NEWS TO USE FSU SGA Student Publications Newsletter
Tiffany’s Corner
Vol. 3, No. 10 March 2011
and Rocky Horror Picture Show, and on Saturday, Feb 26, is the Best of Gaming Events and Lego Contest, a showing of Amelie and Momento. Check out movies.fsu. edu for specific times and more details. Enjoy Israeli food while learning about LGBTQ life in Israel past and present in Queers Around The Word: Israel on Thursday, Feb. 24, at 7 pm in the Student Services Building 208. A special screening of The Bubble will take place afterward. ViSA’s ACE Week is back, and they’re bringing some flavor. On Friday, Feb. 25, is Saigon, Oi at the Global Café from 11 am – 2 pm (or until food runs out). For $7 per plate, ViSA will cook you a tasty dish of Vietnamese cuisine. With grilled BBQ pork, steamed rice, spring rolls, salad and tropical fruit desserts, ViSA will cure your aching stomachs and watering mouths. Be sure to be the early bird, as Global Café events tend to run out of food before the alloted end time.
The Vagina Monologues, a play that addresses rape, virginity and masturbation, is being brought to FSU by the Women’s Center. The play will be shown Feb. 25 and 26 at 7 pm and Feb 27 at 4 pm in the GME Auditorium. The doors will open 30 minutes before the play begins. The show is free, and students are advised to arrive early to ensure themselves a seat. Continued on 2
Fresh Fest: Radical Movement Thrives
Mentoring Students with Disabilities
By Rachel Sanderford
By Rachel Sanderford
Fresh Fest 2011 is keeping the radical movement alive and well with a weekend of music and workshops. On Feb. 25 – 27 there will be shows at several venues near Railroad Square, including The Warehouse on Gaines and The Farside on Railroad Square. You can buy a weekend pass for $25 and have access to every show and every band as well as the workshops. Sold up until the last minute, the passes can be bought either online at tallyfreshfest.com or behind All Saints Café on the weekend of the festival. Ticket buyers will receive a map of the shows and an itinerary. Individual tickets will be sold at the door of every show. Cody Diefenthaler, David Green and Pedro Carvalho wanted to invite friends to come play music in Tallahassee. Diefenthaler said it was a
A safe haven for students with disabilities is seeking students willing to become trained mentors. Kelly Dwight, a graduate assistant working for the Student Disability Resource Center, saw the need for a program that could provide SDRC students with mentors while also showing the community how everyone can work together. The SDRC is a place for students with disabilities to go for test-taking, quiet studying and any other academic need. While the SDRC Mentor Program is in its infancy, Dwight is optimistic that “once it gets in swing, once the mentors and mentees know what they are Continued on 2
By Tiffany Lettsome Join your Student Government Association for the Presidential Inauguration on March 23 at 5:30 pm in the Union Ballrooms. Incoming officers are SGA President Avi Assidon, Vice President Dayne Hutchinson and Treasurer Dayron Silverio. The SGA presidency is a highly influential post, with the officeholder serving on the FSU Board of Trustees, the Seminole Torchbearers, the Civic Center Authority Board and the Foundation Board of Trustees. Serving with distinction as our FSU president this year has been Dustin Daniels, with Bobby Seifter as vice president and Dayana Bernavil as treasurer. The Student Life Cinema turns ten this year, and they’re kicking off the birthday bash in style with some classic and fan favorite movies. On Friday, Feb 25, is a showing of The Matrix
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The Vagina Monologues By Amanda Fernandez
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Studying Abroad Tips By Claudia Martinez Some students who have studied abroad were asked to share tips: Chris Land, a senior History major, studied in London and worked at the House of Commons in the fall of 2008. “Make sure you have plenty of cash/traveler’s checks in case of an emergency or your credit/debit card not working,” he said. “Even if you call your bank and let them know you are going overseas, they will sometimes accidentally freeze your card, leaving you with no money.” He also said, “Give your body time to adjust to the climate and the environment. Don’t schedule too much in the first few days – give your body some time to get used to your surroundings and prepared if you get sick.” Yanelkys Benitez, an International Affairs senior, studied in London in the fall of 2010 and warned that “unlike Tallahassee, cars have the right of way there, and they will run you over if you don’t move! Also, don’t bring a hair dryer or any other electronics that aren’t compatible with European sockets. The study centre lets you rent hair dryers and other things though.” Ali Al-Ameer, a Saudi Arabian freshman studying at FSU, said that despite the excitement of being abroad, “Focus on your own goals and be able to manage your time. Don’t take everything as it comes. Make a plan.” For many students, the deciding factor in studying abroad is how to finance their trip. The FSU International Program’s office can be very informative on what scholarships and aid are available.
