ISSUE 3 AUGUST 30
FALL 2016
WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE A FRESHMAN WITHOUT A CAR Photo By: Sveta Warren
When students dont have a car they use alternative methods of transportation Leaving home to go to college means limitless freedom for many new students. There is no curfew or someone keeping track of where you go. Yet, the reality does not always meet expectations. “I bike. Yeah, I’m going from flabs to abs,” said Katherine Oyola, a firstyear Computer Science student. Along with the large number of international students attending Florida Tech, many others do not own cars on campus. With the heat and Melbourne city dynamics, this can cause inconveniences. “The mall, beach, and everything is just far
enough to where you can’t walk it. It sucks,” said Spencer Monteiro, first year Business Administration student. Oyola, who bikes, also said that she hasn’t used the public busses yet. “It’s only really because I’m kind of bitter,” Oyola said. “Because the community college kids get the free bus passes and we don’t.” Oyola’s twin sister, Heather, who is also a Computer Science major, agrees. “A lot of the times I like to keep my hair down and it ruins it all the time, and I always get so sweaty,” she said. To some, the distance
of supermarkets, malls and the beaches seems to cause inconvenience. To others, the travelling distance is fine. “I mean, if you had to walk or bike or something it would be a little bit far,” said Nick McLean, an Aviation Meteorology freshman from Connecticut. “With a car it’s nothing major, like I’m used to driving 25 or 30 minutes to Walmart and stuff.” The Florida Tech parking policy allows freshmen to bring their cars on campus, which is convenient to students with and without cars. Shawna Harris, a Biomedical Science
freshman, usually gets rides from her friends and hallmates. “All of my friends are freshmen and they give me rides,” said Harris. “So if they weren’t allowed to have cars, I think we all would be a tad upset.” Freshmen with cars on campus like Jonathan Steffano are usually willing to help out their fellow freshmen. “Yes, every once in awhile my roommates ask, but it’s not really a big deal. I’m usually killing two birds with one stone,” he said. Steffano said that whenever he runs-into his Mary Star neighbour from across the hall going to eat,
he usually gives him a ride to the Panther Dining Hall “because it’s really hot out sometimes.” Other freshmen like Mechanical Engineering major McKenzie Olinger, also help out when asked. “A lot of the times I offer because I do like to go out and do group activities,” she said. Olinger added, “If we all just pitch in a few bucks every now and then for some gas, then it’s not really an issue for me.” Other than helpful peers, freshmen said they would like to see more trolley rides to places like the beach. // ABEER JANAKAT STAFF WRITER
BREAKING DOWN GREEK LIFE STEREOTYPES AT FLORIDA TECH
Sean Moroney takes a swing at a car during Rush Week. Photo By: Sveta Warren
People join fraternities and sororities every year and it’s not for the stereotypical crazy parties and drinking. And, according to Florida Tech's Greek chapters, those activities are just that, stereotypes. Students join Greek Life for other reasons, like leadership, philanthropy, Brotherhood and Sisterhood. President of Sigma Tau Gamma, Logan Valenza, was initially against the whole idea of Greek Life until he actually talked to people in the fraternity. Valenza was surprised to hear other Sigma Tau Gamma members felt the same way when they first came to Florida Tech. One thing that makes Sigma Tau stand out during
recruitment is their shark fishing. “It’s a nice way to have fun while also being able to easily interact with potential new members,” Valenza said. The chapter hasn’t ever actually caught a shark but many stingrays, which are part of the shark family. Valenza said that at it’s core, Sig Tau is different because new members can come in and immediately start developing leadership skills, which is what Sigma Tau wants to be known for. Another fraternity
on campus is Tau Kappa Epsilon, run by mechanical engineering student Sean Moroney. Moroney initially had no intention of joining a fraternity due to lack of knowledge what they were. However, during his freshman Rush Week, Moroney interacted with TKE, learned what they stood for and made the decision to join. CONTINUED ON 4 // SVETA WARREN SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR
IN THIS ISSUE... Finding your Niche Musician Spotlight Zika
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ISSUE 3
AUGUST 30
2
OPINIONS
CAPS PSA Welcome to college and adulthood! You started from kindergarten, sailed through school, packed your bags and said goodbyes to your friends and family. And here you are starting this exciting journey called college! This is where you will grow in more ways than one and will discover new things about yourself. This will be your chance to embark on journeys that will give you your own perspectives about life and help you create a sense of independence. While some find the adjustment to college easy and quick, the fast pace of it all can make it difficult for others. You may miss the warmth of your own bed, the weather in your city, fresh hot meals cooked by your mom, and the comfort of your routine. Change is a process that goes through ups and downs. Even with healthy change, comes some loss. Allow yourself to be homesick. It will come in waves, but eventually it will settle down. The longing for home might never go away, but here are a few tips and suggestions to help the adjustment process easier for you.
