Centric Fall 2014 Issue by Nicholson School of Communication

FALL 2014 | VOLUME 4 | ISSUE 2

MASTERMIND BEHIND THE BIONIC ARM Insight from the brain and heart of UCF doctoral student Albert Manero PAGE 12

TERRANCE PLUMMER THANKS HIS NO. 1 FAN |PAGE 10

STORIES OF... INTEGRITY 4

REMEMBERING OUR FALLEN JOURNALIST A Centric staff member shares her thoughts and reactions about the tragedy.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE 10

EXCELLENCE 6

DISABLED GRAD FIGHTS FOR DREAMS

CANCER-BATTLING STUDENT SPREADS CHEER

Despite her debilitating health, an alumna leads others toward their dreams. James Soper spearheads an organization while battling stage-three cancer.

9 10

UCF’S LITERAL BIG MAN ON CAMPUS

Basketball player Justin McBride continues to grow despite being 6 feet 11 inches tall.

INSIGHT FROM TERRANCE PLUMMER AND HIS NO. 1 FAN

Defensive backbone Terrance Plummer shares the value of his mother’s encouragement.

PHOTO|JAMES DIANA

SCHOLARSHIP 12 14

PAGE 6

THE MAN BEHIND THE BIONIC ARM

Albert Manero tells what fuels his passion for helping others.

IMMIGRANT NO LONGER LOST IN TRANSLATION

A 46-year-old student taught himself English to earn an engineering bachelor’s degree.

COMMUNITY 15

FROM REFUGEE TO ASPIRING RESTAURATEUR

BRIDGING THE DIVIDE

Knightstop sushi chef tells his journey of escaping Burma and living the American dream.

An Israeli and a Palestinian come together despite the separation of their people in Israel.

CREATIVITY 18

THE SOUND OF JOOX

MAKING UCF ‘DATEABL’

Two UCF entrepreneurs put the success of musical artists in the hands of fans. Maker of UCF online-dating website Dateabl shares his motive behind the initiative.

ABOUT THE COVER

PHOTO|NADA HASSANEIN

For more exclusive content and multimedia, visit centric.cos.ucf.edu. 2 | CENTRIC

Alex Pring demonstrates the capabilities of the bionic arm, made by Albert Manero, left, and team Limbitless. COVER PHOTO|KT CRABB PHOTOGRAPHY ktcrabbphotography.com

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

f anyone figures out this whole “leadership” thing, please let me know. How can one expect to be an effective leader when there is no formula; there is no book to study from; no single experience that can prepare you for it? As the staff and I sifted through ideas and meticulously read each of the stories featured in this issue over and over, I realized something: Here are very different people with very different stories, yet I see all of them as leaders. And the best part is it was all an accident; we didn’t choose a theme of leadership. Each of the 11 stories in this issue is about a leader, and each of them became a leader in their own right. Whether it is through football, the craft of journalism, a student organization, a family, even a business — it doesn’t matter. Some of these people are defined a leader by their title. Some, I guarantee, are too humble to even consider themselves a leader. Rachel Williams Maybe, there is no formula. It is with extreme pride that the Centric magazine staff and I present to you these stories. It is our mission to bring you stories about people in the UCF community who are inspiring, innovative and interesting. We greatly thank you for your interest in our magazine. As you read these stories, maybe you’ll feel the same way I did, that leadership is this characteristic we all search for, but no one really knows what it is. If you find a formula, seriously, let me know. You’ll be our next feature story. But for now, I’ll stick with the hazy leadership definition we have come to know. So far, it has been more fun that way.

CENTRIC STAFF

MANAGING EDITOR Rachel Williams ART DIRECTOR Nada Hassanein DIGITAL PRODUCERS Danielle Hendrix Lexi Merritt

STAFF James Diana Ryan Gillespie Shanae Hardy Johnathan Kuntz Sarah Miller Gabbie Mont

ADVISER Rick Brunson NICHOLSON SCHOOL DIRECTOR Dr. Robert Chandler

CENTRIC | 3

integrity

Students gaze into the candlelight, reflecting on Steven Sotloff at the vigil commemorating his life. CENTRIC | 4