Another senior International Affairs major, Whitney Lubin, studied last summer in Turkey. “Turkey was one of the most inexpensive countries to study in,” she said, “and my FAFSA summer financial aid covered most of my trip. I also wish I had packed lighter because if you really want to get a feel of the country you don’t want to be carrying around bags, especially in airports because no one’s there to help.” Students can travel during the weekends. Whitney also said, “Don’t be afraid of hostels! The employees are so friendly. You also don’t have to bring a laptop because many of them have computers you can rent. You give up some privacy in the dorm settings, but they also have rooms if you’re going in a group.” More than 1,600 FSU students study abroad each year. The IP office is in UCA 5500.
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Mentoring Students with Disabilities
doing, then I think it will be fairly self-sufficient.” Dwight has combined her efforts with the Association for Creating Community Equality for Seminole Students (ACCESS), a student organization on campus, to move the Mentor Program forward. ACCESS’s mission, according to its Facebook page, is “to provide a forum for persons with disabilities and those without disabilities to come together to share ideas, advocate for resources that will benefit students with special needs, and fully participate in activities that will enrich the lives of all students at Florida State University.” With the help of ACCESS, Dwight will be able to reach out to FSU and hopes to make something that will last. On March 2 ACCESS will have another general meeting at 7 pm in the SDRC. Contact Kelly Dwight at Kjd10@fsu.edu or Accessfsu@aol.com.
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Fresh Fest: Radical Movement Thrives
“way to get our friends’ bands up here so they could play for the town and have as many people possible hear them.” In 2008 the FSU Environmental Services Program sponsored the event, and from there Fresh Fest was born. In the early years of Fresh Fest there were 18 to 20 bands, but the movement has expanded. During Freshfest 2011 there will be up to 72 bands playing throughout the weekend. This year the fest will include workshops on subjects such as hula hooping aerobics and information on the buffalo field campaign. In the past workshops ranged from discussions on radical parenting (men and women who wanted to include their children in the do-it-yourself ethos) to a workshop on homemade tattoos. The fest doesn’t stop with just bands and workshops. There will also be a scavenger hunt sponsored by University Cycles as well as a vegan potluck that will be a Food Not Bombs fundraiser.
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TIPS, News to Use, is the newsletter of Student Publications, an affiliated project of the Student Government Association of Florida State University. E-mail submissions to mharris2@ admin.fsu.edu. Graphic Designer Adrianna Cournoyer. Assistant Editor/Columnist Tiffany Lettsome. Designer/Assistant Editor Renatta Griffith. TIPS, A302 Oglesby Union, (850) 644-0037.
The Vagina Monologues
“The cast has been rehearsing since the beginning of January and talks about very intense, yet empowering women’s issues,” said Jasmine Green, director of the Women’s Center. When Eve Ensler wrote the episodic play in 1966, the feminist playwright and activist conducted hundreds of interviews with women about their views on sex, love, relationships, violence towards women and other topics. The play has since become a part of Ensler’s V-Day campaign. A global movement that brings awareness to violence against women, the campaign promotes the idea that no one should celebrate Valentine’s Day until there is no longer violence against women. To volunteer at the center, e-mail them at fsuwomenscenter@ gmail.com. For more info about the V-Day campaign, visit VDAY.org. TIPS, SGA Student Publications, March 2011, Vol. 3, No. 10
Black Female Development Group Celebrates Womanhood By Kestrel L. Ambrose
The Black Female Development Circle will host its annual Shades of Womanhood Showcase on Wednesday, March 2, at 7 pm in the University Ballroom. “Shades of Womanhood is an annual event put on by BFDC in order to showcase talented and prominent women on Florida State’s campus,” said Emily Frazier, secretary of BFDC. “We believe that great women deserve recognition and acknowledgment for the outstanding things that they do everyday.” Shades of Womanhood is the second of two main showcases that BFDC puts on each year. The fall showcase, dedicated to men, is Tribute to a Black Man. Frazier said the event will feature poets, singers, dancers and other presentations that will represent what a woman is to that performer. “Last year we had a male spoken word artist perform a piece Emily Frazier about what a woman is to him,” Frazier explained. “We also had a female poet do a piece about her mother and about what she hoped to be in the future.” This year’s showcase will recognize women in four different categories: Lady of Sisterhood, Scholarship and Service, Lady of Phenomenal Potential, Lady of Intelligence and Lady of Leadership. Recipients of each honor will be chosen from nominations made by various organizations on campus. The deadline for nominations is Friday, Feb. 25. On March 19 the organization will host its Hats and Heels Banquet. BFDC came up with the Hats and Heels banquet two years ago. “It’s a brunch for women where you wear a summer dress and a big hat and come out for an afternoon of fun,” said Frazier. “The purpose of the banquet is to bring female
