Vol. CXXII, Issue 12

the

Vol. CXXII Issue 12

eporter Stetson University | DeLand, Fla.

More Than Just The Birds and the Bees A look at Stetson Sex Week

Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Ask the Doctor About Sex

Letters to Canopy Cove

Photo credit: Michael Galvez

Dr. Jim Perlotto, a doctor from Yale University, discusses common misconceptions surrounding sex in the Stetson Room on Feb. 11. Dr. Perlotto provided students with uninhibited conversation and insight into the latest medical information.

Photo courtesy: Grace Aguda

In the photo above, student organizer Grace Aguda tables for the event Letters to Canopy Cove as Valentine's serenaders from Phi Mu Alpha write letters for people with eating disorders. The event addressed the issue of body image. From 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., a total of 70 letters of encouragement and motivation were made and shipped to the Canopy Cove Eating Disorder Treatment Center in Tallahassee.

In the top photos, friends Erin Hendryx, left, Grace Aguda, center, and Kevin Serrano share a hug, and Grace poses with a board explaining how to recognize the signs of an eating disorder.

Photo credit: Dr. Erin Moore

Michael Galvez and Sompi Harmetz, the two main student organizers of Sex Week @ Stetson University, pose for a photo in the Stetson Room during the Safer Sex Fair as the week drew to a close.

Sex Week coverage continues on Page 2

2

NEWS

The Only Love Project More from Stetson Sex Week Supports LGBT Students Residential Life Coordinator R.C. Stabile discusses the foundation of the campaign

Photo courtesy: Christina Canalizo

Christina Canalizo, President of Students Against Sexual Assault (SASA) speaks at the Let’s Talk about Sex: Sex Week Kickoff event on Feb. 9, which had over 120 students and faculty members in attendance.

Safer Sex Fair Photo credit: Caroline Williams

Caroline Williams, Staff Writer For the past three years, Stetson has hosted the Only Love Project, an anti-bullying campaign for LGBT students. This year’s event, sponsored by Residential Life, the Tri-C and Safe Zone, and Kaleidoscope, took place at the Cross Cultural Center.

Only Love, which began in 2010 at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, is a photo campaign dedicated to showing support for people of all genders and sexualities.

For their photographs, participants wear white so their faces stand out against the white background and bring a meaningful prop with them. This item can be anything that means a lot to the person: a book, a scarf, etc.

At Stetson, many people took pictures and wrote inspiring messages, on sheets of paper with colorful markers or online, using the hashtag #onlyloveproject.

Only Love originated from the story of Tyler Clementi, a gay student at Rutgers University who took his own life due to bullying over his sexuality.

While Clementi was with another male, his roommate recorded the two without their knowledge via webcam and maliciously livestreamed the intimate exchange to other students who mocked him after-

wards.

Twenty-four hours later, he committed suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge.

Residential Life Coordinator R.C. Stabile was working at Indiana University of Pennsylvania as a graduate hall director at the time. He recalled the upset reactions from students as a result of the incident at Rutgers.

“We had a very large LGBT staff and a lot of students identified with being gay or lesbian, and they were really upset because they didn’t know what they could do,” said Stabile. “I said, ‘ok, let’s think about how we can impact our community and show that there is a support system here,’ which is obviously what Tyler didn’t feel.”

The students originally partnered with a campaign called “No Hate,” that primarily focused on gay marriage, but it ultimately didn’t provide the support system students at IUP were looking for. This is when Only Love took off.

“We decided to create our own [campaign],” Stabile said. “We started it in September of 2010. Since then, it’s been at multiple universities. Every school that’s ever done it has repeated it. Rutgers, which is where Tyler went, is going be doing their first one this year. So, it’s kind of a cool year for us to see it go back to where Tyler was.”

Each year, the turnout

Editor-in-Chief A & E Editor Katie Dezes Garen Freed Managing Editor Web Editor Samuel Votaw Michael Galvez News Editor Layout Design Editor Sarah Dean Sarah Dean Sports Editor Layout Designer Sean McKnight Colleen Palmateer Opinion Editor Layout and Web Designer Michael Van Oppen Ethan Deal

for Only Love increases as awareness spreads.

Last year, about 200 people came to the event, and about 300 were predicted for this year.

“I want people to know that there’s a support system here at Stetson,” said Stabile. “My hope is that incoming students who may identify with the LGBT spectrum will know there is support.”

Although the Only Love Project is an annual event at Stetson, Stabile sees the support and love being carried out throughout the year. It may not be as loud or noticeable, but it is still present.

“We choose to do this in February because it’s a time when people often feel alone, you know, with Valentine’s Day being ‘Singles Awareness Day’.

And I think it’s harder for those who aren’t out yet; not being able to express who you are during this time of year is hard. It’s also complicated for those who are out, as well.”

Holly Meadows, senior and Student Coordinator for the Only Love Project, feels that it is a unifying event for Stetson.

“I think that’s something Stetson prides itself on; we are together as a university,” said Meadows. “I think this campaign allows people to express themselves in all kinds of ways and express their love for all kinds of people, and I think it unifies the campus.”

Business Manager Hallie Smith Circulation Manager Jacob Helwig Faculty Advisor Andy Dehnart Staff Advisor John Sheehy

Photo credit: Michael Galvez

Top: Fair attendees stop at the flavored condom tasting booth and sample the different options. At the Safe Sex Fair, students of Dr. Erin Moore operated tables that provided a variety of information regarding sex safety, including contraceptives and diseases, with acitvity booths and raunchy games like The Penis Puzzle.

Bottom: Leonard Novati, a senior Digital Arts and Computer Science major, talks to a fair attendee about the purpose of Club Aikido and how it is one of many useful methods of self-defense. Leonard has recently been promoted to a green belt.

Staff Writers Amber Cox Caroline Williams Staff Photographers Nicole Frechette Shadee Rios Staff Contributors Kaley Fulton Konner Krieger Daniel Ureña

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We will deliver content that’s fair-minded and respectful of the diverse opinions and viewpoints of our readers. We are responsible for covering the Stetson community and providing our readers with consistent, accurate and factual information in new and

creative ways. We will maintain the standards expected of a professional and credible news organization, which includes a serious commitment to honesty, transparency, and growth.

We are conscious of our influence, holding ourselves accountable to our readers and to our own standards of journalistic integrity.

February 26, 2015

NEWS

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Public Safety Report Highlight Reel Case # 20150088: On Feb. 6, an incident of Harassment was reported to Public Safety. The incident stemmed from a student receiving harassing text messages from another student.

Case # 20150097: On Feb. 10, another incident of Harassment was reported after a student received harassing text messages from a non-student.

Case # 20150089: On Feb. 6, a Trouble Alarm was reported from Chaudoin Hall. The alarm was allegedly caused by a shower leaking onto an electrical circuit.