PHOTOGRAPHY|ADAM RHODES

integrity

A PERSONAL TRIBUTE to

STEVEN SOTLOFF Reuters

“A

nd the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace...” -The Quran, 25:63. “...whoever kills a soul for other than manslaughter or corruption in the earth — it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one — it is as if he had saved mankind entirely...” -The Quran, 5:32. These are the verses strung in my heart. They are lucid and eloquent, holy and upheld against manipulation. These words from the Quran comfort me in times when nothing else can. These are words that soothe me when melodically recited in prayer or silently in my mind, the ones that help me make sense of this world. As a UCF student and a Muslim, I felt shock and exhaustive anger that terrible day when the so-called Islamic State cruelly beheaded Steven Sotloff; “socalled,” because its name is nominal. I couldn’t bring myself to do anything that September Tuesday when I received the chilling news. I couldn’t help but wonder if this would happen again. My mother and sister held me as I sobbed in their arms. Buried inside me that day was the harrowing thought, “How could they do this in our name?” My Muslim identity does not oppose my American identity. They harmonize with each other, and I am proudly, gratefully American, Egyptian, Muslim, human. In the end, we are all just human. But it seems Sotloff ’s murderers do not see it that way. Instead, they slayed their own dignity and chose false ideology and deceit over the clear verses in the Quran that stand as a timeless witness against what they did. No matter what they do, no matter what justification

they lean upon for the comfort of following their own sick whims, they will never be able to harm any soul more than they harm their own. And they will never be able to suppress the selfless craft that is journalism. For each candle I handed out the night of the vigil honoring Sotloff ’s life, I thought of every dead Syrian child’s soul that his work helped shed light upon. I thought of all my friends and family who still hold beloved roots in the now-ravaged country, of the Libyan revolutionaries whose stories would have gone untold if not for Sotloff ’s words, of the Egyptian protesters who felt wronged and stigmatized, of the Syrian families who starved in the midst of war and waited for hours in line just for bread — all whom I think of as my brothers and sisters abroad, and all whose voices were channeled by the freelancer’s words. And not just by his words, but also his courage — courage that prized and magnified truth. Sotloff ’s reporting reflected that principal ethic in Islam: truth. It’s emphasized in this saying of the Prophet Muhammad: “Forgive him who wrongs you; join him who cuts you off; do good to him who does evil to you; and speak the truth even if it be against yourself.” Speak the truth even if it be against yourself. It is bitterly ironic that the cowards claim to have done this in the name of Islam, while Sotloff ’s work revered one of the epitomes of Islamic virtue. And I can only hope to live up to that virtue, to that high standard he left behind. BY|NADA HASSANEIN

INTEGRITY | CENTRIC | 5

excellence

Jordan Stroman and a Live Alive member invite passers-by to write their goals on a board.

LEADING A FIGHT FOR LIFE Jordan Stroman is determined to motivate others to rise to their full potential. STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY|NADA HASSANEIN

“M

eanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens.” That’s the line that is tattooed onto the inside of Jordan Stroman’s right arm. “It’s a choice to feel joy,” she said. Every day, the biblical phrase reminds her that her challenges are only leading to something bigger. Stroman suffers from neuromuscular myopathy, a genetic disease that causes gradual degeneration 6 | CENTRIC

of the muscles. Watching her own body grow weaker since age 6, she has had to give up some of her dreams and hobbies: playing soccer as a girl, drawing by hand and making jewelry. But Stroman’s new mentality no longer allows her disease to barricade her from her dreams. Last spring, her life was transformed when she and a few friends traveled to San Diego for Storyline, a self-development conference.

Despite the struggle of flying with a 400-pound wheelchair, Stroman conquered her fear of traveling. For a week, Stroman and her friends wandered through San Diego, breathing in the unfamiliar, salty ocean air of California’s beaches. After achieving what seemed to be impossible, Stroman now wants to inspire others to fight for their dreams. The 23-year-old UCF digital media alumna started Live Alive, a campus organization