organizations together to fellowship.” Last year’s banquet was called the Color of Friendship. “We don’t have a set theme for this banquet just yet, but we plan to focus on women’s progression,” Frazier said. The event usually features a guest speaker and other presentations. “The winner of our Ms. Woman of Excellence Pageant, Stephanie Howard, did her project on Refuge House, so we’ll be doing a presentation focused around that,” Frazier saidd. BFDC and its events are focused on women’s growth and empowerment. “We are is unlike any other group in that the knowledge, growth, and especially sisterhood attained is not only useful during your collegiate career, but for a lifetime,” Frazier said. Frazier said that a prospective member should not come into the organization expecting community service hours but expecting a stronger feeling of self-respect, self-empowerment and a few steps closer to selfactualization as well as a long-lasting bond with her fellow members. BFDC meets each week, usually on Tuesdays or Wednesdays at 5:30 pm. If you would like to become a member of BFDC you can attend their general body meetings or e-mail the organization at bfdcfsu@gmail.com. You can also join their Facebook page at “Black Female Development Circle, Inc., FSU Chapter” for more information on meetings and upcoming events. ______________________________________________________________ Funding for Service Activities and Travel Unless granted an exception by 4/5ths vote of an allocation committee, a Recognized Student Organization may not receive funding for service activities and travel from the Student Government Association unless admitted to the SGA Service Council by the Office of Servant Leadership. If your RSO would like to be admitted, please pick up an application at the Center for Leadership and Civic Education. Questions? Contact the director, Nick Russell, at nick-russell@live.com.
Meet…
Mag Lab Open House
By Tiffany Lettsome
Britany Calloway
Genesta Charles
Rachel Lubitz
Britany Calloway, president of Helping Every Little Person, is a junior majoring in Family and Child Sciences. HELP provides an emotionally nurturing environment for disadvantaged children through positive role model enforcement. Genesta Charles, president of Literati Creative Writing Club, is a junior majoring in Creative Writing. The club performs community service and helps students improve their writing skills while learning about the writing industry through professional speakers. Rachel Lubitz, president of Empowering Women Globally, is a senior double majoring in International Affairs and Anthropology.
Danielle Lyew
Christopher Roberts
EWG strives to create sustainable solutions for gender equality. Danielle Lyew, president of Association of Future Social Science Educators, is a graduate student in Social Science Education. The organization strives to provide support and resources for those undergraduate and graduate students majoring in Social Science Education. Christopher Roberts, president of Habitat for Humanity, is a senior majoring in Civil Engineering. Habitat for Humanity provides students with the chance to change lives by not only building homes but also by building relationships. “Meet...,” e-mail Tiffany Lettsome details and a photograph to tsl08@fsu.edu.
If you like things that explode, glow, smoke or fizz, don’t miss the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory’s annual Open House, which will be Saturday, Feb. 26, from 10 am – 3 pm. This event in Innovation Park features more than 80 demonstrations, hands-on activities and displays, and the chance to talk to leading researchers. In addition to perennial favorites such as The Potato Cannon, Einstein Ice Cream and Build a Comet, the 2011 Open House also features: • JunkYardMag 1.0: Learn how junkyard magnets work by lifting more than 600 pounds using only four electromagnets, and then dropping the weight to crush the containers below. • The Electric Pickle: Instead of eating pickles, visitors will watch as pickles soaked in different salts are literally electrified. • Earth’s Easy Bake Oven: Find out what happens when solid granite is exposed to extremely high temperatures. Open House is free, but visitors are encouraged to donate a can of food or other nonperishable food item as the unofficial price of admission. All food donations benefit America’s Second Harvest of the Big Bend.
TIPS, SGA Student Publications, March 2011, Vol. 3, No. 10
Venezuelan Student Association Founded By Rachel Sanderford
Top row from left: Sergio Morales, Luis Rivas III, Andres Gomez Rutmann, Andrés I. Vallina, Miquel Alessandro Potolicchio, Pradiip Alvarez, Alejandro San Segundo, Eduardo Yespica, Jose Renda. Bottom row from left: Vanessa Viera, Michelle van Solt, Oriana Piña, Lorena Basañez.
