Vol. CXXIII Issue 3

the

Reporter

Stetson University | DeLand, Fla.

Vol. CXXIII Issue 3

The Millennial debt crisis Students weigh in on 2016 presidential hopefuls’ plans for student loan reform Michael Allan Galvez Web Editor

The class of 2015 made history this past spring.

According to Mark Kantrowitz, a publisher of the website Edvisor, a site aimed at aiding students in their search of ways to pay for college, the class of 2014 no longer is the most indebted generation of college graduates ever in the history of the United States.

That distinction now falls to the class of 2015.

“We still live in a country where too many bright, striving Americans are priced out of the education they need. It’s not fair to them, and it’s sure not smart for our future. That’s why I’m sending this Congress a bold new plan to lower the cost of community college -- to zero,” said President Barack Obama at his State of the Union address early this year.

Ever since his address to Congress, the issue of student debt and the idea of debtfree higher education is quickly becoming a major political issue nationwide, especially on the campaign trail. President Obama’s plan to give qualified students free two years of community college has been both lauded and criticized by politicians and pundits alike.

Some called for free tuition benefits to also apply to a full four-year public college education, while others were reluctant about the costs that the government will incur if such a program would be implemented.

Some were skeptical about the idea’s feasibility altogether.

CNN and Time published opinion pieces outlining where the president’s plans fall short, while Al Jazeera and the Los Angeles Times praised the president’s ideas. Nonetheless, the need to reform the current student loan system cemented its place in the minds of both the observers and the political actors involved in the 2016 presidential race.

Recent reports from sources including as Forbes magazine estimate that the aggregate student debt for around 40 million Americans reaches into the trillions of dollars. Extrapolations from the government data analyzed by Kantrowitz show that this debt might only grow larger in the coming years with every succeeding graduating class breaking records set by previous graduates if nothing is done.

In Florida — the State with the third highest number of electors in the Electoral College — this issue hits very close to the hearts of young voters. According to a financial study referenced by the Tampa Bay Times, Florida is “among the worst states for people coping with student debt, ranking a dismal 40th.”

Some presidential candidates in the running for the 2016 elections presented, in some shape or form, their proposed measures to curb this trend, while others only acknowledged that the issue is indeed present without mentioning any concrete ideas.

“These people aren’t talking about it enough,” senior Drew Denston said.

Denston is one of the graduating students of the class of 2016 that has growing concerns about the trend that student debt is exhibiting.

Concerns, he says, that are not only for his own situation but also for other people that might be relatively more affected by increasing loan debt than he is.

“I’m struggling right now to pay for college,” said senior Luis Garcia. “That puts a lot of pressure on me because I want to graduate but [every year] I’m nervous that I might not come back [the following] year because of how much money I have to pay.”

Garcia’s parents moved from Peru to the United States years ago and built their lives from the ground up. Nearly 40 percent of students enrolled at Stetson are the first generation in their families to go to college.

Garcia is one of them.

“If any candidate can find a way to

VOTE

control student debt,” continued Garcia, “if anyone can eliminate that worry of whether or not a student can afford going back to school the year after, we could actually go to college and live day to day happily pursuing that achievement of getting a higher education rather than worrying about maintaining our grades alongside working six different jobs to pay off a monthly payment plan for tuition.”

Presidential candidates are split among party lines on the best approach to accomplish exactly that. The Democrats feel that government intervention and support of public colleges and universities around the nation is a must. The Republicans disagree and prefer private ways of seeking funding to pay for America’s education.

Students, when asked which plan they support, are also split in their opinions.

“It’s Jeb Bush for me,” said Denston.

“Jeb is the only one who has talked a lot about fixing student loan debt.”

“Bernie. Bernie Sanders,” said Garcia.

“From what I’m seeing though, it’s going to be really difficult for Bernie Sanders to achieve [his plan] but if he does, I’m sure he’s going to get a lot of supporters.”

Some students remain completely skeptical, and are unsure of any of the candidate’s plans to reduce student debt.

Look forward to next issue’s column, which will focus more on skeptical student perspectives on this matter.

Chamber orchestra opens the concert season this Friday Finding the start of the semester a tad stressful? Wishing you could enjoy some passive relaxation while still engaging your intellect? Desperately need cultural credit? If you answered yes to any of these questions, consider attending the free chamber orchestra concert, 7:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 11 in Lee Chapel.

See more on Page 5 Student spotlight: David Sawyer News, Page 3

Local concert review: Beebs and her Money Makers A&E, Page 5

Is sorority life worth the cost?

Read more in this week’s opinion section, Pages 6 and 7 Football victory!

Stetson defeats Webber 37-13 Sports, Page 8

2 NEWS Public Safety Report Highlight Reel Case #20150548: On August 26, Public Safety received Information from the Carlton Union Building regarding a Bicycle Theft that was later falsified. According to the report, a student called Public Safety to report their bicycle was missing, fearing it had been stolen. The student later located the bicycle, revealing that they had misplaced it.

Case #20150570: On August 26, a Petty Theft was reported from Hatter Hall. The report states that a student called Public Safety to report their tablet was missing. DeLand Police was called and filed a report with the student’s testimony. No leads have been found.

Case #20150549: On August 27, a Suspicious Person was reported at Presser Hall. The report states that a man characterized as “disheveled” and “elderly” wandered into the hall and was disturbing staff. Deland Police were called and returned the individual to the Dixie Lodge Assisted Living Facility with a trespassing warning.

Case #20150551: On August 28, Public Safety received Information regarding an off campus Traffic Accident. The report states that a student was struck in a hit and run by a vehicle while riding their bicycle on the corner of Amelia and Michigan avenue. DeLand Police was called and took a statement from the student who sustained only minor injuries. The driver of the vehicle in question has not been found.

Case #20150552: On August 28, Public Safety received Information of an off campus party.

The report states that DeLand Police was called off of an anonymous tip that there were students engaging in underage drinking near campus. Police broke up the party and filed a report but were unable to identify any underage students for consuming alcohol.

Case #20150558: On August 29, a Fire Alarm sounded from Hon Hall. The alarm was reported to have been caused by a burnt hamburger on a student’s stove.

Case #20150559: On August 30, Property Damage was reported from the Cummings Gym Parking Lot. The report states that Public Safety officers found circular tire tracks in the grass lot behind the Cummings gym. Moderate damage was done to both the grass and a parking curb. No suspects have been found.

Case #20150560: On August 30, a Fire Alarm sounded from Stetson Cove. The alarm was reported to have been caused by a burnt steak on a student’s stove.

Case #20150564: On August 31, a Petty Theft was reported from Elizabeth Hall. The report states that a staff member called Public Safety claiming that their printer was missing. A search for the printer was inconclusive.

Case #20150565: On August 31, a Fire Alarm sounded from Nemec Hall. The alarm was reported to have been caused by steam from a hair straightener.