that aims to help students live their dreams, fight their fears and form deeper connections with others. “Prior to the trip, I didn’t realize how much fear controlled my life,” Stroman said. Live Alive members meet weekly to watch TED talks, snack on chips and salsa and have warm discussions about how to make the leap to overcome their fears. Every Tuesday, members stand at the end of the John T. Washington Center, holding tall chalkboards and inviting students to write their dreams on sticky notes and post them on the boards. Group member Amanda Florez credits Live Alive and Stroman’s leadership to helping her overcome isolation and a fear of expressing herself. “They’ve helped me grow out of my shell,” Florez said. “She [Stroman] is just such a genuine person. The more I’ve gotten to know her, the more I realize she genuinely loves people.” Once afraid of others’ perceptions of her, Stroman now finds confidence in accepting her circumstances and hopes to use them to inspire others to flourish. “Some of the most difficult things in my life have led to some of the most beautiful experiences,” she said. Starting Live Alive is one of those experiences. But for a long time, Stroman didn’t see a leader in the mirror. She speaks by whispering words that are hazily magnified through a portable speaker, and said she felt insecure because of it. Running Live Alive has amplified her voice, and has led her to accepting roles she would otherwise shy away from, like talking in front of a crowd and motivating others.

Jordan Stroman spends time with Live Alive members before their meeting.

Jordan Stroman’s tattoo reminds her to feel joy among her difficulties.

“I feel like I’ve grown so much in the past few months because of this, believing in myself that I’m worthy of being heard and sharing my story,” she said. Live Alive co-founder and UCF interpersonal communication alum Chris DiDonna said Stroman has a gift for blessing others with her artful words. Stroman also runs the Live Alive website and her own blog, where she writes about living

with dignity and intention. With assurance in her bright, green eyes, Stroman said she feels there is purpose in her difficulties. Seeing California has only left the spirited young grad with a craving to see more of the world, to witness mountains and forests and be immersed in nature. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens. EXCELLENCE | CENTRIC | 7

James Soper, a student battling cancer, spreads cheer on campus.

CANCER STRUCK, CHEER STUCK Standing in a campus free-

speech zone under mossy trees, a cheerful young man holds a sign that says “Free Hugs.” Behind the sign is a student who just wants to brighten someone’s day. James Soper, a junior studying sociology, likes to think of himself as an ordinary student. Like many others, he changed majors after a brief stint in engineering. Unlike most others, he is battling a rare stage-three germ cell cancer. A large mass was discovered in his lungs in May 2014. Both his lungs and heart filled with fluid, resulting in immediate heart surgery. Next, a tumor was discovered on his brain. Soper’s mindset is to “help and give back to the community, and spread positivity and goodwill to the people around you.” He carries that into his position as president of registered student organization Campus Peace Action. He describes CPA as, “a grassroots progressive organization that 8 | CENTRIC

aspires to promote peace through positivity and an education within our community.” He was elected president of CPA in April 2014. He was originally afraid he wouldn’t be able to be president, but after some serious thought, he decided to be president as long as his body would allow him. Each semester, CPA puts on a peace parade on campus. Its intent is to spread happiness through positive messages and hugs. Soper is a big part of the organization of that parade. As students and faculty walk by, they are greeted by the friendly group. Students in need of a hug, high five or just a smile can find it there. “A hug is a really good way to relieve stress. Even if they don’t hug us, sometimes we elicit a smile,” Soper said. Nicole Medina, former president of CPA, describes Soper as a genuine, caring person. He uses those traits to captivate the attention of

BY|JOHNATHAN KUNTZ PHOTOGRAPHY|NADA HASSANEIN

an audience. “People view him as strong or brave because of his positive outlook, but that is who he is. People see that now, but he hasn’t changed. He’s not a cancer patient; he’s James, just with cancer,” Medina said. CPA member Karen Cornett said she has learned a lot from Soper. He has especially helped her realize she can learn from everyone around her. Soper’s positivity leads those around him to want to give back — even to him. To help with his medical expenses, a GoFundMe page was created. In just four months, 53 people donated $2,550. “I didn’t get to choose whether or not I got cancer. I don’t get to choose whether or not I survive, or how the cancer behaves. I instead think about the things I do get to decide,” Soper said. With a big smile, Soper will hug anyone willing to accept. If it brightens someone’s day, he feels it is worth it.

