Meet the final four presidential candidates
Read more on A3
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AGLE NEWS www.eaglenews.org
Volume 15, Issue 24
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
SG presidential candidates announced
In the know Entertainment
Alumnus band, The Helmsmen, wins NPR’s “Tiny Desk Concert” contest.
Photo courtesy of LCSO Azabou’s mug shot.
By Emily Ford Editor-in-chief @152emily
Read on A6
Sports
“I think her and I have such unique backgrounds; we each have different strengths,” White said. “Also, with Jamar too, we just make a great team.” White’s platform consists of four major categories: enhancing campus community, improving university life, building tradition and increasing transparency. Highlights of FGCU Fusion Party’s platform include holding a 20-day
UPD arrested and charged FGCU international student Sofiene Azabou with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill and stalking on Sunday, Feb. 19. According to the arrest report, Azabou and the victim began dating in early January and after a week; the relationship quickly became mentally and physically abusive. One night, after asking the victim about her dating history, Azabou became extremely angry and left to go out drinking, demanding his ex-girlfriend to stay in the dorm. When he returned, Azabou was intoxicated and grabbed a BB gun off of the counter and pointed it at the victims’ head and pulled the trigger, not knowing if it was loaded or not. According to the
>> Continued on A2
>> Continued on A4
FGCU women’s basketball defeats NJIT in final road game of the regular-season. Read on B1
Opinion Assistant opinion editor reflects on the media’s relationship with Trump. Read on B6
Outreach
The fourth annual Southwest Florida National’s Car Show will take place at the Lee Civics Center. Read on B8
Student arrested for aggravated battery and stalking
(Left) EN Photo / Brad Young (right) photo courtesy of Emmalyn Green Campaigning for Student Government elections began at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 21. Jalisa White (left) is running for Student Body President with the FGCU Fusion Party while Emmalyn Green (right) is running with FGCU Eagle Pride. Both parties began tabling on the library lawn on Tuesday.
By Taylor Crehan News Editor @taylorjeangenie Just after midnight on Tuesday, Feb. 21, members of the FGCU Fusion Party as well as FGCU Eagle Pride met at the Student Plaza, signaling the announcement of the new Student Government parties. FGCU Fusion Party candidates came in a large group, cheering and hyping one another up, while a select few members of FGCU Eagle Pride gathered at the Student Plaza to hang their promotional banner.
For the 2017-18 school year, the role of Student Body President will either go to current SG Secretary junior Jalisa White with Fusion or current Student Body Vice President senior Emmalyn Green with Pride. White decided to run because she feels that there is a current lack of prioritizing students within SG. “I feel like there is so much more we could be doing for the students,” White said. White is especially passionate about increasing transparency
between students and administration. “It’s directly effecting the students,” White said. “It’s important for us as Student Government to bridge that gap.” White’s running mates include Vice President Antonia Jacobse and Treasurer Jamar Powell. White said that she chose to campaign with these students because she has seen how hard they work and how dedicated they are. White noticed a passion for serving students in Jacobse “since day one.”
SG makes steps toward deeming FGCU a sanctuary campus By Taylor Crehan News Editor @taylorjeangenie
EN Photo / Kim Smith Student Government Senate President Jason Finan addresses senators during an SG meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 10 in Cohen Center room 247.
INSIDE:
Entertainment and Lifestyle.....A6 Sports............................................B1 Opinion..........................................B6 Outreach.......................................B8
In the midst of President Donald Trump’s immigration ban, members of FGCU’s Student Government discussed SG Resolution 1617-002, Mutual Respect, a resolution that could potentially make FGCU a sanctuary campus, during their meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 21. Sanctuary campuses, modeled after sanctuary cities, help shield undocumented students from being deported. The resolution, which was presented to senators in first reading on Tuesday, Feb. 14, focused on respecting other students and the diversity included on campus. “In our deliberations, we respect each other and diversity, we support
mutual respect for diversity and people of other backgrounds,” the resolution said. According to a Fusion report, students from over 100 campuses have signed petitions demanding that their schools become sancturaries. Garrette Parsons, the SG Appropriations Chair, verbally expressed her support of the resolution to her peers during the meeting. “We keep saying that we’re going to do this, so I want us to do this,” Parsons said. “I don’t want us to pass this and not do anything about it. If we say that we’re going to look into stuff and actually do things, we need to do it.” Sen. Antonia Jacobse also expressed her desire to pass the resolution. “I think we all understand the importance of this bill,” Jacobse said.
“Moving forward, as the previous senator said, yes, this is a step, but it’s only a first step.” Jacobse went on to describe the resolution as a foundation for a more inclusive FGCU. This is the foundation of that environment of inclusicity and diversity that our school was founded on,” Jacobse said. Upon first vote, the resolution didn’t pass. After being ammended, however, it passed. “It’s our responsability as senators and as the representatives of every single student on campus regardless of background, regardless of anything,” Jacobse said. “We are representatives of every student.”
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>> Gulf Coast Wesley needs gardeners and childcare peoples. Weekly opportunities gardening at Estero Methodist Church, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays. Help with the Mothers of Preschool Children program at Cornerstone United Methodist Church of Naples, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. every other Wednesday. Please contact Linda Sanchez at lpsanchez0814@eagle.fgcu.edu for information. >> The Royal Palm Academy is holding their Kings Gala Saturday, March 4 at the Vineyards Country Club at 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for training and set up. From 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., help with the event, including assisting with the silent auction and raffle. Please contact Jackie at jseobal@gmail.com for more information. >> Raise your pinky, it’s tea time at PACE Center for Girls. Forty volunteers are needed for the Grande Dame Tea at the Broadway Palm Theatre on Tuesday, March 14 at 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information contact Carol Wonderly at carol.wonderly@ pacecenter.org. >> Rookery Bay is looking for assistance in the Environmental Learning Center with care and maintenance of aquariums. Also, docents to interact and teach visitors about the touch tank. Training provided. Minimum 30-hour commitment. Opportunities in the summer. Please email Donna Young at volunteer@rookerybay.org. >> Sunshine Ambassadors needed at Golisano Children’s Hospital to help patients and visitors have a healthy and healing experience. Must be a year-round resident committed to one fourhour shift/week from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. To apply, please go to the LeeHealth website’s volunteer page.
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The world in brief Iceland president would ban pineapple pizza if he could Iceland President Gudni Th. Johannesson attended a high school where he answered some of the students’ questions. One student asked the president what his thoughts on pineapple as a pizza topping. The president held nothing back as he explained his disdain for the topping and said if he had a power to pass laws, he’d ban it across the land.
Kim Jong Un’s half-brother likely poisoned Kim Jong Nam, half-brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, died on February 13. A top Malaysian health official has reported that he didn’t have a heart attack and the autopsy found no obvious puncture marks or wounds. The death is being investigated as a murder, but authorities believe he was poisoned. Rumors are circulating that the North Korean government is behind the death.
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Haiti’s new President sworn in after stalemate
A small plane crashes into a mall
Jovenel Moise has been sworn in as Haiti’s new President. The Haitian presidency has been vacant since early 2016 following an electoral crisis. Moise, who never previously held a political office, was declared winner in January of an election held in 2015, before allegations of voter fraud let to a runoff that was postponed twice due to security concerns.
A small plane with five people aboard crashed into a shopping center on Tuesday, Feb. 21 after takeoff from Melbourne’s Essendon airport. All five aboard were killed in the crash; four were from the United States. No one was inside the still-closed mall when the plane went down around 9 a.m. The cause of the crash is still undetermined.
>> SG elections continued from A1 service marathon in honor of FGCU’s 20 years of civic engagement, producing videos updating students on the party’s progress as well as working with administration to create a “sustainable class availability system.” “If one class is holding you back from graduating, you’re missing out on a salary,” White said. Overall, White’s platform consists of 20 components in honor of FGCU’s 20th anniversary. Green decided to run because her love for FGCU is “indescribable.” “Being a senior now, I can see how much it’s transformed me,” Green said. “I feel like there’s
two key parts of my life that have made me who I am: the first part is my parents, and the second part is FGCU.” As Student Body President, Green’s goal will be to make sure that the opportunities that she had as a student here are available for others. “I want to continue to see our university grow,” Green said. Green’s running mates include Vice President Maddie Quinn and Treasurer Jason Finan. Green said that she chose to run with these individuals because, to her, it’s important to work with people who have a “variety of different aspects.” “One, people who represent different organizations on our campus, and two, people
who know the job and who can get the job done,”
based on the five letters in the word, “pride.” The “P”
EN Photo / Kim Smith Student Body Vice President Emmalyn Green addresses senator during a January SG meeting.
Green said. Green said that she has worked with both of her executive partners in different capacities as well as the senators running with her party. “I’ve really seen their passion for FGCU,” Green said. Green’s platform is
stands for progression, the “R” stands for representation, the “I” stands for information, the “D” stands for diversity and the “E” stands for empowerment. Highlights from her platform include progressing student resources and services;
increasing representation of individual student organizations, departments or colleges; increasing students’ knowledge about what’s going on around campus; increasing diversity among SG; and empowering students with school spirit. SG’s election week begins on Tuesday, Feb. 28 and comes to a close on Thursday, March 2. Both parties began campaigning on the Library Lawn on Tuesday, and will continue to do so until elections come to an end on March 2. The FGCU Fusion Party and FGCU Eagle Pride will also utilize social media to campaign. Election results will be announced on March 2 at 7 p.m. in the Cohen Center Fish Bowl.
