Scribe Issue 3 by The Seminole Scribe

Fall Issue 3 December 2014

Seminole

The

SCRIBE

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ST U DE NT S , WA NT TO W I N F R E E S WAG ?

Join the Photo Club by emailing

seminolephotoclub@gmail.com Meetings held one Wednesday a month in L331 at 1:30 p.m. on the S/LM campus

SPRING 2015

Jan 12, to May 5, 2015

Curious about a career in journalism or magazine publishing? Want to try photojournalism? Register now for Spring 2015 and join the The Scribe newspaper staff!

All you have to do is read The Seminole Scribe and answer the question. This month’s challenge question is: “Where am I on campus?” Try to figure out which campus and specific location. Email the answer with “Where am I” in the subject line to thescribe@seminolestate.edu. One winner will be selected at random. Good luck!

THE SEMINOLE SCRIBE The Seminole Scribe is the official student newspaper of Seminole State College of Florida. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Melissa Merkler STAFF REPORTERS Alexander Alfonso, Carl Barrett, Jordan Donohue, Lynzie Fess, Tia Gautreaux, Jorge Minotta, Haylee Moffis FACULTY ADVISER Jennifer Sheppard EDITORIAL POLICY

Viewpoints expressed in columns and letters to the editor are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Seminole Scribe or Seminole State College. Please limit letters to 500 words, and include phone number, name and area of study or affiliation. Letters will not be printed anonymously. We reserve the right to reject letters.

MISSION STATEMENT

We are a student-run newspaper that aims to construct a publication of professionalism. Through each individual staffer’s utmost potential, we write for the interest of the school and its student body to deliver a quality news and entertainment source that uphold traditional journalistic values.

Journalism I (Lecture & Discussion)

JOU 1100-600 (2751) TuTh 11:00AM - 12:15PM Newspaper Editing (Lecture & Discussion) JOU 1200-101 (3567) TuTh 1:45PM - 3:00PM College Newspaper I Lab (Laboratory) JOU 1420L-602 (2752) TuTh 12:30PM - 1:45PM College Magazine Lab (Laboratory) JOU 1440L-456 (3599)

PUBLIC FORUM

The Seminole Scribe is a “designated public forum.” Student editors have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval.

Coming soon: Courses in Photojournalism and Mobile Journalism

Email sheppardj@seminolestate.edu for more information.

On the cover: Photo by Haylee Moffis

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thescribe@seminolestate.edu Twitter @seminolescribe

12/2/2014 12:11:30 PM

Editor’s note

Saying goodbye to The Scribe

t might sound cliché but I think it really is true that as I get older, time does go by faster. It’s hard to believe that this semester is almost over—already! It seems just like yesterday I was searching for my classrooms. The Seminole Scribe went through some changes this term with finding a new printer that would accommodate the new design. Because of this change, the final issue of The Scribe is featuring something new—a double issue! With that said, the 16-page newspaper is full of fall and winter-related stories of events on campus and in the community; from the Edible Book contest to the Veteran’s Day celebration, we covered a lot of exciting news this semester. Also, with the holidays quickly approaching, the cover story might pull at your heartstrings and encourage you to bring home a new pet for Christmas. There might be a dog or cat waiting for a forever home. Pet Alliance is across the street from the S/LM campus. Read the article by Haylee Moffis and then stop by to visit the homeless animals. Another interesting article in this month’s issue dances around death and passwords, specifically, what happens to your

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Facebook account after you die? Read Lynzie Fess’s article to find out more about what could happen to your online accounts. Finally, I just want to remind our readers about the contest in every issue. If you recognize the mystery photo, please send us an email to thescribe@seminolestate.edu for a chance to win. I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving, survived Black Friday without any calamities over “Frozen” merchandise or giant TV’s and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Lastly, this is my final issue as your editor-in-chief. It’s time for me to pass on the torch to the next person ready for this job. I have enjoyed writing for The Seminole Scribe and cherish all of the experiences it has given me. Until next time, Melissa B. Merkler, EIC

Along with editing the newspaper, I serve as President of Photography Club on the S/LM campus. Here we are with Tia, our advisor Ms. Sheppard, myself and Prince Jordan helping put on a photo booth for Halloween.

12/2/2014 12:11:31 PM

Read to Succeed celebrates literature by playing with food

By: Jorge Minotta and Carl Barrett

ead to Succeed recently held its annual Edible Book contest, this time with a Halloween theme.

The event stretched across all four Seminole State campuses and featured food sculptures based on a literary work. Students could travel to the drop-off location at each campus and deliver their creation to be displayed and later judged. Students, faculty and staff alike were encouraged to create a food sculpture that represented their favorite book.

Three entries submitted in the "Individual Scary" category at the Sanford/ Lake Mary campus: Bone Soup, Lord of the Flies and a Tell Tale Heart.

Having a Halloween theme was a requirement but students also had to be sure the sculptures were made of food items which did not require refrigeration as they would be on display for several hours. Prizes were given out both in individual and group categories. A judge at the Sanford/Lake Mary campus, Shaya Morgan, said she was looking for contributions that made her think “Oh, I get it, that’s part of the story.” In Oviedo, judges agreed that the Children of the Corn entry by Shelley Herter was the winner, “We agreed that number one (Children of the Corn) was the scariest,” Judge Laura Quick, Educational Advisor at Oviedo Student Affairs, said.

Some participants brought moments from the story to life.

The grand prize winner, based on Bone Soup by Cambria Evans, submitted by Maureen Preuss from Academic Services.

Molly Dykes, Administrative Program Support Specialist for the Academic Administration Department at the Oviedo campus in charge of the event there, said the Edible Book Contest “is a wonderful event that supports the goals of Seminole According to Seminole State’s Read to Succeed presentation, Read to Succeed State’s Quality Enhancement Plan “Read to Succeed.” was created as part the college’s Quality Enhancement Plan, or QEP. The presentation describes the QEP as a “carefully designed five-year course of “We are trying to create a culture of reading at all action that addresses a well-defined and focused topic or issued related to campuses because reading is such an important student learning.” element of student success,” she said.

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Creating a QEP was required of Seminole State as part of its accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. “We knew it[the QEP] had to be something important,” Carissa Baker, English Professor at Seminole State and Director of Read to Succeed, said. “Reading is essential to academic and career situations in addition to civic engagement and selfadvocacy.” The goal of the QEP is both to improve reading comprehension in classrooms and also to create a culture of reading outside of the classroom and according to Baker those goals “inform one another.” To accomplish this goal, Read to Succeed produced courses as well as events and programs in addition to its Book Nooks, which are visible on all Seminole State campuses and are a place where students can pick up a free book and leave one for other students. Read to Succeed also provides a Reading Center at the Sanford/Lake Mary campus and will soon be adding one in Oviedo. It also created student “I’m looking for positions called Student ones that make Reading Liaisons, who spread awareness about reading and me say, ‘Oh, I the QEP to their peers. get it, that’s part “Over 1000 students have of the story.’” - taken a QEP courses,” Baker said.

Shaya Morgan

As for next year, communications professor Laura Dickinson encouraged more participation in the Edible Book contest. “I think it is a great opportunity to show your baking/foodie abilities and also to show how literate you are in the world of books,” Profesor Dickinson, who declined to judge the event this year so that she could submit an entry herself, said. “I wish more would participate so that we could see more of the talent that is here at Seminole State.”

Grand Prize winner of the event was Maureen Preuss from Academic Services. Her entry book was Bone Soup by Cambria Evans and was submitted on the S/LM campus.

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Breaking barriers: sexual orientations

“

Nothing teaches students more than hearing it from someone who has gone through something or lives it,” Charna Iommetti, Ph.D., human sexuality instructor at Seminole State College, said. As a part of her course, Iommetti recently hosted a panel that invited members of Unity, Seminole State’s Gay-Straight Alliance, to speak about LGBT issues, and how these issues have impacted the panelists’ lives. She attempts to make her course as interesting as possible for students by dressing up in costumes, showing interesting YouTube videos and having lively discussions. Unaware of any other Seminole State instructors who offer the unique experience of this panel, Iommetti recalled that the panel originally began as current Unity president Danielle Dangleman’s project when she was a student enrolled in the class. “I learn something new at each panel,” Iommetti said. “For example, at this last panel, I learned about two new sexual orientations: demisexuality and autosexuality. I also met two individuals who identified as such.” She said she also believes that she is both a better person and teacher because of the panels. “I have learned not to judge other’s lifestyles even if they don’t follow society’s mainstream ideas or mine,” she said. Steven Wall, a member of Unity who volunteered to be on the panel, said he volunteered “to help others

By: Jordan Donohue

understand the perspective of an autosexual.” This was his first year participating in the panel, and he would “most definitely” do the panel again because it was a “very comfortable” experience. He said he believes the panel is important because it “gives individuals unfamiliar with LGBT issues a way to communicate and relate to us.” Andrew Huffman, vice president of Unity and second-time panelist, said he believes that the panel “can create a difference” in the opinions of a class. “Even smalls shifts in perception can lead to huge shifts in a person’s paradigm later on down the road,” he added. The panel, he said, has enriched his life by “allowing him to use personal experience to teach about LGBT life” and that the ability to have “thoughtful discussion” about sexuality and gender is “almost always a positive experience.” Other instructors, he said, should utilize panels more because “they give students the opportunity to ask questions that would not normally be socially acceptable to ask in a public forum.” Wall agreed that more instructors should incorporate these panels into their courses. He believes that if more instructors host panels, “it could create an atmosphere in the school’s environment where positive change and education on LGBT issues is a possibility.”