BIG MAN on

CAMPUS

At 6-foot-11, Justin McBride is more than a foot taller than a man of average height. BY|RYAN GILLESPIE PHOTOGRAPHY|GABBIE MONT

aybe you’ve seen him around campus. His stature demands M attention, and his opponents on the basketball court are forced to notice him. If you have seen him, he’s likely seen you as well. He towers above the crowded campus. “Little kids will come up to me and they point because they don’t know what to do,” McBride said. “I embrace it. I love it.” At 6 feet 11 inches tall and weighing about 320 pounds, McBride is the literal big man on campus. Of the more than 60,000 students at UCF, McBride is likely the largest. But being the biggest is nothing new to the sophomore, who was 5-foot-9 in the fifth grade — the height of the average man. “At first when I was younger, I didn’t know why I was so big or so different, but then I grew into it and it’s who I am,” McBride said. “I love who I am. I love me.” McBride signed with UCF out of Starke. He entered the university with a torn ACL, which stole the first 13 games of his freshman season from him. For the first time, his weight became a chief concern for him. “I just want to be comfortable,” McBride said. “My jersey was really tight last year; I didn’t like that.” His size has given him a platform and a skill. His collective height, weight and strength create problems on the court for even the largest of opponents. In high school he once shattered a backboard with a thunderous dunk over an opponent. “Justin is not your typical basketball player because of his body type,” said Ben O’Donnell, the team’s strength and conditioning coach. “He has an NFL lineman’s body, but plays basketball and plays at a high level.” McBride is now experiencing a change in the way he lives his life. His health, diet and fitness are among his chief priorities. Grilled chicken, vegetables and salad are core components of his diet. “It’s a lifestyle change,” McBride said. “I’ve never worried about my weight as much as I do now. I’ve never been this health conscious. It’s easy to grab a box of chicken, but it’s hard to grab a meal you have to cook on your own.” McBride has dropped 20 pounds since his freshman season, and plans on cutting 10 more by the start of the upcoming season. He’s even still growing, indicated by the inch of height he gained since last spring. And he’s never been more comfortable in his own skin.

EXCELLENCE | CENTRIC | 9

THANK YOU, MOM

Terrance Plummer celebrates during the BYU game.

Star linebacker Terrance Plummer and his mom share insight into the sacrifices she made for Terrance’s success.

BY|RYAN GILLESPIE PHOTOGRAPHY|JAMES DIANA

s the October sun faded over Bright House Networks Stadium, Beatrice Plummer took her seat in the section dubbed for families. The pregame butterflies that affect even the most confident players affect her as well. But after kickoff, and the first hit, they subside. More than four hours later, her son, senior linebacker Terrance Plummer, had just completed the best game of his career. The intensity in Terrance’s eyes was evident throughout the night. On his first play of the game, Terrance met a hulking BYU running back at the line of scrimmage, dropped him to the turf and jumped up to celebrate with the crowd of more than 41,000. 10 | CENTRIC

In the stadium’s concourse after the game, he collapsed into his mother’s arms for a hug. “I’m very close to my family,” Terrance said. “That’s why I try to go as hard as I can and do all that I can to make them proud, because they sacrificed so much for me coming up.” Beatrice is a single parent, and strives to be a sideline cheerleader for Terrance in his play under the lights and his walk through life. After each game she attends, Terrance looks up to her in the crowd and “shoots her love,” as he puts it. It’s something that has stuck since his days at Orange Park High School in Jacksonville.

excellence “That’s why I try to go as hard as I can ... they sacrificed so much for me coming up.” -Terrance Plummer “I’m kind of like that cheerleader that tries to keep him motivated,” Beatrice said. “Sometimes, if I can, I can come down on the weekends on a bye week, and we just spend time together. We just kind of sit around and enjoy each other.” Growing up, she never pushed Terrance toward football, but she encouraged him to find success in something. He found football in junior high school, and as a chubby kid at the time his coaches tested him as a lineman. Soon after they noticed his quickness, they moved him to linebacker. “She just wanted me to be successful in anything,” Terrance said. “If I played an instrument, she wanted me to be the best at that. If I did drama, she would want [me] to be practicing whatever I had to do. My gift was sports, and she told me that if I was going to do sports that I need to put my all into it.” So he did. He strives to be the backbone of the defense and the leader his teammates can always count on. “Seeing his growth as a person into somebody who is a standout player on the field, and you can also see his character off the field,” senior linebacker Troy Gray said. “It translates into how he works in the film room, in practice and in the way he communicates.” Much like his teammates count on him, Terrance could always rely on Beatrice, who ensured Terrance always had a ride to practice and food on the table.