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 EAGLE NEWS NEWS A3
The final four Search committee picks finalists for Bradshaw’s replacement
Mike Martin Mark McLellan • The current chancellor and senior fellow at the Colorado State University System • Served as the president of New Mexico State University from 2004 to 2008 • “The progress FGCU has made in two decades is remarkable indeed.”
• The current Vice President for Research and Dean of Graduate Studies • Served as the Dean for Research and Director of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of Florida from 2005 to 2011 • “FGCU must promore both access and excellence while stepping up to ensure student success.”
Mark Rudin Sue Martin • The current Vice President for Research and Economic Development at Boise State University • Served as the Interim Vice President for Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas from 2003 to 2006 • “It is facing a changing funding landscape that will require its leadership to excercise more entrepreneurial thinking.”
• The current president emeritus and accounting professor at Eastern Michigan State University • Served as the Interim President of San Jose State University • “I believe I have the energy, passion and commitment to lead FGCU to the next level.”
EN Illustration / Emily Ford
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Police Beat Eagle News writes this beat every week from the official UPD weekly summary Fight in Osprey Hall On Saturday, Feb. 11 at 2:50 a.m., an RA advised UPD of a fight that had broken out on the fifth floor of Osprey Hall. UPD took the two male suspects into custody and drove them to Lee County Jail. Ticketed On Saturday, Feb. 11 at 2:07 p.m., a UPD officer issued a parking ticket at North Lake Village. The student whose car was being ticketed came out of
the building and started screaming at UPD. Officers advised the student that he could explain his behavior in front of student code of conduct. The student crumpled the ticket and threw it into the back of his truck. Laundry Room Surprises On Monday, Feb. 13 at 3:22 p.m., a member of the maintenance staff called into UPD reporting that a motorcycle was parked inside the laundry room.
Late Night Game On Tuesday, Feb. 14 at 3:21 a.m., a complainant called into UPD stating that he heard somebody hitting the South Village Gate with something big and heavy. UPD investigated to find four individuals were hitting the gate with a football. Suspicious Student Group On Tuesday, Feb. 14 at 9:59 p.m., UPD received a call from housing
administration informing of a report she received in reference to a group of male subjects dressed in white robes on the library green asking people what their nationality was. Friendship House On Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 2:02 a.m., an elderly homeless man came on campus by bus earlier in the day. He could not leave and was looking for a location to stay. UPD brought the man to Friendship House in
Immokalee, where he could receive help. Interior Decorators On Thursday, Feb. 16 at 4:09 a.m., two students were found on the second floor of Garage B in possession of 3 signs stolen from Fort Myers Pier. The subjects admitted they had stolen the signs earlier that evening using a wrench and a pair of pliers. They planned on keeping the signs to decorate their house.
After Hours On Thursday, Feb. 16 at 9:26 a.m., a complainant called UPD stating that there were solicitor booklets on the desks of several professor offices that had been locked. The complainant also advised that several business cards had been slid beneath the doors of four other offices.
Muslim Student Association hosts hijab day
EN Photo / Rachel Iacovone (Left) Muslim Student Association president Sharin Shafi looks on as a non-Muslim student tries on the hijab on Hijab Day Feb. 20 and shows her the section of her anthropology textbook relating to Islam. (Right) Members of MSA find shelter from the sun in the shade of the palm trees in the student plaza.
By Rachel Iacovone Managing Editor @racheliacovone FGCU’s Muslim Student Association hosted its annual hijab day on Feb. 20 in the student plaza following World Hijab Day, which is observed on Feb. 1 each year. Members of the club, both hijabi and not, helped passersby try on headscarves and quizzed them about some of the misconceptions society has about wearing the hijab.
>> Continued from A1 report, the BB gun did not harm the victim. Shortly after this incident, the victim ended her relationship with
MSA’s treasurer, Sadia Zaman, said she chose to begin wearing her headscarf two years ago. “In the Quran, it says if you are Muslim, every Muslim woman should cover up when they come in front of men who are not closely related to them, but also in the Quran, it says there is no compulsion in religion,” Zaman said. “So, just because it’s mandatory in Islam does not mean another human being has the right to force another human being to
dress modestly or wear the headscarf or to abide by the laws of Islam.” World Hijab Day, started in 2013 by Bronx native Nazma Khan, was created to abolish some of those assumptions about the hijab not being voluntary. According to its site, WHD was created “as a means to foster religious tolerance and understanding by inviting women (non-Hijabi Muslims/non-Muslims) to experience the hijab for one day.”
Despite the current trend of exposing the peak of one’s hairline, a hijabi does not traditionally show any hair. Zaman said there is no judgment for those who choose not to abide by it strictly, however, as everyone is in a different place in their relationship with God. Hijabi traditionally cover their hair, do not wear formfitting clothing and cover up to their wrists and down to their ankles. Muslim men as well are instructed to dress
modestly — by covering their torso, shoulders and down to their knees. “Modesty is not just something that you put on a piece of cloth and there you go; you’re modest,” Zaman said. “We believe that modesty is in the way that you talk and the way that you walk, the way that you carry yourself, the way that you interact with others. So, modesty is your whole personality.” Many MSA members chose to wear the hijab later in adulthood as
Azabou. Based off of the report, the international student from Tunisia began stalking the victim by showing up at her home and workplace unannounced.
According to the arrest report, the victim no longer felt safe in her dorm so she contacted the Title IX office and later notified UPD. Azabou received a Notice of Interim Suspension, which means
that a student cannot attend classes and must leave university property and remain off university property until an interim suspension review hearing is conducted. Timothy Gjini, FGCU’s
associate director of international services stated that he plans on contacting the U.S. State Department about Azabou’s arrest, according to the report. Azabou is still in
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Zaman did, and they took the opportunity throughout the day to discuss with those who stopped at the table their experiences before and after becoming a hijabi. MSA encourages those who have questions about the hijab or the Islam faith to reach out or join them at any upcoming meeting or event. The group can be found on Facebook or Instagram as well as on EagleLink.
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 EAGLE NEWS NEWS A5
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FGCU at 20
Photo stations appear on campus in honor of 20th anniversary
By Alexandra Figares Assistant News Editor @fgcueaglenews Walking toward Lutgert Hall, students and faculty may notice one of several mysterious photo stations strewn across the university with a plaque that reads “FGCU at 20”. The photo stations appeared around the same time as FGCU’s first homecoming week and promote FGCU’s 20th anniversary celebration. James Greco, Graphic Artist and Marketing Coordinator at FGCU, is responsible for creating the photo stations strewn across campus. The eleven photo stations were conceived when Greco noticed locations he naturally gravitated to when photographing for FGCU’s official Instagram page. Lighting and composition were contributing factors to choosing the locations, as well as student involvement. “It’s a combination of photos I think would make nice backgrounds as well as iconic spots on campus that have developed over the years,” Greco said. Through Instagram, Greco found popular photo locations for students, including the Eagle in front of Alico Arena where students took pictures after
graduation and the fountain in front of Lutgert Hall. From North Lake Village to the Welcome Center, the photo stations serve to document the progress of FGCU’s history, said Greco. The celebration for FGCU’s 20th anniversary has been in the works for about two years, as part of the FGCU at 20 planning committee’s initiative to emphasize FGCU’s evolution. Governor of Florida Lawton Chiles signed a legislation in 1991 approving the new university. Six years later, in 1997, FGCU opened its doors for the first time and will celebrate its anniversary on August 25th, 2017. Deborah Wiltrout, Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communications, heads the team that does the marketing for the institution and is the cochair of the FGCU at 20 Planning Committee. “When you look at the progress of this institution in 20 years, the growth of campus, the beauty of campus, 15,000 students and 25,000 alumni, the quality of students, faculty and staff; it’s almost unprecedented,” Wiltrout said. “Celebrating FGCU’s 20th anniversary gives us an opportunity to share our
progress with people.” According to Wiltrout, FGCU at 20 was created as an identity for FGCU’s 20th anniversary. Since FGCU at 20’s inauguration in August of 2016, the anniversary has been enlarged through events, parades, interactive activities such as the photo stations and historic highlights as featured on the official FGCU at 20 website. FGCU at 20’s events include parade presence, most recently at the Edison Festival of Light Parade in downtown Fort Myers. FGCU at 20 will also have a float at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Naples. According to both Wiltrout and Greco, a photo contest is in the works involving pictures from the photo stations around the university. “We’re really pushing it out through social media, through contests, through events using these photo stations to tell a bigger story of our campus,” Wiltrout said.
EN Photo / Brad Young The sixth photo station, which sits in front of the library, was picked out by Graphic Artist and Marketing Coordinator James Greco. The stations encourage students to take photos at the spots and share them on social media using the hashtag #fgcuat20.
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The Helmsmen wins ‘Weekly Fan Favorite’ in NPR’s ‘Tiny Desk Concert’ contest
(From left to right) Lead singer Jesse Glendinning, drummer Samuel King, bassist Miko Paparo and guitarists Jacob Constantakos and Derek Campbell during a photoshoot for their first EP “Homework.”