12/2/2014 12:11:37 PM

What happens to Facebook when you die?

oming June 1, 2015 it may no longer be a crime to access social media accounts that do not belong to you.

Currently only 7 states have “digital asset laws” but 14 others including Florida have considered applying them. In a press release by the senate it outlined the laws that would monitor the inheritance of any type of social media account you may of left behind including online investments, photos, and bank accounts, and legally downloaded movies and music. Stetson University student Alyssa Stringer said, “Social media pages should be deactivated. I know some people like to leave them up for a memorial, but I wouldn’t want that for myself. Especially if someone dies in a horrific way, it’s weird to see their Facebook page still up.”

By: Lynzie Fess A reason these digital access laws has become so controversial between the rights of state vs. family members is because of the monetary value of the accounts. In a 2011 survey by McAfee a softwaresecurity company, Americans gauge their digital assets at $55,000. The Uniform Law Commission, a group of lawyers that has been lobbying congress to enact these “digital asset laws”, votes on the legislation in July next year. The goal of this group is to allow families’ access to all of the deceased’s social media accounts unless other authorized in a will. In a press release by the Florida senate, Senator Dorothy Hukill said, “As we become more dependent on technology in our lives from social media to paying our bills online, it is important to consider who will be able to access

“As our dependence on technology continues to grow, it is critical to clarify what rights our loved ones have to our personal information after we are deceased. I applaud Senator Hukill for her forward thinking for this crucial for bill.” -Senator Jack Latvala (Pictured)

Some though such as former University of Florida student Rafael Pierlusi believe that it should be used to commemorate their life. He said “After I pass away, I would like for my social media profiles/accounts to be used as a social “eulogy” of sorts.” He said “For this to happen, I believe it is crucial that my family and friends gain access to my social media profiles after my death.” A reason these digital access laws have become so controversial between the rights of state vs. family is because of the monetary value of the accounts.

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these accounts.” Facebook has an option that allows families to convert the users profile to a memorial page. So the account remains locked but is open for users to post on the page. Twitter, like most social media accounts, deactivates when asked by a family member or estate executor. While Google lets users decide what they would want done when they die. By this summer Florida Senators hope to answer the question, “What will happen to your Facebook when you die?”

Plan for the future: don’t throw money away on college

ny education is better than none.

That’s according to Thomas Jamison, regional staffing manager at Thrivas, a staffing agency in Orlando. “I am a big believer that knowledge is power,” he said.”One of the main ways to gain that advantage is through a degree.” Some degrees he recommended that are a popular requirement for job openings: Business, Business Management, Finance and Computer Science. Not many of his clients, he said, would consider a bachelor’s degree in psychology, philosophy, history or music. However, some people don’t have to waste time on a degree. “There are those famous college dropouts running international companies (that they built); however those are the exceptions, not the norm,” he said. For students who are looking to decide on a major, Jamison said it’s important to “gain as much knowledge of your field of interest.” “Find a mentor or shadow someone to determine if this is something you’re going to be passionate about,” he said.

By: Tia Gautreaux Some Central Florida residents find that continuing education is the only way to stand out among the crowd of job seekers. For Lynne Newsom, International Baccalaureate coordinator at Cypress Creek High school in Orlando, her bachelor’s in history did not earn her “respect or recognition” until she attained a master’s degree. Still, others find themselves becoming professional students. Chelsea Rodolpho, a graduate of Seminole State College, has multiple degrees including a bachelor’s in criminal justice and a bachelor’s in nursing from the University of Central Florida. “The criminal justice degree was a stepping stone to get me where I am today but I really didn’t use the degree,” she said. If Rodolpho could go back in time, she said she would have skipped the criminal justice degree. “I would have a master’s degree by now,” she said. While education is important, it is also important to have desire and motivation in a chosen field. “Lack of enthusiasm will eventually show through in your work or attitude,” Jamison said.

12/2/2014 12:11:38 PM

“Day of Thanks” at Seminole State

By: Alex Alfonso

n a Tuesday afternoon in early November, Seminole State College presented a “Day of Thanks” event on the front lawn of the Altamonte Springs campus, which was meant to engage students in the Thanksgiving spirit and season. Blue tents scattered around the campus held a variety of activities for students who wished to participate in the fall themed event. Each activity ended with a hearty incentive- a plate of Thanksgiving favorites such as turkey, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese and green beans (and to maybe get out of class for a little bit). Students of all sorts showed up to see what the Student Lifesponsored event would bring.