Terrance Plummer and his mom share a smile after a game.

“Of course she provided for me. As a kid, I didn’t have much, but you would never know it because I had so much love and so much care and that’s all I needed,” Terrance said. “We didn’t have the best situation, but we came out of it.” The sacrifice continues for Beatrice as she travels to many away games and never misses a home game. “I do it because of the love of my child. It means a lot for me to support him and seeing him get through school and getting his degree and finishing strong on the field,” she said. “It’s been a struggle, but you do what you have to do and you live to see another day.”

Plummer takes down a BYU opponent.

EXCELLENCE | CENTRIC | 11

scholarship

THE BRAIN and the HEART BEHIND THE BIONIC ARM Doctoral student Albert Manero shares how compassion fuels his work.

BY|JAMES DIANA PHOTOGRAPHY|KT CRABB PHOTOGRAPHY

ehind the nationally recognized affordable bionic arm made for a young boy is a UCF designer with a powerful brain and a big heart. Driving doctoral student Albert Manero is a dedication to helping others and a strong Christian faith. “I think my personal faith definitely motivates a lot of the projects, and I kind of try to emphasize compassion, so that’s something that affects me every day,” he said. 12 | CENTRIC

Manero — who is in Germany on a Fulbright Scholarship — said building the arm was one of his biggest challenges. Resting on his success was a young boy’s confidence and the chance to hug with two arms for the first time. Manero sought the opportunity after hearing of e-NABLE, a volunteer-based engineering group that makes 3-D-printed prosthetic hands and arms. Manero, who is studying mechanical engineering, got

involved with his friends. “I said, ‘We’ve got to help because we have these degrees in engineering and this is what they’re really for, to try to also give back and make a difference with a degree,’” he said. Manero and the team, named Limbitless, were matched with 6-year-old Alex Pring from Groveland. Alex was an exceptional case because all previous designs required that the user had a wrist or elbow bend. He had neither. “It took us a while to come up with the idea, but we were able to use electromyography which, in short, is when Alex flexes his bicep muscle, it will read the voltage that his muscle is generating and use that to open and close the hand,” Manero said. The design cost less than $350 and earned Limbitless the STEAM Innovator Award at the STEAM Gala on Oct. 22. Aside from Manero’s plan to leave for Germany eight weeks after picking up the task, there was another motivating factor. “When you have emails coming from a mother saying, ‘My 6-year-old is still asking if he’s going to get an arm,’ then it is pretty motivating. If you miss a deadline at a normal job or a research lab you don’t have to apologize to the machine, but when you miss a deadline with a 6-year-old that’s excited, it’s a totally different feeling,” Manero said. Alex was ultimately given much more than a new arm. “Just being able to see him walk out with the arm and take it to school and see how his confidence level had changed — it was unbelievable,” Manero said. Despite being in Germany, Manero and Limbitless are still involved with e-NABLE. A passion for helping others continually motivates them. “Everyone on the team understands that it’s our

Manero and Alex look over the design

The award-winning arm costs less than $350 to make.

“I think anytime you do what’s considered an impossible project, it ultimately will lead you to prayer.” -Albert Manero responsibility through learning and through rising above that we’re able to give to the people who haven’t had the opportunities we’ve had,” said team member mechanical engineering student Dominique Courbin. UCF Associate Professor Dr. Seetha Raghavan, who Manero is researching for, has known Manero since his undergraduate career. She said he constantly looks for new ways to improve himself. “He’s a really good student to represent us in a foreign country,” Raghavan said. “He’s doing a great job of building his capability, but at the same time he’s helping others.” Manero plans on working in the private space industry after finishing his doctoral program in 2017. In tackling challenges that most would consider near impossible, Manero turns to his faith. “I think anytime you do what’s considered an impossible project, it ultimately will lead you to prayer,” he said. SCHOLARSHIP | CENTRIC | 13

scholarship

REFLECTING

on his

JOURNEY

Haitian student Saint-Surin Paul started at the bottom when he came to the U.S., but his goal of becoming an engineer is in sight.

