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SEPT. 3, 2013 | VOL. 15 # 3
FAU pays its student leaders, but wants to require them to take leadership classes By Austen Erblat P. 10
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TUESDAY
September 3, 2013 Features
News
Sports
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF - Dylan Bouscher MANAGING EDITOR - Austen Erblat CREATIVE DIRECTOR - Michelle Friswell ASSISTANT CREATIVE DIRECTOR - Breanndolyn Lies BUSINESS MANAGER - Joshua Gattis NEWS EDITOR - Christopher Massana FEATURES EDITOR - Emily Bloch SPORTS EDITOR - Zack Kelberman
ASSISTANT COPY DESK CHIEF - Cari Giard SENIOR EDITORS - Ryan Cortes, Rolando Rosa COPY EDITOR - Anna Patterson, Lynnette Perez STAFF WRITER - Mohamed Abdihakim, Cealia Brannan
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Photo by Ryan Murphy
COPY DESK CHIEF - Chris Hamann
Photo by Lamise Mansur
WEB EDITOR - Christopher Massana
Illustration by Breanndolyn Lies
PHOTO EDITOR - Ryan Murphy
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STAFF DESIGNERS - Breanndolyn Lies, Cody Weber CONTRIBUTORS - Sarah Pruzansky DISTRIBUTION MANAGER - Joshua Gattis ADVISERS Michael Koretzky Dan Sweeney COVER - Illustration by Breanndolyn Lies
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Administration is implementing a mandatory class for student leaders, but the students are challenging it. By Austen Erblat
Yoga helps many professional athletes. Could it help you? By Mohamed Abdihakim
By Zack Kelberman
Page 4
Page 26
Page 28
How safe are FAU students? The director of Environmental Health and Safety weighs in.
Brittany Oldehoff feels questions in pageants are too political. Find out why.
Former FAU pitcher Michael Sylvestri’s struggle in the minor league.
By Austen Erblat
By Sarah Pruzansky
By Mohamed Abdihakim
Athletics Director Pat Chun takes sports to new heights in his first year.
SEPT. 3TH 2013
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NEWS
SAFETY
Condoms, Longboards, & SOBRIETY September is National Safety Month at FAU. Tips from Safety directors on surviving your college experience Story and photo by Austen Erblat News Editor
J
oshua Lipman is riding his longboard down the raindrenched Breezeway when he busts his ass. On another day, the sophomore biology major slips again near the parking garage. Today, he dodges texters, security guards and pudles when he skates on campus. September is National Safety Month at FAU, and the goal is to bring attention to matters including drunk driving, violence in the workplace, unsafe areas on campus, first-aid and other general safety concerns.
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Dennis Zabel, associate director of Environmental Health & Safety at FAU says that reporting problems is the easiest way of decreasing the possibility of an accident or injury. The FAU police Department explains that most crimes on campus are crimes of opportunity, citing property theft as the number one most occurring crime on campus. FAU police offers a number of tips, services, and other resources to help you stay safe on campus such as 43 blue phone stations on campus. You can find them at police.fau.edu/blue.asp. FAU police also offers a Rape Aggression Defense course for CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
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NEWS
SAFETY
women that “begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction and risk avoidance, while progressing on to the basics of hands-on defense training.” You can find more information at fau.edu/police/rad.php. Students at FAU can be seen texting while walking, talking, driving, skateboarding, and bike-riding on a daily basis. Studies like those from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, CDC and countless other universities and organizations show the dangers of texting and driving. In 2011, texting while driving led to 3,331 deaths in the United States, according to the Center for Disease Control. Meanwhile, 387,000 more people were injured in accidents caused by distracted drivers. Despite advice by Environment Health & Safety Director Tom Bradley and others, Joshua Lipman still rides his longboard down the breezeway (so long as it’s not wet) and says, “I don’t really wear a helmet because I’m usually just going to and from class.”