By Allie Taylor E&L Editor @journonajourney In a contest where unconventional office spaces become creative platforms for musicians, the FGCU alumnusfounded band The Helmsmen won the “Weekly Fan Favorite” for NPR’s “Tiny Desk Concert.” This yearly contest, in partnership with Lagunita Brewing Company in Petaluma, California and Chicago, gives musicians across the nation a chance to compete for countrywide recognition. Submissions for the contest are in the running for a trip to perform at
NPR’s headquarters in Washington D.C. as part of the station’s “Tiny Desk” series, along with a performance at the Bell House in Brooklyn, New York at an “Ask Me Another” live show and performances at six of NPR Music’s live events at Lagunitas’ breweries across the U.S. Their Jan. 27 “Desks In The Wild” winning entry, “Floating,” features the band aboard two seemingly shaky canoes inside of a pool, a punny throw to the title of their song. The reggae-influenced melody in “Floating” compliments the strong vocals of lead singer Jesse Glendinning, who
“We wanted to bring a new concept for people that haven’t heard the song before.” - Jesse Glendinning Lead singer of The Helmsmen
founded The Helmsmen with friend and guitarist Derek Campbell in Jupiter, Florida. They completed their five-man arsenal in 2014 with guitarist Jacob Constantakos, bassist Micko Paparo and drummer Samuel King. “Floating” is part of The Helmsmen’s EP “Midterm,” which was released June 18, 2016. “We knew we wanted to do ‘Floating’; we just had to decide how to do it,” Glendinning said. “We figured we never did a music video for it, and there was no promotion. We wanted to bring a new concept for people that haven’t heard the song before.” The Tiny Desk video was filmed at Campbell’s home, requiring a rigging of cords stretching from the studio inside the home, through the popped-out screen and onto the patio next to the pool. “For me, specifically, the worst and most difficult part about the video was trying to set up the recording gear, play, sing and float on a canoe
standing up,” Campbell said. “I have a home studio called Helm House Studios. So, we were fortunate enough to have the recording capabilities to get the job done right. We ran a microphone input snake out the window of my house over to the pool. Thankfully, it was long enough to reach.” The second take of the video was the band’s favorite, partly because Glendinning didn’t need any members going into the pool — the longer the guys filmed, the higher the odds of everyone tipping the canoes. “I wouldn’t call it exactly perfect … whether it was perfect or not, we didn’t want someone going in,” Glendinning said. A brief disaster was avoided by Glendinning’s quick reactions. Constantakos, which Glendinning described as “definitely the biggest dude in the band” was crawling with his electric guitar into the canoe to get positioned for filming. Constantakos knocked a chair into the pool, and Glendinning grabbed a
mic stand just before it went in, keeping the loss of equipment at zero. When the group found out that they won, Campbell described the feeling as a winning moment for upcoming artists in South Florida. “When I found out we won, I was very happy,” Campbell said, “not only because I think the effort we put in was rewarded, but also because I like to
Photo courtesy of The Helmsmen
see Florida bands getting some love. I think we have something up and coming going on here in South Florida and Florida as a whole. I think something like this not only helps The Helmsmen but also contributes to Florida getting some well-deserved attention in the music world.”
Photo courtesy of The Helmsmen The set for “Floating” was on guitarist Derek Campbell’s patio, in which the band put two canoes in a pool to float on while they sang, a funny visual for the song’s title. The scenery added to the tropical vibes that the melody of “Floating” puts out.
‘Foreigner’ perfectly blends drama and comedy By Sydney Van Dreason Staff Writer @sydney_0815
Photo courtesy of FGCU TheatreLab
I had the opportunity to head over to the FGCU’s own TheatreLab at the Arts Complex on Friday, Feb. 17 and watch “The Foreigner,” a two-act play written by Larry Shue and directed by Greg Longenhagen. The play, set in the “recent past” in a fishing lodge resort in Georgia, is about a shy man named Charlie Baker who proofreads science fiction
magazines, is borderline depressed because his wife is deathly ill and fated to live only six more months. Knowing about Charlie’s fear of conversing with strangers and about Charlie’s self-depreciating view of himself being boring and lacking personality. Charlie’s friend, Staff Sgt. Froggy LeSueur, tells the owner of the lodge and the other residents that Charlie is a foreigner who can’t speak or understand any English. Charlie is forced to go
along with the act when he hears an emotional and private conversation between an engaged couple and later listens to a conversation between the two-faced minister, David, and a racist man in town, Owen, who plan to use David’s fiancée’s money to buy out the lodge
>> Continued on A7
EDITOR: ALLIE TAYLOR ENTERTAINMENT@EAGLENEWS.ORG
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 EAGLE NEWS E & L A7
>> ‘Foreigner’ continued from A6
Curated this week by special guest from Eagle Radio, Val Camarillo
Celebrate Black History Month 1. “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough” - Michael Jackson 2. “Purple Rain” - Prince 3. “Superstition” - Stevie Wonder 4. “I Got You (I Feel Good)” - James Brown 5. “Respect” - Aretha Franklin 6. “Doo Wop (That Thing)” - Ms. Lauryn Hill 7. “Let’s Get It On” - Marvin Gaye 8. “Foxey Lady” - Jimi Hendrix 9. “Juicy” - The Notorious B.I.G 10. “Try A Little Tenderness” - Otis Redding
EN Illustration / Audrey Mobley
and use it as a meeting place for the Ku Klux Klan. Even though the play has an intense dynamic that really starts to accelerate in the second act, there are comedic scenes throughout the entire play that help to keep the audience invested and entertained. A particularly noteworthy scene that allows for the perfect blend of comedy and tension is when Charlie is “teaching” the other characters words in his fake native language, teasing David and Owen. Angered by being the object of everyone else’s entertainment, Owen goes into a rage and brandishes a pocketknife at everyone before leaving the stage and promising to bring the KKK back with him. While all of the actors’ performances are worth mentioning, the one that stood out to me the most was Richard Lee Blaney III’s portrayal of Charlie. He did a fantastic job of showing the personality development of Charlie’s character, and he brought the comedic scenes to life. One rememerable scene is where Charlie is requested to tell a story from his native country that requires large hand gestures, him running
across the set and many made-up words. A dynamic worth mentioning is between Charlie and Froggy, played by Garrett McLeod. The two actors did a great job of playing off of each other and creating a bond of friendship between the two characters in such a short amount of time. The set was perfect for this play, with the audience’s chairs encircling the stage allowing for an intimate viewing of the show. When you sat in those chairs, you almost felt like you were sitting right in the downstairs living area of the lodge with the characters themselves. As the third production by the TheatreLab for the 2016-17 season, this one can’t be missed. With the perfect blend of comedy and tension, this play shows how even the shyest people can
become meaningful to others in different ways and establish unbreakable friendships. Performances will be Feb. 24 and 25 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 25 and 26 at 2 p.m. A post-performance discussion with the actors, director and crew will immediately follow the 2 p.m. performance on Saturday, Feb. 25. Tickets are on sale now and are $10 for the general public and $7 for students. Ordering tickets online before the show is encouraged due to limited seating. Parking for guests is available in Lot 7 next to the FGCU Arts Complex. For more information, visit the TheatreLab’s website at http:// theatrelab.fgcu.edu/.
Upcoming at the FGCU Theatre Lab Artist In Residency with Tim Miller Solo performance by Tim Miller: April 4* >> April 7 & 8 at 7:30 p.m. >> April 9 at 2:00 p.m. *Post-performance discussion
Future’s self-titled album may be the best yet By Nick Michel Contributing Writer @fgcueaglenews
Photo courtesy of Flickr via user The Come Up Show Future on July 31, 2016 during “The Summer Sixteen Tour” with Drake.
Future’s self-titled fifth album may very well serve as his magnum opus and cement his legacy as an artist. Released on Feb. 17, this album’s greatest moments perfectly capture everything that fans have loved about Future since he entered the scene in 2010. The album is exactly what one would expect based on the mixtapes Future has released so far. Thematically, he has remained consistent throughout his discography and found no reason to shy away from familiar topics on this album. Similarly, this project re-introduced the same
sonic landscape that Future has previously explored to deliver his auto-tuned, crooned anthems. Although Future has enjoyed massive success from his reliable signature sound, the album suffers when Future’s exciting consistency shifts into boring predictability. Oftentimes, the production outshines the lyrical content, yet the result is still a catchy song. Other times, the production is lackluster and can’t make up for Future’s sub-par songwriting. The beauty of this body of work is the way Future uses his voice as an instrument. The pitch-bending modulation of his vocals on “Draco” are a key example of Future at his best. There
is something that is simply captivating about the way he holds distorted notes then glides into grittier staccato flows. Future has mastered the ability to get parties started and workouts motivated. What he lacks in emotional depth and vulnerability, he makes up tenfold with songs like “Rent Money,” where he slaps the listener in the face with bass and bravado. Another interesting storyline of skits weaves in and out of the project, loosely tying concepts together. One of the best skits comes at the end of “Zoom.” The skit is centered around the characters Lil Draco and Lil Extendo, who win a contest and are rewarded with a nine-year, 12-album
contract with a record label. These artists serve as quintessential trap artists that really live the life they rap about. Ironically, these artists make it a point to vocalize ad-libs that sound an automatic firearm, which is eerily like an ad-lib commonly used by Desiigner, who is considered by many to be a copycat of Future. This album outclasses its predecessor EVOL by providing more replay value and less filler content. This project will satisfy old fans and bring in new fans looking for something to get hyped to. It isn’t clear if Future will ever change his signature sound, but by the looks of this album, he may never have to.
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EDITOR: ALLIE TAYLOR ENTERTAINMENT@EAGLENEWS.ORG
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 EAGLE NEWS E & L A8
FGCU alumni become their own bosses with Elements Real Food cafe
Photo courtesy of Zack and Jenni Bier Zack and Jenni Bier started their foray into serving healthy, plant-based dishes with the success of their food truck, Roaming in the Raw.