Case # 20150093: On Feb. 9, Public Safety received information regarding an abandoned bicycle near the University Marketing building.

The bicycle was found without a pedal and no student registration sticker.

Case # 20150095: On Feb. 10, an incident of Criminal Mischief was reported from Smith Hall. A Public Safety officer witnessed a student flick a lit cigarette toward the officer’s golf cart, which burnt the seat. The student was identified and will now face discipline from the Office of Community Standards.

Case # 20150098: On Feb. 10, a Fire Alarm was reported from Chaudoin Hall. The alarm stemmed from a fire alarm control panel shorting out, putting the building on Fire Watch.

Case # 20150101:On Feb. 11, an incident of Petty Theft was reported to Public Safety. A student reported a five foot tall palm tree used for a senior research project missing after leaving it outside Flagler Hall for some sunlight. No leads have been found yet.

Case # 20150102: On Feb. 11, an incident of Property Damage was reported when a student shattered a window in front of The Commons, allegedly due to tapping on it to get another student’s attention. The student was cut as a result. No discipline was warranted, and the window is now repaired.

Case #20150123: On Feb. 19, a Forcible Sexual Offense was reported to Public Safety. Due to the nature of the incident, all details are confidential.

Case #20150126: On Feb. 19, an incident of Criminal Mischief was reported to Public Safety from University Hall. The incident stemmed from a student reporting their car was keyed. No leads have been found as of yet.

Help Kick Invasive Student Employee of the Month Species to the Curb Sarah Dean News and Layout Editor Environmentally-conscious volunteers are needed to help save one of Florida's natural habitats right here in Volusia County.

Stetson senior Logan Dodson will be leading a massive coral ardasia removal project in Chuck Lennon Park this weekend.

Coral ardisia is a harmful invasive plant species from Asia that overgrows and pushes out natural species.

It has been on a growing rampage in Chuck Len-

non Park, an ideal spot for mountain-biking, with a landscape now covered in the plant. There are an estimated 3,000 to 3,500 plants on the three bike paths alone.

Spring is the ideal time to remove coral ardisia, because what may look like any old leaf for the rest of the year becomes instantly recognizable by its bright red berries.

By removing the plant now, the natural landscape of the park can be restored and enjoyed by many mountain bikers to come.

“We can use a huge number of volunteers,”

Dodson said. “There is enough coral ardisia out there that everyone will get a chance to pull some—no matter how many volunteers come!”

The event will take place from 12 to 3 p.m. on Mar. 1 at the Chuck Lennon Mountain Bike Park, 5000 Greenfield Dairy Road in DeLeon Springs.

Volunteers are asked to bring work gloves, a water bottle, bug spray, and any kind of pruning shears they have access to, if possible. It is also encouraged to wear sturdy clothes and shoes for hiking in wooded areas.

Nicole Garrabrant

Photo courtesy: Noreen Huth

By The Student Employment Committee Garrabrant’s supervisor, Colleen Price, wrote the following about her job well done:

www.Facebook.com/ StetsonReporter

"Nicole is an outstanding Member Service employee who goes “above and beyond” in her administrative support to Wellness and Recreation staff. She continuously exceeds the performance standards for her position as well as willingly accepts new assignments and help wherever she can. Nicole has demonstrated excellent managerial and decision making skills. She is attentive to tasks and works tirelessly to achieve the goals of the department. She is an extremely positive and dependable employee, performing her duties in an extremely timely and conscientious manner."

The Student Employment Committee comprised of supervisors across campus nominate and choose the Student Employee of the Month.

4 OPINON

Literacy is a Privilege Stetson org highlights the struggle of illiteracy in Africa

Kaley Fulton Staff Contributor When you think of someone powerful, who is the first person who comes to your mind? A president?

A CEO? While I’m not a mind reader, I’m guessing that you didn’t envision a person reading a book.

While the image of a bookworm may not be typically associated with power, literacy is one of the most powerful skills that a person can have.

The bureau of literacy statistics reports that students who cannot read proficiently by fourth grade are three times as likely to drop out of high school than their proficient peers.

High school dropouts are 63 percent more likely to be imprisoned than college graduates, and 85 percent of juveniles who have contact with the court system are functionally illiterate.

The truth is, the ability to read and write is a powerful tool for creating opportunities and success in life.

Can you imagine not being able to read or write?

There would be so much that you wouldn’t understand, so many ideas that wouldn’t be shared with you, and so much joy that would be lost without the ability to read stories.

Illiteracy excludes individuals from social and political life, leaving them with no social mobility and drastically fewer connections than literate individuals. If one is completely illiterate, one faces the risk of going to the doctor and unknowingly consenting to a medical procedure—how scary!

Despite the fact that literacy is an absolutely essential skill, illiteracy remains a large problem both in the United States and internationally.

Last Wednesday, Wamweni Shamambo and members of the Stetson for Zambia club detailed the severe illiteracy problem that exists in Zambia, a country on the southeast coast of Africa.

Zambia is one of the five poorest countries in Africa, and about 30 percent of its population is illiterate.

The Zambian government ensures that primary school (elementary school) is free for students, but free education stops after seventh grade.

Since families have to pay for high school, the majority of students cannot afford the fees and are forced to drop out. A lack of education condemns these very bright and deserving students to a life of poverty.

Fortunately, there is an organization in Zambia called Beyond Universal Primary Education that offers free high school education to some very deserving students. However, this organization is not yet able to offer schooling to all students in Zambia and lacks resources to distribute basic supplies.

Students involved in Stetson for Zambia have taken it upon themselves to raise $16,000 for Books for Africa, an organization that spreads the joy of learning and reading to school children throughout the continent of Africa. I would encourage the Stetson community to donate to this worthy cause so that the power of literacy can be spread to others.

Even if you are not able to donate, I’d encourage you to broaden your perspective on the issue of illiteracy.

Being literate is a privilege, and acknowledging it is the first step to helping others.

It Could Happen to You! - Part II Raising awareness of identity theft

Konner Krieger Staff Contributor After my last article on Identity theft, I had the privilege of speaking with Dr. Betty Thorne, a resident expert who was herself a victim of identity theft. She warns that although there is no way to guarantee you won’t become a victim, there are steps you can take to limit the chances. She has provided ten tips to help people guard themselves against identity theft.

First, know what’s in your credit report. There are three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. They each offer one free credit report per year so you can check your credit report for free about once every four months using a website such as www. annualcreditreport.com.

Dr. Thorne’s second and third tips are to change passwords often and use different passwords for different sites. That way, if an identity thief discovers the

password for your Facebook profile, they don’t get your online bank account password as well. Fourth, leave your social security card at home; don’t carry it around in your wallet.

Surprisingly, as I was walking back to my dorm after speaking with Dr. Thorne, I found someone’s wallet on the ground and their social security number was inside. If I was a crook, I could have stolen their identity or taken their SSN and sold it to somebody who would.