Case #20150566: On August 31, a student in Gordis Hall was found to have been in Possession of Narcotics. The report states that the substance was not a felonious amount, so DeLand Police was not called. The substance was confiscated, and the student is subject to discipline from the Office of Community Standards.

Case #20150567: On August 31, a student in Hatter Hall was found to have been in Possession of Narcotics. The report states that the substance was not a felonious amount, so DeLand Police was not called. The substance was confiscated, while the student is subject to discipline from the Office of Community Standards.

Case #20150568: On August 31, an Intoxicated Person was reported from the Carlton Union Building. The report states that an intoxicated student became sick inside the CUB, calling Public Safety to request further medical assistance. The student was taken to the nearest hospital, and is subject to discipline from the Office of Community Standards.

Case #20150569: On September 1, an Injured Person was reported from an off campus location. The report states that a student was struck in a hit and run by a vehicle while riding their bicycle on the corner of Highway 92 and Garfield. The student was reported to have sustained moderate injuries, and was transported to Florida Hospital. DeLand Police was called and took a statement from the student. The driver of the vehicle in question has not been found.

Case #20150573: On September 2, Public Safety received Information regarding a disagreement between students from Maxcy Hall. The report states that a noise complaint was called due to two students arguing inside their room. When Public Safety officials arrived, they claimed they were just “playing around” with no intention of harm.

Editor-in-Chief Sarah Dean News Editor Lauren Davids Sports Editor Sean McKnight Opinion Editor Kaley Fulton A & E Editor Sam Votaw Copy & Content Editor Caroline Williams

Web Editor Michael Galvez Web Designer Allegra Henderon Layout Designer Kyo Padgett Staff Writers Jason Cruz Madison Akins Staff Photographers Nicole Frechette Maeve Coughlin

Faculty Advisor Andy Dehnart Staff Advisor Kat Thomas Staff Contributors Suzanne English Special Faculty Contributor Dr. Robert Sitler

EVENTS THIS WEEK Thursday, September 10 Did I Say “Yes?” A facilitated conversation about enthusiastic and sustained sexual consent.

Sage Hall Room 222 6-7 p.m.

Touchstone 2015 release party Nightlites 7:30-9 p.m.

Uncouth Hour Nightlites 9-10:30 p.m.

Friday, September 11 Big Questions Dialogue Series: What difference do we make?

Allen Hall Auditorium 12-1 p.m Tri-Beta Petting Zoo Stetson Green 2-4 p.m.

Chamber Orchestra Concert Lee Chapel, Elizabeth Hall 7:30-9 p.m.

Saturday, September 12 Faculty Recital: Jessica Speak, Clarinet, and Tammy Miller, Piano Lee Chapel, Elizabeth Hall 7:30-9 p.m.

Monday, September 14 Values Day Book Feasts with poet Richard Blanco Stetson Room 10-11 a.m.

2-3 p.m.

Tuesday, September 15 Values Day (No classes) Stetson Campus All-day event For schedule of Values Day programs, go to stetson.edu/other/values-day/ schedule If you know of or are organizing an upcoming event on Stetson’s campus that you would like added to the calendar, email sdean1@stetson.edu

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September 10, 2015

NEWS

Student Spotlight: David Sawyer

3

The Reporter’s Student Spotlight takes a look at Stetsonites who are unique, successful, and have made the most of their college opportunity. This week’s spotlight is on senior finance major and CEO and founder of The Story Of Life, or TSOLife, which you can read more about below.

Lauren A. Davids News Editor

Photo courtesy David Sawyer

From left to right: Samantha Zerek, Margarita Parris, Dr. Baptista, Stella Parris, David Sawyer

The Reporter is hiring!

Two positions are currently open!

Business Manager

Student media, which includes The Reporter and WHAT Radio, need a talented and experienced business manager. Experience in business, finance, and/or accounting, as well as knowledge of media, is preferred. Email Pub Board Chair Samuel Votaw (svotaw@stetson.edu) for more information.

Layout Designer

The Reporter is looking for an underclassman print designer! Candidates must have comprehensive knowledge of Adobe InDesign, basic Photoshop skills, and some availability on Mondays and Tuesdays. Email Editor-in-chief Sarah Dean (sdean1@stetson.edu) for more information.

Senior finance major David Sawyer has been the CEO and Founder of a web-based platform, The Story of Life, commonly known as TSOLife, founded in September 2014.

While Sawyer is known for his success by many around campus, on campus, it seems few people know the story behind it.

Sawyer’s road to success has not been one of the easiest or smoothest paved by any means. While Sawyer’s mom is one of his staunch supporters, she wasn’t pleased that Sawyer had “found a way to be in more debt than any other college student,” he said jokingly.

Sawyer is also involved in Enactus as the current President. Enactus is an organization whose main focus is teaching free enterprise through creating community outreach projects. Recently, the non-profit organization reached out into local retirement homes, where they listened to and recorded 17 veterans’ stories. “They got so excited about reminiscing about their lives,” he said. Sawyer added it has been one of his favorite projects. This gave Sawyer the idea to creat TSOLife.

According to Sawyer, TSOLife is an “online platform that revolutionizes how we record stories and present our legacies to future generations.”

After hearing stories about his grandmother during her funeral a couple of years ago, Sawyer decided that there needed to be additional ways for someone’s life to be passed down. “Verbal history dies

after two generations,” he added.

The company raised ten thousand dollars for its kickstarter campaign. The kickstarter was 29 days and TSOLife reached its goal with 17 hours left on the clock. Last Thursday, August 27, the company hosted their launch party and had around 125 attendees, which maxed out the Rinker Auditorium.

Expecting campus-wide support, Sawyer was met with great disappointment when only one professor attend TSOLife’s launch party. Facing setbacks, Sawyer sold one of his most “prized possessions,” a beloved childhood memento, to make necessary payments. Sawyer says the situation led him to the realization that sometimes you have to “sell your childhood to become a man.”

Luckily, Sawyer pushed on, with the help of self-determination and a successful support system.

“Without a support system, an entrepreneur is likely fail in the first two weeks,” he said. Sawyer’s close-knit team consists of his executive assistant, Stella Parris, his head of public relations, Samantha Zarek, and his head of business development Spencer Tanase. Sawyer asks that “people appreciate them and realize how essential they are to the story.”

Currently, Sawyer says his goal is to “aim for 10,000 lives to be documented on TSOLife within a year.” Sawyer is continuing to push forward to make his product successful. Stetson’s community can participate and help, as well. For more information about TSOLife, visit www. tsolife.com.

Does one of your friends, colleagues, or classmates go above and beyond? Nominate them for the student spotlight!

Send nominations to Sarah Dean at sdean1@ stetson.edu, or the Reporter staff at

reporterstaff@gmail.com

4 A&E Orchestra, continued from Page 1 Jason Cruz Staff Writer Open to all students, the upcoming musical event will kickstart the concert season.