involved in extracurricular, cultural, and sporting activities, which is a great way to find friends and network with people. “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” they say. So make time for things you love and use them as ways for self-care and constructive distraction from academic pressure. Visit http://www.fit.edu/ activities/ to research tons of clubs and organizations that cater to interests of all kinds. If you can’t find a group that suits your fancy, feel free to meet new friends and create your own club by contacting the Office of Student Activities.
Get Involved! Make sure to get involved in a club or an activity. Florida Tech offers tons of opportunities to be
Take Care of your Health and Nutrition! The Freshmen 15 is NOT a myth! Make sure your food
Plan Ahead! An increase in course load is perhaps one of the most significant changes from high school to college. There will be credits to manage, deadlines to meet, and readings to do. Use your planners well! Set small and achievable goals and develop a strategy early on in the semester. Use visual and audio reminders for yourself that will keep you on top of your game. Planning ahead will also ensure that you are maintaining a balance between your social and academic commitments.
College Life 101 is healthy and packed with nutrients. Keep your emotional eating in check and watch out that those late night study sessions aren’t filled with just the junk food from the snack machine in the hallways! Also, sleeping 7-8 hours every night will not only make you feel relaxed and recharged but will also help you concentrate better. In addition, exercise is known to be a great stressreliever and Florida Tech offers a fitness center that will help you feel good about yourself. It is free for students and also offers fitness classes. Check it out at http://www.fit.edu/ clementecenter/. Reach Out! Any college experience includes some level of stress and feelings of emotional imbalance, but some stress is beneficial. For some, college adjustment can take a longer time and can be significantly isolating and frustrating. That doesn’t mean you have to handle the pressure alone! Florida Tech offers a variety of tools and resources. There are steps every student can take to help create balance in their life. Seek out help early! Use the resources for academic support on campus that are available to you free of cost. Visit the Academic Support Center at http:// www.fit.edu/asc/ for more
information. Talk to a friend in times of emotional need. You can also visit the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), where you have the opportunity to meet with a counselor and work through your difficulties. More information can be found at http://www.fit. edu/caps/. It’s alright to feel stressed, but help is available. For more tips and
suggestions, come to “Keep Calm and Adult On!” Here, you will learn ways to cope with the demands of college life and meet some new friends! Prizes are also given away, so come on out on Wednesday, September 7th from 7-8:30 pm in Evans Hall, Room 202! // SALONI TANEJA M.A., M.S., OUTREACH COORDINATOR, CAPS
ISSUE 3
AUGUST 30
3
FEATURES
FINDING YOUR NICHE When I was in middle school, I thought I was the only person in the world with curly hair. Seriously. I knew no one with hair as curly as mine, and if you know me, it is curly. I knew people who had wavy hair, but it is not the same thing (as I now know as a curl expert). The point is, I did not feel like I fit in, even though I knew everyone at my school and was a part of many clubs. In high school, I bounced from group to group, trying to find a solid crowd as we all tried to find ourselves. It was hard for me. I did not fit in with the athletes, even though I played sports. I was involved in stage crew, a member of the National Honor Society and the leader of INTERACT. I read books during class and stressed over getting my assignments done. I felt I did not fit in
one category. I thought I was the only person who felt this way. But I thought to myself, It’s just high school, everything will be fine in college. If you know me, I am uncomfortable speaking in a group and it is hard for me to keep up a conversation with someone new. It’s is not because I do not like the person, I just like to listen rather than talk sometimes. I like quiet. If you think this is the part where I say, “Oh, now I have a great group of friends and I have found myself yadda yadda yadda,” you are wrong. I still feel like I have not found my niche. I love my teammates, but I feel like I do not fit in off the field. I hang out with non-athletes and Greeks more than athletes. So you know what I do? I keep joining clubs and meeting new people.