“This was really our first Thanksgiving event of this capacity,” Jennifer Bielen, Coordinator of Student Life at the Altamonte campus, said. The goal of the Student Life organization was to simply send the message of “giving back” this holiday season and to arouse the interest of others in joining their mission of helping out the community in all ways possible, especially through volunteering. Activities included water-colored caricature art created by Paula Large an independent artist from Orlando, architectural frames, make-your-own fall colored leaf with “What you are thankful for” and of course the food table. “Come out, have fun and grab some food; it’s all good,” Jonnell Venzen an SGA representative and food server, said. Seminole State SGA representatives also passed out flyers to attract students to pursue a voice on their campus and be a part of something more.

Seminole State SGA members (from left: Jonnell Venzen, Steven Purcell, Juan Guitirrez, Ashley Polanco) serving up Thanksgiving favorites

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“I think students want to have a say in what happens on campus but are just afraid to join for some reason...” Samuel Cadet, member of the Altamonte campus SGA, said. “It is a fun time!” For more info on Student Life. visit: seminolestate.edu/student-life

SPCA: More than just a name change

By: Haylee Moffis

cross the street from Seminole State’s Sanford/ Lake Mary campus on U.S. 17-92, the shelter formerly known as

“My favorite thing to do is bask in the sun on your front porch.”

the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) changed its name, ownership and ultimate goal. Since May of 2014, the shelter became the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando and still accepts only ownersurrendered pets but now concentrates on finding “forever homes” for the animals. “We need everyone who loves animals as our partners – our allies – in the welfare and wellbeing of dogs and cats,” Kerri Burns, executive director, said, according to petallianceorlando. org. The name change, according to Dorothy Davis, one of the

shelter’s volunteers, was due to the fact that “SPCA” stands for Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and while that is important, the organization did not want that to be what it was known for. “Our goal is to socialize with and prepare the animals for their forever home,” she said. The staff and volunteers try their best to make the adoptioprocess easy. Sometimes, the shelter runs specials to attract adopters and free up space for new animals. “The whole month of October, all cats were free,” Davis said, adding that she has been a part of the team since it was known as the SPCA and still continues to help with the animals. With new ownership comes new guidelines to follow, volunteers said. “There is definitely more structure with the new ownership,” Lucia Vazquez, a team member who also volunteered through the new changes, said. While working with the cats and kittens,

volunteers must have a towel over his or her shoulder to help prevent claws digging or scratching whereas under the SPCA name, it wasn’t necessarily a “rule.” Ms. Vazquez also mentioned there are different requirements for working with different animals. For example, she said she isn’t allowed to take a large dog out of its cage due to the fact that she is a petite woman. Some Seminole State students were not aware of the new changes, “what changes?” Jordan Swan said. Within the community,

“Hey pall... I’m trying to sleep here.”

Vazquez said the Pet Alliance is “pretty much the same,” with a lot of events going on all the time, especially close to the holidays. Davis hinted at the fact that there may be another special coming up for December.

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SIGMA PHI GAMMA WINS FIRST PLACE AT HALLOWEEN CLUB EVENT

ostumes, dancing, candy and laughter- that was the scene at the Student Life activity on the Sanford/Lake Mary campus of Seminole State College in late October. The Halloween Tabling Event might have helped get students into the spirit for the trick-or-treat night that followed. Each club that participated in the event had an opportunity to win a pizza party. A peer-reviewed judging gave Sigma Phi Gamma first place and the Anime Club came in with second place. Shaya Morgan, vice president of Sigma Phi Gamma, stands at the club’s booth, which won first prize at the Seminole State College club Halloween Tabling event.

Friends, Stephen Clerent and Steve Renelien visit the Anime club’s table at the Halloween event. Clerent said he wants to study psychology. Renelien said he wants to be a physical therapist and transfer to FIU after graduating from Seminole State.

Nathan Nasby, president of the Whovian Society, manned his table and discussed the show with students.

1st Place

Students have fun using the Photography Club’s photo booth.

Students break out in dance when a festive song comes on.

Kelly Cowart and Audrina Morris after their dance sequence ended at the Halloween Tabling event.

Film Club represented itself with different movie characters. Of course, popcorn was a necessity as part of the table props.

By: Melissa B. Merkler

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Sofa & Suds By: Haylee Moffis

Couch racing

alking up to the Sofa & Suds events in downtown Sanford recently, historic bricks, the overwhelming aroma of beer and crowds of cheering people surrounded onlookers. Lonely makeshift race couches sat in the grass field watching the final two teams battle it out for the grand prize. Team members geared up and stretch, anxiously awaiting the count down. Three… two… one… go! The two teams ran in opposite directions around a barrel, back toward the start line, down to the opposite barrel and back up to where they started. The packed street of people, loud and excited, went wild encouraging their fellow team members, some neighbors and even business partners along the track. One enthusiastic spectator, Linda Silva, said the course was longer this

year and “it’s a great event that brings everyone together.” Another member, Jennifer Kersey, has lived in the Sanford area for six years. “It was a bigger turn out than last year,” she said.

