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The Official Student Newspaper of Eckerd College
Vol. 3, Issue X—April 6, 2012
Service Learning heads to 66° North
News: page 3
Where did you take The Current on break? Students take copies of The Current around the world for their service trips— see spread inside. Viewpoints: page 9
Kony 2012 pros and cons debate Two of our editors go head-tohead to debate merits and pitfalls of the Kony 2012 movement. Entertainment: page 13
Rollbatto Sushi: Grab some rolls on the go The Current reviews an affordable assembly-line style sushi restaurant in downtown St. Pete.
By Alex Zielinski Asst. Photo Editor
Health & Fitness: page 20
How you can protect yourself from STDs The coordinator of health promotions provides tips on prevention for STD awareness month.
Brezin wins ECOS runoff election
photo by Alex Zielinski
The Service Learning office has offered alternative spring break options for students for more than a decade. This year Service Learning upped the ante by offering a total of 20 destinations, up from 15 for the past two years, for students wishing to do service over spring break.
Options included Orlando, Fla., Detroit, Ukiah, Calif., New York City and others for those wishing to stay in the United States. Trips abroad included Guyana, Panama, Nicaragua, Peru and a few others. Two trips stood out for the overwhelming interest in securing one of the 23 coveted spots between the two. These trips included
Cuba and Iceland. While Cuba was an Eckerd first, Eckerd visited Iceland once before in 2007. I was fortunate enough to be selected for the Iceland trip along with ten others by our trip leader and Service Learning Intern Lizzy Haag (‘11). Our group left for Iceland on March 16, the first group See ICELAND , page 5
Retired dean assists select students Dean Emeritus Richard Hallin plays integral role in helping students acquire scholarships By Devon Williams Director of PR/Advertising photo by Alex Zielinski
By Kelly Coston Asst. Health & Fitness Editor
A much anticipated decision has been determined. Rhemy Brezin has been elected to be the ECOS president for the 2012-2013 school year. After campaigning with her “Brez for Prez” slogan, Brezin won the majority vote in the runoff election, beating out running mate Devon Williams by a 59-41 percent margin, according to ECOS Public Relations. While at her house in Tallahassee Fla., where she had stopped on her way to Mobile, Ala. for the Women’s Rugby South Championships, Brezin received the call that she had won. “I got really excited and did a dance around my kitchen with my mom and my teammate Lauren Thompson.” Brezin is currently the Director of Committee for Palmetto Productions and is used to having a lot of responsibility on her See BREZIN, page 5 Please Recycle
INDEX: News 2 - 8
According to Dean Emeritus Richard Hallin, he’s the lucky one. “I have been working with some of the college’s most promising and performing students to help them be as competitive as possible for major national scholarship competitions,” he said. “In many cases, my work with a student begins in freshman year and continues until graduation and beyond.” Hallin has played a major role in assisting 39 Eckerd students to win coveted Hollings Scholarships, awards administered through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). During the seven years of Hollings competitions, no college or university in the country has had more student winners than Eckerd College. Hallin has also assisted students with applications for Goldwater, Udall, Fulbright, Rhodes, Rotary, Truman and other national scholarships. He officially retired from EC in 2004. But, Eckerd wasn’t through
with Hallin. President Eastman extended an opportunity for Hallin to continue a mentoring role on a part-time basis that continues to benefit the students of Eckerd during their undergraduate experience here and beyond. Hallin has an office in the front of West Lodge, in a room no bigger than a closet, where academic opportunities for the best and brightest at Eckerd College are born. A group of lucky freshmen with a GPA higher than an unpublished amount, hear from Dean Hallin. Students at Eckerd are extremely grateful to his extensive work with them on various parts of their academic journey. Junior and Ford Scholar Jaclyn New says, “Dean Hallin has opened up a lot of doors for me in regard to scholarships and post graduation opportunities. You can tell he’s a very compassionate man… His one-on-one attention really makes the difference.” Donna Grasso, the Administrative Secretary in the Admissions Department, worked closely with Dean Hallin. “[He]
Dean Hallin was a main reason is the man that hired me. When he took me into his office I felt that Eckerd was able to boast immediately like I had known him about their enrollment of students for years and we from as many as 49 states and over 60 were old friends. countries with more He is one of the than 15 percent of the most intelligent student body coming people I have from outside of the ever met, a great U.S. Hallin stated, “It listener, and he was exciting to have always made you a hand in crafting a smile.” student community In 1978, Dean Hallin suggested of such diversity.” His past endeavors to the then are just as interesting Eckerd president, and engaging as the Peter Armacost, that he should —Donna Grasso, adminis- man himself. His career assume the trative secretary. academic position of dean includes receiving of admissions a Bachelor of Arts Degree from and financial aid. When describing the state of the Occidental College; a Master of Arts college at that time, Dean Hallin degree from Oxford University; went on to say that, “The College and a Ph.D. from Columbia was struggling financially and University in New York City with enrollment was falling. There was a specialization in Political Science a desperate need for stability in and American Government. He that dean’s position. He agreed, and even tried his hand at running for appointed me to the position from See HALLIN , page 8 which I retired 26 years later.”
“...I
felt immediately like I had known him for years and we were old friends.”
Viewpoints 9 - 12 Entertainment 13 - 16 The Quickie 17 - 18 Health & Fitness 19 - 20 Sports 21- 24
The Current is a free, biweekly student newspaper produced at Eckerd College. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers.