The Official Student Newspaper of Eckerd College
Volume 7, Autumn Term Issue Aug. 28, 2015
Welcome Home
Ten Thousand Miles The class of 2019 has traveled up to 10,250 miles to reach Eckerd’s campus. Students have made the trek from Australia, the Bahamas, Brazil, Dominican Rep., Ecuador, Finland, Germany, France, Ghana, Jamaica, Myanmar, Puerto Rico, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK and Uruguay. The Current is a free, biweekly student newspaper produced at Eckerd College. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers.
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In case you missed it
Duncan LeBlond Social Media Manager
Sally arrives safe and sound New Eckerd College first-year student Sally Gardiner-Smith embarked on a 3,000-mile solo-sail to reach campus. She set out from Portland, Maine last fall, and voyaged all the way down to school. She can now be seen on campus along with her dog, Elli, and is settling in for her freshman year.
Trash to Treasure doubles last year’s earnings Aug. 7 marked Eckerd’s second annual Trash to Treasure campaign. Sustainability Director Evan Bollier and his team of summer interns collected and sold donated belongings from students who were moving out at the end of spring semester. The sale offset 10 tons of material, which would have otherwise gone to landfills. A total of $11,000 was raised to fund future sustainability and environmental management projects on campus.
New sailing facilities set to open soon A new sailing facility, called the Doyle Sailing Center, is under construction. At a cost of $1.6 million, Eckerd hopes that building the new facility will further the NCAA sailing team’s competitive edge. The new facility, located on the west side of campus, will include floating docks and 26 new boat slips, along with state of the art land facilities for the team to meet and train.
EC-SAR saves woman from Skyway jump
Eckerd nominated for “Best of the Bay”
On July 20, Eckerd College Search and Rescue (EC-SAR) responded to a call for a 38-year-old woman who had jumped from the local Sunshine Skyway bridge. Though it is rare for a jumper to survive, the woman was safely removed from the water and transferred to paramedics. The efficiency and skill of the EC-SAR team was later celebrated in an article by the Tampa Bay Times.
Eckerd is nominated for Best Local College/University in Creative Loafing’s Best of the Bay awards. Other nominations include Another Man’s Trash — Eckerd’s improv team —for Best Local Improv Troupe and the Eckerd Tritons for Best Florida College Teams. Assistant Professor of Creative Writing Jonathan Chopan and Professor Emeritus of Literature Peter Meinke also received nominations for Best Local Fiction Writer and Best Local Poet respectively. Eckerd College Environmental Film Festival is up for Best Film Festival and Eckerd’s Writers in Paradise is nominated for Best Local Literary Event. If you want to show your Eckerd pride, you can visit cltampa. com to vote until the competition closes on Sept. 8.
Charles Blow to visit campus Each year, freshmen receive a summer reading assignment to be discussed during their first few weeks of Human Experience. This year, “Fire Shut Up In My Bones” by Charles Blow was the book of choice. Blow, who is visiting Eckerd on Sept. 8., will speak at an event open to both the college community and the public. It is the kick-off of the annual Presidential Events Series for the upcoming year. The theme for 2015-2016 focuses on ideas of race, class, gender and sexuality in the contemporary world -- ideas explored in Blow’s memoir.
The Current brings home nine awards The Florida Pro Chapter of The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) recently granted The Current nine statewide awards, including runner-up for Best Student Publication. For a full list of individual and staff awards, visit www.spjflorida.com.
Eckerd goes to Cuba Ten of Eckerd College’s marine science students, led by Associate Professor of Marine Science and Biology William Szelistowski, traveled to Cuba for a reef fish research trip this summer. During the two-week endeavor, the group explored invasive reef species and continued to contribute to a previously existing shark project. Students also worked closely with The University of Havana’s Center for Marine Research on their current manatee project. Eckerd plans to develop the relationship with The University of Havana by facilitating future classes and research trips.