The Jungle Cruise team racing to the finish line on 3rd Street in Sanford.

The final race was a close call but more interesting was the second place team’s theme.

Bob Duncan who built “The Jungle Cruise” race couch said the couch was donated to them and because of its jungle-like patterned material. They decided to name their team “The Jungle Cruise.” The members involved in the race wore their jungle printed shirts. “I got a whole $13 in that couch,” Duncan said. It was Mr. Duncan’s first time participating in the event. It took him four hours to put the race couch together and he will most likely engage in the activities again next year. Crowds at the annual Sofa & Suds event in Sanford participate in couch racing while listening to music and enjoying live entertainment.

Photos by Haylee Moffis

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12/2/2014 12:11:56 PM

Brrrrr...inging in the holidays throughout Orlando

n Orlando, there is lots to do around the holiday season with many events that would be fun for any age group. ICE! at the Gaylord Palms resort in Kissimmee is open every year and a family-friendly exhibit that is made of ice. The theme changes annually; last year it was “Frosty the Snowman” and this year it is “Nutcracker” theme. The Gaylord Palms supplies coats but make sure you still bundle up because it’s only 9 degrees Fahrenheit once you get inside! Former Seminole State student Jacob Fernandez said, “It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen. It’s crazy how much time

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By: Lynzie Fess

they probably spend on one sculpture.” Every year, the exhibit contains a Nativity scene along with two slides in addition to the themed sculptures. This year, the 20-foot tall slide is the largest ever! For the first time, there is also an “On the Blocks ICE! Bar,” within the ICE! exhibit that provides music and fun photo opportunities. Also new this year, you are now able to see the ice carvers at work. There is a portion of the tour that allows you to watch carvers sculpt and shape the ice. Light up UCF is another family-favorite in Orlando as the University is transformed into a winter wonderland including a holiday light show, Orlando’s largest outdoor ice-skating, classic holiday films such as “A Christmas Story,” and other attractions such as a light up Ferris wheel and a blizzard ride. Also there will be local buisness vendors offering additional activities and prizes. Seminole State student Sierra Collins said, “It’s (Light up UCF) a fun idea for a date night with my boyfriend. It’s always funny watching him ice-skate.” Another holiday favorite this time of year is the 62nd annual “Ye Olde Hometown” Christmas parade in Winter Park. Chamber of Commerce member Erika Spence said, “The Winter Park Christmas parade is the longest running tradition. Families come year after year. This year it is being MC’ed by News 13’s Scott Fais. About 100 different groups are a part of the parade. There is also a traditional pancake breakfast before the parade begins.” Catch the parade on December 9 at 9 a.m. on Park Avenue in Winter Park.

12/2/2014 12:12:01 PM

Giving back to troops through

J.O.S.H.

By: Alex Alfonso

ometimes nothing is more special to a U.S. soldier than seeing that his country cares about him or her around the holidays or any time of year. Seminole State College hosted it’s J.O.S.H. event in November, which stands for Just Our Soldiers Helpers. Over 100 students and their families gathered in the Automotive Showroom located on the Sanford/Lake Mary campus to show their support by joining in a packing party for non-perishable foods and goodies to be shipped overseas. The program began in 2011 after a soldier named Josh was stationed in Afghanistan on a very small base with little supplies and limited food. Seeing the struggles he and his fellow soldiers faced, his aunt, Kathy Hewitt decided that she would send them care packages numerous times a month. “I planned on shipping a care package once a month but after realizing how much supplies were needed, I began shipping almost all the time,” Ms. Hewitt said. His aunt said she also learned of the awful quality of the food served on base after Josh told her to send soups and every soldier’s favorite on-the-go snack, beef jerky.

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The energy was high as the crowd began to prepare boxes to fill up with hordes of food. Smaller siblings and children joined in on the occasion as well. “When the young ones help, it is truly magical,” Shannon Connor, vice president of the Non-Traditional Student Club, said. Now, this is not the first time that Seminole State has opened its doors to the J.O.S.H. foundation, according to Scott Shefiele, president of the NonTraditional Student Club.

Flyer thanking their helpers and volunteers!

“We had a packing party about 4 months ago that was very successful as well,” he said. Another packing party is also set for the spring of next year. Upon speaking with a permanently injured and retired Air Force flight nurse, Ashley Williams, it really hit home in my heart as to “who” this program really benefits.

U.S. Army soldier Sean Breckenridge appreciates a good meal at the J.O.S.H. event.

“This program and the help they gave really made me feel like I was close to home, like I still had a connection” Ms. Williams said. In total, 30,000 pounds of supplies has been shipped through the J.O.S.H. program since 2011 and a total of 71 care package boxes were made that evening on campus. According to active duty U.S. Army soldier Sean Breckenridge, “These are going to be some very happy soldiers.” To see upcoming events and information on how to help J.O.S.H, visit justoursoldiershelpers.org

Even the young ones were eager to help out the troops!

12/2/2014 12:12:07 PM

American Government: part of daily lives but not required to graduate?

By: Jorge Minotta

student Ruth Humphrey who is getting her Associate of Science degree, said she believes that American Government should not be required to graduate from college.

In November, this same question was the topic of a Civic Dialogue held at the Seminole State main campus where a panel of Seminole State professors of legal studies, political science, fire science and accounting gave their expert opinion on the prospect of requiring students to take a course in American Government and the importance of such a course to the education of students. During the discussion, all of the panelists agreed that a course in American Government should be required in order to graduate from college.

Other Seminole State students like Kimberly Ramkishun who is a business major seemed unsure at first, but after discussing it, she came to support the idea of requiring American Government.

f government plays such a big role in the lives of America’s citizens and those who reside within its borders, why is it that Seminole State does not require its students to pass a course in American Government in order to graduate?

To make his point, Michael Hoover, professor of United States Federal Government at Seminole State with a Ph.D. in political science, said that not every student is going to be a scientist or a doctor or an engineer, but we are all citizens or part of this society and therefore we all have a civic responsibility to participate in our democracy. “Higher education in a free society should have a civic purpose. Toward this end, Seminole State College can help to ensure that students have a working knowledge of politics and government,” Hoover said on the idea of making American Government a requirement. Studies have shown, Hoover added, that graduates who took an American Government course not only have a better understanding of how U.S. government works but are also more likely to participate in political activities beyond voting than those who did not. Jordan Camenker, professor of legal studies at Seminole State, agreed with Professor Hoover on his comments about the studies and the prospect of requiring American Government for graduation. “I think it (American Government) should be required of all college students, I think it should be required irrespective of major or discipline or program,” he said. “One of the few things that (John) Adams and (Thomas) Jefferson managed to agree on is that an educated population was vital to the success of the country.” As opposed to Professor Hoover and Professor Camenker, some students 12 were not as passionate or did not think that requiring American Government was of much importance. Seminole State

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“As long as you took it in high school…you get the general information in high school. I think high school gives you enough to do your civic duty,” Ms. Humphrey said.

“It depends if you learned enough in high school…I guess it would make it easier taking it again in college if it was required. I would not be opposed to it (making it a requirement),” Ms. Ramkishun said. According to Jan Lloyd, Associate Vice President for Student Development at Seminole State who has a Ph.D. in student affairs administration, the college does not have any plans at this point to change the graduation requirements. So, even though American Government is not required at the moment to graduate from Seminole State, the fact that this was a topic chosen to be discussed among faculty, staff and students may suggest otherwise. This is an issue that some may agree on and others may disagree on and it could come with problems to some and not to others, but Professor Hoover said he believes it is of much importance. “I would suggest that an understanding of American government is indispensable to the formation of responsible citizens and for the preservation of liberty, equality, and democracy,” he said.

Nominate a student, professor or staff member for a feature interview.

thescribe@seminolestate.edu 12/2/2014 12:12:07 PM

Blogging can be more than expression; drive traffic, host ads and make money

efore Facebook, Twitter and many Seminole State students were born, there was blogging or web-logging.

By: Carl Barrett

Jenny Lawson’s thebloggess.com helped her become a New York Times best-selling author.

Blogs are among some of the most influential websites on the internet. According to Social Media Today, a social media advising firm, 77 percent of internet users read blogs and 61 percent of US consumers have made a purchase based on a blog post. Social Media Today’s website claims 14 percent of bloggers make an income from blogging, with an average salary of $24,000 a year. Some bloggers, however, make much more. Celebrity gossip blog Perez Hilton earns $450,000 a month according to Forbes. “Blogging is awesome. And frightening. And awesome again.” Jenny Lawson said. Lawson, known as “The Bloggess” is one of the most successful bloggers while her blog, which she shares her title with, has transformed her from a columnist for the Houston Chronicle to a nationally sought after public speaker and The New York Times Best Seller. Lawson said she started her blog because she “needed an uncensored space to say the f-word and talk about ninjas.”

One way to do this is for the blogger to pick a topic and center the blog around it. This provides the blog with a potential audience. Users who might not only be searching for terms which would make the blog pop-up, but also might be intrigued enough to click on the result. Another method of driving traffic is by “tagging” posts. A tag is a short one or two word phrase that If an individual or company wants to create a summarizes the post. Most blog blog, there are sites available to help create one authors will use more than one tag, in order to at little or no cost. Sites like WordPress and increase the possibility someone who receive Blogger allow novice users to create a blog using their blog as a search result. The How Search templates, which are prebuilt websites complete Works page on Google’s Inside Search website with pleasing color schemes. These templates describes how Google builds results pages by may be customized to an extent, with more “crawling” the web looking for key terms. Tags features for an added fee. give Google something to catch while crawling. Many sites can help a would-be blogger make a blog but making that blog popular is something else entirely. After all, more bloggers do not make an income from their blog than those who do. To better brand the blog, many bloggers choose to purchase a custom domain. A domain name is what a visitor has to type into the address bar of their web browser to get to a site. A more simple domain makes it easier to get to a blog, and makes the blog easier to link to. Websites such as Namecheap offer discounted rates; often .com domains can be purchased for under $20 a year.

Unlike other forms of social media, blogs are uniquely personal. Bloggers can represent only themselves and not worry about misrepresenting their employers or business partners. As The Bloggess, Lawson is able to be as vulgar or silly as she pleases, something that is hard to find in a more structured setting. At the same time, the blogger can also capitalize on the traffic the blog is driving, getting exposure Another method of driving traffic is by the and capitalizing on the site’s marketing power. blogger being conscious of their blog’s SEO,

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or Search Engine Optimization. This means that their blog is easily noticed by major search engines like Google and Bing, and is displayed high on the list of results, so that it is more easily seen.

Bloggers who are able to drive enough traffic to their site may began to use services like Google’s AdSense to host ads on their site. More hits means more money. They may even be contacted by companies looking to advertise with them directly, or offer them product for free in exchange for writing about the product. While networks such as Facebook and Twitter can provide a captive audience for individuals or companies, and drive millions of profile visits, Facebook and Twitter are the one’s getting the clicks. Ad revenue and user metrics are being collected not by the owner of the page, but by the network. A blog lets the person doing the writing take full advantage of page visits.

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Asexuality: When no sex is better than sex

ex. How can anyone possibly live without it?

“I just don’t get that ‘Damn, I would date them, feeling.” That’s how Olivia Sihle, a student at Seminole State College of Florida, described her asexuality. “I thought I was broken before I learned about asexuality,” Sihle said. “I discovered it about a year ago, related to the definition and accepted it.” Asexuals do not experience sexual attraction and may not feel the need to partake in sexual activities. Seminole State human sexuality professor Rebecca Padilla said the lack of sexual attraction experienced by asexual individuals is no less a natural part of them than sexual attraction is to sexual people.

YOU’RE ALREADY HERE.

“People shouldn’t discredit something just because they don’t understand. Asexuality is real, and there are ways to learn about it,” she said.

Padilla said she believes it is important that people “don’t pigeonhole asexuals” into a specific romantic orientation because it is “more of a spectrum,” she said. This spectrum can range anywhere from aromantic, feeling no romantic attraction to romantic. “Some romantic asexuals have compared their attraction to aesthetics as being similar to admiring a painting,” Professor Padilla said. Sihle has been in relationships before and said “the lack of sexual intimacy” is what has kept her from having a successful one, adding that she is still planning on having a relationship, but she will “set the boundaries first.” NO SEX continued on next page

Padilla said the misconception that asexuals are “broken” or have “repression issues” is not true, and the confusion between asexuality and celibacy is also an issue.

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“Asexuality is not celibacy,” Padilla said. “Celibacy is a choice, but asexuality is a sexual orientation just like homosexuality, heterosexuality and bisexuality.” However, just because asexuals may not feel sexually attracted to others, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they

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are not interested in dating other individuals.

Unfortunately, asexuals do have a tendency to be marginalized in society, even among other LGBT groups, according to Padilla.

Move on to a bachelor’s degree while staying close to home.

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By: Jordan Donohue

Unity members joined members of Seminole State Volunteers at the Pet Rescue by Judy event on the Sanford/Lake Mary campus.

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Overcome fears, build confidence at

Allegiance, then members take turns filling various Staff report roles such as the role of the grammarian, whose job is to listen for grammatical errors within the speeches. Other positions included the official timer and the “Ah-counter”, who keeps track of how many unnatural pause words are used in a speech.