DON’T TEXT WHILE: Walking
SkateBoarding
BIKING
DRIVING
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5 TIPS FROM DENNIS ZABEL, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH & SAFETY this is this years Safety Month’s theme- If you see something, say something . Accidents can be reduced if people just report problems that they observe and not wait until someone gets injured.
Watch where you are going sounds simple, but this is the leading cause of
ACCIDENTS on-campus under the category of slips, trips, and falls. Now with all the wonderful personal electronic equipment, walking has become more difficult.
BICYCLES AND SKATEBOARDS ARE NOT ALLOW[ED] ON THE COVER BREEZEWAY FOR EVERYONE’S SAFETY.
Drivers who text are
6 times more likely to get into an accident thAn a
DRUNK
driver.
You’re in South Florida, use sunscreen. CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
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NEWS
SAFETY
SAFETY MONTH Safety Video Submissions Accepted until 5 pm, 9/23 Broward Safety Fair, 11-1 on Diversity Way. Boca Safety Walk, 8:45 pm.
Violence in the Workplace, 12 noon – 1 pm House Chambers, Student Union.
Boca Safety Fair, 10-2 on the Breezeway
Harbor Branch Safety Fair, 11-1 at the Link Bldg.
First Aid/CPR/ Safety Month Video Contest AED @ Boca Winner Selected Raton, 9-4, CO69, Room 118.
FAU Alert Test @ All Campuses
Safety Video Contest FAU Environmental Health and Safety is sponsoring a safety video contest during this year’s Safety Month. The person or group who submits the winning video will receive a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, graciously donated by UnitedHealthcare Student Resources. The winner’s video will also be posted on the FAU EH&S YouTube site. The contest is open to all FAU faculty, staff, students and organizations, and the deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. on Sept. 23. See below for additional contest rules. •Only one video may be submitted per person or group. •Videos must be safety-related and three minutes or less. •Videos must not contain inappropriate images or language. •Filming of videos must not result in actual injury or property
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damage. •Use of any copyrighted materials must be approved by the copyright holder. •Videos must be submitted in .mpg, .avi, .mov or wmv formats. •Videos may be submitted on CD, flash drive, or by web link (media will be returned, if requested). •Winning video makers consent to posting the video on the EH&S YouTube site. •EH&S is the final judge as to appropriate content and the winning video. Courtesy of FAU Environmental Health & Safety
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NEWS
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
Paid or Paying?
A mandatory leadership course for paid student employees is nowhere in the rules, but that’s not stopping administration from making students take it Story by Austen Erblat Illustrations by Breanndolyn Lies News Editor Assistant Creative Director
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aclyn Broudy has led the Student Government House of Representatives on the Boca campus for over a year. Now, administration thinks the seasoned Boca House Speaker needs a one-credit class to keep her job and learn what leadership really means. But Broudy is not the only person being required to take LDR 2010, also known as “Introduction to Leadership.” And even though FAU administrators are emailing students and saying the class is now required for paid student positions, there’s no university policy, regulation or rule to back this up. “Introduction to Leadership” is being taught by a representative from the Divisions of Student Affairs. Some volunteer Student Government employees — as well as other students on campus — do not agree that leadership is taught in a classroom. Associate Dean of Students Terry Mena, however, thinks otherwise. According
practiced at many universities across the country,” Mena said. But no other public Florida universities require any class for their student governments according to the 10 respective media relations contacts at UF, UNF, UWF, USF, UCF, FSU, FGCU, FAMU, FIU and New College of Florida. Although LDR 2010 is a new requirement for all paid student leaders, the class became required for resident assistants and orientation leaders last fall, according to Mena. The one-credit class will occur once a week for an hour-and-a-half at different times and locations on the Boca, Davie and Jupiter campuses. The class will cost in-state students $199.54 total and out-ofstate students $718.09, according to FAU’s Tuition Breakdown. As of publication time, Dean Mena had not explained how much money would be raised by students taking this class, or how that money would be spent. There is also a required textbook for