Friends gather outside Crawford Science tower I know I am not going to one. find my niche sitting alone We just have not found in my bed watching Greys, our support system yet, although that is a great way and we are still finding to spend a rainy day. ourselves. I write for the paper We have to keep and did a stint at Florida pushing our boundaries. Tech College Radio. I keep Maybe that means going to events on campus chiming in on a to meet potential friends. conversation or joining And I enjoy being that weird club you really involved. want to be a part of, even if What I really want to people do think it’s wacky. convey is, if you feel like It may be you are just I feel, you are not the only not in the right place, yet.
Photo By: Nicole Kern Or maybe you are just really not a people person. If that’s the case, go get yourself a dog. These are the ways you will find your niche and the type of people you can really bond with. So, keep faith. You still have another 80 years to find where you belong. // ALLIE WOOD DESIGN EDITOR
ISSUE 3
AUGUST 30
CONTINUED FROM 1 As president, Moroney has learned that his fraternity is a lot like a business with individuals assigned to specific tasks. TKE’s unique events during Rush Week are Slip n' Slide Kickball and the Car Smash. During the car smash, pledges get to demolish a car with a sledgehammer. “Our fraternity is set to achieve better men for a better world, one man at a time,” Moroney said. “We are always conscious of how we can build each other and learn from each other and to me, that’s
TKE members at their unique event
CAMPUS LIFE recruitment week tradition is to sing songs as a great way to bring people together. “I believe what makes Gamma Phi unique is our philanthropic partner, Girls on the Run,” Rabea said. “I believe the program really represents what our chapter stands for, which is ‘strong women building strong girls.’” President of Phi Sigma Sigma and senior, Rossy Espinal, joined after she met the enthusiastic ladies of the chapter who gave her a bid after knowing her for only a day. This made her feel welcomed and made her feel like part of the family. As president, there are many responsibilities Espinal must face. “The most important thing I have learned is sometimes you have to put your own feelings aside for the greater good of the group,” Espinal said. “You cannot always make a decision and please the opinion of innumerable women, it is nearly Photo By: Sveta Warren impossible.”
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the making of a great brotherhood.” Not only does Florida Tech house great fraternities, they have some great sororities as well. President of Gamma Phi Beta and senior Tori Rabea joined her sorority because of the strong sisterhood the girls showed during recruitment, which still stands today. Rabea said being around girls all the time can be difficult, but if you have an open mind, it will bring everyone together to accomplish the same goal. Gamma Phi’s
The wrecked car used in TKE's rush
Photo By: Sveta Warren
Phi Sigma believes and inclusiveness.” They in fairness, so during involve themselves in recruitment week they the local community by make sure that each chapter helping with Operation gets the same amount of Smile and Relay for Life at exposure in order to let Florida Tech. those who are interested find their best Florida Tech. Espinal said that Phi // SVETA WARREN Sigma Sigma stands SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR for “lifelong learning, leadership through service
SGA Putting in the Hours Unlike some of his predecessors, SGA president Warren Pittorie is fulfilling his campaign promises. Instead of going on vacation, Pittorie and his colleagues reorganized the Evans Student Center, located on the second floor of Evans Hall. Every room was repurposed.