By Allie Taylor E&L Editor @journonajourney FGCU alumni Jenni Bier and her husband, Zack, knew they wanted to be their own bosses and leave the routine grind of their day jobs. Starting with a student loan, the couple turned the uncertainty of their future into the successful Elements Real Food brickand-mortar restaurant in Asheville, North Carolina. “With having barely any money at all to start a business, a food truck seemed like a viable plan toward entrepreneurship,” Zack said. “Even when we were in college at FGCU, Jenni was always interested in healthy food and that whole world. We’d always have potlucks with our friends in college, and she would be the star.”
Zack took time off from college to travel around the country, and that’s when he met Jenni. The two had similar majors, and they were both from Fort Myers. Zack graduated FGCU with a degree in environmental communication, and Jenni with a degree in environmental studies. After graduation, the two moved to Asheville, where they lived for two and a half years before becoming tired of the jobs they had; Jenni worked as a bartender, and Zack worked at AB Tech. For the Biers, things began to fall into place with the success of their food truck. Zack and Jenni dove headfirst into the food business without a real plan. The two used a $1,000 student loan to buy a trailer, which would
become the Roaming in the Raw food truck. “In the beginning, it was always the money that was the hardest part,” Zack said. “I was working at the financial aid office at the college up in Asheville, so I kind of knew how the people got student loans. And, you’re supposed to use it for school, and some people do. Or, some people use it for living expenses or what have you.” With the food truck up and running, experience taught them the necessary skills needed to make their plan work. It was the blind leading the blind on an adventure of ‘is this really going to work?’ After just three months of opening Roaming in the Raw, the two were able to quit their jobs to pursue a career in the food business full-time. Jenni explained that
the Biers started with raw food, smoothies and juices as their Roaming in the Raw’s staple dishes. “While I was going to school, I got a part-time job at this place in Cape Coral called ‘Back to Nature.’ We were vegetarian, and I was making my food at home because there’s not many places to eat in Fort Myers when you’re vegetarian,” Jenni said. “I thought I would just be cleaning things, but they asked if I could cook in my interview.” At “Back to Nature,” an organic market that serves fresh-made juices and ingredients for clean eating, Jenni learned that the foods she thought were “healthy” weren’t entirely good for her. During her time at the store, she learned about whole and raw foods and clean eating, which she then applied to Roaming in
the Raw. During the first Asheville frost their business saw, the pipes in the food truck froze, and they quickly needed to find another means of serving customers. “We kind of went ‘Uh oh, what do we do?’” Jenni said. “We called some farmers markets in the Sarasota, Venice and Englewood area, figured out living arrangements and spent about three months there, from December to March. When we went back (to Asheville), we decided that we were only going to bottle juices and smoothies and not cook.” Multiple investors asked to be a part of the business that the Biers had created. However, even with the idea of money to put toward a restaurant, the couple refused. “We weren’t even thinking that way yet; we were still in the food truck world, not having a lot of money. We couldn’t think of a big picture yet, but they kind of planted that seed in our brain that there was a lot more than a food truck that could be possible with what we were doing,” Zack said. “We didn’t actually end up taking anybody’s investment, which I’m very thankful for. We still own 100 percent of our business.” Elements Real Food is the newest venture for the Biers, with one location on Liberty Street in Asheville and a second location opening this year on Long Shoals Road in South
Asheville. “It’s pretty epic; it just doesn’t seem real. We’re still not used to living comfortably,” Zack said. “We were always just getting by, and this is the first time in our lives where we’re trying to set ourselves up for the future. It’s fun. It’s definitely different.” Once Elements Real Food took off, the Biers began to offer more than just their food truck inventory, adding an option for customers to ‘build your own six pack’ with their premade, cold pressed juices or even order juice cleanses on their website, an idea that Jenni brought with her from “Back to Nature.” Their most popular item is their cashew milk, flavored with superfoods like cacao to give a variety of flavors. The cafe is dedicated to promoting and producing healthy, high quality “real food,” with a high demand for their glass bottled, cold pressed juices. The Biers pride themselves on their quality food with a taste to match its clean and colorful presentation. On the menu, customers can try everything from a traditional acai bowl — complete with acai, blueberries and cashew caramel topped with house-made, gluten-free granola (to name a few ingredients) — to their daily-made and constantly rotating desserts.
Photo scourtesy of Zack and Jenni Bier (From left to right) Zack and Jenni Bier sell acai bowls, bottled, cold pressed juices and plant-based bowls. Elements Real Food restaurant in Asheville, North Carolina is based entirely on the idea of creating food that not only makes customers feel good but is also good for them.
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Women’s basketball rides strong first half to rout NJIT
Standing atop the ASUN standings tied for first place at 12-1, the FGCU women’s basketball team will take Stetson for the No.1 seed in the ASUN tournament and the regular-season crown on Saturday at Alico Arena.
By Miguel Rodriguez Sports Editor @Miguel_Rod0914 In its final road contest of the regular season, the FGCU women’s basketball rode a strong first-half performance to rout NJIT 77-46. Knocking down 11 shots from long range, the Eagles held the Highlanders to 13 points in the first two quarters of play. “I thought we started the game really strong,” FGCU head coach Karl Smesko said in an FGCU Athletics press release. “We were guarding well, taking smart shots. I thought we had a lot of success early
on against their zone. In the second half we didn’t really have that same level of intensity. I give NJIT a lot of credit. They really took advantage of that in the third quarter.” FGCU’s 16 shots from behind the arc where fueled by three triples from Rosemarie Julien, Taylor Gradinjan, Haley Laughter and Jessica Cattani, while eight different Eagles made at least one shot from long range. Leading a quartet of double-figure scorers for the Eagles, Julien finished with 15 points on 6-12 shooting from the clip, while grabbing two offensive and two defensive rebounds. Scoring 11 points apiece,
Gradinjan and Laughter knocked down a combined six shots from long range as FGCU moved to 12-1 in ASUN play. Jordin Alexander rounded out the doublefigure scorers for the Eagles, finishing with 10 points, three steals and a team-best five assists. Propelled by Alexander’s three steals, FGCU snagged 14 steals en route to forcing 22 turnovers by NJIT. The Eagles have forced their opponents to turn the ball over 20 or more times in four of their last five contests. Despite a scoreless two minutes to start the game, Julien took over in the first
quarter, scoring 11 of her 15 points in the first quarter while knocking down three triples. Complementing their five triples in the first quarter, the Eagles forced 12 turnovers while holding NJIT to zero shots from the floor and two free throws, to jump out to a 21-2 lead at the end of the first. Knocking down a buzzer-beater three to end the first, Gradinjan picked up right where she left off in the second, opening the quarter with her second triple of the night. Scoring FGCU’s ninth and 10th triples of the night, Cattani and Erica Nelson increased the Eagles’ lead
to 32 points. Despite NJIT sparking a 7-2 run to end the quarter, FGCU held a 27 point, 40-13 lead at the half. Coming out of the intermission with a 6-2 run, the Highlanders sparked their second six-point run of the quarter to cut their deficit to 22. The Eagles responded with five unanswered points of their own, but NJIT’s Kelly Guarino knocked down the Highlanders’ first triple of the night to spark a seven-point run to end the quarter trailing 54-34. With its lead cut to 20, FGCU came out of the gate in the final quarter of play with nine straight points. Beginning to mount
EN Photo / Brad Young
a comeback with a triple, Samantha Kisiel halted the Highlanders comeback efforts with her first career three. Closing out the game with a 31-point lead, Tayler Goodall and Cattani knocked down triples before time expired to secure the Eagles 77-46 win. Tied for first place in the ASUN standings with Stetson at 12-1, FGCU will host the Hatters in its regular-season finale at Alico Arena on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. as they look to win their seventhstraight regular season ASUN title.
Baseball opens season with series win over Sacred Heart
EN Photo / Brad Young Opening the 2017 season with a series victory over Sacred Heart, the FGCU baseball team scored a combined 22 runs to start the campaign with a 3-1 record.
By Matt Rothman Staff Writer @MattRothman3 Competing in a fourgame series to open the 2017 season, the FGCU baseball team defeated Sacred Heart in all but one game to move to 3-1 on the season. The Eagles dropped the opening game on Friday night but responded with two wins on Saturday and a win on Sunday. “You take three of four, it’s hard to sweep. Everyone’s good, everyone has players, everyone has pitchers, so we’re happy,” FGCU head coach Dave Tollett said. The Eagles offense struggled a bit in game
one as the Eagles couldn’t erase a big lead early on. Despite FGCU’s struggles, Nick Rivera managed to hit his 27th career home run, playing for the first time since missing most of last season with a wrist injury. Mario Leon got the start for the Eagles, but only made it through three and one third innings before Christian Townsend came in from the bullpen. Trey Vickory and Sebastian Gruszecki also made their FGCU debuts pitching later on in the Eagles 10-5 loss. The first game of the double header seemed like it would be similar to the night before. The Eagles fell behind
quickly but erased a 6-0 lead to go on and earn their first win of the season 13-8. FGCU hit two threerun home runs in the game, courtesy of Julio Gonzalez and Richie Garcia, to spark its comeback effort in its first win of the season. Sterling Koerner got the win going 5 2/3 out of the bullpen behind the Gulf Coast State transfer Peyton Gray. “To come from behind (in) game two, it set the tempo for this team,” Tollett said. The Eagles picked up where they left off
>> continued on B5
EN Illustration / Audrey Mobley
EDITOR: MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ | SPORTS@EAGLENEWS.ORG
B2 SPORTS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22
A group of guys, turned into a band of brothers FGCU men’s rugby club encourages camaraderie among all rugby teams
Photos courtesy of FGCU men’s rugby club
Welcome to teach anyone how to play rugby, the FGCU men’s rugby club is compiled of members who played many different sports in high school.