Fifth, if you have a medicare card, make a paper copy of it that only shows the last four digits of your social security number.

Some people are unaware that their medicare card has their social security number on it and carry it around in their wallet.

Sixth, consider subscribing to a credit monitoring service. However, make sure to do your research first to figure out which service is right and cost effective for you.

Seventh, use a crosscut shredder to shred documents containing financial, medical, and other personal information. Otherwise, dumpster divers can easily put those shredded documents back together again.

Eighth, never transmit personal or financial information over free public wifi

Empowering “Interactive” Education The value of simulations at Stetson and beyond Michael Van Oppen Opinion Editor and Daniel Ureña Staff Contributor Two weeks ago, a group of political science students had the opportunity to attend an international security exercise hosted by UCF and the Army War College.

The simulation revolved around a real-world international crisis and provided an insider’s view of the challenges of international negotiations at both the regional and global levels.

Having the opportunity to assist such an event got us thinking about the value of “interactive” education, whether at Stetson or at our partner institutions.

The direct benefit of educational simulations is that they allow you to experience the way the “real world” works and attain a practical

understanding of the mechanisms you normally learn about from books and lectures.

Stetson’s Floyd M. Riddick Model United States Senate, for example, demonstrates the difficulty of creating legislation in a chamber designed to give each state and its representative the same power and voice regardless of population or economic wealth.

Moreover, the Model United Nations exposes students to the difficulties of reaching agreements between countries with cultural and political differences.

These events are an important tool to effectively educate and inspire students to participate in the real-world institutions they are simulating. Even if we don’t end up working for such institutions, these experiences are great tools to train and prepare our minds for meaningful professional engagement after graduation.

Moving from Arts and Sciences to the Business School, another

great example of “active” learning includes the Roland George Investments Program. This program allows students to use the theories and knowledge of the investment world they have learned in class and apply them to a student run portfolio.

It is well documented that collaborative learning and discussion is a much more effective approach to teaching students than merely lecture-based teaching styles. This is especially crucial in the social sciences where much of the real-world application of these topics often takes place in discussion and collaborative fora.

Channeling the interactive nature of these events and applying it to our day-to-day classes would greatly benefit students in achieving their learning objectives, as well as Stetson as an institution in improving learning outcomes.

At the base-level, for a class to be interactive, students need to feel like they know what they

are talking about. In other words, classes need to be engaging to a level where they can boost the student’s academic confidence. In this respect, tasking students to engage in independent research can drastically improve a course’s effectiveness.

Then, bringing this knowledge to the classroom and engaging in debates will encourage students to become properly immersed in the subject matter. This is why simulations are beneficial, and in an ideal world, this is how all classes should be.

Taking a class should be similar to playing a game, not reminiscent of the tedious repetition of the rules before the game. You learn a game quickest by playing it, and this is how you should learn in class as well. You should not learn simply by studying the rules, but by putting your knowledge to use in the “real world,” or at least in situations as close to the real world as we can simulate.

because it’s not secure, and anybody with rudimentary hacking skills can access that data.

Ninth, check your credit card and bank statements frequently in order to catch any discrepancies, and respond promptly.

Tenth, simply be prepared. There are a lot of people out there trying to take advantage of people’s ignorance about identity theft. If you know the facts, listen to the warnings, and are proactive in addressing any inconsistencies in your credit report or bank statements, you will have a greater chance of avoiding the hassle of identity theft, which will cost you a lot of time and money.

For those interested in receiving more information, Dr. Thorne and Dr. Stryker recently had their paper, “The ‘Dirty Dozen’ Tax Scams Plus 1,” accepted for publication in the Academy of Business Disciplines Journal. In the article, they offer tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of tax fraud, such as filing early and selecting a legitimate tax preparer.

Identity theft can happen to anyone, but if you stay vigilant and follow the advice of Dr. Thorne and other experts, you’ll lessen the chances of it happening to you.

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February 26 2015

OPINION

5

Adulthood Chronicles

Sarah Dean News and Layout Editor The milestone of getting one’s first apartment comes with a lot of other mini-milestones and sudden epiphanies, including but not limited to, realizing that you now own plates and cutlery that aren’t plastic and suddenly beginning to appreciate how much your parents cleaned for you.

Something that eventually comes into your apartment or house during the beginning stretch of your adult life is your first real piece of art—not that $3 painting of sunflowers you got from the thrift store or your cookie jar shaped like a French bulldog.

Dealing With Art Anxiety This is something you probably received as a gift or something you splurged on at an art fair because you are now an adult with a place to decorate, and art fairs have suddenly become interesting.

My first art piece came to me as a birthday present.

It was something I had offhandedly pointed out to my parents. My mother, bless her soul, actually secretly went back to get it for me. It was the most unique, fragile, and breakable thing I have ever owned, and handmade to boot.

This was not my thrift store flower painting. No, it was not a Picasso, but it was the most valuable thing I owned.

I became terrified of it.

I moved it around the

house about 20 times. The incredibly stable shelf?

Seems kinda narrow. It could still fall. My dresser? Too crowded. What if I pushed it over? The kitchen table? No, no, no. Way too many people pushed it around. I began to understand the old mom, “Don’t you dare play ball around this vase,” mindset.

After finally deciding to make it a coffee table centerpiece, I actually found myself walking more lightly. Because, dear god, what if the table rattles too much and it tips over?

Nevertheless, it does look good sitting there. I feel so grown up, because somehow, this weird eyeball sculpture—which might be creeping all my friends out—makes

me feel a little bit better about my place in the adult world.

It will probably still take me awhile to be totally comfortable with its presence. I already dread the moment when I graduate and move out and have to figure out how to pack it.

And If you’re not an art person, do not fear. In fact, you will probably be way more comfortable walking around your apartment and hanging things in high places. It’s definitely okay to not be into art.

And hey, you’ll have a lot of other interesting milestones of your own.

Artsy or not, everyone eventually has to deal with hearing the neighbors partaking in inappropriate ac-

Photo credit: Sarah Dean

A Letter to the Water Gods of Stetson Why isn’t there warm running water in campus bathrooms?

Katie Dezes Editor-in-Chief Dear Stetson, I think I speak for all students, faculty, and staff when I say we need a warm water option for the sinks in the bathrooms on campus.

In most buildings at Stetson, you will find only one knob or handle on the sinks in the bathroom which provides one type of water: cold. In some bathrooms, you may see two knobs/handles, one labeled as hot and another labeled as cold. However, if you twist or turn the “hot” one, cold water trickles out with low water pressure or no water comes out at all.

This leaves you with no choice but to wash your hands with cold water, which is especially problematic in the winter months.

Personally, I find it extremely uncomfortable to wash my hands in freezing cold water when it's 40 degrees outside.