Editor-in-Chief
Opinions Editor
Online Editor
PR Manager
Emma Cotton
Araesia King
Viki Seligman
Christina Rosetti
thecurrent@eckerd.edu
currentviews@eckerd.edu
currentonline@eckerd.edu
Asst. PR Manager
Asst. Opinions Editor
Asst. Online Editor/Webmaster Michael Serrati
Duncan Leblond
Corelle Rokicki
Gary Furrow
Culture Editor
Multimedia Manager
Sarah Raney
Jennifer Lincoln
currentme@eckerd.edu
currentae@eckerd.edu
Design Manager
Science Editor
Hannah Hamontree
Fiona McGuire
currentlayout@eckerd.edu
currentscience@eckerd.edu
Managing Editors
Aug. 28, 2015
Peter Bouveron currentvideo@eckerd.edu
Photo Editor Lia Nydes currentphoto@eckerd.edu
Asst. Photo Editor Nate Gozlan
News Editor
Sports Editor
Chelsea Duca
Christina Rosetti
Design Editors
currentnews@eckerd.edu
currentsports@eckerd.edu
Corelle Rokicki
Asst. News Editors
Dorothy-Mae Eldemire
Christa Perry
Chelsea Duca
Victoria Carodine
currentlayout@eckerd.edu
Social Media Managers Duncan Leblond Becky Flood
Recruitment and Retention Sydney Cavero Ben Goldberg
Faculty Adviser K.C. Wolfe
The Current is a free biweekly student newspaper at Eckerd College. Offices are located upstairs in Cobb at 4200 54th Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33711. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of EC students, staff, faculty and administration. The Current welcomes letters to the editor. Submissions should be typed and cannot exceed 400 words. Writers must include their full name, graduation year and contact number. Faculty and staff should include their title, department and contact number. All submissions are subject to editing for the purposes of clarity, style or length. The Current holds the right to reject any letters deemed inappropriate. Letters can be sent via email to thecurrent@eckerd.edu.
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THE CURRENT
Aug. 28, 2015
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ECOS President’s Letter to the First Years
ECOS President Jack Layden welcomes first-year students.
FRIDAY
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9 a.m. Residence Halls Open
SATURDAY
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photo by Lia Nydes
SUNDAY
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MONDAY
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Fall Semester Begins
TUESDAY
extraordinary — it’s one of a kind. Keep an open mind, be adventurous, smile, be kind, and let Eckerd mold you. The upperclassmen are coming back soon. The most important thing to do is to just be yourself. They will appreciate meeting the genuine you. Don’t feel scared to ask them for help — every upperclassmen feels the responsibility to help you because they were helped by the generations before them. Lastly, I will leave you with this: transitioning to college is a challenge for EVERYBODY. For some it’s easier, for some it’s a solid hurdle, but for all it’s an adjustment. If you ever feel this adjustment is becoming too overwhelming, all you have to do is ask for help. We will be there. “Some run swiftly; some creep painfully; all who keep on reach the goal.”-Piyadassi Thera You are all doing a great job, keep it up! All the best, Jack Layden ECOS President
WEDNESDAY THURSDAY
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7 p.m. The Current meeting Upstair in Cobb
EEL Appications Due
7 p.m. Masculinity in Contemporary Quality Television; Mad Men Miller Auditorium
Dear First Years, Welcome to Eckerd! Before Autumn Term started I had a feeling that your class would be amazing, and in the past couple of weeks you have proven this true. I had such a fun time with all of you at “club EC” — by far the best “club EC” I have experienced. It has also been such a pleasure just talking to you all; your passion, goals, and tenacity make me believe you guys are going to go through Eckerd and accomplish remarkable things. Eckerd is what college should be. Eckerd knows that what you learn in class is incredibly important, but it also recognizes the expansive potential that outside the class offers. Eckerd understands that the focus of campus life should be the students; therefore it should be run by students with the comfort of having passionate full time staff members here to support and help. We have a culture where a freshman and a senior can be friends, where our feet are black from not wearing shoes, where you don’t have to leave your furry siblings at home, and where sometimes you can’t stop smiling because you love your second home so much. What we have here is
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7 p.m. Senate Declaration of Candidacy
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Senate Campaigning begins 7 p.m. The Current meeting Upstair in Cobb
7:30 p.m. Talk: Charles Blow Fox Hall
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Friendly faces to know on campus
Aug. 28, 2015
By no means a comprehensive list, here are some notable folks you’re likely to come across in your first few weeks on campus: Ronald Porter; Director of Service Learning
Donald Eastman III; President
President Eastman has served in his position for 14 years. In his time as president of the college, the number of applicants to the college’s residential program has increased by 58 percent and the athletic fields and the tennis courts were constructed. His office is located in the Upham Building next to the Registrar’s office.
Porter helps students locate volunteer opportunities off campus. He is also an Eckerd alumnus. His office is located in the Service Learning office in Brown Hall.
courtesy of Ronald Porter
courtesy of Eckerd College Flickr
Lova Patterson; Associate Director of Campus Activities
James Annarelli; Dean of Students/ Vice President for Student Life
Patterson helps to plan and set up all of the events that Campus Activities puts on. She is also an Eckerd alumna. Her office is located in the Campus Activities Office in Brown Hall.
As Dean of Students, Annarelli serves as a point of information for students and is responsible for responding to the students’ needs. He has been working at the college for 25 years, and became Dean of Students since 2001. His office is located in Student Affairs in Brown Hall. courtesy of Eckerd College Flickr
courtesy of Dean Annarelli
Victoria Reeves; Associate Director of Campus Housing
Marjorie Sanfilippo; Associate Dean of Faculty
Reeves helps students with conflicts regarding housing such as roommate changes and damage charges. She has worked at Eckerd for three years, serving in her current position for two years. She is also an Eckerd alumna. Her office is located in Student Affairs in Brown Hall.
Sanfilippo also serves as a professor in our psychology department. She helps to oversee the Peer Mentor program and manages all student academic issues. Her office is in the Continuing Education Center near West Lodge.
courtesy of Dean Sanfilippo
photo by Gary Furrow Jr.
Triton tales: The truth behind some of Eckerd’s greatest myths
By Gary Furrow Jr. Managing Editor
The myth, the legend, the Triton. Eckerd College students hear a lot of amazing stories when it comes to the history of Eckerd. Sometimes it’s hard to tell which tale is true or a long running fable. Never fear, the next eight stories are true Triton Trivia.
1. Assistant Professor of History Lee Irby is featured in the opening scene of the hit movie “Spring Breakers.” He makes a short cameo as a history professor - how fitting.
2. The college was founded as Florida Presbyterian College, and in 1972 was changed to Eckerd College. The College was named after philanthropist, owner of Eckerd Drugs and 1978 Republican nominee for Florida Governor, Jack Eckerd. The
college changed the name to honor Eckerd, because of his $10 million donation to the college -- the largest single gift in the college’s history.
3. After the name change, some students made T-shirts that said, “Eckerd Drug College.” The T-shirts are still sold online today. 4.Eckerd’s original school colors changed from red, black and white to teal, navy and black in 2005.
5. Contrary to popular belief, the school’s mascot is not King Trident. It is actually a snail. A triton is a sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk that lives in a shell. It explains the shell logo. Go Snails.
7. Some famous Eckerd Alumni includes Former bench coach of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays Bill Evers (‘76), Youtuber and activist Hank Green (‘02) and “Shutter Island” author Dennis Lehane (‘88).
6. Eckerd College is one of only forty liberal arts schools profiled in Loren Pope’s “Colleges That Change Lives.” That’s likely where you heard of it first.
8. Before Ransom Arts Center was built, the Dormitory Alpha Gandhi was used as an art building. Sources: Eckerd College Website, Professor Arthur Skinner, The Current archives.
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Aug. 28, 2015
THE CURRENT
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Embracing Eckerd: A taste of the years to come
photos courtesy of Aristeo Canales, Emma Cotton, & Nicole Velez
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THE CURRENT
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Editors dish on the best dining in St. Pete
Aug. 28, 2015
Bella Brava (B)
Paciugo Gelato & Caffe (C)
Address: 204 Beach Dr NE, St Petersburg, FL 33701 Hours: 1:00 - 9:30 p.m. $$ Restaurant
Address: 300 Beach Dr SE Ste. 120, St Petersburg, FL 33701 Hours: 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. $ Ice Cream Shop
“Bella Brava is a perfect getaway from Eckerd. It is fancy and low key without breaking the bank.” - Gary Furrow Jr, Managing Editor
“Paciugo is an incredible place to get gelato during First Friday, or if you want to enjoy downtown St. Pete with a refreshing treat.” - Hannah Hamontree, Design Manager
Engine No. 9 (F)
Price Range full meal and tip $: 0-25 dollars $$: 25-40 dollars
Address: 56 Dr M.L.K. Jr St N, St Petersburg, FL 33705 Hours: 12:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. $ Bar & Grill “Engine No. 9 has something for everyone because it’s your classic bar food with a gourmet twist. Instead of your usual buffalo wings, they serve crispy duck wings. It’s great.” - Duncan LeBlond, SM Manager
Eckerd College (A)
Address: 4200 54th Ave S, St Petersburg, FL 33711
courtesy of MapQuest
Upcoming Concerts Duncan LeBlond Social Media Manager
Woody’s Waterfront Grill (D) Address: 7308 Sunset Way St Pete Beach, FL 33706-3633 Hours: 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. $$ Seafood
“Outdoor seafood eatery right on the water with colorful seating and a casual vibe. Cash only.” - Araesia King, Opinion Editor
Pia’s Trattoria (E)
Address: 3054 Beach Blvd S, Gulfport, FL 33707 Hours: 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. $$ Italian Restaurant “Pia’s has the best atmosphere - you can sit outside on the patio under their cabana and have their classic Italian without totally destroying your wallet. Fantastico!” -Emma Cotton, Editor-in-Chief
The Tampa Bay area has plenty of events related to arts and entertainment. Concerts are no exception. Several major artists are performing in the coming months, encompassing almost every genre. They will hit local venues while Fall Semester is in session.
Tribal Seeds Aug.30 Jannus Live 8p.m. Chris Brown Sept.4 MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre 7p.m. Lady Antebellum, Hunter Hayes & Sam Hunt Sept.5 MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre 7p.m. Ed Sheeran Sept.10 Amalie Arena 7:30 p.m. Van Halen Sept.13 MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre 7:30p.m.
Kelly Clarkson and Pentatonix Sept.15 MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre 7p.m. Charli XCX & Bleachers Sept.25 Jannus Live 7:30p.m. ZEDD Oct.1 USF Sun Dome Arena 7:30p.m. Smallpools Oct.10 State Theatre 7:30p.m. Jason Aldean Oct.23 MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre 7p.m.
Taylor Swift Oct.31 Raymond James Stadium 7p.m. Chance the Rapper Nov.5 Jannus Live 8p.m. The Wonder Years Nov.18 The Ritz Ybor 7p.m. Trans-Siberian Orchestra Dec.13 Amalie Arena 3p.m. and 7:30p.m. Matisyahu Dec.17 Straz Center 8p.m.
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THE CURRENT
Aug. 28, 2015
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You’ll see — it’s an Eckerd thing Araesia King Opinion Editor My phone calls to friends back home when I first came to Eckerd were filled with glamorous depictions of South Beach or subtle brags about hanging out at the Waterfront all weekend. My friends just couldn’t wrap their heads around the fact that I could do my homework on a hammock at the beach or that people walk around in their bathing suits for most of the year.
I would tell them it’s hard to understand if they weren’t here. Among other abnormalities, frizzy hair and funky-patterned cotton pants are commonplace. They’re just ‘Eckerd things.’ So for you incoming freshman, The Current staff has decided to fill you in on some of the things that you’re bound to experience during your time at Eckerd — the ‘Eckerd things’ that every freshman should know. Hopefully it will make your assimilation easier.
Wildlife photo by Duncan LeBlond
Barefoot campus Eckerd is one of the only places besides your house where walking around without shoes on is conventional. Embrace this. After your four years here, you’ll have to become an actual adult and cover your feet. Until then, let them loose and join our community of black-bottomed, callused feet.
photo by Duncan LeBlond
Transportation If the skateboard parking zones didn’t make it obvious, boarding is a way of life at Eckerd. Longboards. Skateboards. Penny boards. You name it, we have it. If you don’t have a board, it’s not the end of the world. Yellow bikes, scooters and roller blades work just as well. You can even kick it old school and walk to class. There’s no judgment here.
photo by Lia Nydes
Squirrels, raccoons and gators, oh my. The wildlife on Eckerd’s campus is far from ordinary. Some of the most iconic creatures include the “Pubcoon” — a strange racoon who is frequently seen outside of the Pub; the Career Services squirrel, who likes to hang out around the Career Services office (and guilts you into feeding him nuts); and Stumpy, our friendly campus alligator. These animals are accustomed, maybe even too accustomed, to human contact. They will not move if you are walking towards them down the sidewalk. The longboarders on campus have taught them bad habits.
photo by Duncan LeBlond
Glitter You might have thought that keeping sand out of your room was going to be your biggest concern of the year, but you were wrong. Trying to cope with the amount of glitter on this campus
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is where your real troubles lie. It’s not your average kindergarten arts-and-crafts ‘I have glitter glue under my nails’ sort of problem. Eckerd has a full blown, widespread, Ke$ha concert-worthy glitter epidemic. You’ve been warned.
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No wheels? No problem Tim Sensenig Multimedia Asst. Editor Since 2012, the college has been partnered with UHaulCarShare, a service that provides instant access to a rental car for a small fee. The program was brought to campus by Sustainability Director Evan Bollier. There are now four cars on campus available to students 24/7. To get a rental, set up an account on uhaulcarshare.com and check out their “How it Works” page. After spending his first two years at Eckerd without a vehicle, Bollier realized that more could be done to alleviate the burden of travelling off-campus. “There were a lot of other good colleges out there with programs similar to U-Haul’s,” Bollier said. “We needed to get with the times.” U-Haul ended up contacting Eckerd while searching for a few small Florida colleges to which they could introduce UHaulCarShare. Eckerd College is UHaulCarShare’s number one campus by usage. “Families have expressed gratitude for the availability and financial relief that is offered by the U-Haul Car Share program,” Fred Sabota, Associate Dean of students for campus activities, told UHaulCareShare. com. “In addition, the program fits the environmental culture that is valued at Eckerd College. Eckerd College is excited about the continued growth of this essential asset to the community.” Bollier hopes that through this service students will foster an environment of car sharing. “If more students see the benefits of using the rental cars then more students will choose to share these cars instead of bringing cars from home, which overall will be more beneficial to the environment,” he said. Once the fall semester begins, the U-Haul cars will need to be booked about a day or two in advance. There’s no need to give up on the freedom of the open road just yet.
photo by Jennifer Lincoln Emma Cotton started as editor-in-chief in June 2015.
Welcome from the Editor Emma Cotton Editor-in-chief To the class of 2019: Congratulations — you made it. In the next four years, you will see yourself grow in ways you never predicted. You’ll take new classes. You’ll wake up on
Sunday mornings with glitter in your scalp. You’ll battle with yourself about who you want to become. You’ll fail. You’ll succeed. You’ll lose friends and you’ll gain some that will be there for the rest of your life. You may be disgusted with the idea of walking shoeless in the dirt now, but come graduation,
Aug. 28, 2015
there may be nothing between your feet and the stage. Your time at Eckerd is going to challenge you academically and emotionally. You will be faced with choices you won’t want to make. Will you go to Costa Rica or Iceland for Winter Term? Will you join ECOS or become an RA? Some will be harder. Maybe you’ll fail tests, drop classes, switch majors. Through it all, I urge you to understand two things: The first is that everyone before you has endured some kind of struggle. If you look carefully around you, you’ll see that everyone is facing challenges. You are not alone, and it is very possible that someone on this campus has survived something similar. It is equally as likely that they will be willing to help you through it. Use your resources, and don’t be afraid to talk. The second is that your struggle is important. Around sophomore year, most people feel the need to decide not only a major, but a life goal — something to motivate you through the memorization and essay-writing that will occupy your waking hours. Though this par-
ticular struggle can prompt tears and hair-pulling, know that the frustration propels you towards the solution. All this is probably why you came to college: to figure out what it is that will give your life meaning. Recognize that your concerns are valid and an important part of reaching an answer. As a senior who is dreading graduation more than any pile of work about to come my way, I can attest that Eckerd is a fantastic place to experience your struggle. The faculty transcend their job descriptions and can almost always offer a next step. The sunsets provide peaceful respites from stressful days. The people — students, staff, faculty and administrators alike — are genuine and supportive. At Eckerd, you will get countless opportunities to reach beyond your comfort zone, but you will be supported all the while. Take advantage of your ability to have this struggle. You are in college now, with all of the intelligence, resources and space to think critically about your life. Hundreds of possibilities
are in front of you. Don’t wait to make them your reality. Decide who you want to be, then be that person. On my end, I’ll make you a promise. Our team at The Current will work to give you all of the information you’ll need to make informed choices. We’ll give you the straight facts. We’ll host writers with passionate voices, and we’ll encourage you to use your own. Maybe you’ll write a column for us, or maybe you’ll use the information we’ve provided to raise awareness about an issue on campus. We’ll continually brainstorm new ideas to get you excited about the information we deliver. We’ll give you a behind-the-scenes look at Eckerd, and most of all, we’ll help you understand the gravity of your presence on our campus. Be brave and know that you are important. Use your voice, stand up for what you believe in, and don’t take any of it for granted. Welcome home, class of 2019. You’ve got this. All the best, Emma Cotton
Want to join our award-winning team?
We’re looking for writers, photographers, graphic designers, multimedia producers, and those interested in marketing, web support and PR. Meetings are held on Mondays at 7p.m. in The Current Media Center upstairs in Cobb. email thecurrent@eckerd.edu for info
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