By Emily Kois Assistant Sports Editor @emilykois Beyond sports, there is always a sense of respect amongst teams. However, the FGCU men’s rugby club takes respect to an entirely new level. Earning the rookie club of the year award in 2011, the organization is currently performing at their best level with a record of 3-1. Despite having new, unexperienced members every season, the team works hard to teach the sport to budding athletes. “We’ll gladly teach
anyone how to play,” FGCU club rugby president Blake Samaha said. “If you come to practice and put in the effort, you’re worth being put on the team and playing.” Because FGCU does not have a football team, the club gets many members that played football in high school. This experience leads new players to love the sport and want to compete and travel to every game and tournament. “In high school I ran track, so last year was my first year ever playing,” sophomore forward Anthony Giuffreda said. However, before the
team is able to travel, weeks and weeks of practice and preparation are needed in order to come out with a victory. “We have practice every Tuesday and Thursday late at night from 8-10 and 9-11, and on Wednesday we have conditioning from 9-11,” Giuffreda said. “Saturdays are game days so we either have practices or a game every week.” With the rules of the sport being foreign to most, the team works hard to teach their players the correct skills. “It’s a very technical sport,” Samaha said. “Offense is defense because
Kutter Crawford Position: Pitcher Junior 6 feet 1 inches Hometown: Okeechobee, Florida Kutter Crawford shined in his FGCU debut as the right handed pitcher, assisting the Eagles in their 3-1 series win over Sacred Heart last weekend. The Indian River State College transfer allowed one run on two hits with two walks and 11 strikeouts over six innings pitched. Crawford struck out seven of the first eight batters he faced in Sundays 5-1 victory. His 11 strikeouts were the most since Michael Murray, who also struck out 11 batters during the 2015 season. Last season at Indian River State College, Crawford ranked 2nd on the team with 80.0 IP and struck out a teamleading 69 batters.
EN Illustrations / Audrey Mobley
it switches all the time, so you have to know how to deal with that. Tackling is really technical too. It’s like wrestling at high speed.” Fortunately, the team is well-equipped. With the help of veteran players and coaches that used to be former players, the team is able to perfect these technicalities. The team’s coach, a former club member who started the organization in 2011, is also the treasurer of the men’s rugby team in Southwest Florida, the No. 1 Florida Rugby team, the Naples Hammerheads. These two teams get together often to
scrimmage each other in preparation for games. “All of us together [the Naples Hammerheads and the Naples Bears] make up Southwest Florida Rugby,” said Giuffreda. “So during 7’s play, more often than not we’ll just be Southwest Florida Rugby and come together to play.” The team also partners with the Naples Hammerheads to hold their own tournament on Aug. 5, called the Barefoot Beach 7s Rugby Tournament, which is played on Fort Myers beach. This tournament brings in every team from Florida and many teams
from around the country to face off with each other in a competitive-yet-fun atmosphere. Watching the game, one may only see the aggressiveness and intensity of the sport. However, the rugby world is a deep web where players treat each other like brothers at the end of the game. “Rugby is such an aggressive sport, but at the same time there’s a level of mutual respect between players,” Guiffreda said.
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FGCU softball goes 1-5 at Triple Crown Sports Puerto Vallarta Challenge By Emily Kois Assistant Sports Editor @emilykois To begin their play at the Triple Crown Sports Puerto Vallarta Challenge, the FGCU softball team split a pair of matchups. The Eagles defeated No. 21 Fresno State 4-3 to open the day but fell 10-8 to Texas Tech to end day one of the tournament. FGCU drew seven walks against Fresno State with four of them being in the decisive second inning, to defeat the No. 21 ranked team. Following back-to-back walks to begin the inning, Bri Innamorato loaded the bases with a single. While Natalie Lopez brought home the first run of the game off of an error by the catch. This reach allowed Ashley Swiderski and Brittany McGuire to score. Kelsey Huff assisted, scoring in Innamorato to bring the score in favor of the Eagles 3-0. To sustain the lead, Riley Randolph retired 13 of the next 15 batters, allowing only a single and triple for the Bulldogs. Nearing the end of the final inning, the Bulldogs reached with three of their first four batters, bringing it to a 4-1 ballgame. Fresno State scored two more times before a fly ball
to center ended the game, giving FGCU a 4-3 victory. In the match up against Texas Tech, the Eagles were forced to come from behind late in the game after trailing 7-2 but was unable to tie the game. FGCU was off to a quick start as Innamorato singled home Swiderski and McGuire to put the Eagles in front 2-0 after the first inning. However, Texas Tech immediately responded, plating five runs in the top of the second, increasing the lead to 7-2. McGuire’s home run cut the lead to 7-3 and with two outs, bases loaded triple courtesy of Huff, the Eagles brought the score to 7-6 after three innings of play. Yet, the game ended 10-8 in favor of the Red Raiders. The Eagles opened the second day with a 4-1 loss to Cal State Fullerton and later fell 9-0 in five innings to No. 21 Fresno State. To start the first game, the Eagles loaded the bases, but were unable to take advantage of the opportunity. However, Cal State Fullerton scored twice in the first inning to grab an early lead. The Titans then collected another hit in the fourth and turned it into two more runs to take a 4-0 lead. FGCU came alive in the final inning, as Morgan
White led off with a single, followed by base hits from both Sutherland and Lopez, putting the Eagles on the board; however, the game ended in favor of the Titans. In the final game of the day, FGCU drew three walks, falling 9-0 to the No. 21 Bulldogs. After falling behind 2-0, the Eagles put two runners on in the second but was unable to bring either home. FGCU put another runner on in the fifth but again was unable finish, ending the game in the fifth inning, in favor of the Bulldogs. The Eagles closed out their time in Mexico with a tough 6-3 loss against Mississippi State. FGCU took an early lead, but the Bulldogs tied the game in the bottom of the first and continued to dominate from there. Ashley Swiderski singled to put FGCU in front, but the lead was short-lived. Mississippi State capitalized on a leadoff walk, tying the game in the bottom half of the first and plated three runs in the second. FGCU forced a pitching change in the fourth, allowing Tourtillott and Huff to tack on two, but the Bulldogs responded scoring a run in the fifth and sixth EN Photo / Brad Young innings for the final 6-3 Earning a win in the FGCU softball team’s only victory at the Triple Crown Sports Puerto Vallarta Challenge, Riley Rudolph score. (center) pitched 6.1 innings and struck out 8 batters against Fresno State.
Men’s basketball defeats USC Upstate in overtime By Miguel Rodriguez Sports Editor @Miguel_Rod0914 Coming into their matchup against USC Upstate with a chance to claim at least a share of the ASUN regular-season title, the FGCU men’s basketball team defeated the Spartans 97-89 to earn its first regular-season crown since the 2013-14 season. Sharing the crown with former conference member Mercer, the Eagles have the chance to win its first outright regular-season title with a victory in their home regular-season
finale against Stetson on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. Trailing by 21 points early in the second half, the Spartans outscored the Eagles 52-36 in the second half to comeback and force overtime. In the final seconds of the game, Josh Cuthbertson knocked down a jumper from the elbow to send the game to overtime. Despite the game clock above the backboard reading 0.00 with the ball still on Cuthbertson’s fingers and the scoreboard clock showing 0.01, the officials ruled the shot good because the red backboard
light did not go off when the game clock hit 0.00. Trading buckets on the first four trips in the overtime period, Christian Terrell knocked down a three from the wing to give FGCU an 86-83 lead. Terrell’s triple sparked a 6-0 run for the Eagles, as they knocked down their final eight shots from the stripe to end their road league schedule undefeated. Finishing 7-0 on the road, FGCU becomes the first ASUN member to go undefeated on the road in league play since former member Samford went 8-0 in 1998-99.
“We got off to a phenomenal start on both ends of the floor,” said FGCU head coach Joe Dooley in an FGCU athletics press release. “We even got off to a good start to the second half, but then our defense let us down and we allowed Upstate to get back in the game. But I’m proud of the way the guys responded in overtime – it’s something we’ve done a lot on the road this year and this was a great way to end it.” Finishing with 20plus points for the third consecutive game to lead a quintet of double figure
scorers, Brandon Goodwin tied his FGCU career-high for points with 29 points, while dishing out three assist and grabbing eight rebounds in the Eagles 22nd win of the season. Joining Goodwin in another episode of the Brandon Goodwin and Demetris Morant show, Morant finished with 14 points on 6-7 shooting from the clip. Scoring 18 points in his second highest scoring outing of the season, Terrell knocked down three triples and snatched six rebounds in just 24 minutes of play. Rounding out FGCU’s
double figure scorers, Marc-Eddy Norelia and Rayjon Tucker finished with 10 points apiece as the Eagles set a program record for wins in a season, surpassing their previous program best of 21 from 2012-13 and 2014-15 seasons. Closing out the regularseason with a chance to claim the No. 1 seed in the ASUN Championship and the program’s first outright regular-season title, FGCU will host Stetson on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. FGCU can also claim the No. 1 seed courtesy of a Lipscomb loss against Kennesaw State.