It's also unsanitary— not because cold water doesn't kill germs as well as warm water does; this myth has been debunked by several scientific studies. Rath-

er, it is unsanitary because it discourages people from washing their hands as well as they should or causes them to avoid it entirely.

I recently witnessed a girl in a Flagler Hall bathroom put one hand under the water to begin washing her hands only to pull it out quickly and say, "that's too cold!" Then she walked out.

While it may not be true that warm water is more effective at killing germs than cold water is, it's a fact that being cold lowers the immune system.

I spent the entire day Friday, the coldest day of the week, walking to-andfro all over campus. It was the end of the week and I was tired, but I had several meetings and errands to run, and I still felt healthy.

Throughout the day, I had no choice but to wash my hands several times in nearly freezing water. That evening, I came down with a cold, and I'm still suffering from it as I write this.

Coincidence?

Maybe. I have no evidence to prove that Stetson's cold water caused my sickness.

However, I can say that I remember not washing my hands as often as I would have liked to or not wash-

ing them as thoroughly as I should have because of how uncomfortable the cold water was.

This is especially problematic for a person like me with bad circulation.

Once my hands get cold, it takes a long time to warm them up again. If I hadn’t brought gloves to campus that day, it would have been unbearable.

While the cold water at Stetson may not have caused me to become ill, it certainly may have contributed.

My own experience indicates why having warm hand-washing water is necessary for the well-being of everyone at Stetson.

I'm aware that there are some areas on campus, such as the restrooms on the first floor of Elizabeth Hall outside Lee Chapel and the financial aid office, that provide warm running water.

However, the fact that warm hand-washing water is only available at a few specific locations and not the majority of academic halls, the library, and the CUB (where people go to eat food), is unacceptable and a little suspicious; offering warm water at the two previously mentioned

locations and not the majority of buildings students frequent most often seems to indicate that Stetson finds pleasing guests, alumni, and prospective students more important than current students. This appears most obvious when considering that a warm water option is available on the bottom floor of Elizabeth and not the second and third floor.

Also, the fact that there are a few bathrooms currently on campus with warm water shows that providing it is an option. If we did it in the past, why can't we do it again?

I'm sure if I were to speak to a campus expert on this issue, they would have plenty of legitimate excuses prepared. A popular excuse at Stetson is blaming something on the lack of available funds.

For example, I recently spoke to Lindsey Bishop, the Director of Marketing for Dining Services, after she responded to my piece last semester in The Reporter about the Hat Rack refusing to offer free water to students. The main reasons Bishop provided for this decision was promoting environmental sustainability by decreasing the

As long as icicles are growing on plants, we shouldn’t be expected to wash our hands in cold water.

amount of paper cups used and limiting the cost of drinks (people may tell the cashier they want water and decide to fill their cup with another beverage).

“It’s one of those things where a few people ruin it for the whole. You know, people will go over there and fill up with Cherry Coke, and that can be really expensive, and it adds up over time," Bishop said.

While these are legitimate excuses, it could be argued that the cost to provide free drinks is worth it.

Bishop said it cost the university around the amount of one person's salary to provide free drinks in The Commons for a semester under Sodexo. If this is the case, the amount of money Stetson may lose from people occasionally lying about getting water seems extremely trivial.

The environmental argument is a whole other issue. While there are a couple areas on campus where students can fill up their water bottles with filtered water, The Commons and The Hat Rack still provide plastic and paper cups.

Is refusing the few people that ask for free water in the Hat Rack really making a difference for the environ-

ment? Students will either go elsewhere and purchase something in a plastic container that they will later throw away, or they will be forced to go without.

Similar excuses could be applied to the lack of warm water options on campus since the university may be trying to conserve water and money. While these arguments may be true, it doesn't make them significant. It's all about setting priorities.

With the amount of money we spend on landscaping and other questionable endeavors, it seems that it would be worth it to provide warm running water for students who need it. I believe the health of Stetson's students and employees is more important than laying down newly imported grass every three months when the tips start to brown. But, that's just me.

Please Stetson. Do us all a favor, and give us warm water to wash our hands with! Is that too much to ask for?

Sincerely, All Stetson Students with Regretfully Dirty Hands

Photo credit: Katie Dezes

6 A&E

Stetson Alum Releases New Book

Sam Slaughter Explores the weirdness of Florida through fiction

By George Salis Staff Contributor

After being awarded the Best of There Will Be Words 2014 prize, Stetson alumnus and writer Sam Slaughter is set to publish his first chapbook of flash fiction, When You Cross That Line, in May 2015.

Currently living in Central Florida, Slaughter earned his BA from Elon University and his MA from Stetson University, where he wrote his first novel, Dogs.

He also serves as the Fiction Editor for Black Heart Magazine, the Book Review Editor at Atticus Review, and a Contributing Editor at Entropy with his series "Getting Lit." He's had both fiction and nonfiction works published in outlets including Midwestern Gothic and McSweeney's Internet Tendency.

His upcoming chapbook is a collection of five flash stories that will explore the weirdness of Florida.

“I’ve been amazed at how absolutely weird the majority of the state is—the people in it, the things that happen in the news,” said Slaughter. “When reading, it’s really hard not to stop and cock your head to the side like a dog would and go, ‘What the hell?’”

Slaughter was inspired by a Twitter feed of odd news stories called Florida Man. “I started reading those and saw that they were perfect fodder for stories, especially for

flash stories, which can be much more intense than short stories or novels,” Slaughter said. “ I think about these news stories and the people behind them: why would a person be naked, carry around a samurai sword, wielding it at his neighbors? Why would a person try to use a welding grinder to take a tattoo off his own face?

It boggles my mind to think that people would do these things.

That’s the basis of these stories” News stories aren’t Slaughter’s only source for ideas.

“I get my ideas from anywhere and everywhere,” he explained. “Flannery O’ Conner said that if you make it out of childhood then you’ll have enough ammunition to be a writer for the rest of your life, so it’s a constant process of observation and memorization.”

In 2014, Slaughter gave a TEDxStetsonU Talk where he instructed writers to cannibalize everything: family, friends, experiences.

“Denis Johnson tells us to write from exile,” Slaughter said.

“Write from the place that makes you uncomfortable because you will become much more honest and your fiction will become much more brutal—not in the sense of physical violence, but in the sense of wreaking havoc on one character’s life. You want that moment in the story where someone’s life completely changes. In general, fiction is the place where you can idealize or demonize whatever you want and you’re only limited by your own inhibitions.”

Slaughter’s literary influences are American writers such as the aforementioned Denis Johnson in addition to Daniel Woodrell, Kurt Vonnegut. T.C. Boyle, Karen Russell, Flannery O’Conner, Faulkner, and Hemingway.

“The most important thing I’ve learned as a writer is the need for persistence—I mean being able to understand that it will be hard more times than it will be easy. You need to be willing to power through that. I write because at this point I can’t not write, although I love when writing is over,” Slaughter admits.