Mr. Anthony Hose, Stetson’s orchestra conductor, spoke about the challenge of choosing the right music for this inaugural performance;­ a difficulty compounded by the event’s coincidence with the String Institute, a three day camp for high school musicians to experience the life of music students at Stetson.

“I have to be careful how I choose the music, because we have freshmen coming in [to the orchestra] and have to find out how quickly they can adapt and get up to the standard,” said Hose, who has conducted for Stetson since 2000.

Despite the relative inexperience of the new players, Hose feels strongly that the chamber orchestra will live up to the demanding reputation built over the years.

“I’m really delighted because the freshmen coming in seem to be adapting very quickly; we’ve got some very good young players in there. I would say this is at least as strong as any orchestra we’ve had in the past, and perhaps even stronger.”

This praise should thrill fans of the consistently celebrated ensembles coming from Presser Hall.

Senior viola student Alexa Grohowski echoed Hose’s praise in reference to her chamber cohort. Grohowski, a fourth-year member of the orchestra, said “the beginning of this year has been a really positive experience, we had a lot of incoming freshmen who are very talented. The standards in our auditions were very high across the board, so some of the repertoire that we’re going to be playing this year reflects that. We’re playing some harder things in the string section than we would have dared to do in the past...But we really have huge sections of very confident players, and we get all of them in the

chamber orchestra.”

The performance difficulty Grohowski alluded to will be present in this first concert.

Of the three pieces being prepared for Friday, two are relatively rare in the world of collegiate music.

“This concert will definitely be unusual in a number of ways. One of our pieces will feature a double bass soloist, which you don’t hear everyday. It’s gonna be music that’s not regularly heard even by people who do this as a career, even the faculty. Everybody’s getting a taste of something new,” the viola player said. She continued to note the excitement in playing new pieces of music: “There are things that come along that the orchestra has never done before, or infrequently does, and this is going to be a program of that kind of music. It’s refreshing for everyone involved.”

Hose too seems to relish the opportunity to lead his musicians into unplayed territories. The native Englishman detailed the constant revitalization of an orchestra, arguing that “the great thing about the university system is that because there is this roughly 25-percent turnover each year, it doesn’t become stale. There’s always a new challenge, new people to discuss things with, and as you see people evolve and develop over the years, that’s one of the most exciting things about teaching...when you see somebody really exponentially develop.”

That development means students without backgrounds in classical music experience incredibly fine playing entirely for free.

Hose gave some advice to the novice concert goer, stating that the “crucial thing for anybody who comes in with an open mind­or open ears if you like­is that in every piece... they’re going on a different journey, they just have to open their minds and as the music starts be taken into a different world, and not think about ‘am I supposed to like this or not,’ the crucial thing is to experience it and later reflect on how you feel.”

Movie Review: Ant-Man Suzanne English Staff Contributor

In what would have originally been thought of as the black sheep of the Marvel family, Ant-Man rose to the challenge that fans have come to expect.

Paul Rudd stars in this latest addition to the comic-book film franchise as Scott Lang, a thief who has just been released from his most recent stint in prison and gets himself into some mischief once he has the ability to shrink himself down to the size of a pea.

While these antics have been seen before in movies such as Honey I Shrunk The Kids, director Peyton Reed spices things up by adding some new tricks and twist to this old concept along with some spectacular special effects that can keep even the shortest attention span occupied.

Alongside Rudd stars Oscar Winner Michael Douglas who plays Dr. Hank Pym. Pym is the scientist who made Ant-Man ant sized with his particle research resulting in a suit that can shrink a full-grown man into the size of an ant.

And what superhero movie would be complete without the premise of the technology falling into the wrong hands and causing mass destruction? It becomes a battle between Pym and Darren Cross. Cross not only is in control of Pym industries but he also uses Pym’s research to create his own suit, which dawns our villain Yellow-

jacket man.

As the story unfolds and weaves between past and present, we see that Scott is attempting to reform his petty criminal ways for the sake of his daughter.

Pym, however, convinces Scott to take on the suit and become something bigger than himself: AntMan. This leaves the two men of the movie to save the world from mass chaos.

Sounds familiar right?

But don’t worry, through the testosterone-filled action comes pleasant comic relief in the form of Scott’s old prison cellmate Luis, portrayed by Michael Peña, as well as some major girl power coming from Pym’s daughter Hope, Evangeline Lily, who trains Scott in the ways of ass-kicking.

Ant-Man is definitely more of a fluffy marshmallow type of movie, which does not allow for much deep analysis of the plot.

However, it stands its ground among the rest of the summer releases. Watching Scott change size and navigate through typically harmless everyday items is obviously much more entertaining to see when you’re literally the size of your pinkie toenail, as well as some mind-controlling ants both kept the movie from drooping.

It may not

have the aura of other Marvel movies such as Thor or Iron Man but it proves that the little guy can make just as much of an impact.

Even with writer Edgar Wright leaving the project, the movie still holds to Marvel movie standards and can stand on its own. Following typical Marvel fashion, moviegoers know to stay until after the credits for a little extra scene.

Wright and co-writer Joe Cornish alongside director Reed pull together a movie that easily fits in with the other superheroes and still works in the struggle that can happen between parents and their children.

It’s like vanilla ice cream, but with a few sprinkles added in for some slight unexpected texture. While at first I was a little skeptical about the movie, it was actually great fun to watch. Would I see it again? Probably not.

But Marvel has a spectacular way of making it a pleasure to watch the newest addition to the comic book film family.

Concert review

Beebs and Her Money Makers

Reporter photo/Sam Votaw

Beebs and Her Money Makers at Cafe Da Vinci on September 4.

Orlando ska-funk band excites lively Labor Day weekend crowd at Café DaVinci Sam Votaw Arts & Entertainment Editor

night game of winning over the crowd in small strokes, frontwoman Michelle Beebs, adorned with a light purple afro and flower covered microphone stand, made it her mission to break others out of their comfort zone between songs, one by one.

“One thing I see at shows all the time is people on their phones,” said a Beebs after scorching through a blazing number.

“Put them down and come up here and dance! We don’t need to have technology control our lives.”

As several attendees moved to the front in waves to dance the night away, Beebs humorously took back a part of her anti-technology declaration. “But definitely check us out in Pandora,” Beebs said with a wink before launching into material off their raucous, brass horn littered Würst Album Ever.

The festivities ended shortly after midnight, with both the crowd and band dripping with sweat after a long, slow burning start to the Labor Day weekend that waited until its peak to really crank up the volume.

Speaking glowingly throughout the entire show over how “amazeballs” Café DaVinci’s was in accommodating them and also being only a short drive away in Orlando, Beebs and Her Money Makers are sure to make another stop in DeLand within the year.

Those in attendance at Cafe Da Vinci last Friday night were treated to a rousing set from Central Florida ska superstars Beebs and Her Money Makers in a night full of upbeat music.

The free show started at 9 p.m. with a host of acoustic troubadours taking the venue’s outdoor stage in tandem to perform either classic cover songs or intimate original material, both of which sparked moderate flurries of applause from the mostly middle aged crowd.