EDITOR: MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ SPORTS@EAGLENEWS.ORG
B4 SPORTS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22
Swimming and diving wins third-straight conference title
EN Photo / Brad Young
Earning the CCSA Most Outstanding Female Swimmer of the Meet award, Christina Kaas Elmgreen marked an NCAA “B’ cut time of 1:57.10 in the 200 fly.
By Jesse Martin Staff Writer @JesseMartin247 The FGCU swimming and diving team won its eighth conference championship in nine years, making it the third straight for the Eagles. After four days of competition at the University of Georgia’s Gabriel Natatorium, FGCU won 15 out of the 20 events of the competition. The Eagles scored 1,574.5 points, 200 points more than runner-up Liberty. The meet’s conclusion
>> Baseball continued from B1 in the prior game as the Eagles got off to a quick 7-0 lead over the Pioneers, taking advantage of some miscues, and scoring seven unearned runs against pitcher Baylor Sundahl. Josh Dye retired the first nine batters he faced as he was taken out after just three innings in his first start since undergoing
led to the Eagles being heavily decorated with CCSA Championship Honors and Awards. Sophomore Christina Kaas Elmgreen won Most Outstanding Female Swimmer of the Meet, the fifth straight year FGCU took home the award. Ashley Wright became the first FGCU diver in four years to be named Most Outstanding Female Diver of the Meet. Head Coach Dave Rollins won Coach of the Year honors in his first season with the Eagles. Diving coach David Boyko
won the Diving Coach of the Year award for the second time in his career. “Anytime you can win a championship, it’s a time to celebrate,” said FGCU head coach Dave Rollins in FGCU Athletics press release. “This has been a total team effort from day one, and there wasn’t a person on this team who didn’t give it their all. Congrats to Christina (Emgreen) and Ashley (Wright) on their Outstanding Athlete of the Meet awards. I also want to commend David on his Diving Coach of the Year award and Amanda
(Smith), who is the backbone of this program. We are very happy, excited and looking forward to the NCAA Championships in March.” It was a bad start for the Eagles at the CCSA championships, in the very first event, the 200 Medley relay team got disqualified. The diving team would get things back on track after Wright and fellow senior Mikaila Buening finished first and second in the three-meter dive. The FGCU swim team would dominate day two of the meet, winning every
event. Freshman Elizabeth Zeiger won the 500-yard freestyle with a personalbest time of 4:49.93. Elmgreen won the 200 IM, and sophomore Katie Latham won the 50 free. The Eagle’s 200 freestyle relay team earned their spot in the NCAA Championships when they broke a conference record with the time of 1:28.77. FGCU would continue earning accolades on day three. Elmgreen won the 100-yard butterfly in a season-best time of 53.53 seconds. Hannah Burdge also got a first place finish in
the 200-yard freestyle in a season-best time of 1:48.37. The Eagles ended the meet well on the final day, sophomore Fanny Teijonsalo won the 100-yard freestyle in 49.26 seconds. Sophomore Doris Eichhorn won the 200-yard backstroke in a seasonbest time of 1:58.09. Junior Sommer Harris won the both the 100-yard, and the 200-yard breast stroke events. FGCU ended the meet with a school and conference record 400 free relay time of 3:17.93.
Tommy John surgery. Kenton Herring came in and continued to shut the Pioneers out, as both he and Herring took a perfect game into the sixth inning before Anthony Capozziello broke it up with a single. Freshman Matt Rumpf finished off the game, making his Eagle debut out of the bullpen for the Eagles to secure their 9-3 victory. FGCU had their bestpitched game of the series
in the finale as Kutter Crawford went six innings and struck out 11 in its 5-1 victory over Sacred Heart. The first seven outs of the game were all registered by strikeouts as Crawford’s fastball routinely hit 90 plus MPH. Crawford had some discomfort earlier in the week, but didn’t show it as he picked up his first win in his debut. In the four games
combined, The Eagles outscored the Pioneers 3222 as the offense continued its solid hitting from a year ago. Freshman right fielder Marc Coffers hit .444 alongside Julio Gonzalez for the Eagles as the two of them combined for 10 of the Eagles’ 32 hits. Richie Garcia, who didn’t start on Friday night, had seven total RBIs as well as a .899
slugging percentage to lead the teams in those two categories. On the pitching side of things, the Eagles pitchers had a 4.50 ERA and also had a 3-1 strikeout to walk ratio. Matt Reardon, who batted leadoff in all four of FGCU’s games, was happy with how his team responded. “We struggled on Friday night, so it was fun coming
back and actually playing like we should have, and everyone did their part which is good,” Reardon said. The Eagles will now host Eastern Michigan at Swanson Stadium on Wednesday, Feb. 22 before hosting Bethune Cookman for a three game weekend series from Feb. 24-26.
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 EAGLE NEWS SPORTS B5
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This week in athletics
Baseball vs. Eastern Michigan
By Miguel Rodriguez Sports Editor @Miguel_Rod0914 Opening its season with a 3-1 series victory over Sacred Heart, the FGCU baseball team will take on Eastern Michigan on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 6:30 p.m. at Swanson Stadium. This will be the first time the two teams will cross paths in their respective program histories. Opening its season with a four-game series
against Missouri, Eastern Michigan took game one 6-2, before losing the final three games of the series 27-9, 6-5 and 7-2. The Eagles come into their matchup against the Eagles fresh off of threestraight victories against Sacred Heart 13-8, 9-3 and 5-1. FGCU will look to defeat Eastern Michigan before kicking off a threegame series against Bethune-Cookman from Feb. 24 to 26.
Baseball vs. Bethune-Cookman
By Miguel Rodriguez Sports Editor @Miguel_Rod0914 Following their matchup against Eastern Michigan on Wednesday, Feb. 22, the FGCU baseball team will take on BethuneCookman in a three-game series from Feb. 24 to 26 at Swanson Stadium. With a 12-9 all-time record against the Wildcats, the Eagles went 2-1 in their last three-game series against BethuneCookman last March. Winning the first and third
game of the series 9-6 and 15-5, the Eagles were defeated 1-0 in game two. Opening their season with a three-game series sweep over Boston College, the Wildcats will travel to Daytona Beach to face FAU before traveling to Fort Myers to take on FGCU. Closing out its threegame series against Bethune-Cookman on Sunday, FGCU will take on FAU on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 6:30 p.m. at Swanson Stadium.
Women’s basketball vs. Stetson
By Matt Rothman Staff Writer @MattRothman3 The FGCU women’s basketball team returns home to Alico Arena to face Stetson on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 7:00 p.m. The winner of this matchup will be the number one seed in the ASUN tournament and claim the regular-season title. The Eagles faced off
against Stetson back in the opening game of ASUN play, where FGCU came away with an 84-71 win. Rosemarie Julien had a game high 36 points in the Eagles win as she made six-of-seven three pointers that game. The Eagles will then look towards ASUN tournament play, hoping to return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2015.
Men’s basketball vs. Stetson
By Matt Rothman Staff Writer @MattRothman3 The FGCU men’s basketball team will play their final game before the ASUN tournament, facing Stetson on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 7:00 p.m. at Alico Arena. The Eagles are coming off a 97-89 win in overtime against USC Upstate to clinch at least a share of the ASUN regular season title. FGCU and Stetson met in the first regular season
game back in January where the Eagles managed to overcome an eight point deficit with less than two minutes to go. The Eagles have won 15 of the 22 matchups between these two teams including the championship game of the ASUN, where FGCU won in overtime to advance to the NCAA tournament. FGCU will be guaranteed a number one seed if they get a win, or if Lipscomb losses on Thursday.
Women’s swimming and diving at Last Chance Meet
By Miguel Rodriguez Sports Editor @Miguel_Rod0914 Coming off of its eighth consecutive CCSA championship, the FGCU women’s swim team will travel to Athens, Georgia to compete in the Last Chance Meet from Feb. 24 to 25. With the NCAA Diving Qualifications taking place March 6 to 8 and the NCAA Championships taking place from March 15, individuals will have a chance to improve or qualify their swimming
times or diving standards for the 2017 NCAA Championships. Earning a total of seven NCAA ‘B’ cuts at the CCSA Championships, Elizabeth Zeiger, Doris Eichhorn, Fanny Teijonsalo, Hannah Burdge, Katie Latham, Gracie Redding, Sommer Harris and Christina Kaas Elmgreen will have the chance to advance to the NCAA Champonships if an event doesn’t have a full side of ‘A’ cuts or if they improve their times to ‘A’ cuts.
Men’s tennis at Miami
By Saul Garcia Staff Writer @saul_434 The FGCU men’s tennis team will take on UM on Saturday, Feb. 25, in Coral Gables at 3 p.m. This will mark the eighth competitive match for the Eagles, who look to get more wins under their belt as they look forward to conference play. The last matchup
between the Eagles and Hurricanes was on Feb. 7 last season, where the Eagles took home a 4-1 win over Miami. Next, the Eagles will look forward to the next two matches, where they will be at home against Xavier and ETSU on March 6 and 7. .
Women’s tennis at FIU
By Jessy Sammarco Staff Writer @Jessy_Sammarco The FGCU women’s tennis team will travel to Miami in the hopes of restarting their win streak, with a win over FIU. The rematch against the Eagles and Panthers will take place in Miami Friday, Feb. 24 at 1 p.m. The Eagles win streak was broken last weekend
by UCF, where they were defeated 6-1. The last time these rivals shared the court was at FGCU, where FIU left with a 4-0 victory. Currently sitting at 4-2 on the season, the Eagles will head back to the FGCU Tennis Complex for a threegame homestand.