Hours Per Week
Salary
Total per Semester
Student Body President
20
$13.25
$4,240
Student Body Vice President
20
$12.00
$3,840
Student Body Speaker of House
20
$10.50
$3,360
University Press editor in chief
20
$9.00
$1,728
Position:
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to an e-mail sent by Mena on August 8, “this course is a requirement for paid student leadership positions. If you have any questions, please contact me…We are looking forward to liberating the leader in more FAU students through this course.” Paid student leaders at FAU are those in high-ranking positions within certain organizations on campus. These include, but are not limited to: Student Government, Student Media (University Press, Owl TV and Owl Radio), Campus Rec and Housing. According to the FAU course catalog description, “Introduction to Leadership,” is a course that “exposes students to the basic foundation of leadership and its application to college experiences in student leadership roles.” The curriculum for LDR 2010 was originally created by the University of Maryland’s Susan Komives, who specializes in counseling and student development. The LDR curriculum is “the best-
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Fall 2013
NEWS
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
the class, Exploring Leadership, written by Dr. Susan Komives that costs between $50 and $130, depending on where you purchase it. But while some students are reluctant to take the class, a few resident assistants at FAU were grateful for the course. John Allonce, a sophomore biology major and RA, took the class over the summer with instructor Katie Burke. “I learned a lot about how to be a great leader,” Allonce said. “Some of the basic qualities a leader needs, you need to know about yourself before you can lead a group.” When asked if he had any leadership experience prior to the course, Allonce told the UP he worked with the RSA Glades Park Community Council as a hall coordinator. He explained that he went in thinking that he knew all about himself, but the class made him rethink a lot of his values and why he had those values. Sarah Suwak, a senior multimedia journalism and sociology major took the course with instructors Adam Schwartz and Lindsay Jones during the 2013 spring semester. “We had to do a portfolio at the end, so we had to look at different things we did on campus to promote our leadership and how we used our leadership
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roles,” Suwak said. Though Suwak said students benefited from the class, she also explained that it was another class to keep track of on top of five others. “It’s not that bad in retrospect, paying for the class. I pay for everything school-wise, so I wasn’t angry,” she said. “But I know some people were upset paying for it, but it’s also going toward our job. None of the complaints were there when we started the class though.” However, many students are unhappy with the requirement of this course. “Can leadership really be taught in a classroom?” Speaker Pro-Tempore Michael Cepeda, who already took the class, asked Mena in the May 24 Boca House of Representatives meeting. Cepeda, a junior political science and communications major, has been in the Boca House of Representatives for over a year. “I don’t know how effective it truly is to teach students how to be a leader in a classroom setting,” Cepeda said. “I think everyone can become a leader through time and practice but there are some things you have to experience that a textbook can never teach you.”
“I think the requirement for students with paid positions to take it seems kind of redundant. If you have assumed or have been elected to a position that pays, there’s a good chance it was because the people who voted you in, have seen the leader inside of you,” Cepeda told the UP. As of publication time and the end of add/drop week, Student Body President Peter Amirato, Student Body Vice President Patrick Callahan, Boca campus Gov. Charles Berichi, and Jaclyn Broudy were not enrolling in the class. “I’m adamantly opposed to students having to pay for a required course out of their own pocket in order to hold a leadership position and I believe forcing students to pay for a course out of their own pocket will inhibit students to actively participate within the various programs,” Broudy said. SG Parliamentarian and College Democrat Vice President Ian Dunne also took the class and is not in favor of making the class mandatory. “I just feel that you should be able to learn about leadership through personal experience,” Dunne said. “The LDR course should be optional and someone from administration should come once a year, talk to the students, and get their input.”
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NEWS
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
Still, administration says the class is mandatory for all students in a paid leadership position. The UP reached out to Dean Mena for an interview: UP: Who will this class be required for? TM: All paid student leaders within Student Government, Student Media, Orientation, Campus Rec, the Student Union. UP: Are there any exemptions offered for students to not have to take this class? TM: There are none. This is the first time we are doing this, so we’ll be looking at it on a case by case basis. UP: Where will the funds come from to pay for this class? TM: They are paid for out of the students’ own funds. They are taking it as a class to
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be able to run for a leadership position. UP: Will you offer a stipend or any refunds on this class? TM: If student government thinks it’s imperative to take from A&S fees, then that’s something they need to discuss. UP: How are the teachers compensated? TM: The instructors do not get paid for teaching the class. UP: What do you say to the student who can’t afford this class or can’t fit it into their schedule? TM: Please send an e-mail to me and we’ll take a look at their situation. UP: How do you respond to students who say that leadership can’t be taught in a classroom? TM: That would be the
case for every major at FAU and every university across the country. That’s the essense of teaching and learning. You apply it in practice and see how people respond. Dylan [Bouscher, UP Editor-in-Chief] is a communications major. They learn in the classroom in terms of journalism principles and apply them in the newsroom. We’re going to teach student leaders the basics of leadership philosophies and they’ll be able to take them and apply them in their individual experiences in government, media, housing, and other avenues after FAU. UP: How is this class considered a requirement if it’s not listed in regulation 4.006 or anywhere else? TM: An FAU student who is appointed or elected into a student leadership position will need to take the course.
“I’m adamantly opposed to students having to pay for a required course out of their own pocket in order to hold a leadership position.” - Jaclyn Broudy, Speaker of the House
FEATURES
FITNESS
How Stretches Beat Stresses Yoga has been cited as time consuming and only for the flexible. As it turns out, neither of those are true
Story by Mohamed Abdihakim Staff Writer
L
eBron James calls it a “technique that has really helped me.” All star MLB third baseman Evan Longoria swears it helps him maintain balance at the plate. Retired linebacker Ray Lewis used it to span his NFL career to a whopping 17 years. “It” is yoga, and it evidently works just fine for elite athletes. But me? I’m not an athlete — I just write about them. And just like shooting a perfect three or hitting a grand slam, yoga looks intimidating. Maybe even more intimidating than the other stuff. “The instructors don’t help much either,”
Paty Wallace, a long time instructor who teaches a yoga class at FAU’s Wellness Center, said. “I’ve seen it too many times. [Yoga teachers] will spend an entire class showing off, going through complex stretches and movements.” Wallace, who has taught Yoga for nearly a decade now, is saddened by that trend. She can understand why students would be repelled by the idea of a yoga class. After all, who wants to spend an hour being shown up by experienced students and an even more experienced instructor? “I focus on the student, asking them how much yoga they’ve done, what they’d like to
UP reporter Mohamed Abdihakim underwent movements “wholly unfamiliar” to him. Photos by Lamise Mansur. Photo illustration by Ryan Murphy.
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try,” Wallace added. “Whenever we have a beginner join the class, I make sure to keep the moves and stretches and simple.” So, yoga can be fun? “It’s supposed to be fun,” Wallace said. Monday, July 29, 2013 It’s 5:30 p.m., about 15 minutes away from today’s yoga session at FAU’s Wellness Center in Davie. Monday marked the first of two classes to wrap up a summer session of yoga. Our instructor, Wallace, is waiting for me when I get to the spacious all-purpose room on the first floor of the Student Union of Davie campus. “Hey, glad you made it!” Wallace said. “Have you ever done yoga before?” I told her I hadn’t. She responded with a comforting, “you’ll be fine. Any pains or problems I should know about?” That question seems to be what separates Wallace’s classes from some others. “I took three classes [as part of a free trial] once in Miami,” said a student who preferred to remain anonymous. “The [instructor] never once asked me if I wanted to work on a certain area giving me pain, or even if I had any pain.” Several other students I spoke to admitted to the same. Instructors often just asked them about their experience with yoga and moved onto the class. Wallace welcomes every new student with that question: do you have any nagging pains or concerns? It’s all part of a broader goal to relieve students of any apprehensions. “When you have no judgments or