A new addition made possible by SGA
A study space and lounge were added, as well as a few smaller conference rooms that students can reserve for meetings. Two 80-inch TVs were also installed. “One of my platforms during my campaign was less paper advertising on campus and more digital advertising,” Pittorie said.
An 80-inch TV has been installed in both the Evans Student Center and the Student Union Building for digital advertising. This past week someone tampered with the TV in the Evans center, but Pittorie said it should be back up soon. Pittorie’s team is also working on fixing all the
Photo By: Doug Schoeller
SGA bikes. These bikes are available for students to rent for free for up to two weeks at a time. Some previously elected representatives have resigned from their positions in order to focus on other organizations they are involved in. Pittorie said this is an inconvenience for SGA but that he holds no ill will and wishes them the best. In light of this setback, SGA is working on other opportunities for people to get involved with them. Every year SGA holds an election for five Freshman Representatives, but this year six were elected. One of those freshmen is Michael Robert Arenella, global management and finance major with a minor in prelaw. Arenella said he knew about the program because of Pittorie.
“Interestingly enough the second or third day of orientation, I walked right up to the current SGA President, Warren Pittorie, and asked how I can get involved and maybe one day get to the position that he is in,” said Arenella. “Then he told me about the Freshman Representative position and said that would be a great place to start.” Arenella said he applied for the position in order to help create and be a part of the innovation surrounding him. He said he knew SGA would be a great way to do it. Arenella said he is glad he was elected and is excited about the upcoming projects that SGA has planned for Florida Tech.
// SVETA WARREN SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR
ISSUE 3
AUGUST 30
CAMPUS LIFE
FLORIDA TECH CAMPUS QUIRKS For this week’s Campus Quirk, I took a look at a clock. Isn’t that everything you ever wanted in an article? A closer look at the design of a clock? For a normal on-thewall analog clock, this would be a relatively short and boring piece of text. But, I took a look at the Chao Tsu-Yu clock in Panther Plaza outside of the Jerome P. Keuper Administration Building. Now, we have something quirky. This clock highlights international friendship. The Chao Tsu-Yu clock was a gift to Florida Tech from the Chinese consulate in the 1980s in appreciation for accepting so many Chinese students. It was refurbished in November 2002 to commemorate more than 25 years of international friendship with the Republic of China. The design of the clock
makes it a distinct structure from the rest of the buildings in Panther Plaza. At its base sits three ascending square blocks of marble at 7.5, 5.5, and 3.5 feet long. Standing at about 15 feet tall, I found its stature to be incredibly more realized up-close than it is looking at it from the Student Union Building across the plaza. The Chao Tsu-Yu clock is dwarfed in size when you consider that it is still a couple feet shorter than where the tablet held by the Statue of Liberty stands. Really, in terms of the Statue of Liberty, the Chao Tsu-Yu clock could probably make a pretty solid pocket watch. But, getting to the features of the clock, a Chinese dragon with horns can be seen engraved on all four sides of the column, flying above waves of water. At the midsection of
Chao Tsu-Yu Clock the column, a red, white, blue and black pentagonal crest can be found surrounding a gold-colored gear with 13 teeth. The top of the structure boasts an analog clock on each of the four sides of the column, each contained in a 20 inch square casing. Lastly, the finishing
Musician Spotlight
The sound of an electric violin deviates from the sound of the classical music that normally fills the air in the Gleason Performing Arts Center. Meet Erick Celedonio, a remarkable musician. Celedonio plays as many musical styles as he can expose himself to. With the help of his skill in multiple different instruments, Celedonio breaks free from the restrictions of classical music and instruments. Erick began playing drums when he was 5, when his aunt enrolled him in classes at a local music store. He moved on to piano at age 7,
Erick Celedonio and his Electric Violin
and picked up the violin at age 8 in his school’s music class. “I realized this was something I really liked to do,” said Celedonio. “What motivated me was I just wanted to be better.” At age 9, he started playing with the Children's Orchestra society and started to grow a lot more as a musician. Celedonio then began to play at his mother's nursing home and people's weddings, including the wedding of his piano teacher. In high school, Celedonio began playing in Regional competitions. His junior year he got accepted to an All-State competition and