Fate. That’s the word members Oriana Piña (co-founder), Andres Gomez Rutmann (treasurer), Andrés I. Vallina (president) and Pradiip Alvarez (vice president) of the Venezuelan Student Association came up with when asked how they all met. Each one is of Venezuelan background, and they were all looking for a niche inside of the Florida State community. On February 10, they became a Recognized Student Organization. Their first general meeting will be held Monday, February 28, at 7 pm in the auditorium of the Center of Global Engagement, 110 S. Woodward Ave. The meeting is open to everyone, as is the entire organization. Andrés I. Vallina said the group wants “to create a home environment for Venezuelan students while also informing other students.” While there are many Hispanic organizations on campus, this is the first Venezuelan Student Association. Oriana Piña commented on a reason for the group’s existence. “This organization is finally reflecting the good aspects of our country that is very often overshadowed by all of the daily negative media,” Piña said. The members of the VSA are signed up for Relay for Life and said they are willing to do even more to connect the Venezuelan and Tallahassee community. Contact Piña (Oap08@fsu.edu) or Vallina (Aiv09fsu.edu).
Alcohol, Drug Help Available at Thagard By Yanique Banton
On an average night of partying or socializing the average FSU student has four drinks within a 3.35-hour time period. In a thirty-day period 19 percent of FSU students used alcohol one to two days. Also 34 percent of students later have regrets as a consequence of their drinking and 34 percent drove after drinking, according to the American College Health Association assessment in 2010. One problem many students face on campus is with drugs and alcohol. The program that specifically targets that is KARMA (Knowing About Responsible Management of Alcohol and other Drugs). The goal of this program is to raise the awareness of the dangers of alcohol consumption, to separate fact from myth and to help people make the healthy and smart decisions concerning alcohol and drugs. “Students often underestimate responsible behavior, over reckless behavior,” said Dwayne Kemp, Thagard health educator. “When confronted with the reality of responsible activities by peers, it gives them permission to be more responsible.” Thagard Health Center provides health promotional service to students. This service provides students with the help they need in regards to their problems with drugs, alcohol, sexual health, minority health, gambling, financial, wellness and nutrition. The promotion’s mission model is evidence-based and data driven,
Brewmaster Option
By Rachel Sanderford
“We just love good beer,” said Erik Schardin. A senior in the Psychology major and the sound manager for Club Downunder, Schardin enjoys a side hobby of entrepreneurship: brewing beer. It all began when Schardin and his friend Zachary Harris were tired of spending extraordinary amounts of money for one case of mediocre beer. The first batch was created a year ago from a kit they found at HomeBrew Den located on Market Street in Tallahassee. The second batch, a brown ale, was also bought from HomeBrew Den. The package is $70 for the gear such as buckets and hoses and $30 for the Erik Schardin ingredients. For Schardin this is a small price to pay for good quality beer. The process starts with boiling water and adding grain, barley, malt
creating a system of care that is student focused and partnership driven, promoting health and wellness to all students on and off campus. The roles of the environment, the individual and the community on health and wellbeing are impactful in lasting lifestyle changes. The Health Promotion department staff facilitates good health practices through a combination of efforts to enhance awareness, change behavior and create a supportive environment. Within this program they also provide a SmartChoice course. The course’s initiatives are to engage students in maintaining overall health and wellness. SmartChoice classes are conducted in a casual, non-judgmental atmosphere that is conducive to open discussion. Students’ opinions and attitudes are always valued. Rather than trying to change a student’s behavior in a single intervention, their objective is to introduce the student to a process of self-examination that may lead to behavior change, and if students need one-on-one attention that is also available. Thagard also partners up with the Counseling Center to provide students with the extra care they made need. They are available to do presentations on various topics, including alcohol, smart party tips, marijuana, prescription medications, club drugs and more. For more information on the programs, contact Thagard Health at 850-644-6230 or at http://www.tshc.fsu.edu/he/main_page.htm. and hops, which all come in the kit. The mixture is poured into a bucket of water. This is the unfermented beer. It is cooled. Yeast is added and sits in the bucket for about four weeks. They then add sugar and bottle. After weeks of waiting five gallons of beer is made, which equals about 48 bottles. Some college kids would think that this is the time to party but Schardin said that “I can’t party with them. It’s like our baby. I don’t want to give them away.” Schardin takes his hobby as a skill that he can use later on in life. He doesn’t hesitate when asked if beer is in his future. “I wouldn’t mind being a brewmaster,” he said. “I would make my own beer and name it Schardog with a picture of a St. Bernard on the label.” If brewing beer remains just a pastime for Schardin, he still has a plan. Using his experience as a sound and audio engineer, he would like to be a tour manager for a band. Schardin is also in his band called B.O.T.S., and they played a benefit show for Global Peace Exchange on Feb. 19. This summer he is going on a two-month trip around America. So even if the beer brewing doesn’t work out, Schardin isn’t without options.
E-mail event listings to mharris2@admin.fsu.edu TIPS, SGA Student Publications, March 2011, Vol. 3, No. 10