“One of my favorite quotes is from Hunter S. Thompson who said, ‘Writing is the complete opposite of sex, it’s only good when it’s over.’ But I am worse off when I am not writing than when I am writing, even though it’s not necessarily a pleasurable experience. There are times when it’s euphoric, after a glass or bourbon, or two, or three. Russell Banks, I think, said three is the optimal amount of drinks for writing, because you still have your faculties, yet you've let your creative inhibitions go. There are those times, where after a couple of glasses of bourbon with my favorite music on, it feels good and it feels right.”

When You Cross That Line can be preordered at: www. therewillbewords.bigcartel.com Slaughter’s other works can be found online at www.samslaughterthewriter.com and on Twitter @slaughterwrites.

Photo courtesy: Sam Slaughter

IMPROVing Thursday Nights Students to perform weekly improv comedy shows in Allen Hall Jonathan Montanero Staff Contributor

Photo courtesy: Jonathan Montanero

The lights of Allen Hall shine bright every Thursday night. Starting this February, the improvisational (improv) student groups, No Refunds and For Display Only, are performing Chicago-style improv weekly.

Every Thursday evening at 10 p.m., for only two dollars, you can watch the groups perform an hour-long show. However, this is not your ordinary theater experience.

On opening night, Feb. 5, a large crowd filled the seats for the first act, For Display Only.

The group was not afraid to get edgy almost immediately. Somehow, the group managed to take the crowd suggestion, “Pokemon” and turn it into a skit of a mother killing her “ugly kids.”

It quickly became clear that this was an R-Rated show; the group threw around expletives, insults, and sexual innuendos in a somehow, consistently charming manner. The atmosphere was a delightful surprise, and laughter was abundant.

Following For Display Only was the main event, No Refunds, the senior of the two groups.

Equally as edgy as the act it preceded, No Refunds expressed their freedom of

expression. Subjects in their act consisted of prostitution, malpractice, and love-triangulation.

Unlike short-form improv, used in shows like Whose Line Is It Anyways, where the emphasis is on quick thinking one-liners and small microcosms of character relationships, Stetson’s improv groups practice long-form improv, also called Chicago-style improv. This style, as No Refunds actor Kevin Serrano explained, “tries to create entire theatrical pieces through improv that consist of multiple scenes.”

For Display Only and No Refunds make up the Stetson Branch of The Titanic Players, which is the largest collegiate improvisation organization in the country.

To keep everyone updated with their current events, they made the Facebook page, The Titanic Players at Stetson University.

With the money raised from their weekly shows, the groups are hoping to visit Chicago, the birthplace of long-form improv.

No Refunds is only in its second year performing Chicago-style improv. While the newly named, For Display Only, is still in its first year.

Needless to say, it appears that The Titanic Players at Stetson University have their best days ahead of them. May the hilarity ensue.

February 26, 2015 7

A&E

Album Review

The Alpha of Albums

Deep Breath In, Deep Breath Out

Five meditation tips for beginners

Progressive metal band’s dual album expands on already powerful dynamic Garen Knight Freed A&E Editor The music industry is currently riddled with thousands of musicians attempting to leave their artistic mark on society.

Unfortunately, there are thousands of talented artists whose music goes unheard by the masses.

However, if there is one album—rather, make that two albums—that people NEED to experience, it is most certainly Periphery’s new double-album release: Juggernaut: Alpha and Omega.

Periphery isn’t a band you’ll hear on mainstream rock radio. Periphery also isn’t a band that you’re going to see at EDC, Ultra, or any other ecstasy-induced EDM music festival. However, they are probably the most musically talented band to have formed in the last decade, and with the latest release of Juggernaut: Alpha and Omega, the progressive-metal sextet certifies this.

For new listeners of Periphery, the double-album Juggernaut may just seem like another ordinary album release. However, for the long-time fans, Juggernaut is one of the greatest things to ever happen to music.

If you remember the film Zoolander, Juggernaut is basically like Derek Zoolander’s highly anticipated look “Magnum.”

In fact, when I heard the first songs off Juggernaut, I swear I could hear Will Ferrell somewhere in the background saying, “My God, it’s beautiful!”

Juggernaut: Alpha begins with “A Black Minute,” a beautiful vocal showcase by vocalist Spencer Sotelo. It captures the sheer range of his clean vocal abilities before the next song, “MK Ultra,” kicks in. And when I say “kicks in,” I mean IT FREAKING KICKS YOUR EARDRUMS IN!

I have never heard Sotelo’s vocals so low and devastatingly heavy before, and to top that off, the song’s jazzy outro is a 180 revelation. Listening to it makes me think of a slightly-worn Django Reinhardt vinyl record playing on a Hi-Fi system.

Next up, “Heavy Heart” is undoubtedly the most commercially acceptable song from both albums. Nevertheless, this isn’t a detraction from the song’s value. “Heavy Heart” happens to be one of my favorite songs from the two albums with a “Panic! at the Disco–meets–Dream Theater” sound that is sure to mesmerize anyone.

A few tracks ahead, “Alpha” truly is the best song on Juggernaut: Alpha.

Emulating the words of NBC’s Parks and Recreation’s Chris Traeger portrayed by Rob Lowe, “Alpha” is “literally” the catchiest song I have ever heard, shamelessly forcing me to belt it out like a 14-year old singing Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off.” Starting off with a 8-bit intro, the riff is then transformed into a beautifully heavy hook that is repeatedly vamped throughout the song.

While the guitar work of Mark Holcomb, Misha Mansoor, and Jake Bowen is exceptional in this particular song, it is vocalist Spencer Sotelo that really shines through on this track. In a genre dominated by guitarists trying to certify themselves as guitar gods with obnoxious, meaningless soloing, it is so refreshing to see that Periphery has put aside this ever-so-frustrating behavior in order to release a well-rounded masterpiece of an album.

On the second album, Omega, old school Periphery fans are given a wonderful gift in the form of “The Bad Thing,” one of the chuggiest, heaviest riffs

Periphery has ever written into a song. Then, when the breakdown comes in at around the 2:45 mark, a pure heavy genius is on display.

Finally, there is the nearly 12-minute title track, “Omega.”

Beginning with a beautiful piano composition, the song then leads into an extremely intense movement that sounds like a hybrid of legendary metal bands Decapitated and Gojira. This song is Periphery to the core. “Omega” is a true testament to how far Periphery has come as a band.

Going from a period of frequent lineup changes in their early days to a steady lineup that has been able to collaborate creatively for the last four years, the band has seemed to finally reach their full potential as a cooperative group of talented musicians.

The band’s success with the release of Juggernaut: Alpha and Omega is reflected by the fact Juggernaut: Alpha and Omega reached the number 15 and 16 spots on Billboard’s Top 200, respectively.