Softball at FGCU/Four Points by Sheraton Invitational
By Miguel Rodriguez Sports Editor @Miguel_Rod0914 Returning to the FGCU Softball Complex following a 1-4 outing at the Triple Crown Sports Puerto Vallarta Challenge in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, the FGCU softball team will host the FGCU/Four Points by Sheraton Invitational from Feb. 24 to 26. Playing in double headers on Friday and Saturday, the Eagles will take on Boston College at
6 p.m. and Hofstra at 8:15 p.m. on Friday. On Saturday, FGCU will take on Rutgers at 11:15 a.m. and Wisconsin at 1:30 p.m. Closing out the invitational on Sunday, the Eagles will take on FIU at 2:30 p.m. Before traveling to Orlando to participate at the UCF Spring Fling Tournament, the Eagles will take on UCF on Wednesday, March 1 at 4:30 p.m. at the FGCU Softball Complex.
Men’s golf at The Legacy Intercollegiate
By Miguel Rodriguez Sports Editor @Miguel_Rod0914 Competing in its first intercollegiate of 2017, the FGCU men’s golf team will travel to Longwood to compete in the Legacy Intercollegiate from Feb. 27 to 28. Hosted by fellow ASUN member Stetson, FGCU will take on Bethune-Cookman, Embry-Riddle, FAU, Wofford, Presbyterian, Western Carolina, Savannah State, Morehead State, Keiser,
Maryland Eastern Shore and the U.S. Naval Academy in the 54-hole tournament. In their last time out, the Eagles finished second of 16 teams at Homewood/Hilton Garden Airport and FGCU Classic in October 2016. After competing in Stetson’s inaugural Legacy Intercollegiate, the Eagles will travel to Fort Lauderdale to compete at the Fort Lauderdale Intercollegiate from March 6 to 7.
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Photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons After a successful military career, Michael Flynn lasted just 25 days as National Security Advisor.
Russia’s useful idiot
Michael Flynn is the first of Trump’s appointments to go By Ryan Denson Staff Writer @RD3001 Irony is dead in the age of the Trump Administration. For two years, President Donald Trump and his camp of right-wing minions called for Hillary Clinton to be “locked up” for her role in her infamous email scandal despite no actual filing of criminal charges. The minion most vocal — aside from Trump himself — was General Michael T. Flynn, who served as Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency under President Obama. As of Feb. 13, Flynn resigned as National Security Advisor in shame, plagued in scandal and criminal wrongdoing. Flynn, a highly
decorated and once respectable officer in the United States Army, was thrust into the national spotlight after delivering a bizarre spectacle at the 2016 Republican National Convention. During his 25-minute tirade, Flynn led chants of “lock her up” to a bloodthirsty crowd. “If I, a guy who knows his business, did a tenth of what she did, I would be in jail today,” Flynn said. Which begs the question: why isn’t Michael Flynn in jail today? Flynn did more than “a tenth” of what Clinton did. In fact, he broke several federal laws. On Dec. 29, 2016, less than a month before President Trump took office, Flynn phoned Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak about
sanctions the United States had just placed on Russia over its interference during the presidential campaign. The topic of conversation — among many — saw Flynn most likely offering a minced reassurance to the Russian government, a violation of the Logan Act, which bars non-governmental citizens from negotiating with a foreign nation on behalf of the United States. Initially, the White House — including Sean Spicer, Kellyanne Conway and Donald Trump — denied that such a phone call ever happened. Vice President Mike Pence told CBS that the conversation in question never took place and that even if it had, sanctions were not the topic. That was a lie. S u b s e q u e n t
investigations found Flynn did indeed discuss sanctions with the Russian government. What’s even more bizarre is that President Trump knew the whole time and chose not to tell Pence, leaving him in the dark and contradicted by the facts. According to the Washington Post, acting Attorney General Sally Yates — who Trump fired — warned the president in late January that Flynn had not been truthful about his contacts with Russia and was susceptible to blackmail by Russian intelligence. So for an entire month, Donald Trump granted security clearance to a guy who may or may not have been being blackmailed by a foreign government. Let that sink in. At the same time,
U.S. counterintelligence agents, the FBI and the United States Army began investigating Flynn. When investigated by the FBI, Flynn, under oath, told agents he never talked to the ambassador about sanctions. That was a lie. Lying to the FBI while under oath is a felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The people who led the “lock her up” chants are now silent, especially given that the FBI is declining to charge Flynn for breaking the law. Remember, FBI Director James Comey told Congress Hillary Clinton did not lie under oath, but the FBI did say they “believed that Mr. Flynn was not entirely forthcoming.” In layman’s terms: he lied to them. While the Republicans
were trying desperately to pin a crime on Clinton, President Trump let a criminal walk the halls of the White House and hold a position that deals with the national security of the United States. Lock Michael Flynn up and lock President Trump up for being complacent in a cover-up bigger than the Watergate Scandal. Should Michael Flynn be forced to testify in front of Congress — which Republicans have indicated he may — there’s no telling how much will be exposed. The questions on everyone’s minds are: what did Trump know and when did he know it? Should the answers be dire, impeachment could be imminent. One can only hope.
I take it back… the media hates Trump The ‘enemy of the American people’ isn’t who the president claims By Sam Palmisano Assistant Opinion Editor @SamPalmisano In an article earlier this year, I claimed that the media love Trump. Boy, was I wrong. Sure, the business executives of media corporations love all the increased revenue, but the actual journalists can’t stand the president. For whatever reason, America’s “tweeter-inchief” has declared the fake-news media to be an enemy of the state. The media certainly isn’t against the people; they’re just against Trump. Because Trump acts like a five-year-old every time someone disagrees with him, it’s no wonder he throws a Twitter tantrum every time the media calls him out on his lies. Even Chris Wallace of Fox News, one of the only news networks Trump hasn’t called fake yet, believes Trump has crossed the line. “We can take criticism, but to say we’re the enemy of the American people, it
really crosses an important line,” Wallace said. “Barack Obama whined about Fox News all the time, but I got to say, he never said that we were an enemy of the people.” The irony here is that by accusing any media he disagrees with as an “enemy of the people,” Trump has actually declared himself as the real enemy to the people. Good ol’ Teddy Roosevelt even went so far as to call such an act treason back in 1918. “To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public,” Roosevelt wrote in an editorial. The people are tired of their enemies, whether their enemies are Trump, the media or both. Americans have followed their president’s lead and taken to Twitter to address their concerns. Using the slogan “not the enemy,” journalists and
Donald Trump accuses only left-leaning mainstream media as being fake news.
their supporters began posting memorials to reporters who lost their lives covering important stories, arguing that such bravery makes them the real heroes to the American public. Perhaps the most used comparison is Trump to Richard Nixon. One Twitter user noted that Nixon referred to Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the investigative journalists behind the Watergate Papers, as the enemy. The user noted that things didn’t end well for Nixon, the real enemy to the people.
Trump’s supporters are quick to follow suit with fake news accusations. You can find them in most comment sections making unsubstantiated claims about anything they disagree with, much like the president. Trump’s tactful manipulation of his supporters is, honestly, quite impressive. Once he discredits the media, the only source of true news is whatever Trump tells them. Case and point: the nonexistent Bowling Green Massacre. Another example would
Twitter screenshot from @realDonaldTrump
be Trump’s exaggeration of the crime rate in Sweden in order to justify his immigration ban. Swedish officials were quick to call out the lies, and now we have Trump trying to delegitimize an entire government. We’re talking about the same man who once tweeted about an “extremely credible source” that told him Obama’s birth certificate was fake. It seems Trump has a broken sense of what credibility means. For every instance that Trump attempts to discredit the media, the
media will respond tenfold discrediting Trump. After all, the media have real facts, while our president just has his alternative ones. As Nelson Mandela brilliantly stated, “A critical, independent and investigative press is the lifeblood of any democracy. It must enjoy the protection of the constitution, so that it can protect our rights as citizens.” The media is an ally to the people, and Donald Trump is the enemy of both.
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 EAGLE NEWS OPINION B7
Having guns on campus is a dangerous proposal By Iman Zekri Staff Writer @fgcueaglenews The ongoing debate regarding campus carry legislation has been at the forefront of recent policy agendas concerning campus safety. This legislation has been a controversial response to the horrific school shootings that have resulted in the death of some of our nation’s bright, young students. Needless to say, there are individuals who feel strongly on both sides of the debate. Some people feel that guns on campus could deter crime and provide a more immediate response time. However, when it comes to allowing lethal weapons on college campuses, one must seriously consider the risks involved. These risks are what prompted FGCU’s Faculty Senate to come to a unanimous decision for upholding its stance against allowing firearms on campus. FGCU professor Sandra Pavelka, the restorative justice expert and the vice president
of Faculty Senate, is in opposition of legislation that would allow licensed individuals to carry a concealed handgun on university campuses. “Research has shown that concealed carry does not curb crime, sexual assault or shootings on college campuses,” Pavelka said. “For instance, data found that concealed carry in or near college campuses in Utah and Colorado increased crime. Rape increased by 11 percent in Colorado and 50 percent in Utah. Accidental shootings increased as well.” Allowing students and faculty members who are not part of law enforcement to carry guns around the FGCU campus is a frightening thought. I can already imagine confrontations turning lethal, students feeling uncomfortable as they sit in class wondering if their classmates have guns on their hips as safety ultimately becomes diluted because security is left up to private citizens rather than trained professionals. “University and college campuses are safe learning environments for students, faculty, staff and visitors,”
Pavelka said. “Concealed weapons will interrupt and distract this learning environment by changing our campus culture from one of safety and security to one of fear and concern. More guns equal more risk because weapons belong in the hands of the university police — professionals trained to respond to harm and violence.” It’s important to note that having concealed firearms on FGCU’s campus would distract students and teachers from the educational environment. We are at FGCU to learn, research, discuss and collaborate with people from all walks of life. This noble pursuit will be disrupted if we allow guns on campus because our gun-free classrooms are intended to foster a stable and non-threatening environment. This leaves absolutely no place for guns unless in the hands of law enforcement officers. Pavelka believes that the key to tackling violence in schools is addressing the root of the problem rather than attempting to devise a short-term solution.
EN Photo / Cayla Sloan
Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington are the only eight states that allow concealed carrying of weapons on public college campuses.
“The best response is prevention,” Pavelka said. “I strongly urge the Florida Legislature and legislatures across our country to take this time to invest in prevention and intervention including substance abuse and mental health programs in schools and in
communities. It is my hope that our legislators will listen to our plea and the plea of our colleagues and vote against this proposed legislation.” Ultimately, it is clear that the answer to bullets flying is not more bullets flying. I am cautiously
optimistic that FGCU students and faculty will stand up for our university’s wellbeing by voicing their resistance to any legislation that furthers the proposal for campus carry.
Don’t give in to the stress, choose happiness By Mindy Paniagua Staff Writer @mindypaniagua People rarely think of stress as a positive thing. However, whether realized or not, stress can be a motivator that either forces change or makes people see the reality of circumstances. According to a survey by the American Psychological Association, the presidential election was a factor to the high
levels of stress in our nation. Elections are full of controversy and opinions. Both the left and the right use whatever resources, whether negative or positive, to reach nomination. Elections require attention. Attention is where the stress begins to form. Everyone pays attention when presidential elections roll around. Political ads play while
families eat pizza in front of their TVs. Daily commuters hear radio hosts talk about each candidate. Grocery shoppers in checkout aisles see magazines with political statements. We are all forced to absorb the energy of elections. On top of the most recent election, people had personal problems to deal with. People had bills to pay and were running short on money while they
multitasked their daily lives. Yet, there is one thing that everyone can focus on. Americans and people all around the globe want one thing: happiness. People can choose to focus on making happiness exist in their lives. Everyone wants to feel reassured that tomorrow will be a better day where people can continue to chase dreams disregarding any negativity. Our nation needs to look on the bright sides
of situations to form a conclusion for hope. We have to learn to be positive and appreciate time, so we can live in the present and make a difference for the next generation. We cannot get stuck in absorbing the energy of the election. This is not meant to be interpreted as a discouragement from participating in politics. Politics form the policies that shape our lives.
Yet, this opinion may serve as a wake up call to your inspiration. Whether or not your candidate won, you should analyze life. How do you want to make an impact? What makes you genuinely happy? What are your goals? Take the time to learn to appreciate stress and accept its positivity. We are American, and that’s what we are known to do.
Comedy and news overlap for success Satire could get people to care about politics
By Sam Palmisano Assistant Opinion Editor @SamPalmisano In a nation where half of the population doesn’t vote and most don’t care for politics, satirical news is gaining traction as
everyone’s favorite source. Since Donald Trump took office, ratings are way up for programs like “The Daily Show,” “Saturday Night Live” and “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” The hosts and
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Stephen Colbert won a Peabody in 2011 for his political satire sketch.
contributors of each show have shown no mercy when it comes to Trump, and viewers have rewarded them. Trevor Noah, the host of “The Daily Show,” spends four nights a week ripping the president to shreds. Mostly comedy, the show contains enough factual evidence to entertain viewers while also keeping them informed. The first segment of Noah’s show typically consists of current events and comical insights from correspondents. Noah then interviews his guests for the episode on a variety of topics relevant to the person. Perhaps the best recent example is Tomi Lahren’s appearance on the show in which she and Noah discussed the election. After replacing Jon Stewart in late 2015, Noah continued Stewart’s legacy of humorously informing an audience of younger Americans. Growing up, “The Daily Show” was my favorite
show on all of television, followed closely by the “Colbert Report.” These may have been comedy shows aired on Comedy Central, but they intrigued me enough to get me interested in politics. That’s the goal. Up until this election, the average American didn’t care much for politics. Even still, many don’t want to hear about it anymore. The cool thing about satirical news is that it engages those who think the subject is boring. “Saturday Night Live” has never been a news source; however, people love the show’s take on current events, especially those surrounding the election. Alec Baldwin’s impersonation of Trump has drawn in larger audiences in recent weeks. The show has taken the opportunity to criticize Trump at every possible moment. While they’ve been pretty one-sided in their coverage, they’ve encouraged viewers to get
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons “The Daily Show” won a Peabody in 2015 under the Institutional Award category, demonstrating consistency for over 20 years.
involved in the political process. Satirical shows can succeed where traditional media has failed. Not only are they not bound to as high standards of professionalism, but they also have no fear of going after the government. Trump can try to delegitimize the media all he wants, but satire is its own
category. If Trump goes after Trevor Noah or Stephen Colbert, he won’t be ready for the roast that follows. Comedians are the perfect people to go after Trump. They’re used to dishing out insults, and Trump gives them plenty to insult.
OUTREACH Southwest Florida Nationals Car Show
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Proceeds will be donated to the United Cerebral Palsy of Southwest Florida
By Zack Rothman Outreach Editor @Zack_Rothman The 4th Southwest
Annual Florida
Nationals Car Show will take place on March 18 and 19 at the Lee Civic Center in Fort Myers. Proceeds from the event will be donated to the
United Cerebral Palsy of Southwest Florida (UCPSWFL), the local affiliate of the national UCP organization. United Cerebral Palsy provides services for behavioral-focused residential homes and adult day services for people with cognitive and physical challenges. The money they receive is spent toward programs and services that directly
benefit people with disabilities and their families. More than 30,000 people with disabilities and their families receive assistance from UCP affiliates each day. The event, which will take place just off of exit 143 on I-75, is the largest car show in Southwest Florida. There will be hundreds of classic cars, automotive swap-meets, vendors, music, a food
court and acres of show cars
t o wander through. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, there will be a classic car auction. Tickets are just
$ 1 0 p e r person for each day. Children under 12 and active military are free. Parking is just $5.
Mothers Home Supply Drive
Proceeds will be donated to the United Cerebral Palsy of Southwest Florida By Zack Rothman Outreach Editor @Zack_Rothman Located in Merwin Hall, outside room 145, a box sits awaiting donations of shampoos, conditioners, lotions, unused makeup,
hair supplies, deodorant and any other basic necessities of life. The Mothers Home Supply Drive, put on by FGCU’s Phi Alpha National Honor Society, aims to help mothers in need by collecting toiletries, other
bathroom supplies or just about anything that could be helpful. The box, which lays in front of Dr. Bruster’s office, will be accepting donations up until April 28.
EN Photo / Zack Rothman The box sits outside room 145 of Merwin Hall awaitng donations.
Walk for Wishes The 7th Annual 5K walk/run benefitting the Make-A-Wish Southern Florida By Zack Rothman Outreach Editor @Zack_Rothman The 7th Annual Walk for Wishes, a 5K walk/run benefitting the Make-AWish Southern Florida, will be held at FGCU’s recreation fields on Saturday, Feb. 25. Walk For Wishes is a nationwide Make-A-
Wish fundraiser that has already granted roughly 270,000 wishes. The fundraiser is a certified, timed 5K walk/run. All ages are encouraged to participate in the event to help make wishes come true for local children with life-threatening medical conditions. Pre-registration fees for the Walk for Wishes
are $25 for adults, $15 for students and $10 for children 13 years old and younger. Registration is available online at www. walkforwishessfla.net to sign up as an individual or to register a team. Registration will also open at the venue, 10501 FGCU Blvd S in Fort Myers, the day of the event at 7:30 a.m. — the walk
begins at 8:30 a.m. After the walk/run ends, the Family Fun Day begins, which will include food and activities. According to the chairs of the walk/run, Dorothy Blasingim and Tammy Teece of Regions Bank, the goal for this year’s event is to help raise enough money to grant 23 local wishes. The fundraiser is run by
wish families, volunteers and donors. Sponsors for the walk/run include Publix, Regions, Blue Ocean Press, Family Thrift Center, Feil Inc., FGCU Institute for Entrepreneurship, FGCU Business and Entrepreneurship Club, Collier County Sheriff’s Office, It’s IT, Joey D’s Restaurant, Island Coast
Pediatrics, Golisano Children’s Hospital of SWFL, Boar’s Head, Sky Zone Fort Myers, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Mutual of Omaha Bank, Once Upon a Child, Regions, Scott M. Craven, Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee, Shoreline Flooring Supplies and Trusted Choice.
Agency of the Week Be the difference. Fight suicide. Each year, FGCU Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) hosts the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Out of the Darkness Walk on campus. This year, it will take place Saturday, March 18. Registration begins at 11 a.m. The help of about 35 volunteers is needed, and service-learning hours can be earned, from 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. in a variety of ways throughout the day with set up, cleaning, photography and videography. Please contact Rebecca Diercks at rdiercks@fgcu.edu or Julie Rego at jrego@ fgcu.edu for more info.