BY|RACHEL WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY|NADA HASSANEIN

I n between electrical engineering studies, student

Saint-Surin Paul, 46, studies the English language. It’s not out of fascination for the language — it’s to learn it. In his native country of Haiti, where he grew up speaking French and Creole, Paul began studying electrical engineering in 1990. Due to a lack of money and the inability to take out student loans in the country, Paul never finished his degree. After teaching mathematics for 13 years in Haiti, Paul moved to Orlando in 2007 at age 39 to start anew with his wife and three children. Now, more than two decades after beginning his studies, he is finishing what he started — just in a new language. Learning a new language as an adult can be like starting all over again, especially with one’s accent, said Kerry Purmensky, director of master’s program teaching English to speakers of other languages. “It is like changing your vocal apparatus: tongue movement, vocal cords and throat,” she said. Paul knew learning English and engineering would be difficult, but he said he loves being challenged. “I don’t try things that are easy. I was motivated to come to UCF because I want the best. Other people made it, so I knew I could too,” he said. To teach himself, Paul bought reading and writing books and diligently practiced. He said he studied every night for at least a year. 14 | CENTRIC | SCHOLARSHIP

“It was painful because I couldn’t have any fun,” he said. His family’s support has kept him motivated. He said his wife trusts his abilities so much that she insisted on him going to school full time while she worked full time to take care of the family. It is not in his character to not financially contribute, so Paul works part time at the Orlando International Airport — the first place he felt frustration with the language barrier. “When I first arrived at the Orlando International Airport I could ask for help with my luggage but I couldn’t understand anyone. I remember feeling so frustrated,” he said. Since then, Paul has worked hard to overcome that barrier. He and his family are proud of his efforts that have represented their culture. “Of the Haitian community that moves to the United States, very few of them go back to school. My children — they are 15, 14 and 9 years old — are very proud of me for doing it,” he said. Paul is one of just 168 native-Haitian students at UCF, Director of News and Information Chad Binette said. “At first I didn’t want to come to the United States because I knew it would mean starting at the bottom, but now, I am very happy I sacrificed what I did,” Paul said. Paul expects to graduate with an electrical engineering bachelor’s degree next summer.

community

Chef Htun Linn crafts a variety of sushi for customers at Knightstop.

from REFUGEE to ASPIRING RESTAURATEUR BY|SHANAE HARDY PHOTOGRAPHY|NADA HASSANEIN

At 7 a.m., when the Student

Union is speckled with tired students, a sole Knightstop worker is behind a counter creating sushi that will feed up to a few hundred people. Knightstop worker Htun Linn practices his passion of being a chef almost daily. But behind his charcoal-colored eyes lies a past that was not concerned with passion — just safety. Linn, 41, was born in Yangon, Burma. He grew up experiencing the constraints of the military-controlled government, but escaped the country at age 28. “I ran to the next country, Thailand. Military agents came to my house. They searched my mom and my sisters and said they were looking for me. In my country, they don’t tell why,” he said. After seeking refuge in Thailand, Linn moved to Malaysia for 10 years. When he sent money to his family in Burma, police searched

his Malaysian home. Fearing the hovering reality of arrest, he escaped to Guam seeking political asylum. He was given one room for 18 months. Linn then relocated to Florida, where he eventually settled in Orlando to work for Advanced Fresh Concepts Corp. as an associate chef. He was placed at its UCF location, Knightstop, where he has been working for six years. “I really love it here. Life is different here than in Burma. In Burma, students often work in farm flats after school,” Linn said. His friend, Tunlln Shwe, who Linn met through Orlando’s Burmese community, escaped from Burma in 2006. Linn and Shwe both view Orlando as a place to build a new life away from the social constraints of their home country. Shwe said many people are poor in Burma because of the government. Linn still preserves his Burmese