With such promising album sales, it is clear that Periphery is no longer an underground, unknown band, but rather a welloiled, progressive metal machine.

Even though it is only February, I can already tell that Juggernaut: Alpha and Omega is going to be my favorite release of 2015.

There is not a single flaw that I can find throughout the entire album. It is true perfection. Carefully written and recorded over the last four years, Periphery has released an album that truly represents who they all are as musicians, music producers, and as unique individuals.

I give Periphery’s Juggernaut: Alpha and Omega 5 out of 5 stars.

Recent album rock your world? See a movie that blew your mind? Tell us about it at reporter@stetson.edu

Photo credit: Shadee Rios

Amber Cox Staff Writer Our lungs expand, filling with air, and then release. Five breathes in, five breathes out. As we focus on feeling every detail of our respiration, every thought—of classes, of work, of money, of relationships, of family—starts to recede, leaving us with nothing but the rise and fall of our chests. The room is full of silence and breaths. All is still.

When the yoga instructor, Emma from Yoga Shed, breaks the silence with the soft tapping on a gong, we all open our eyes, blinking as we smile at one another.

“Namaste,” Emma says. “Namaste,” we reply.

The embracement of Eastern traditions is nothing new; companies like Twitter and Facebook hold regular in-office meditation sessions. Meditation has gained considerable notoriety, shedding its prior reputation of being hippy-dippy nonsense.

My first introduction to meditation was when I was a teacher’s aide in an English course my junior year. My professor, Nancy Barber, assigned Search Inside Yourself: The Unexpected Path to Achieving Success, Happiness (and World Peace) by Chade-Meng Tan as one of the reading materials.

Tan is one of Google's early pioneering engineers, and in Search Inside Yourself, he covers meditation and mindfulness as well as emotional intelligence.

Tan caters meditation and mindfulness exercises to beginners and proves, at least for me, to be the perfect gateway drug into meditation.

Below I have compiled five meditation tips derived from Tan’s exercises.

1) Think About Your Intention Before Each Meditation Before you begin your meditation, spend just a few moments asking yourself what your intention is for this meditation. If you are not deliberate about what you are doing, you can easily fall into an autopilot state. Ask yourself, why am I doing this? To reduce stress? Improve focus?

Having your intentions in the forefront can help guide your mind as you meditate.

2) Keep Momentum Going with “1 Minute Meditation” Tan emphasizes how crucial consistency is. Meditation builds on itself. Each meditation session enables you in some way.

So what do you do when life doesn’t allow for consistency?

Tan suggests committing to daily meditation, even if it’s just for one minute. While daily meditation seems like a tall order, the one minute meditation is definitely feasible and will keep you in your groove until you can sit for a longer period of time.

3) Be Mindful of How Interested You Are Generally, most people discontinue meditation because they lose interest.

You might find yourself becoming bored with meditating or sluggish.

When this happens, the first thing to do is to acknowledge it and let it pass.

Try to resist resisting, and as you put your attention on it, it’ll fade away.

4) Keep a Regular Meditation Spot to “Anchor In” Researchers have found that people tend to associate strong emotional states with objects, places, and people that were around whenever they experienced that state.

A way to take advantage of this with meditation is by “anchoring” states of mindfulness, peace, depth, or focus to a specific location.

To do this, you need to pick a consistent place to meditate. Over time, this spot will become associated in your mind with deep meditative states. So, whenever you sit in your spot, your mind should automatically recognize this, and getting into your flow should prove significantly easier.

5) Keep Things Interesting This relates to the first tip. To avoid boredom, experiment with different kinds of meditation, or at least try to switch it up every now and then.

Not only will this keep your interest peaked, but different kinds of meditation can have different effects on the mind.

These five tips from Tan have been quite helpful for taking my meditations deeper. Give them a try, and see what they can do for you!

8 A&E

Movie Review

Kingsman: A Spy Flick With (Some) Class Caroline Williams Staff Writer

Over Valentine’s weekend, 50 Shades of Grey took the spotlight at movie theaters, on social media, and in casual conversation. Kingsman: The Secret Service was released the same weekend, and it was a great spy thriller—a nice breath of fresh air compared to the other sappy romances that usually surround Valentine’s weekend.

Kingsman: The Secret Service is nothing extraordinary or groundbreaking, but it is action-packed, humorous, and entertaining, which in my opinion makes for a good movie.

Matthew Vaughn, director of X-Men: First Class, brings to the big screen another comic-book inspired film. Welsh actor Taron Egerton makes his film debut in Kingsman, and he is joined by veteran actors Colin Firth (Harry Hart/Sir Galahad), Michael Caine (Sir Giles), Mark Strong (Merlin), and Samuel L. Jackson (Valentine).

The story follows a young man by the name of Eggsy, living in the slums of London. With a less than perfect home life and a bit of a criminal record, life isn’t really looking up for him. That all changes when Harry Hart offers him a second chance as an agent in the secret service, known to other intelligence organizations as Kingsman.When the evil billionaire, Valentine, threatens to wreak havoc all over the planet, it is up to Eggsy and the other Kingsmen to save the world.

Although set in present-day England, Kingsman has a futuristic feel to it since many of the gadgets that Valentine uses seem like something Tony Stark would have in

his lab. It also has a classic James Bond feel, with suave spies and gadgets disguised as everyday things. In the IMDB featurette, director Matthew Vaughn said, “It’s about taking a working class street kid and him being turned into the new modern gentleman spy to help save the world.”

Throughout the film, Harry teaches Eggsy what it means to be a gentleman, Eggsy constantly makes comments about how he would be a better person if he’d been born into wealth, to which Harry replies, “Being a kingsman has nothing to do with the circumstances of one’s birth.”

Eggsy has big dreams, but is constantly put down by the thugs in London or the snobby kingsman candidates during training. It seems as though Harry is the only one who sees his true potential. He gives little pieces of advice to Eggsy throughout the movie, and at the end of the film, Eggsy is able to combine all of them to become a suave gentleman spy.

Kingsman was not without flaws, however.

When Eggsy and the other kingsmen infiltrate Valentine’s base, he discovers that Valentine has been holding all of his favorite celebrities and their families captive so that they can avoid the fate of the Earth.

Eggsy stumbles upon the cell of a beautiful woman, and she promises him anal sex if he saves the world.

I have no problem with sexual jokes in movies, but since I saw this one with my dad, it was kind of awkward. It also did nothing to further the plot, and was therefore, unneeded.

Eggsy of course saves the world, and the final shot of the film is the princess’s rear before it fades to the credits.

Vaughn faced criticism for this scene, especially from feminists, who complained that there was a lack of strong female characters in Kingsman.

The good women were sidelined and portrayed as unimportant, and the bad women were only viewed as evil bitches. Of course, the anal sex joke was also attacked.

I agree that there was a lack of strong female characters, but that is how most spy movies are— women are only present as temptresses, villains, or bossy bitches.

Vaughn argued that innuendos are present in all spy movies, but usually it’s the men who say them.

“I just thought it would b great to turn it on its head by having the woman say it. I actually think it’s empowering,” Vaughn said to Entertainment Weekly.

“Some bloody feminists are accusing me of being a misogynist. I’m like, ‘It couldn’t be further from the truth.’ It’s a celebration of women and the woman being empowered in a weird way in my mind, which will cause a big argument again I’m sure.

It’s meant to be tongue-incheek and crazy.”

The joke, though unnecessary, fit the tone of the movie. But is a woman bargaining her way out of her situation by promising anal sex really that empowering?

Kingsman wasn’t completely ruined by that one scene, however. All in all, it was a fun action movie. Watching Colin Firth, Mark Strong, and Michael Caine kick ass was great, and seeing Samuel L. Jackson play a villain with a lisp and disgust for blood and violence was even better. If I had to give it a rating, I would say it’s a 7.5 out of 10.

“Music Just Happens” Local band performs CD release show at Cafe DaVinci

Photo credit: Katie Dezes

Cory James Worsley (left) and Daniel Sanchez (right) of Goodmorning, Love perform their song “Tides & White Sand.”

Katie Dezes Editor-in-Chief Ambient indie rock band Goodmorning, Love celebrated the release of their first full-length album, Relative Motion, on Saturday at Cafe DaVinci.

The central Florida band performed their CD, released on Jan. 21, from start-to-finish for their fans.

Admission was open to everyone free of charge.

The event began at 9 p.m. with opening performances from two other local bands, Beartoe and Europa. Around 11 p.m., Goodmorning, Love appeared on stage to the cheers of a full-house.

Goodmorning, Love is comprised of vocalist and acoustic guitarist Cory James Worsley, lead guitarist Ryan Cyphers, drummer Daniel Sanchez, and bassist Gavin Brennan, who all hail from the DeLand area.

“I was born in DeLand, so I guess you could say it all started here,” Worsley said.

According to Worsley, the band started about six years ago as an idea he had as he wrote and recorded solo acoustic music. Within the past four years, as Worsley acquired bandmates from the area,

Goodmorning, Love was officially formed.

Since Relative Motion is the band’s first release, the content of the album reflects everything that was created and worked on within the past six years of the group’s formation.

“There’s one song that’s probably like six years old that just never had a chance to be recorded,” Worsley said. “And some of the songs are brand new. So, it’s kinda like our growing period—like, our childhood if you will—in one piece.”

The foundation—the basic structure and lyrics— of several songs featured on the CD were written by Worsley before the band came together.

“A lot of the songs I had completely written myself—not other instruments, just the core of the song...

So, a lot of this album has been, ‘hey, here’s a song, let’s make it real together,’ ” Worsley said.

The band’s unique sound originates from its members’ wide variety of musical backgrounds.

“I used to play in punk and hardcore bands,” Sanchez said. “Ryan used to just play straight metal. Gavin likes folk music. So, I think we like all kinds of music, which brings it all together.”

When asked to describe

the group’s musical influences, Worsley said, “We don’t really aspire to be anything; music just happens.”

The band’s love for music is obvious when performing on stage.

“As long as I’m doing music, I’m happy,” Cyphers said. “I feel like I’m where I need to be right now.”

“We really enjoy what we do, and if people like what we do, we’ll continue giving them the music,” Sanchez added.

In addition to creating and performing music for the pure enjoyment of their craft, Worsley also expressed the importance of inspiring others: “I don’t know if it’s cliché to say, but personally, music has helped me a lot, and I know a lot of people who have expressed that about our music. So, for me, I want to keep doing that. I want to keep providing something that helps people.”

Relative Motion can be streamed for free or purchased for five dollars on goodmorninglove.bandcamp.com/.

More pictures of Goodmorning, love’s performance at Cafe DaVinci on Page 9. A full video interview with Goodmorning, Love is available to view online at www2.stetson.edu/reporter/

February 26, 2015 9

A&E

Featured Student Work Highlighting student’s written work, be it fiction, non-fiction, or poetry

Elizabeth Fuller

Excerpt from “The River Witch” We’d all stripped down to our bathing suits, but now that we were finally there, nobody seemed sure what to do. I’d half expected Todd to simply jump into the river, but even he seemed hesitant. For about ten minutes, we loitered around the edge of the river, standing only in the shallowest water. Finally, Alicia grew tired of this.

“What, is everybody too scared to swim?”

She said, looking around at the assembled group. I noticed that she wasn’t volunteering to be the first in the water, but I didn’t say anything.

For a couple of moments, I stared out at the muddy brown river, watching water bugs glide across the surface. Suddenly, without quite knowing

why, I found myself wading farther into the water.

The others watched as I moved deeper and deeper in, drawn forward until I was far enough in to swim.

I thought that I wanted to prove something to them and something to myself, though I wasn’t sure what that was. Turning back, I smiled and waved, and then to show that I wasn’t scared, I took a deep breath and dove down beneath the surface. I swam down and along the river bed for a few moments, until I began to want more air.

I tried to kick back to the surface and found that I couldn’t move.

Something had wrapped itself around my foot, holding me back. I knew that it was her—the River Witch.

I kicked harder, trying to

break free, but her grip on my ankle only tightened.

She had me, just like she had gotten Hannah Clark last summer. I imagined her dragging me down—down to hell like the devil was supposed to.

I was beginning to choke on the muddy water, my lungs burning, and I stopped struggling. I could see the dark shapes of my friends through the murky water. I could only stare up at them and watched as they began to fade.

Staff Writer Amber Cox asked Elizabeth what inspired her piece.

“The piece was mostly inspired by some superstitions I’d heard around home as a kid,” Elizabeth said.

reparrishcomics.com

More Pictures from Goodmorning, Love’s Performance at Cafe DaVinci

10 SPORTS

Men’s Tennis Fall Short to FAU and Troy at Home

Despite slow start, singles play was stellar Sean McKnight Sports Editor

Photo courtesy: gohatters.com

Graham Ball helped out the Hatters with a victory on Court 5 with a score of 7-5 and 6-2.

This past weekend, the men’s tennis team took on FAU and Troy and fell short 4-3 and 4-1, respectively.

Although both were hard fought matches by our squad, it was the doubles play in both contests that led to Stetson’s eventual loss. It was in singles play where Stetson excelled, despite a string of losses in this area as well.

Against FAU, the Owls were able to open the match by winning the doubles point, taking victories at No. 1 (6-2) and No. 3 (7-5). Stetson was, however, able to take the No. 2 spot thanks to the team of Chester Espie and Nathan Debut, 6-2.

It wasn’t until singles play that Stetson saw more of a back-and-forth affair. Loic Blanco suffered a 6-7, 3-6 loss at No. 2 singles, but Simon Julin was able to put the Hatters on the board with a 7-6, 6-3 victory at No. 4.

Graham Ball tied the next match for the Hatters with a 7-5, 6-2 win at No. 5, but Nathan Debut lost his match at No. 1, falling 4-6, 5-7. Laurynas Antropikas tied that match at the No. 4 spot, but FAU was able to clinch the victory at the No. 6 spot.

It was a tough loss for a men’s team who is exceptionally talented and

found a lot of success in the fall season.

Unfortunately, the story was very much the same for the men’s team when they faced Troy later that afternoon. It was again the doubles point that ended up being the deciding factor in the game. Only the No. 3 duo of Blanco and Julin picked up an easy victory, 6-0.

Assistant Head Coach Christophe Noblet was pleased with Stetson’s effort at doubles, despite the Hatters not earning the crucial point.

“Our doubles level keeps improving, even though we could not convert that doubles point for the past two matches,” said Noblet. “We had our opportunities and we need to seize them better.”

Unlike the FAU match, Stetson was dominated in singles play. The Trojans won three of the four matches.

Although it was a tough weekend of tennis for this men’s squad who now sit at 2-3 overall, the Hatters have a break before their next seven matches on the road, beginning with a doubleheader with Florida A&M and FSU in Tallahassee on Feb. 20.

If this team can execute better in doubles play and gain those crucial points, then you’ll see this squad play stronger when in-conference play rolls around.

Softball Starts Season 3-1 in Lake Mary Lead-off Classic Team scores 32 total runs over four games

Madison Akins Staff Writer On the first weekend of February, The Lady Hatters Softball team hosted the Westin Lake Mary Leadoff Classic, where the team went 3-1 to start off their season.

The team won the Conference Championship last season, and Coach Frank Griffin said, “The girls still have the same mindset as they did the beginning of last season. They are a

competitive group of girls who want to win.”

The team went 11-0 against Morehead State, 10-1 against Akron, and 9-0 against Rhode Island. The Hatters fell to Michigan State 3-2, but Coach Griffin said it was the best game he had seen in ten years.

“Both teams had almost equal hits and great pitching,” Griffin added.

Senior Amanda Grimaldo thought playing Michigan State was good opportunity for the team.

“Playing Michigan

State benefited the team because we got to experience early in the season playing a team that was solid and matched up well against us,” said Grimaldo.

“The game was close and could’ve gone either way. It was also beneficial for our freshman to experience an intense game like that one was. It gives them insight as to what they’ll face this season within our conference.”

Throughout the weekend, The Hatters scored 32 runs in just 4 games and hit

a conference best of .426.

Senior Demi Meza hit 3 homeruns in one game.

When asked about this accomplishment, Meza thanked her coaches and Coach Lokey: “The coaches gave me things to work on individually and Lokey gave me the strength to do it.”

Although Griffin was pleased with the offense the team displayed, he said the team put on a superb defense as well.

Senior Courtney Brandt said, “Our defense

has stayed strong since last year, and they all have the bond and trust with others naturally. It’s a great feeling to be able to trust every defender on the field.”

Brandt plays left field and pitches. “I feel comfortable letting my defense back me up so I can focus on spinning my pitches instead of trying to strike the batter out,” said Brandt.

The softball team looks forward to competing against their next opponents, Minnesota and Morgan State, later on in

February.Another five players from the Sunshine State are expected to sign before April 1. Stetson is now seen as a strong viable option for players from Florida and Georgia, both hotbeds of raw football talent.

Stetson signed the people they needed for this upcoming fall and will see plenty of skilled players filling the positions that need quality depth. I give Stetson football’s 2015 recruiting class an A-. Expect to see good things from this squad in the fall.

SPORTS

February 26, 2015

11

Baseball Falls to LaSalle 3-0 on Opening Night Professor suffers medical emergency in stands

Sean McKnight Sports Editor Stetson’s baseball team had a rough start to their 2015 season when they fell to LaSalle 3-0 last Friday.

However, this was the last thing on the mind of the fans in the stands and the players on the field.

Of more concern was the well being of long time Hatters fan and Stetson University professor Dr. Ben Goss who suffered a medical emergency in the stands during the eighth inning on Friday.

After a 30-minute delay in the game, while rescue efforts took place for Dr. Goss, LaSalle was able to break through with an unearned run.

Everyone here at The Reporter has Dr. Goss and his family on the forefront of our minds and, despite the outcome of this game, hopes he has a speedy and healthy recovery.

After LaSalle was able to break through with their first unearned run, The Explorers tacked on two more in the ninth inning.

Head Coach Pete Dunn spoke candidly on the team’s loss: “We had opportunities to take a lead early in the game and put some pressure on them, but we kept letting them off the hook… Give

them credit because they were finally able to manufacture a run and then built on it in the ninth, which is what good teams do.”

Neither teams were able to do much offensively in the game. Despite 13 total pitchers seeing time on the mound, Stetson was held to just five hits, but left 12 runners on base in the game thanks to seven walks.

There was one shining light for Stetson defensively.

Mitchell Jordan, The Hatters starting pitcher, struck out a career-high nine in 6.1 innings of work. He allowed just two hits and didn’t walk anyone.

Unfortunately Stetson couldn’t close it out in the long run, and it was their silent bats that became their demise. Stetson left runners on base in each of the first eight innings, with six of those runners left in scoring position.

It’s tough to see this talented team lose in such a frustrating manner.

The good news is, there are intelligent baseball-minded and naturally athletic veterans on this team who have the keys to success.

If the team can find its identity early on and start producing in the hits department, in just a few shorts weeks, we could see quite the turn-around for them.

Photo courtesy: gohatters.com

Ben Rakus started on the mound for the Hatters for 5 innings and helped the team get their first win of the season.

Upcoming Sport Events

Friday, Feb. 27

Saturday, Feb. 28

Saturday, Feb. 28

Softball vs. Alabama State Women’s Tennis vs. College of Baseball vs. Penn Charleston 4:00 PM 3:50 PM 10:00 AM DeLand, FL (Melching Field) DeLand, FL DeLand, FL

Softball vs. Colgate 6:30 PM DeLand, FL Baseball vs. Penn 6:20 PM DeLand, FL (Melching Field) Men’s Tennis @ Georgia Southern 2:00 PM

Women’s Basketball vs. North Florida 1:00 PM DeLand, FL Softball vs. Troy 4:00 PM DeLand, FL

Softball vs. Alabama State 6:30 PM DeLand, FL

Women’s Tennis vs Savannah College of Art & Design 11:00 AM DeLand, FL Baseball vs. Penn 1:00 PM DeLand, FL (Melching Field)

12

Your Headquarters for all Stetson Hatters Apparel and Merchandise!

• 10% off with your student, faculty or staff ID. • College apparel and merchandise.

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