Semionole State Toastmasters

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We are all ‘but-less’ today,” Joe Houston, a Toastmasters International member, said at a recent Toastmasters meeting, referring to the fact that none of the Toastmasters members said the dreaded word “but” that is usually followed by an “um” during an oral presentation. Students of Seminole State who have a fear of public speaking may find a way to overcome that fear thanks to the oncampus club, Toastmasters International is a worldwide non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills and is considered a world leader in the development of those areas. Since 1924 their membership has grown to include 313,000 members with 14,650 clubs in 126 countries. One of those clubs, recently formed is called the Seminole State College Toastmasters. “I would encourage anyone to join, especially students. Intro to Oral Communications is a joke,” Jamie Hamilton said at this Tuesday’s meeting, “This is a more serious level.” Hamilton is a Seminole State student who also works as a software developer and real estate broker. He joined Toastmasters in April when the group started in hopes of becoming a “more effective communicator” when dealing with his customers at work, peers in school and to break out of the norm of those in his career who just sit in front of a computer and have limited interaction with coworkers and others alike. “Communication is the number one skill, if you cannot communicate effectively, then it is going to be very hard for you,” Mr. Hamilton said. Members of Toastmasters give speeches and these speeches are structured in a specific way. They begin with the Pledge of

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“We all share rolls,” Hugh Moore, Associate Dean of the Center for Business, Management & Entrepreneurship at Seminole State College, said about the positions. As the meeting unfolded, some people spoke softly, while others had an in-yourface approach to speech delivery—even theatrical, with changes in voice pitch, tone and even extreme facial expressions. “Insanity is hereditary from your children,” Jordan Camenker, Professor and Program Manager of Legal Studies at Seminole State and a self-proclaimed humorist, said during his humor speech, which produced multiple chuckles from the audience. Membership for The Seminole State chapter of Toastmasters International is $36 every six months. The goal is for club members to sharpen their speaking in a non-judgmental environment, gaining experience while losing fear. “Our goal is to help each other speak well in public and do so in a warm and supportive environment,” Camenker said, “This is not a speech class, but boy I will tell you dollar for dollar and ounce for ounce this is one of the best bargins you can get in adult education.” The Seminole State Toastmasters meet every Tuesday in the Sanford/Lake Mary campus from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

NO SEX continued from previous page

Another common misconception is that asexuals cannot participate in sex at all simply because they lack the strong impulses to act out sexually. History professor Kathryn Steinhaus, advisor of Unity, Seminole State’s Gay-Straight Alliance club, said she knows asexuals who are willing to have sex for their partner’s benefit despite not having any sexual urges. “I feel that, for most people, the ideal relationship is not all about sex,” she added. Being an asexual in a hypersexualized world can be uncomfortable, acccording to Sihle, but her asexuality gives her a sense of safety. “I have a lower chance of getting STDs,” she said, “and I don’t have to worry about any unwanted buns in my oven.”

Olivia Sihle finds people who don’t accept asexuality amusing. “It’s like looking at a frog and claiming frogs don’t exist.”

In addition, Sihle said she is very open about her asexuality with people and it’s “one of the first things” people find out about her. “I go out on dates accidentally all of the time though because I just assume everyone wants to be a friend,” she said, adding that her mom doesn’t believe it. “Acceptance is important because it gives everybody a chance to feel normal,” she said. Having been involved in LGBT issues since she was 18, Professor Steinhaus said she believes that acceptance is important having witnessed “the painful process of coming out from close friends.” She said she also feels “it is nice to see a reminder that the world doesn’t revolve around sex. Especially, since it is marketed and exploited throughout popular culture.” One place where students are welcome is the Unity GSA club. “It (Unity) provides a safe place, an emotional prop, and it has a very social aspect to it,” she said. “Being an ally is a truly enriching experience because it shows you that the beautiful thing about diversity is that it teaches us different ways of viewing our patterns, and we can learn more about ourselves by studying others.”

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Veterans Day at Seminole State By: Melissa B. Merkler & Tia Gautreaux

The “Seminole Sound” choir of Seminole State College sings the national anthem at the college’s Veterans Day ceremony. Left to right: Jose Toro retired as an Air Force Master Sergeant after 21 years of service and is now a Seminole State Veterans’ Affairs Specialist of Enrollment Services. Jabree Sadberry will be graduating this fall from the Seminole State Fire Academy and is a 15-year veteran Army Sergeant 1st class E7 in the Army Reserves. Nelson Lucca served 13 years in the Army as a Sergeant E5 and is now a Seminole State Academic Advising & Counseling. These men also represent three generations of war: Lucca served in Vietnam, Toro served in Desert Storm and Sadberry served in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

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Stephen Howell, President of Student Veteran’s Association, celebrated Veterans Day with his wife Stephaney and son Masiah at the Seminole State College’s Veterans Day event. Howell served in the Army for 7 years where he did five active “hardship tours” in Iraq, Iraq, Afghanistan, Jordan, Sudan and Korea. Howell is now studying medicines and wants to be a pediatric oncologist.

“For the longest while, I didn’t recognize Veteran’s Day. As I returned to civilian life, I realized why it is important. I just wanted to get back to life when I came home. However, on the civilian side, I started to realize what all of my military work was for.” - Stephen Howell

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