Preceding the headlining act was a local rockabilly three-piece that really got the crowd ready for the looming party ahead, kicking up the pace with a unique blend of country-tinged rock n’ roll and international groove. One splendid moment occurred when the group requested that Beebs trumpeter Bunky Garrabrant join them on stage for a rousing solo that managed to blend beautifully with their ’60s Americana revival style.

The show really got started around 11 p.m. when ska-funk sextet Beebs and Her Money Makers took the stage in intergalactic neon clothing to prompt a dancehall frenzy with their fusion of ska, funk, and R&B. The Orlando outfit has seen their star rapidly rise over the past couple years after hopping on tours with ska legends Reel Big Fish and Five Iron Frenzy in addition to garnering viral appeal with their covers of radio smashes “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars, “Waterfalls” by TLC, and Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball.”

But it wasn’t all covers for the crossovers, as it was their original material that really got the crowd worked up.

This month’s event lineup at Café DaVinci.

In what was Photo courtesy Café DaVinci. an amusing all

Are you an artist? You can draw editorial cartoons for The Reporter! Email Sarah Dean at sdean1@stetson.edu for more info or to submit a design.

September 10, 2015

A&E

5

Florida hardcore titans orchestrate auditory assault on Show Your Greed Q&A with Axis guitarist Patrick Chumley

Photo courtesy Jesus Martinez

Axis performing at the Black Lodge in Seattle on August 12

Sam Votaw Arts & Entertainment Editor

For the better part of five years, Central Florida metalcore quintet Axis has been demolishing ear drums and inciting war-zonelike mosh pits with their brand of no-frill, frantic breed of metallic hardcore punk.

Despite a stellar live reputation on the wings of their small independent releases, the group took their time releasing a debut full length.

That album, Show Your Greed, released last Friday on Good Fight Music, succeeds at pile driving the listener across ten apocalyptic tracks that never lets up in aggression while redefining just how heavy modern bands can get without sacrificing skillful songwriting.

In the wake of the album’s release and returning from a countrywide tour, I had the opportunity to chat via email with guitarist Patrick Chumely on the recording process of Show Your Greed and just how far Axis has come.

First off, congratulations on the release of Show Your Greed. The release date had jumped around quite a bit over the past year as you guys transitioned from original label Mayfly over to Good Fight Music.

How would you describe the changes undergone, and the group’s mindset now that your debut full length is finally out into the world?

We finished writing the record last summer and in January it was finished. The plan was to have it June or July, then things sort of fell apart with Mayfly. Literally the day we found out Mayfly wasn't going to be a thing, Good Fight contacted us. We got really lucky. They've been really awesome and have shown a lot of faith in us. It's great to finally have Show Your Greed after all these setbacks. It feels like we waited forever and we're ready to hit the ground running.

You guys have been cutting your teeth playing shows around Florida, releasing

a couple 7” and splits since 2010, and undergoing a couple lineup changes here and there. The current one definitely appears to mesh phenomenally well the last several times I’ve caught you guys live. Was a full length something you all wanted to do from your inception but just needed the right pieces to make it happen?

It definitely wasn't on our radar for the first few years of the bands existence. I'd say around the split with Self Defense Family was happening is when we decided (and felt ready) to write a full length. We had reached the point where we felt really confident in our songwriting and it was the next logical step.

Now I think we're definitely at our strongest point as a band creatively and it’s really surprising to me how far we've come in that regard.

Many people have noted Axis as consistently delivering tunes in the vein of ’90s metallic hardcore such as Turmoil and Buried Alive amongst others, but you excel at channeling such unabashed, sonically aggressive chaos into concise and purposeful song structures. What other influences have you and the group had over time that got the group to where it is now?

Bands like Turmoil and All Else Failed are without a doubt the core of our inspiration.

When Axis started we really tried to emulate ’90s metalcore. I think we did all right, but at this point, I feel like we've got our own sound and identity. We owe that to being more eclectic with what influences us musically. I've definitely been seeing more stuff like Hydrahead bands, Swarm Of The Lotus and more noisy rock stuff like The Jesus Lizard and Shellac having an influence on us and manifesting themselves in our sound. I still think we fall into that realm of metalcore throwback stuff, but in our own way.

Show Your Greed has to be one of the strongest and most dynamic collections of hardcore songs of the last decade. What was the band’s collective goal while creating the record?

We really wanted everything to sound cohesive, never let up and have no "filler.” We usually take longer to write music than other bands for whatever reason, probably because we have so many different things happening in each song and want everything to be as perfect as we can get. Having the luxury of it being our first full length and taking our time makes this one a little different. Personally, Show Your Greed turned out better than I expected and while I know we gave so much effort to it, it still surprises me.

Florida Hardcore’s profile has definitely grown into one of the great regional scenes within the past couple of years, bringing us acts such as Blistered, Point Blank, Head Creeps, and Crisis Unit, just to name a few. How does it feel to be almost a veteran presence of sorts in such a burgeoning scene?

I'm really proud of Florida, to be honest.

I think we've always had good bands whether people wanted to acknowledge it or not. [The] mid to late ’90s produced some really great music from Florida, but I remember Florida being a joke to some people during the 2000's for whatever reason.

I always hated that. Now we've got all these bands touring and getting noticed on a national level, combine that with the rich and healthy scene we've got right now and it's something to be proud of for sure.

Axis regularly played Florida shows during its genesis, but over the past couple years, you’ve been frequently going on lengthy tours around the country, recently just coming off one with Good Fight label mates Old Wounds and Of Feather and Bone. What have those experiences been like and how does it feel to take your breed on the road and become recognized as a great American hardcore band instead of just a FLHC band?

When Axis was younger we would play every local show we could get our hands on. A lot of it was being excited to just play, but there comes a point where you begin to over-satu-

rate your surroundings. Why bother making the effort to go see a

band that plays basically every weekend?

A b o u t the time we had reached t h a t point, w e Patrick Chumley photo courtesy were in Kris Alan Carter a position to start touring more. We honestly just love the experience of touring. Our unit is so compatible that it's pretty painless and it just comes naturally now. I never thought we'd end up achieving what we've achieved. I'm thankful for it all.

What’s next for Axis?

We're working on getting a couple of tours lined up for wintertime and spring.

Hopefully we'll do some cool shit. Beyond that, I think we're just going to get back in the groove of writing again now that the record is out.

Are there any final thoughts you want people to know about or perhaps any shout outs you want to make?

"Home is where you make it."

Show Your Greed is availible now on iTunes, Spotify, and https://goodfightent. bandcamp.com/album/show-your-greed

Hand Art Center to implement rotating Faculty Focus exhibits

Jason Cruz Staff Writer

The Hand Art Center, which permanently houses the Vera Bluemner Kouba collection, will be rotating new exhibits created by Stetson’s own professors working in a variety of expressive mediums as part of the new Faculty Focus program throughout the year.