“We need to do a lot for our country. Not for me, not for my family, for the new generation.” -Htun Linn identity through firm political-reformation support for his home country. He believes that escaping was a petition for change. “We [refugees] are leaders,” he said. “We need to do a lot for our country. Not for me, not for my family, for the new generation.” Linn aspires to open his own restaurant one day to serve food that weaves together Southeast-Asian flavors and Indian spices. He looks to 2015 as a pivotal year, because if democracy advocate Aung San Suu Kyi wins the presidency, Linn will be able to return home for the first time in more than a decade. COMMUNITY | CENTRIC | 15

BRIDGING THE DIVIDE A Palestinian and an Israeli find common ground while debating over the world’s most contested land. BY|LEXI MERRITT PHOTOGRAPHY|NADA HASSANEIN

A s UCF students Natalie and

Ben sat facing one another in the John C. Hitt Library, the only visible divide was in the colors of the stained glass behind them. In Israel, their people are separated by a wall. Natalie, a Palestinian, and Ben, an Israeli, both spent the summer in Israel during intense war-like fighting. They each came home with experiences that led to fundamental differences in the way they view the country. However, as they sat down with Centric magazine to discuss their trips, it became clear that they were willing to bridge the divide between their identities despite the severing events in Israel. 16 | CENTRIC

Centric: When did you first realize how intense the conflict had become? Natalie: I remember waking up at 3 a.m. to gunshots and screaming. Turns out, it was Israeli soldiers coming to search homes, and they would shoot all the people who would protest them on the street. This is all literally right outside my window. That’s when I felt the effects of war. Ben: We go outside and it’s maybe the biggest mushroom cloud of fire and smoke I’ve ever seen, maybe a mile away. Not that I see those often. It was surreal. It was a rocket from Gaza in Sderot; the Islamic

Jihad took credit for it. When you think of Israel, you kind of see it as this nice, relatively safe country. Then when you see this pillar of smoke and fire in front of you, you’re reminded that you’re in the Middle East. Forget Israel, it’s a— Natalie: It’s a war zone. Centric: Natalie, have you always seen Israel as peaceful? Natalie: Developed? Yes. Peaceful? No. I will recognize that the government of Palestinian authority and Hamas — I don’t support Hamas — is not good. But you just can’t deny the lack of human rights in the way that Palestinians live

community

Ben, left, and Natalie, right, debate Israel’s conflict after experiencing it firsthand.

because of Israel. Centric: What were security measures like when you were traveling? Ben: Security was really tight. I can fully acknowledge that it’s much tighter for an Arab Palestinian than for an American Jew, but I was detained a couple times. Natalie: In Israel, between every city I had to go through a checkpoint. At the checkpoint, we had to get out of the bus, show our IDs, show our visas and we were asked questions. Sometimes they even set us aside for more interrogation. Centric: How do you feel about the situation, now that you’ve experienced it firsthand? Ben: This whole conflict is a shame, no matter what side. Deaths

on both sides are disgusting, terrible, and need to stop. I would not value an Israeli-Jew life over an Arab-Palestinian life. Natalie: I wholeheartedly agree. Jewish blood and Palestinian blood are the same. You have to realize, genetically, we are brothers. We have very similar ancestry, very similar roots. Centric: What was it like coming back to America? Ben: To leave that intense of a situation and come back here — took some time to get used to. It’s so much easier to breathe here. Natalie: Here, I’m allowed to have Jewish friends. We’re allowed to argue about it. Nobody cares. At the end of the day, I’m still going to shake Ben’s hand.

Ben: This conflict, this Middle East conflict — ISIS, Israel, Syria — it’s not on another planet. It’s right here. Between our summers; between Steven Sotloff, a former UCF student; this conflict is not that far away. Natalie and Ben’s last names were not included for their safety in traveling to Israel in the future.

3,834

CONFLICT’S TOLL*

targets in Gaza struck by Israeli forces

2,927

rockets launched at Israel from Gaza

1,881

Palestinian deaths

67 Israeli deaths *July 8 - Aug. 8 Source: The New York Times

COMMUNITY | CENTRIC | 17

creativity Rahangdale, left, and Grant, brainstorming.

JOOX-BOX REMIX

Students aim to impact the music industry with their innovative company.