Photo By: Nathaniel Ashton
advanced to All-Eastern. A year later, Celedonio participated in the AllNational competition in Nashville, Tennessee. “I realized even if I didn't pursue music as a career, it’s still a passion that I wanted to do,” said Celedonio. When Celedonio visits his mother’s nursing home, he plays for people whose lives might not be perfect, or going the way they want it to. He said when they hear his music, it brings them smile and hope, and it shows them a new color of life they haven't seen before. “It shows me especially,” said Celedonio. Celedonio is minoring in music at Florida Tech. Last year at the Homecoming talent show, Celedonio took first place with his performance on an electric violin. “I can see how important music is to my life,” said Celedonio. “It’s something I know I can't live without.” Celedonio spent his summer this year in New
touch to the clock is its canopy, consisting of 24 metal posts in the same classic chinese style as can be seen on the roof of the Forbidden Temple. If you look closely, you can see that at the end of each post there is an image of a dragon head. Multiple images of facing dragons
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Photo By: Doug Schoeller line the entire edge of the canopy. It’s a geometrically satisfying structure that represents years of friendship between FIT and the Republic of China. // DOUG SCHOELLER STAFF MEMBER
Erick Celedonio
Erick Celedonio Plays Piano
York, performing music for Broadway plays. His dream job in music is to play for Hollywood movie soundtracks. Celedonio has worked for 12 years to get to this point in his music career. He has a few tips for a student learning music. “It takes dedication,” said
Photo By: Nathaniel Ashton
Celedonio. “You hear it from everyone, but I can tell you from experience. It takes consistency, time, and patience. If you have a passion, not any of those will stop you.” // NATHANIEL ASHTON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ISSUE 3
AUGUST 30
TECH TALK
Recycling Batteries WITH FUNGIS
The growing number of mobile devices is constantly increasing the demand for rechargeable lithium batteries. Common recycling methods for these batteries require high temperatures and produce harmful waste. Researchers at the University of South Florida are looking into a cleaner and safer recycling method through the use of fungus. The fungi research was presented at the 252nd National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society on August 21. Jeffrey A. Cunningham, a professor of Environmental Engineering at USF, is in charge of the project in tandem with USF professor Valerie Hardwood and graduate student Aldo Lobos. According to a ACS press release, Cunningham’s team has received funding for the project from the National Science Foundation. “The idea first came from a student who had
experience extracting some metals from waste slag left over from smelting operations,” said Cunningham. He said that due to the growing demand for rechargeable batteries in products such as smartphones, they shifted their focus. “The demand for lithium is rising rapidly, and it is not sustainable to keep mining new lithium resources,” said Cunningham. The strains of fungi Cunningham is using are known as Aspergillus niger, Penicillium simplicissimum and Penicillium chrysogenum. Cunningham said that these strains of fungi have previously been effective at extracting metal from other waste products. “We reasoned that the extraction mechanisms should be similar,” said Cunningham. “If they are, these fungi could probably work to extract lithium and cobalt from spent batteries.”
The batteries must be dismantled and cathodes broken down. Then, acids produced naturally by the fungi are able to leach the metals from the batteries. Cunningham said, “Through the interaction of the fungus, acid, and pulverized cathode, we can extract the valuable cobalt and lithium. We are aiming to recover nearly all of the original material.” Cunningham’s research has shown that the oxalic and citric acid generated by the fungi enable up to 85% of the lithium and up to
48% of the cobalt from the cathodes to be extracted. According to Scientific American magazine, Wen Zhang, a professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, said that this process mimics the natural degradation process in which acids and enzymes from microbes work in breaking down waste. Cunningham’s current challenge is removing the metals from the acid produced after the fungi’s work is complete. He said, “We have ideas about how to remove
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cobalt and lithium from the acid, but at this point they remain ideas.” Cunningham’s team also plans on researching the effects of acids produced by alternative strains of fungi and effects of the environment on the efficiency of extraction.
// CHRISTOPHER PANGALOS STAFF WRITER
ISSUE 3
AUGUST 30
7
NEWS
ZIKA
The Zika virus is a member of the genus Flavivirus. It was first identified in 1947 when researcher Alex Haddow came across it in a Rhesus monkey. The virus was named after the Zika Forest of Uganda, where the Rhesus monkey was found. This virus was one of 12 viruses Haddow had identified in the forest, all within a decade. It was then discovered that mosquitos are the vectors for the virus, specifically, mosquitos that are of the Aedes family. Mosquitos transmit the disease by biting infected people and then passing it onto other people. Between 1951 and
2006, there were 19 clinically diagnosed cases of the Zika virus disease. For every 5 people infected with the virus, four of them would not feel any symptoms. For the one who did, the symptoms would disappear after several days. In 2006, there were 139 reported cases of the Zika virus on Yap Island, located 11,800 km from Uganda, and in 2015, the virus was found in northeast brazil. The Zika virus has not resulted in any reported death upon infection. However, studies have shown an association between the Zika virus disease and microcephaly of fetuses. There are
Mosquitoies carry the Zika Virus
at least three candidate vaccines under research. All three are under phase 1, meaning they are being tested on animal population, before going into phase 2, human testing. “The best thing that can be done are the 4 D’s”, says Gordon Patterson Ph.D. The 4 D’s are: Dump and Drain: “Walk around the area and make sure there’s no standing water. Standing water creates a nursery for mosquitos to breed.” Dress Appropriately: “Wear long sleeves, cover yourself up.” Defend: “Use mosquito
Dr. Patterson Ledctures on Zika
Photo By: Zikacommandoes
repellants.” Don’t Panic: “This mosquito transmitted yellow fever, dengue fever, chicken gunia, and now Zika. We have not had a case of yellow fever since the 1940’s.” Patterson collaborated with campus facilities starting in February and went around the campus and examined the campus for possible breeding places and removed breeding places of mosquitos “The best way to prevent the disease is to prevent the mosquito,” said Patterson. Patterson is a professor
in the School of Arts and Communication. Patterson has spent the last 25 years studying mosquito-borne diseases, including the Zika virus. He written two books about the history of mosquito control, including Mosquito Wars: A History of Mosquito Control in Florida, published in 2004 by the University of Presses of Florida, and The Mosquito Crusades: A History of the American Anti-Mosquito Movement from the Reed Commission to the First Earth Day, published in 2009 by Rutgers University.
// BENJAMIN GOESS STAFF WRITER
Photo By: Adam Lowenstein
The Crimson Scramble! Below are scrambled words that relate to Florida Tech. Unscramble, and you are smarter than our editing team!
GENGNERIIEN
SRARIH
YMCAC
ATPNETE REPH
RSLERLEKTAH
CNIATAOLB
ZUBZ RNDALI
RCULENA LOTIET
UNSCRAMBLE ANSWERS: ENGINEERING, HARRIS, MCCAY, PANTHERPETE, BOTANICAL, BUZZ ALDRIN, NUCLEAR TOILET, RATHSKELLER
ISSUE 3
AUGUST 30
SPORTS
8
NEW LACROSSE COACH NEW FLAIR
Photo By Dave Wood
The Panthers prepare for a new season with a new coach and a new crop of freshman.
When most students graduate college, they expect to work with colleagues almost twice their age. New women’s lacrosse assistant coach, Taylor Marshall, decided to take on life a little differently. Instead of following her pre-med path and studying under experienced doctors, she’s now in charge of coaching players that are barely younger than she is. “You really have to separate yourself,” said Marshall. “You’re not a part of the team in that way anymore.” Marshall said it was a weird transition for her to not be just friends with her athletes anymore, even though she’s only a few years older than them. Despite her young age, Marshall has the life experience to coach a group
of college athletes that have big course loads in the classroom and big season goals on the field. The Ohio native graduated from University of Detroit Mercy with a degree in biology. According to head coach Corinne Desrosiers, her experience with juggling academic responsibilities while playing D1 lacrosse will align well with the curriculum and course load of the players at Florida Tech. In her college career, Marshall led her team to three consecutive conference championships and earned a handful of honors, as well. Marshall played defense as a low defender and brings that expertise to her coaching abilities. “My junior year we
were coached by Jake Marmul, and the impact that he made on my team and on me I think really opened my eyes to the strategies of defense and things like that that I’ve carried with me,” said Marshall. Marmul was a graduate of the Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team, and it’s clear that his lessons really stuck. Before coming to Florida Tech, Marshall coached at Mount Notre Dame High School for just one year. In that single season Marshall was able to help lead the Cougars to a 10-7 record, second place season finish and improved her goalies’ saves per game average to 7.71 from 5.29 the previous year. “I really try to preach trust,” said Marshall. “Being able to trust
yourself, trust your teammates, trust your coaches, and trust the process and the best things will come out of that.” Marshall said that you can learn something from everyone that you meet, and she’s already had a lesson or two in being a coach. She said her biggest lesson so far has been learning that it’s really her players’ team. “It’s about them,” said Marshall. “It’s not about me, it’s not about what Corrine and I can do. It’s all about what they create, they have to take ownership of their team and we get to help provide that.” Marshall has been playing lacrosse since 5th grade. She said what she loves most about is being able to help other young women through the game.
“The game can really do a lot for you,” said Marshall. “Building that connection and helping them learn the sport that I love or advance themselves through the sport that we both love is the best part for me.” As for this season, the Panthers are trying to earn a place in postseason and win a national championship. Last year, they ended the season on a strong note and Marshall said they are building upon that. “The end goal, all the time, every year is to improve,” said Marshall. “I think this team has really great potential, so I just hope that we form our connection quickly and we can get the ball rolling and go for it!” // AUDREY GANGLOFF MANAGING EDITOR
Florida Tech Athletes Balance Sports and Student Life Florida Tech is home to a variety of studentathletes with fun memories and advice about being a college athlete. Ryan Antony, a biomedical engineering sophomore, is a member of the ice hockey team. He has been playing since he was five and came to Florida Tech as a freshman. “Don't be afraid to ask questions," Antony said. "Don't be afraid to be friendly, but don't try too hard to Florida Tech in.” As seasons go by, memories are formed that connect players with their
teammates. Antony said scoring the overtime goal at the homecoming game and taking a team road trip to Baton Rouge, Louisiana are fun memories he has of his sport. Sophomore mechanical engineering major Emily York began her softball career when she was seven and has continued here at Florida Tech since her freshman year. York said the most important thing is to learn how to manage your time and that it is important to not lose sight of everything
that has to be done along with your sport. “College really is a balancing act,” said York. “Don't take yourself too seriously. While you may be on a sports team, still find time for fun and friends. Everyone needs a break once in a while. Be adventurous, have fun!” York said a fun memory she made with her team was when their van got stuck at Eckerd, so they explored the campus and hung out on their campus beach. “We were stuck long enough that we eventually
just made a bonfire as a team and watched the sunset,” said York. “It was so much fun and great team bonding for all of us.” Senior Allie Modica is the current captain of Florida Tech’s women’s lacrosse team. She has been playing the sport since the fourth grade. “I suggest they focus on absorbing as much information as possible from their teammates, coaches and professors and have fun,” Modica said. Modica said one of her fun memories was last season when her team beat
No. 6 University of New Haven. “It was a full team effort and led to our team being ranked in the top 20,” said Modica. With new athletes coming in each semester there are always questions about how to do things right. Florida Tech athletes are willing to help and you never know what you will find out if you ask.
// SVETA WARREN SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR