU an 8-5 lead. Despite tying the game up at 13 after the Owls went on an 8-2 run, four turnovers in the final three minutes of the first quarter sparked a 20-13 advantage for Kennesaw State at the end of the first. Scoring nine unanswered points to recapture the lead at 22-20, both teams traded buckets and traded leads tying the game four times before both teams went into the half tied at 30. Allowing the Owls to
score three straight buckets out of the intermission, FGCU went on a 19-1 run propelled by three-pointers by Gradinjan and Nelson, to hold a 15-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter. Trading shots from long range to begin the final quarter of play, a layup and one from Adderly ignited an eight-point Eagles’ run, giving them their largest lead of the game 63-42. FGCU was able to hold off the Owls scoring six of the final 11 points of the game, sealing its third consecutive ASUN victory and its eighth straight win 75-56. FGCU will now return to the nest for a three-game home stand, kicking off its home stand on Saturday, Jan. 21 against NJIT at 4 p.m. at Alico Arena.
Men’s basketball adds UM transfer Michael Gilmore Rosemarie Julien Position: Forward Junior 5 feet 11 inches Hometown: Port St. Lucie, Florida After a record-breaking performance against in-state rival Stetson on Saturday, Jan. 7, Rosemarie Julien was named the ASUN Player of the Week and the Newcomer of the Week. Julien led the team with an incredible 36 points in the 84-71 win, setting a new Division I single game record for the Eagles. This also marks the most points an ASUN player has earned thus far in the season. Defensively against Stetson, Julien tied her career-high with two steals. Julien currently leads the team in overall points [229] while averaging 11.5 points a game. She also leads in other offensive categories — field goals made [79] and free throws made [43].
EN Illustrations / Audrey Mobley
By Emily Ford Editor-in-chief @152Emily The FGCU men’s basketball team added former VCU and Miami forward Michael Gilmore to the team roster on Tuesday, Jan. 17. After his sophomore year at VCU, Gilmore transferred to Miami over the summer where he had been sitting out before he joined the Eagles. According to NCAA transfer rules, a player must sit out two semesters. This makes Gilmore eligible to begin playing in December of 2017 after the completion of the fall semester. Gilmore will play for the duration of the 2017-18 season and the entire 201819 campaign. “We’re excited to have Michael join the program,” FGCU head coach Joe Dooley told FGCU athletics. “By joining us at this time, it’s going to afford him a
great opportunity to learn our system and style of play. It’ll give him a good head start for next season, and we’re looking forward to having him on the court with us in December.” While playing with VCU, Gilmore started 18 games and averaged 3.2 points and 2.8 rebounds in 11.5 minutes per game. Gilmore’s best performance was the NCAA Tournament Second Round against second-seeded Oklahoma in Oklahoma City. He just missed a double-double with 12 points and eight rebounds. While at the Atlantic 10 school, Gilmore knocked down 47.9 percent of his shots from the floor and was a 35 percent shooter from 3-point range in 55 games with the Rams. At VCU, Gilmore was teammates with FGCU forward Antravious Simmons for the fall portion of the 2014-15 season before Simmons transferred to
Photo courtesy of Miami athletics
FGCU in December of 2014. “I am excited about joining the FGCU family and reuniting with many of the guys I played with or against in high school,” Gilmore told FGCU athletics. “I’m looking forward to helping continue to build on Dunk City’s success and tradition.” Gilmore is the nephew of Naismith Hall of Famer and product of JU Artis Gilmore.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18 EAGLE NEWS SPORTS B3
WWW.EAGLENEWS.ORG
Men’s tennis suffers tough losses at FGCU Spring Invite By Emily Kois Assistant Sports Editor @emilykois
EN Photo / Kim Smith Javier Fernandez (above) and Austin Bates took on Nils Heimer and Alberto Barroso at the FGCU Spring Invite, where they were defeated 6-3 despite overcoming a 2-0 deficit.
The FGCU men’s tennis spring season got off to a rough start as the Eagles lost two doubles matches to Wisconsin during the first day of their Spring Invite. The Eagles only doubles win came from Javier Fernandez and Austin Bates, who defeated Osgar O’Hoison and Darius Mackenzie, 7-5. Unfortunately, the duo teams of Oliver Landert and Ezequiel Cerrini along with Andres Alfonzo and Mateo Ruiz also suffered tough loses to the Badgers. Sam Chaffin highlighted singles play for FGCU, dominating Alan Sweet 6-2, 6-0, while Alfonzo suffered a 6-1, 6-1 defeat to Dodridge while Fernandez fell 6-2, 6-1 to Remy. Landert also suffered a tough 6-2, 6-3 loss to Carranza. In his FGCU spring debut, Ruiz lost in straightsets, 6-2, 6-2 to Chase Colton, while Cerrini
suffered a 6-3, 6-0 loss. During the second day of play, the team earned three singles wins and a doubles win. Playing with more intensity, the Eagles held early leads in doubles on all courts. However, the duo of Ruiz and Landert would be the only win against Louisville, claiming a 6-2 win over Christopher Morin-Kougoucheff and George Hedley. However, the momentum could not roll over to court one where Alfonzo and Cerrini lost 6-4 to the Cardinal’s top team of Sean Donohue and Parker Wynn. At the same time, Fernandez and Chaffin were in a similar situation; going ahead, but then fell 6-4. Fortunately though, FGCU’s energy came back alive in singles play where Ruiz defeated Santiago Salazar 6-3, 6-4, while at the same time, Chaffin dropped a 6-1, 6-3 decision to Clement Filho.
After two long matches, Landert and Alfonzo also dropped their matches. Landert dropped a 6-2 first and a 6-4 second set. Fernandez closed day two with a three-set win for the Eagles. After dropping his first set 6-1, the sophomore won the second 6-4 before closing out the match with a 7-5 third set win. FGCU finished up the play at the Spring Invite Sunday with No. 25 USF. The Eagles fought hard against the Bulls, forcing many close matches but unfortunately, came up short. In each of the three doubles matches, the Eagles came within points of turning 6-4 defeats into tiebreakers or wins. Alfonzo and Cerrini faced Sasha Gozun and Vadym Kalyuzhnyy of USF, but the Bulls broke the Eagles serve at 4-4, eventually winning 6-4. Similar to court one, Landert and Ruiz were facing Justin Roberts and
Peter Bertran, losing 6-4 to the USF duo as they pulled away late in the match. Fernandez and Bates suffered similar outcomes, remaining close the entire match, but ended up suffering a loss the next two games. Chaffin fought hard in singles play, battling Roberts in the first set, but falling 6-4 and eventually falling 6-2 in the second set. Ruiz also suffered a loss to Pierre Luquet 6-2, 6-1 in a powerful match while Landert dropped his first set 6-4 and ultimately fell 6-3 in the second. The final match of the invite was a show-worthy one, as Fernandez took on USF’s Jakub Wojcik. After losing a tiebreaker in the first set, Fernandez came back to claim the second set 6-4. Unfortunately, Wojcik came back to force a tiebreak, taking the match. Next, FGCU will travel to Tallahassee on Friday, Jan. 20 to face Florida State at 2 p.m.
Women’s tennis finishes strong at FGCU Spring Invite By Emily Kois Assistant Sports Editor @emilykois The FGCU women’s tennis team started its spring season off with an impressive performance at their annual FGCU Spring Invite. FGCU began their tournament with matches against St. John’s and Northwestern State. St. John’s split four matches in doubles play, but the Eagles dominated in singles play against Northwestern State, winning all six matches, including four in straight sets. To start the day, FGCU’s top duo of Julia Ascua and Julianna Curtis controlled the match against St. John’s duo, Jessica Livianu and Anna Morozova, taking the match 6-0. However, the Eagles then dropped back-to-back matches with Sara Kelly
and Bridget Forster falling, 6-4, and Laura Falceto Font and Sofia Perez dropping their match, 6-3. FGCU came out of intermission with four straight-set wins against Northwestern State to start singles play. Ascua defeated Vladislava Litvinova, 6-3, 6-3, while Breana Stampfli and Maja Ornberg finished their matches with a pair of 6-1, 6-4 wins. Curtis also won her first set against Emilija Dancetovic in a tiebreak, 7-6 (7-5), before dominating a 6-0 win in the second set. FGCU faced Utah in the doubles play on day two of the tournament. Also, the Eagles played St. John’s in singles, winning six of eight matches against the Red Storm. To start doubles play, Forster and Kelly, won 6-3 against Utah’s Luisa Gerstner De Rosa and Whitney Turley.
Unfortunately, that was the only doubles win for the Eagles for the rest of the day. In singles play against St. John’s, Forster defeated Jaide Collins 6-1, 6-2 while Ornberg was victorious against Stephanie Elgegren, winning 6-2, 6-1. With loses from Stampfli and Ascúa, but wins from Curtis and Kelly, the Eagles ended the second day of play on a positive note. Concluding their three-day invitational, the Eagles came out strong, winning five of eight singles matches. Even with a change in the doubles and singles lineup, the Eagles still managed to secure two of three wins against Northwestern State in doubles, and also took five of eight matches against Utah in singles play. FGCU’s top duo of Ascua and Curtis earned
a 6-4 victory against Northwestern State’s Ivanova and Litvinova. Unfortunately, the freshmen duo of Forster and Kelly suffered a 6-3 loss to St. John’s after winning against a tough Utah team Sunday. Stampfli, Kelly and Ornberg controlled all of their singles matches against Utah, earning straight-set wins. Stampfli defeated Brianna Turley 6-2, 6-1, while Kelly defeated Turley 6-2, 6-1. Ornberg then faced Utah’s, Margo Pletcher, with Ornberg taking the match 6-2, 6-4. Forster moved up to play on court three but unfortunately suffered a 6-0, 6-3 loss to Utah’s Alexia Petrovic. Next, the Eagles will remain at home to host USF on Sunday, Jan. 22, at 2 p.m. at the FGCU Tennis Complex.
Photo by Linwood Ferguson Breana Stampfli (above) and Maja Ornberg earned a doubles victory for the FGCU women’s tennis team, defeating Judit Castillo and Emilijia Dancetovic 6-4.
B4 SPORTS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18
EDITOR: MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ SPORTS@EAGLENEWS.ORG
Eagles sweep Michigan State, stay unbeaten through 19 games
EN Photo / Kim Smith
En route to winning their 18th and 19th consecutive victories, the FGCU DII hockey team outscored Michigan State 11-6 in its two battles against the Spartans.
By Keaton Hanley Staff Writer @ChirpinParaKeat The Eagles were at home for the last time to take on the Michigan State Spartans, before their second road trip of the season. The Eagles added to their win column on both Saturday, Jan. 14 and Sunday, Jan. 15 picking up
4-3 and 7-3 victories over the Spartans. Friday, Jan. 13 Tyler Tracy would man the crease for the Eagles, stopping 30 of 33 shots for his first win of the new semester. Newcomer, Ty Lasker, picked up three assists of the night, showcasing his passing ability. The Eagles spread out its offense with goals
coming from six different players, but assist captain Michael Chemello was able to find the back of the net twice with back-to-back goals. Scoring four of their seven goals coming on their potent power play, the Eagles were able to cruise to a 7-3 win. Saturday night was much like Friday as the Eagles’ offense pushed
them to a 7-4 win. Bradley Rambhajan picked up his 11th win of the season, denying 21 of 25 shots on net. The Eagles would explode in the first period with four goals after the Spartans were able to get on the board first. The Spartans would get back within one in the third, but the Eagles were having none of it, scoring two more
goals to extend their lead to 7-4 a lockdown of their defensive zone with the help of Rambhajan in net. Three players would score 2 goals apiece for the Eagles (Jacob Leonard, Jordan Klotz and David Wong). Shawn O’Meara would score the other goal for the Eagles, picking up his second goal since being added to the team at the
start of the semester. The Eagles travel to Ohio this weekend to take on their biggest challenge of the season, taking on Grand Valley State on Friday, Jan. 20, Davenport University on Saturday, Jan. 21 and Lindenwood (Belleville) University on Sunday, Jan. 22.
WEDNESDAY,JANUARY 18 EAGLE NEWS SPORTS B5
WWW.EAGLENEWS.ORG
This week in athletics Men’s basketball vs USC Upstate
By Matt Rothman Staff Writer @MattRothman3 The FGCU men’s basketball team returns home to Alico Arena for the first time in ASUN conference play when the Eagles take on USC Upstate on Thursday, Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. The Spartans, led by center Michael Buchanan, were predicted to finish last in the ASUN. However, they finished non-conference play with a 10-8 record and have started ASUN play 2-1 with wins over both Jacksonville and
NJIT. The Eagles come into this game winners of their first three conference games including an 84-80 win against Lipscomb last Saturday, Jan. 14. The last time these two teams met was in South Carolina where the Eagles came away with a seven-point victory 71-64. Prior to that game, the Eagles were victorious 85-56 at Alico Arena last January vs the Spartans. The Eagles look to build off the home crowd in hopes of keeping their winning streak alive and remaining undefeated in ASUN play.
Men’s tennis at Florida State By Jessy Sammarco Staff Writer @Jessy_Sammarco Starting the season with three singles victories at the FGCU Spring Invite, the FGCU men’s tennis team heads to Tallahassee on Friday, Jan. 20 to face FSU at 2 p.m. The last time the Eagles and Seminoles went head to head was last January where the Eagles were defeated 1-6. The Eagles had
Women’s swim vs Miami
By Jesse Martin Staff Writer @JesseMartin247 The FGCU swimming and diving team are set to host Miami Saturday, Jan. 21 at the FGCU Aquatics Complex. The Eagles have won each of their last four dual meets and will look to keep their momentum rolling as they near the end of the season. FGCU will look to have the same result
against Miami as they did last season, when they defeated them by a score of 166 to 111. Coming into their matchup with the Eagles, the Hurricanes lost its last dual meet against UF 180-115 on Saturday, Jan. 7. With two more meets before the CCSA Championships, the Eagles will face FAU in their final home meet of the season on Friday, Jan. 27 at 4 p.m.
Men’s tennis at Florida A&M
By Emily Kois Assistant Sports Editor @emilykois To end their trip in Tallahassee after matches against FSU, the FGCU men’s tennis team is set to play Florida A&M on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 11 a.m. These two Florida teams met once last year, on Feb. 27 in Fort Myers, where the Eagles took the overall match 5-2. FGCU has always dominated play against the Rattlers, winning 7-0 in
both the 2013-14 and 201415 seasons. Next, the Eagles will travel back to Fort Myers to host the alumni match, Saturday, Jan. 28 at 1 p.m. After that, FGCU will open their four home game stretch, beginning with Bethune-Cookman on Friday, Feb. 3 at 6 p.m.
Women’s basketball vs NJIT
By Miguel Rodriguez Sports Editor @Miguel_Rod0914 Riding an eight-game win streak, the FGCU women’s basketball team welcomes NJIT to Alico Arena on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 4 p.m. in game one of the Eagles’ three-game home stand. Coming off of a 75-56 victory over Kennesaw State on Jan. 16, the Eagles started ASUN play with three consecutive road victories. Starting ASUN play at
1-2, the Highlanders come into their matchup against the Eagles following a 75-56 defeat against Jacksonville. The last time these two teams squared off was last season, when FGCU bested NJIT 70-37, behind 14 shots from long range and 37 percent shooting from the clip. The Eagles will look to move to 10-0 at Alico Arena and push their win streak to nine, with a victory over the Highlanders before taking on USC Upstate on Jan. 23.
Women’s tennis vs USF
By Emily Kois Assistant Sports Editor @emilykois To begin a doubleheader against Lipscomb, the FGCU women’s basketball team is set to play the Bisons Saturday, Jan. 14 at 1:30 p.m. These two conference teams met twice last season, with the Eagles dominating both games. First on Jan. 24 in Nashville with the Eagles winning 71-39 and a second time on Feb. 20 at Alico
Arena with FGCU taking the game, 91-52. The Bison’s will travel down to Fort Myers later on in the season to compete against the Eagles again Feb. 13. Next, the Eagles will travel to Kennesaw, Georgia on Monday, Jan. 16 to verse the Owls.
a few victories throughout the day, but the Seminoles walked away with an overall win. Coming into their matchup against FGCU, FSU finished 2-1 at the FSU invite, falling to Georgia Southern university 4-3. The Eagles will work to redeem themselves against the Seminoles and notch their first individual-match win before taking on Florida A&M on Saturday, Jan. 21.
Men’s basketball vs NJIT
By Miguel Rodriguez and James Coviello Sports Editor and Contributing Writer Closing out game two of its quick two-game home stand, the FGCU men’s basketball team faces NJIT on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. at Alico Arena. Coming into their matchup against the Eagles, Highlanders are off to a 1-2 start in conference play before going to face Stetson on Jan. 19. Currently sitting atop
the ASUN, with a record of 3-0 thus far, the Eagles will face USC Upstate on Jan. 19 before taking on NJIT. The last time these two teams faced off, the Highlanders defeated FGCU 68-59 in Newark, New Jersey. The Eagles will look to limit NJIT’s leading scorer Damon Lynn, who has averaged 21 points through 19 games, as they look to continue to sit atop of the ASUN standings with a victory over the Highlanders.
Women’s basketball vs USC Upstate
By Matt Rothman Staff Writer @MattRothman3 The FGCU women’s basketball team plays the second game of a threegame home stand when they play USC Upstate on Monday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. The Eagles have won the last 10 previous matchups between these two teams dating back five years including two wins a season ago. The Spartans finished non-conference play
with a record of 7-8 as compared to the Eagles 11-6 non-conference finish, while rounding out nonconference play on a fivegame winning streak. The last time these two teams squared off was last season, where the Eagles defeated the Spartans on the road 56-44, behind 18 points from Taylor Gradinjan. The Eagles will look for their 11th straight victory verse the Spartans.
OPINION
www.eaglenews.org
Submit a letter to the editor LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
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
Trump’s contentious rise
Photo courtesy of Flickr via U.S. Capitol President-elect Donald Trump’s contentious picks for cabinet positions coupled with strained relations with the media in lieu of his first press conference in months. This made for an interesting news week in Washington, D.C.
Why none of Trump’s nominees deserve confirmation By Ryan Denson Contributing Writer @RD3001
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Donald Trump calls out the media at a recent rally.
The media love Trump By Sam Palmisano Assistant Opinion Editor @SamPalmisano Every time the president-elect has opened his mouth — or “twittered” his thumbs — the story has gone viral in every sense of the word. From the day Donald Trump announced his presidency on June 16, 2015, it’s been a roller coaster. The billionaire reality TV star turned president’s campaign-to-inauguration process has been a series of ups and downs incomparable to anything in recent memory. Another series of ups and downs have come from the stock graphs of some of the nation’s leading media companies. What if I told you that both processes were symbiotic? Everyone is so quick to point out the billions of dollars in free advertising that Trump got, but the flip side of that coin is the billions of dollars in profits that the media companies received. According to Portlandbased analytics firm mediaQuant, Trump received around $5 billion in free media coverage over the course of his campaign. That’s more than twice the coverage that Clinton received. Why would the same media groups that spent so much time downtalking Trump give him so much free publicity?
He was earning them millions of new views and subscriptions. After all, the large media corporations don’t really care who wins the presidency, as long as they’re still making money — and they did make money. For businesses, it’s always about the bottom line. Constant campaign coverage and turning every Trump tweet into a headline has made a significant difference in the profit margins of media companies across the country. A simple look at the stock prices of the largest media companies shows a constant rise in the last year, especially in the time since the election. The New York Times Company has seen its stock increase 25.93 percent since Nov. 3, 2016. In the same time frame, Gannett Company, the parent company of USA Today, has watched its stocks rise 30.39 percent. Gannett Company had a rough year previous to the election date. Their stock prices dropped over 50 percent in the nine months leading up to the election. As parent company for The Washington Post, The Graham Holdings Company’s stocks rose 22.84 percent in the past year. The success of these media companies that are centered on print media is easier to trace back to Trump’s coverage, since it
has been the focal point of each respective company in the time frame. It’s harder to calculate the exact effects on multimedia companies that use broadcast coverage of the election: Fox News, CNN, NBC News, etc. While the parent companies of each news organization have certainly seen success, it’s difficult to tell if a rise in stock prices is due specifically to election coverage. Time Warner, grandparent company for CNN, saw stock increases of about 35 percent over the past year. Comcast, with NBC as a major subsidiary, also saw a 35 percent increase in stock. Stocks for 21st Century Fox, which sees the profits of Fox News, increased 15 percent during the year. Mass media companies traded in free publicity for profit. On the surface, they may seem to be primarily denouncing Trump; however, in devoting so much of their coverage to him, they gave him the boost he needed to win the election. In return, Trump’s publicity brought in constant online hits and television views. We can only hope that all the ratings and reviews were worth it. For Trump and the media companies, the exchange was a win-win. For America, it was a solid L.
With less than a week to go before Donald Trump is sworn into office, a blitz of confirmation hearing have been taking place on Capitol Hill, and as expected it’s been a circus. Senate committees have been hearing testimony from a slew of Trump nominees, including Attorney General hopeful Jeff Sessions, Defense Secretary James “Mad Dog” Mattis, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Needless to say, none of them passed the smell test. In fact, I don’t think there has ever been a more offensive and lackluster group of men who have sought the highest offices in the land. Every single one of them displayed why they are not qualified for their respective positions and why they should not be confirmed. To start, Sessions. The Alabama senator has a bleak and uncompromising voting pattern when it comes to LGBT rights and the rights of black Americans. His resume is so bleak that the NAACP and the Human Rights Campaign have allotted Sessions with highly unfavorable ratings, revealing a dismal “devotion” to the rights
of minorities and the historically oppressed. To go from Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch to Jeff Sessions would be a miraculous undoing of social progress made in the last eight years. Aside from the fact Mattis has only been retired for three years — and thus does not qualify for the “civilian” post that is Defense Secretary — his hawkish and seemingly war thirsty aggression towards ISIS, coupled with his admission that the DOD should pursue ISIS with even more force, sets the tone for an oncoming war against an ideology that mirrors the failures of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Although his experience and social views remain promising, a potential war with Trump at the reigns is utterly terrifying. Even though Carson admitted on live television that he is in no way prepared to take on a cabinet position, there he was on Capitol Hill, ready to take over control of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Unable to promise that federal money would not land in Trump-affiliated businesses (including the Trump Organization), Carson immediately disqualified himself. A simple “No, there will be no conflicts of interest,” would have sufficed. Carson has also
criticized the HUD for what he perceives as unfair and failed racial experiments and favoritism. Much like Sessions, Carson fails to grasp the realities facing urban black America, their plight and the remedies needed to address and solve it. Finally we come to the arguably most important position, Secretary of State. Succeeding John Kerry may be the most inexperienced nominee in history, Tillerson. A man with no foreign or diplomatic credentials, Tillerson was the former CEO of ExxonMobil, from 2003 until his nomination in 2016. As CEO, he violated U.S. sanctions against a foreign country, Russia, Tillerson has unquestionably close relationship to Russian president Vladimir Putin, and has expressed archaic views about women and gays in foreign service, a complete rollback of policies initiated at State. These men have absolutely no idea what they are doing, or what they are dealing with. We have bigotry at the DOJ, oil at the DOD, Ayn Rand 2.0 at HUD and Russia’s puppet at DOS. The Senate should put blind loyalty aside and do what’s right — vote down these unqualified and dangerous nominees.
Photo courtesy of the Official Russian Government Website (Left) Rex Tillerson’s close ties with (right) Vladimir Putin raised concerns during his confirmation hearing as Secretary of State.
WWW.EAGLENEWS.ORG
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18 EAGLE NEWS OPINION B7
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons President Barack Obama gave his farewell speech to a crowd of more than 20,000 people in Chicago on Tuesday, Jan. 10. He also awarded vice president Joe Biden the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Obama’s farewell address
A reflection on the president’s eight-year legacy By Iman Zekri Contributing Writer @fgcueaglenews History and social studies textbooks will forever note that president Barack Obama was the first African American President of the United States. He was certainly not a perfect president, but to deny any of the incredible things he has done for this country would be misleading and unreasonable. Obama has been an advocate for racial, sexual and religious minorities. It is hard to believe that it has already been eight years of Obama’s presidency because it seems like just yesterday I was watching live coverage
of his inauguration on television. After two terms in office, it is fair to conclude that this nation has had its ups and its downs during the past decade, but president Obama managed to strengthen our country by improving the economy, serving as an advocate for higher education and standing up for immigrants. President Obama returned to Chicago to deliver his farewell address on Jan. 10. During the speech, Obama reflected on the great achievements of his presidency. “If I had told you eight years ago that America would reverse a great recession, reboot our auto industry and unleash the longest stretch of job creation in our history,”
Obama said. “If I had told you that we would open up a new chapter with the Cuban people, shut down Iran’s nuclear weapons program without firing a shot and take out the mastermind of 9/11. If I had told you that we would win marriage equality and secure the right to health insurance for another 20 million of our fellow citizens — you might have said our sights were set a little too high. But that’s what we did.” Republicans have pushed back, and at times it seemed rather personal, particularly their refusal to consider Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, after Justice Scalia’s death. Senate Republicans refused to even hold a hearing, and this course
of inaction demonstrates an unwillingness to compromise in a nation whose very democratic principles preach the significance of negotiation and compromise. Regardless of the challenges and obstacles he faced, president Obama never lost his grace, class or humility. During a time when Donald Trump’s threats of mass deportation and wall-building ring in our ears, Obama’s farewell address brought the American people back to reality by highlighting the misconceptions we had of immigrants in the past. “For native-born Americans, it means reminding ourselves that the stereotypes about immigrants today were
said, almost word for word, about the Irish, Italians and Poles,” Obama said. “America wasn’t weakened by the presence of these newcomers; they embraced this nation’s creed, and it was strengthened.” His words reflect the historical knowledge, compassion and integrity with which the Obama administration has responded to immigration issues. Although some like to focus on the flaws of Obama’s presidency, such as the remaining instability in the Middle East, they neglect to give Obama credit for the fact that the U.S. economy is in a much better state than the shattered one he inherited in 2009. During an NBC special
on Jan. 13, president Obama discussed the legacy of his presidency and his hope for the nation’s future. His important message of optimism and resilience in a time of uncertainty serves as a reassuring message to all. “We make progress, and then sometimes we take a step back before we start going forward again,” Obama said. “But that’s not a cause for despair. That’s a cause for hope.” President-elect Trump has some big shoes to fill, and if he is unable to meet the expectations of the American people, then he will not be as fortunate as president Obama was to serve a second term.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons With a crucial species of bumble bee recently added to the endangered list, environmental activists worry there are more mass extinctions to follow.
Facing the planet’s sixth mass extinction By Emily McLean Staff Writer @ebmac97 Mass extinction has become a growing topic of conversation amongst politicians and in households after the release of “Vanishing,” a CNN series that sheds some muchneeded light on the subject. According to the Center of Biological Diversity, Earth is currently experiencing the worst case of species die-offs since the loss of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. The agency also reports
that dozens of species are going extinct every day, with as many as 200 species going extinct every year. Ninety-nine percent of species that are currently endangered are on that list specifically because of humans. The human factors that are causing this mass extinction are issues like global warming, habitat destruction and the introduction of nonnative species into new environments. The issue is gaining even more traction as presidentelect Donald Trump’s
inauguration nears. In an interview with Fox News in October of 2016, he stated that he plans on cutting the budget for the Environmental Protection Agency, and when asked who was going to protect the environment, he answered, “We’ll be fine with the environment. We can leave a little bit, but you can’t destroy business.” Another controversy surrounding the Trump presidency has been who he appointed for the head of the EPA, Scott Pruitt. Some of the questionable statements
that he has made include implying that there is no link between fracking and water contamination, claiming that climate “alarmists” can be charged with fraud and defending some of the biggest polluters in the country. Protecting our environment should be one of our country’s number one priorities, but unfortunately with the now Republicancontrolled Senate and the inauguration of someone who does not believe in climate change, the subject of our environment is becoming less and less of a
priority. Climate change is one of the biggest threats to humanity today, as it has the potential to completely wipe out our population over the course of the next several hundred years. Scientists agree that combatting climate change is a necessity to ensure that future generations have a safe, clean planet on which to live. One of FGCU’s missions is to promote and practice environmental sustainability, and the university accomplishes this in part through their
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certified buildings. This means that the buildings are resource efficient by using less water and energy and emitting less greenhouse gases. If this is something that you feel passionate about, I encourage you to become more environmentally sustainable by recycling, buying environmentallyfriendly food and other products and reducing your usage of fossil fuels.
OUTREACH THE Big C is for community
www.eaglenews.org
New FGCU RSO tallies 1,500 service-learning hours in its first semester
Photos courtesy of Courtney Satkoski Austin Floyd (left), THE Big C’s director of community outreach and youth development, and vice president Brandon Peterson (right) work with Beth McClain’s kindergarten students at Pinewoods Elementary School.
By Rachel Iacovone Managing Editor @totesrachel One of FGCU’s newest RSOs officially began this past September as the brainchild of FGCU alumna and professor Courtney Satkoski and her repeat teaching assistant Jordan Shedrow. THE Big C gets its name from the many service words beginning with the letter “C” — most importantly, “community” — said the club’s president, Shedrow. Since the initial idea for the club, the leadership team has expanded to eight members, which managed to tally 1,500 servicelearning hours in the fall semester. These hours came from a variety of service opportunities, including the mentorship program that was established through THE Big C at the closest grade school to FGCU’s campus, Pinewoods Elementary School, where Satkoski’s son Crew is enrolled in kindergarten. “The volunteers just get the kids so excited,” said Beth McClain, the teacher of Crew’s class where the mentorship program began. “The kids count down the days. On
a Tuesday, the kids will be like, ‘Is it Thursday yet? Is it Thursday?’ They look forward to the guys coming in. They talk to them all the time. They want to show them what they’re doing. They think they’re cool, and they just want to work with them whenever they can.” The FGCU students work in large part with the kindergarteners on their sight words. The children have to learn 110 by the time they leave kindergarten, so the oneon-one mentorship allows them to work on what specific words they need help on. “Taking just one hour to go over their sight words with the kids makes such a difference, especially when it’s not guaranteed every child gets that kind of help at home,” McClain said. McClain said all her students, but especially the males, look up to the FGCU volunteers as role models. “Little kids will kind of gravitate to anyone — like ki nd ergart enage kids — but the boys seem to have definitely gravitated more to these guys than what I’ve seen in the past. Up until
now, most of the volunteers that would come in were moms, so they were older. And, with the guys, they’re younger and in college and can talk to the kids about what they’re doing and studying.” The volunteers at Pinewoods are majority male at the moment, which Satkoski says was a gift of fate as she was looking for more male representation for her son’s campus at the birth of the partnership. Then, all the students who signed up for the mentorship program just so happened to be male. “It was a pleasant and very welcome surprise,” said Satkoski, who now serves as the club’s adviser. Much like the diverse majors and interests expressed in THE Big C’s 75 active members, its leadership all have a project near
and dear to their hearts, which they head for the rest of the group. Satkoski serves as the liaison for Pinewoods, but THE Big C’s president Shedrow finds his particular passion in Hunting for a Cure, a for-purpose organization that formed at FGCU in January 2016 to fundraise and advocate for those with Hunter syndrome. “We are basically the center hub that gives students a dip-your-toesin-the-water experience where they get to not only see what these other organizations are like but see what it’s like to do service in multiple capacities,” Shedrow said. He said he has seen service become an eyeopening experience for many, who had assumed they would enter
one field after graduation but, through service, realized that was maybe not for them after all. “It’s awesome in the sense that it will — and has the power to — change the course of some people’s future,” Shedrow said. Shedrow speaks from personal experience, planning up until recently to specialize in Mohs surgery only to change course late into his senior year and find a passion for pediatric oncology instead. THE Big C’s vice president Brandon Peterson, on the other hand, has been sure of his plan to attend physician’s assistant school for quite some time but now questions where that will be, as he has found a home in THE Big C. “I’ll definitely take all the principles I’ve learned and everything and try to make something up there in Illinois in my community, but it’s just going to be sad almost,” Peterson said. “This is my pride and joy. I went to nationals for lacrosse. I’ve done research here. I’ve been a teaching assistant. I’ve done a bunch, but this is
definitely something I’m happy I’m leaving, kind of like a legacy.” Peterson, though sporting a Hunting for a Cure wristband, said he found his passion in particular working with Special Equestrians. Currently, he is working on building them a horse for riders to practice on before mounting the live animal. THE Big C also works with the YMCA and the Lion’s Club among half a dozen service-driven RSOs on campus. “Our university’s mission statement includes service, but I think we could, as a university, maybe do a better job introducing freshmen and sophomores to these community partners and kind of get them hooked on service early on,” Peterson said. “It’s just great, not only to do things for other people, but it can also help you with your resume or to build connections for your future career path as well.” THE Big C meets every other Wednesday on campus or at Duffy’s Sports Grill. For more information, find the club on Facebook or email Shedrow at jd sh ed row9946@eagle. fgcu.edu.
Agency of the Week The Patient Empowerment Network brings patients the confidence and strength to help them through their “journey” with their illness. Through donations and unrestricted grants, they enable the production of patient town meetings and forums, educational videos and materials, outreach programs, and other empowerment resources. The Network offers inspiration from powerful patients who are in the know and want to help others. The Network is looking for digital sherpas. You’ll be paired with a cancer patient in need of your tech savvy and online expertise. After attending a one-hour training session, you’ll teach a patient how to access cancer care resources online. The next workshop is Jan. 19, 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and bi-monthly going forward. For more specific information, contact Andrea Conners at 239-728-1202 or andrea@s2ncommunications.com. Or, contact Justine Cusimano at jgcusimano9123@eagle.fgcu.edu.