S itting at a whiteboard table in

UCF’s Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, two students draw out their ideas and share laughter from their inside jokes. Best friends since high school, fraternity brothers and now business partners of JOOX, Richard Grant and Ketan Rahangdale consider themselves more than business partners. “I wouldn’t ask for anything else in the whole world,” Rahangdale said about working with Grant. JOOX aims to help independent musicians become more successful by increasing artist and fan engagement. The online platform will include a rewards program, giving fans personalized, exclusive experiences with artists when they attend concerts or promote the artist on social media. Ultimately, JOOX aims to change the music industry as we know it by putting the success of independent artists right in the hands of fans. In turn, marketing companies will 18 | CENTRIC

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY|GABBIE MONT

be able to identify what regions to increase product advertising in by following a musician’s fan base. For Grant and Rahangdale, who both grew up in Tallahassee, their passion for music inspired the creation of JOOX. Grant dreamed of a career making music, but looking back, refers to himself as just “a broke guy playing guitar.” Rahangdale began producing music at 12 years old, and by 16 was playing shows all over Tallahassee. When the idea of JOOX came about, Grant and Rahangdale decided moving to Orlando was the best option to make their idea a reality, thanks to the opportunities within the Blackstone Launchpad and Orlando’s growing entrepreneurial scene. “Being able to change the world; it was enough for me to literally drop my life for it,” Grant said. He left behind a good job, his high school sweetheart and his family. In addition to UCF’s growing opportunities, Rahangdale’s men-

“If you can create a positive change anywhere ... that to me is entrepreneurship.” -Ketan Rahangdale tor and business adviser Michael O’Donnell teaches entrepreneurship at UCF. O’Donnell calls Rahangdale a “very capable entrepreneur well beyond his years,” and was enthusiastic to support Rahangdale and Grant by advising their JOOX project. “If you can create a positive change anywhere ... go do something that puts a positive effect out there in the community. That to me is entrepreneurship,” Rahangdale said. Making a life-changing move to UCF has paid off — JOOX is expected to launch in early 2015. “The outcome is the same: Change the world with music,” Grant said. “It’s only the ‘how’ that has changed.”

creativity

MAKING UCF ‘DATEABL’ Richie Frost’s online-dating platform may change the way students find romance.

Frost working on Dateabl at the Reflecting Pond.

BY|SARAH MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY|GABBIE MONT

K nowing UCF’s large population

can create a difficult dating environment for students, UCF graduate student Richie Frost, 25, did something to change it. An entrepreneurial mindset and a business education led Frost to try changing up the local dating game by creating a UCF-only dating website. Frost, who considers himself very sociable, struggled to meet someone as an undergrad. His own tough dating experience and a concern for more timid students led him to realize the potential for a localized dating site. He calls it Dateabl. Although it was taboo, he turned to dating websites OKCupid and Plenty of Fish as an undergraduate student. Noticing the large divide between users, Frost felt a site for just UCF students would immediately foster common ground. “The options that are currently offered by other companies didn’t meet the needs of a student, particularly in finding like-minded

individuals in a safe and convenient manner,” he said. But now, Frost is engaged to UCF alumna Charlotte Warren, whom he met in his dorm. Regardless, he continues to trust the power of online dating. “Meeting my now-fiancée was rare; it was a lucky shot,” he said. “Maybe you’re going to meet 100 people in college. Chances of finding a good fit out of those 100 people are slim. That’s where the need for online dating comes in.” Frost believes the online-dating taboo is waning because more students are not finding success elsewhere. They’re also curious about those they may not meet organically, he said. “[Richie] is helping to remove the stigma associated with online dating and simply encouraging people to connect on a more authentic level,” Warren said. Frost believes it’s not about spending countless hours behind a computer; it’s about finding a connection online, and building it

in person. Dateabl is now free after Frost originally charged users at its launch. His goal is for students to communicate and forge relationships, not to become a moneymaking machine. He finds fulfillment in easing the process for students to meet one another, he said. “I feel like we’re robots now. We just compute, but we never feel — because we’re afraid to feel,” Frost said. “I’m trying to get people to connect and create something real. Don’t be afraid to feel. That’s part of being a human. That’s part of being alive.”

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CHEC K US O UT O N T H E W E B About this photo: Students bring a glowing art form called “gloving” to the UCF campus. PHOTOGRAPHY|GABBIE MONT