The Faculty Focus program will include digital visual and audio artists, as well as those working in traditional visual mediums.

While the museum has always showcased a diverse array of art and artists, as well as student work, Hand Art Center director Tanya Curran believes Faculty Focus will provide exposure to the talent often overlooked by the majority of Stetson’s population.

“I obviously think it is a fantastic opportunity for our campus community and visitors to have

Reporter photo/Nicole Frechette

more exposure to the work of our talented faculty,” said Curran.

She is also excited about the program’s relatively fluid rotation; new artworks will be on display each semester. According to Curran, “this frequency will replace the need for a bi-yearly faculty exhibit where it is often problematic to include everyone and the subject matter is so radically divergent from one another. What this will do is provide more frequent exposure for the artist/faculty and create some very dynamic thematically similar exhibitions.”

Exemplary of the thematic similarities Curran hopes to feature, the inaugural Faculty Focus provides two distinct journeys into nature.

Dr. Nathan Wolek and Dr. Ethan Greene volunteered to supply the program’s first works. Dr. Wolek’s submission allows visitors to hear lengthy recordings collected from atop the Palm Court’s dozens of trees, with each headphone station providing sounds from different regions of the area. Dr. Greene positioned two speakers on a wall, separated by a sensor. When no one is near the sensor, the speakers emit the low hum of wildlife; as people approach it, more sounds begin to play, until the mixture settles into a noticeably pleasant rhythm.

The emphasis on revealing potentially unseen artists extends to the way Curran selects exhibits.

“I asked for volunteers for this inaugural installation and liked pairing a ‘seasoned’ tenure track faculty member with a newer faculty member,” she explained, while mentioning some

of the kinks still being worked out as Faculty Focus begins.

“Sometimes the faculty focus will feature two artists and others may only feature one. This is a new exhibit schedule so I will rely on input from the faculty to determine future exhibits.”

Beyond the exposing faculty artists, Curran thinks students will also gain much from the new program.

She noted that “it is important for current and prospective students to be exposed to the quality of work that our faculty artists produce. Likewise, if a student responds strongly to the work they can pursue a course with that instructor,” suggesting that the Faculty Focus program may build stronger connections between art students and their professors, and possibly entice students to take courses they otherwise would never consider.

For students yearning for ocular experiences to jar their imagination and Degree Audit, Curran plans on hosting visual artists in the Spring semester. She also envisions the program growing in grandeur.

“There will always be a [opening] reception for Fall & Spring exhibits. In the future we may develop a lecture component,” said Curran. This is something which could bolster the reputation of Stetson’s art departments while encouraging students to explore interests beyond their majors.

The Hand Art Center and its Faculty Focus exhibit is free to all students, and open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. most weekdays, is often open a little later on Thursday.

6 OPINION

Sorority life isn’t worth the cost Caroline Williams Copy Editor

Disclaimer: I have had some good times in my sorority, and I’ve made some wonderful friends. I’m not saying that all of it is terrible—there are a few redeemable qualities. It just wasn’t my cup of tea, and this is my experience in Greek life.

When I first arrived at Stetson, I was not at all thrilled by the idea of joining a sorority. From what I’d heard (or seen in the media), all they did was drink and party and pretend to care about their philanthropy while wearing matching dresses. Naturally, I did not rush.

Sorority life found me the spring semester of my first year.

I was shirted, which means they were interested in me, sought me out, and gave me a bid. I could either choose to accept or deny their offer in a period of 24 hours. After careful deliberation, I accepted and started the new member process.

I was enchanted. Although it was nerve-wracking at times, it wasn’t at all what I thought it would be. These girls were warm and welcoming, and I was excited to be the first in my family to go Greek, and to be a part of some-

thing bigger than myself.

The next semester, I moved into the sorority house. That was quite an experience, and that’s also where the magical, happy illusion of sorority life was destroyed for me. After a few months, I began to ponder why I even got myself into it. I was constantly exhausted and irritated, I gained weight from stress, I had terrible self-esteem, and my grades were slipping.

When the spring of 2015 rolled around, I’d made my decision. In order to save my sanity (and my money), I decided to drop my sorority. It was a difficult decision, and I had wavered for months beforehand.

Here were some of the main factors that solidified my decision to no longer be affiliated.

1. Cost: In addition to membership dues (which average about $500 a semester), you pay for every t-shirt, most sisterhood outings, jerseys, craft supplies, clothes for recruitment, etc. That can get pretty pricey. If you miss events, you’re fined, and those fines are hefty. It’s definitely not cheap to join a sorority.

2. Time commitment: As a new member, I was under the impression that you went to chapter once a week and that was it. Not

so. Members are also required to go to other meetings, such as recruitment workshops, ritual practices (yes, those exist), and other sisterhood meetings. Having a leadership position in the sorority means you have even more meetings. I had at least three or four things a week to go to, in addition to my other on campus organization meetings. Members have to gain a certain number of volunteer hours per semester, which can take up a lot of time. They’re also required to attend a number of intramural games, tailgates, and other on campus events. I felt terrible for telling my unaffiliated friends that I couldn’t spend much time with them because my sorority was doing something.

3. Group think: I think there is no problem in being part of a group of like-minded people, but when it becomes psychological manipulation, there’s something wrong. I know some girls would admit to me that they didn’t like some of the things that were considered typically sorority-girl, but they felt like they had to in order to be accepted.

For a time, I felt like that as well. I felt as though the girls who didn’t like the typical “sorority girl things” were ostracized and excluded from group activities.

Dare to be significantly better Dr. Robert Sitler Faculty Contributor

Editorial note: This piece is the first in a series of articles from Dr. Sitler, the Director of the Latin American Studies Program and a faculty member in the Department of World Languages and Cultures. He was also formerly a member of the Values Commitment Steering Team. Stetson University has a strong tradition of values-inspired education. While fully recognizing the university’s considerable accomplishments in the realm of its values commitments, this column aims to highlight areas for potential improvement. This piece concerns Stetson’s engagement with the U.S. - Latino world. The Reporter always welcomes faculty submissions to the opinion section. Please send any submissions to kfulton@stetson.edu.

Stetson University sits on lands that were Latin American far longer than they have been part of the United States. Currently, 23 percent of Florida’s population is Latino and one out of five Floridians speak Spanish. Miami, just four hours away from the Stetson campus, is arguably the nation’s primary gateway for arrivals from Latin America. Latinos now form the largest and fastest-growing minority population in our country and the debate about immigration from Mexico is currently at the forefront of the current presidential campaign. Unfortunately, a Stetson education largely ignores these realities and leaves most of our graduates with a significant deficit in terms of understanding and appreciating their Latino neighbors.

Most Stetson students learn nothing in their coursework about the more than 55 million Latinos living in our nation. Few students realize that most of the western United States once belonged to Mexico until we seized it through military aggression. Hardly any realize that the recent wave of extreme violence in Mexico has been fueled almost entirely by U.S. drug consumption and American-made firearms. They learn little about the extreme diversity of Latino cultures in the U.S. and their multifaceted contributions to the arts. Further, hardly any students develop a genuine appreciation for the

hardworking Latino agricultural workers whose efforts feed us on a daily basis.

There are more than 400 Latino students on our main campus, but there are only 8 Latino faculty members to serve as their role models. Almost all of these esteemed colleagues of mine are of European descent and not representative of the U.S. Latino population which overwhelmingly includes Native American and African ancestry. While there are some 34 million people of Mexican heritage in the United States, including thousands living in the DeLand area, there are extremely few Mexican students at Stetson and there has never been even one faculty member of Mexican ancestry. The recent loss of Yolany Gonell, the former head of the Cross Cultural Center, a dynamic woman of Dominican-Puerto Rican ancestry, has further hampered the university’s educational mission relative to the Latino world.

Fortunately, there recently have been isolated indications of progress. Dr. Pamela Cappas-Toro, a highly respected colleague from Puerto Rico, currently teaches two U.S. Latino-oriented courses, the only ones offered at Stetson. She also directs the recently christened Casa Cultural Latina behind the Gillespie Museum, a space for the development of Latino-oriented programming and the fostering of connections with local Latino communities. She and historian Dr. Nicole Mottier have revitalized the Latin American Studies minor which now boasts the largest number of students in the program’s history, largely due to their deeply engaged teaching styles. In another potentially hopeful development, the Task Force on Diversity and Inclusive Excellence led

by Provost Paul and Dr. Joseph Morrissey of the College of Law is currently working to improve Stetson’s performance in this area, efforts that could lead to fuller inclusion of the U.S. Latino world. Much remains to be done and the challenges are formidable. How many local Mexicans, mostly children of underpaid agricultural workers, can afford to attend Stetson? In spite of the obstacles, the university should “dare to be significantly better” in terms of adequately preparing our students for a life that will almost surely include regular interactions with the wildly wonderful diversity of the Latino world.

In addition to that, we were all told how to respond to certain questions and what to think about certain issues whether or not we agreed with them. This manipulation was subtle, and I didn’t realize it until I left.

4. Career networking and social connections: You can find connections for future jobs anywhere—you’re on a university campus. That’s why you’re here.

Sure, your sister might know someone and connect you with a job after graduation, but can’t your professors do the same? Can’t the Career Development Center help?

You can join any other club on campus and find connections.

For philanthropy, you can always join a service club. And to be honest, the service club will have more willing participants because they’re doing it on their own free time-they don’t have to do it as part of a requirement for membership. As far as social connections go, everyone in college goes to parties. You can find friends in any club without having to pay for membership.

5. Cult-like elements: There is ritual involved. I will not disclose what exactly goes on, but it’s a GREEK organization. You dress up in Greek robes and there’s a lot of mention of the old Greek mythology. It can be cool at times, and I think it’s great to honor tradition, but you do feel like you’ve stepped into a weird, witchcraft-esque meeting as you recite Greek mottos in a dark room.

6. Negative body image: Girls will say they don’t discriminate based on looks, but I was told that I was fat, and not pretty enough to recruit. We were all told to wear Spanx during recruitment. Apparently it was so that we would look our best, but that wasn’t the case. Behind closed doors, the recruitment board would pick and choose who really needed to wear Spanx and who didn’t. Before recruitment, all the girls have to have their outfits approved by the recruitment board.

If they don’t like your outfit, you have to go wear something else or buy a new one. Self-esteem can be fragile. In this day and age, we are bombarded with advertisements that tell us how to look so that we can be “sexy” or “beautiful.”

Telling someone that they need to wear Spanx or change their outfit may seem harmless, but to some people, it’s a huge blow to their self-esteem. Some of my sisters were very upset at being told they had to wear compression garments, or cover up.

7. Constant activity: I appreciate silence in a world that never stops talking, and there was no such thing in a sorority. I am not an extrovert. I am almost 100 percent an introvert. Let me clarify that being an introvert does not mean that I am anti-social and

Reporter photo/Nichole Frechette

live in a cave. I have no problems talking with people or giving presentations. What it means is, after prolonged social exposure, I prefer to recharge by being alone.

Being in a sorority sucked the life out of me because I was forced to live the life of an extrovert. I was constantly going to sisterhood events, and I felt like I never had time to myself. My second year, I lived in the sorority house, and at the end of the day, when I wanted to take a break from it all and simply be by myself for a while, I couldn’t. I was literally surrounded by it.

8. The stigma of “us” versus “them”: From my experience, I felt like sorority girls tend to look down on other students if they aren’t Greek. I remember several instances where some sisters would be gossiping about a girl, and one would snobbishly say “Oh, she’s not really Greek material.” The rest of the sisters would nod their heads in understanding. Additionally, there was the constant competition between sororities. That’s perfectly acceptable during Greek Week, but during any other time of the year; it’s petty. Being in a sorority is supposed to create a closer bond between you and your sisters, and with the rest of the Greek community. I did not experience that at all. Instead, I saw women who wanted to tear each other down in order to get to the top.

Girls were constantly saying vicious and derogatory things about other sororities, designating them the “slutty” ones or the “ugly losers” or the “snobby bitches.” As a feminist, I believe women should be encouraging one another and lifting each other up, not tearing each other down. *** These are just some of the reasons I dropped my sorority—I’m sure I have more. I have two senior research projects to do this semester, and I just don’t see how I would have had the time.

I also simply couldn’t afford it anymore. Moreover, my beliefs about unauthentic sisterhood were confirmed by the treatment I received from my former sisters after I was no longer affiliated.

Whenever a girl chose to drop, we were all told to treat her with respect and friendship, affiliated or not. That was not what I experienced. Instead, I felt shunned and scorned. Perhaps this is petty, but as soon as it was announced that I dropped, I noticed that former sisters stopped liking any of my posts on social media. I was treated with cold civility instead of the friendship and respect that was promised.

I’m not saying that I’m “not like other girls” or that I’m better than girls who are in sororities. If you want to rush, do it. But don’t do it because you feel like you have to or because you want to fit in. That’ll just drive you crazy.

September 10, 2015 7

OPINION

Sorority life is worth the cost Nicole Frechette Staff Photographer I want to start off by saying that sororities are not for everyone. Some people just do not like them, and that is perfectly fine.

Everyone has their own experience with Greek life.

As for myself, my sorority has become such an important aspect of my college life. It has helped me grow as a person and create a variety of opportunities.

When I first decided to rush, I just knew of Greek life as what is shown on television and movies, nothing more and nothing less.

However, after going through recruitment and receiving my bid for Delta Delta Delta, I have learned it is so much more than what the media portrays.

If you really know me, you know that I don’t always go by Nicole, I go by Frech. This a nickname that I got from playing intramurals for Tri Delta and is pretty much how I introduce myself to anyone outside the classroom. I’m honestly not really sure who I would be without that nickname (it is also hilarious seeing peoples reaction to that name and how they pronounce it). The nickname is just one experience out of many that will always bring back memories of my time in Tri Delta.

Going through recruitment, I only knew a small handful of girls already in sororities. I was not someone that hung out with these women on a regular basis. Walking into the houses, I

was nervous as can be, because I am a complete introvert when it comes to first impressions. Going into an environment like this was not my general cup of tea, and this was in the back on my mind the whole time. I was lucky that I had my hallmates to help me out when I felt out of place, they, along with certain houses, made me feel comfortable as the days went on. By the end of recruitment, I was still nervous and contemplating my decision of which house I picked as I started my walk to Lee Chapel with my hallmate.

Sitting in Lee Chapel waiting to open my letter saying which sorority was going to be my new home was extremely nerve-wracking. Will I be happy? Did I pick the right sorority?

Is this really what I want? I heard the Rho Gammas counting down until I can open my letter. As the countdown reached one, all the screams from the girls around me began, and I ran to the front steps of Lee Chapel where a new chapter of my life begins with a new group of sisters.

It is true that we have socials. It is true that we dress up and go out together, but that isn’t why most people join their sorority. We join a sorority for the philanthropy, the bonding, and for the opportunity to grow and become better women. Philanthropy for sorority women is a way for us to gather around a great cause and help give back to our community. It doesn’t matter which sorority is hosting

the event on campus, we all go and support one another to help raise money. These philanthropy events are such a great way for members to bond with everyone and enjoy quality time with your sisters. Some of my best memories are dancing around and making fools of ourselves as we made pancakes during our annual Pancake Flip.

I will not lie and say that being is a sorority is easy and simple. It is a large time commitment, especially if you hold a leadership position. At times it feels like I have another job with all the work that I have to do with helping to better my sorority. I know that the skills I learn in my sisterhood will be beneficial for a future career. The networking between my own sisters and women in other sororities is a great connection that I am lucky to have. There is a large variety of majors in our sorority, from digital arts to education to business. Having a variety of majors means that we are able to connect with our alumni. A majority of my sisters after graduating have been able to find jobs near one another thanks to the connections they made while here.

One of the main reasons that I have stayed in my sorority is because I want to make a difference in my chapter. I want misconceptions about sororities to change, and the only way to do this is be the change.Though times were tough with certain sisters, I knew that the only way for misconceptions to change

Reporter photos/Nichole Frechette

was for me to step up and set the example along with a strong group of sisters that broke the cookie-cutter sorority girl stereotype. Holding a position in a sorority allows you the opportunity to have more of a role in your chapter and for me that was my way into starting a change.

We started to go in the right direction when we focused less on the social experience and more on the philanthropy and academic standpoint.

Each member contributes to the diversity of sororities at Stetson. We all come from different circles of life, but when it comes to the values and rituals of each sorority, all of our differences disappear and we are united by sisterhood. I do not believe that I have bought my friends or that the friendships I have made with each sorority are fake. I pay to help make a difference and to be able to spread the word of what we as sorority women do.

You cannot put a price tag on

the memories I have made or the good that we all have done.

Going into my fourth and final year in my sorority, I find myself reminiscing on both the good and bad times I have had.

In the end, no matter what has happened between each of us, I know that my life has been changed for the better by joining this organization. From the late night talks in the chapter room to the food runs that I will probably regret later on life, I would never change any aspect of my experience. People always ask if I would go through recruitment again knowing what I know now and my response every time is YES. These have been the best and hardest times of my life in college, but these women have helped me and know how to cheer me up. I will never regret the decision I made four years ago by accepting my bid to what I think is the best sorority (even though I am a little biased), Delta Delta Delta.

#HumanityWashedAshore

Immigration dialogue in Europe and the United States Kaley Fulton Opinion Editor

A dead toddler lies face down on a Turkish beach as a soldier observes and takes notes.

If you’ve seen the news or logged on to any social media site in the past few days, I’m sure you’ve seen the tragic image of three-year-old Aylan Kudi, a Syrian refugee whose family was trying to flee to a Greek island when the boat carrying them capsized and 12 passengers, including Aylan, died. Aylan and his family are just some of the estimated 9 million refugees who have either fled the country or been internally displaced since the civil war began in 2011. Aylan is also an example of the more than 250,000 migrants who are attempting or who have attempted to reach Europe in the first half of 2015, often trying to be granted asylum.

This week, I had the opportunity to learn more about Europe’s so called “migrant crisis” and the humanitarian, economic, and political implications of such a crisis. The scholar with whom my class and I met (and who chose to remain anonymous) expressed concern from a humanitarian perspective that many West-

ern European countries had been reluctant to welcome refugees and asylum seekers while recognizing that it is difficult for a host country to provide adequate resources for such an influx of people. A complicating factor that must also be accounted for is the rise in popularity of many far –right and often xenophobic parties in Europe, such as Le Front National in France, which increases the reluctance of these countries to welcome refugees.

As the photo of Aylan has circulated across the Internet, people all over the world are becoming more aware and concerned about the plight of refugees and the world’s less than kind treatment of asylum seekers. The photo of Aylan is often accompanied by the hashtag, “humanity washed ashore” to express dissent with his tragic death and the international response to refugees. While I’m glad that this issue is finally receiving international attention, I am often surprised how many Americans can be horrified by this photo and critique Europe’s “management” of migrants without realizing that the treatment of migrants a n d asylum seekers coming to the U.S. is often just as deplorable, and their

journeys are often just as difficult.

According to the Department of Homeland Security Office of Immigration Statistics, there are an estimated 11.4 million “unauthorized migrants” living in the United States and roughly 71 percent of these individuals come from Mexico and Central America.

However, we very seldom take the time to hear the stories of these individuals and fail to recognize their inherent dignity as human beings. We also fail to recognize that in a pursuit of better circumstances, many of these migrants lose their lives.

The New York Times reported that there were 463 officially documented deaths in US- Mexico border crossings in 2013 and more than 700 remains were found in the desert from previous years.

Unlike Aylan’s death, these deaths, which are just as disturbing and tragic, go beyond public notice.

Instead of promoting empathy through sharing and learning from immigration experiences, terms like “illegals” are used frequently in the national im-

migration dialogue, and just as in Europe, there is a segment of American society that supports xenophobic statements made by candidates like Donald Trump.

The term “illegal” is dehumanizing and should not be used as it implies that the existence of migrants is a burden. Moreover, when such terms are used and an entire group is stereotyped, we lose our ability to respect others and appreciate the difficulties of their circumstances, which may make obtaining immigration documentation impossible. As a university that seeks to be diverse and inclusive, part of our efforts ought to include understanding the stories of members of our community, including those who happen to be undocumented, before reaching judgment of any kind.There are also opportunities for Stetson students to learn more about this issue, and even interact with some migrant workers through joining organizations like STAND or Oxfam club or engaging in service learning.

86SPORTS OPINIONyh

Stetson routs Webber 42-13 Photo by Jim Hogue photos, courtesy of gohatters.com

Hatter Football has record-setting night Sean McKnight Sports Editor

This past Saturday at Spec Martin Stadium was a record-setting night on both sides of the ball for Stetson. Junior running back Cole Mazza rushed for three touchdowns and junior quarterback Ryan Tentler passed for 229 yards and one touchdown.

Stetson opened their season at home with a resounding 42-13 win over Webber.

This makes for the third year in a row Stetson has won its home opener.

The story of this game was who broke what record and how. Running backs A.J. Washington and P.J. Franklin both found the back of the endzone and helped see the Hatters (1-0) set a school record for most points in the modern era. Stetson’s 42-point night surpassed last year’s

41-point game against Butler. The last time any Stetson squad scored more than 42-points was in 1956 against Havana, 62-0.

S t e t s o n ’ s high-powered scoring really showcased what the team has been working on since the end of last season.

A handful of games last season were decided by 10 points or less. It is refreshing to see this squad be able to tack on as many points as they did. The offensive line was impenetrable, the running backs and wide outs were precise and rolling, and the signal callers were firing on all cylinders.

Head coach Roger Hughes spoke on the efficiency of his offense “I thought our offensive line did a great job of opening those holes. I thought Ryan [Tentler] did a nice job of checking the plays and pulling the ball on his reads

and when he needed to pull it. When the numbers matched up inside the box, he executed well.” Hughes also spoke on Mazza’s stellar performance “Cole had a very good game. He is a big, tough runner and he can carry people with him.

Overall, I am pretty pleased for a first game.”

However, it wasn’t just the offense that put on a show last Saturday night. Stetson’s defense, lead by star Donald Payne, forced three turnovers and held Webber to just 2-for-8 on third down conversions.

Webber totaled a mere 210 yards of total offense compared to Stetson’s 472 yards of total offense. In Webber’s game last week they had over 400 yards of total offense. Stetson easily handled Webber’s best and cut that number in half, which is impressive.

Overall, what I

saw last Saturday was a team that is hungry to play and win this year. A team that has faced a lot of adversity over the past four years and has persevered through it all to make it to this point. Next week Stetson goes on the road to face a strong Mercer team.

If they can walk into that environment against the caliber of players they are and come out with a W that will speak volumes for this squad. In years past this team has struggled early in the season but has usually finished quite strong.

If they can keep this high powered offense and shut down defense clicking on all cylinders they have a lot of potential to be successful. The battle Stetson faces now is the mental one, if they can keep to their ethos of “team first” I don’t see them being anything other than successful this year.

Stetson setter completes 3,000 career assists Senior is less than 300 away from breaking previous record Madison Akins Staff Writer Stetson volleyball seems to be off to a good start this year.

In just the second weekend of the season, Kayla Weller, setter for Stetson’s volleyball team, completed 3,000 career assists. What makes this even more incredible is that she is only the fourth Hatter to do so.

“It feels like such a huge milestone for not only myself but the program as well. There is no possible way I could have done it without the help of all my teammates from this season and my past three years at Stetson,” said Weller.

Setters have a difficult job, but receive hardly any glory. However, Weller enjoys that aspect of her position, explaining that her role as a setter is “to give my hitters the best possible chance to be successful. Often times, setters are referred to as ‘quarterbacks’ of the team because we call all of the plays and are in charge of running an offense. Being a setter is amazing role to play on the team because though you may not get credit for the big kills, you get to see your teammates crush balls, and that is more rewarding than anything for me,” she explained.

As she is in her senior year at Stetson, Weller has come a long way from be-

ing the freshman setter in the 2012 season. The offense has changed greatly with the new coach, Kristina Hernandez, and Weller has done a great job implementing the faster offense and connecting with all of her hitters.

While looking back at her career thus far, Weller said, “This program has continuously grown every year that I have been a part of the team, and that has been something truly amazing to be involved in. We now have a standard of commitment that is expected from each and every player and nothing less is accepted. This year is definitely going to be a great year for Stetson Volleyball and I am so excited for what's to come for us.”

Weller needs just 282 assists to break the all-time assists record of 3,332 assists, currently held by Tanya Roe. The Lady Hatters will face their first conference opponent, Florida Gulf Coast, at home on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 3p.m.

“I am looking forward to seeing how much we can grow as a team. Through these first few weeks we have already grown so much and shown so much potential that it really excites me to see what the future holds for us. This team is one of the most determined and committed teams I've ever been on, so now it's all about putting all of the pieces together.”

Men’s Soccer making big moves

Madison Akins Staff Writer

The Men’s Stetson Soccer team has begun their season with success.

In addition to beating Georgia Southern and the University of Alabama Birmingham, the team had two players receive honors from the Atlantic Sun. Senior Lucas Diniz received Atlantic Sun Conference Men’s Soccer Player of the Week, rightfully so as he contributed five out of the six goals scored by the Hatters in their opening games.

During the second game against UAB, Diniz picked up a hat trick, making himself the fourteenth player in the school’s history to do so.

“The team is very supportive, and without them I would not have had the opportunities in front of goal,” said Diniz.

The National Soccer Coaches Association of America named Diniz to the men’s national player of the week, making Diniz the first to receive this honor in 2015 season.

While Diniz is just one of two seniors, the other being Eli Beates, he feels the

responsibility in helping to lead his team, but also recognizes that this group of guys “distinguishes [their] program by showing how young and talented [they] are as a team. Players like Jared Huber, Jeppe Moe and Eyal Cohen are only sophomores in [their] program and they bring a positive impact on and off the field.”

Another player that contributed to the team’s success on the road was Paul Ladwig, who also received honors on his outstanding performance in making 10 saves in two games, also earning him

Atlantic Sun Defensive Player of the Week.

In response to the their opening wins, Ladwig said, “The last two games gave us a lot of confidence.

We played as a unit. Everybody worked for another, like a big family. Especially, the game against UAB has proved that we are able to beat every team in the country, even on the road.”

Ladwig has always aspired to be a goalkeeper and loves the pressure of defending the net.

“If a goalkeeper makes a mistake it causes a goal almost every time.

That’s why it's so exciting

to be a goalkeeper. You are an important part of winning or losing,” he said.

One of the five goals that Diniz scored was off of a penalty kick (PK).

Interestingly enough, Ladwig had a great save off of a PK. Both players understood the mental aspect of a PK and used it for their own benefit.

Ladwig enjoyed being the keeper as he said, “Penalties are always great for a goalkeeper, because you have nothing to lose.

The striker has all the pressure on his shoulders. I always try to make eye contact with the striker, make

myself big and stay still as long as possible. And this time, it worked and he missed.” On the other side Diniz said, “I am usually very concentrated. Penalty kicks are mind games with the goalkeeper and thankfully I have converted all of them so far.”

Both players are excited with what these wins will do for their team’s confidence going into the rest of their season. The conference portion of their season begins against Florida Gulf Coast. The game will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Athletic Training Center.