expectations, your mind is clear,” she added. “When the mind is clear, one finds solutions in a peaceful way.” There were six other students in the class, typically a low number for the summer. For the fall, Wallace’s classes usually attract 10-15 participants per session. Looking around, I saw students going through a series of stretches that looked routine. “Alright, everyone,” Wallace said, “let’s get started.” To open the class, Wallace asked for any requests her students might have. Basically, she was looking to see if anyone had a specific pain (back, shoulders, legs) that they’d like to address during this class. A 2010 study by the British Journal of Sports Medicine found after three months practice, women suffering from back pain reported less pain. The study suggested that paying attention to different pains and stress zones not only works to relieve pain, but helps improve overall pulmonary health. After hearing a few students’ requests — one with a lower back issue, another wanting to work on hips, another on shoulders — Wallace began the class with some relaxation activities. First, we put our hands together, clasped as though in deep prayer, and held at the center of our chests. With eyes closed, Wallace instructed us to, “let go of the day’s stress, the stress from this week, all of it. Just relax — and breathe.” Stress? On a college campus? You don’t say. Per several annual national studies, college
students have seen increasing levels of stress over the last 25 years. Studies have also shown that yoga can help relieve that stress. A 2004 Journal of Sports Medicine study found that students who practiced yoga saw improved academic performance. We then moved on to stretching our arms, legs, back, and hips, as part of a warm-up regimen. Once that was done, Wallace moved on to the first technique for the day: Salutation to the Sun. This was where it became clear how new I was to yoga. The sequence involved a range of movements that were wholly unfamiliar to me: 1. Get into a position called Downward Dog. This alone was intense. Downward Dog involves having both palms on the ground, with your legs and knees as straight as possible. 2. From Downward Dog, we go into a plank position, holding that for a couple of seconds. 3. The next step involves letting your chest sink as close to the ground as possible without actually touching it. Your butt should stay up –– beginners are allowed to let their knees touch the floor. 4. From there, we proceed into a Cobra position. Here, participants keep their arms in the plank position (below their shoulders), let their lower body hit the ground, and raise their head and chest up as far as possible. The shoulders should be rolled back, with the head looking up. We repeated these moves, switching from each one as fluidly as possible, until most of us were exhausted from the effort. As relaxing as yoga can be, the sessions can be very intense
“I love when people say, ‘I’m stressed out and busy and I don’t have time for yoga,’” Wallace said. “To me, it’s almost as bad as, ‘I have cancer, but I have no time to go for treatment.’” -Paty Wallace
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FEATURES
FITNESS
Fall yoga sessions at FAU are being held from October - December. Photo by Lamise Mansur.
for relatively new students. There’s a method to this, assures Wallace. “When you practice the physical part of yoga, you regulate your glands and your hormones. The body feels healthy, energized, and pain free. When the body feels good, the mind becomes clear.” But, I don’t have time for that... “I love when people say, ‘I’m stressed out and busy and I don’t have time for yoga,’” Wallace said. “To me, it’s almost as bad as, ‘I have cancer, but I have no time to go for treatment.’” Wallace emphasizes the benefits of practicing yoga as a whole, not just as some “physical modality.” In essence, yoga helps you slow down a normally fast paced day, 18
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relaxing you, “so you can go through those stressful times.” Wallace even found herself depending on yoga to help her through her own troubling times. Years ago, she’d been dealing with a divorce that left her in a deep depression. “[Yoga] helped me so I could be there for my little ones,” she said. The benefits of yoga are also recognized by doctors. “Over the years, yoga has become a primary therapy for stress management,” Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz, physician and director of the preventive and rehabilitative cardiac center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, said. So what does that mean for students? The closer you get to December –– also known as “oh, crap. Finals” –– the more relevant
yoga becomes for the average college student. “I don’t get a lot of time [to myself] during finals week,” said Anthony Holtz, a junior political science student. Hey, LeBron James seems about as busy as anybody. As Wallace, and many other instructors have noted, all it takes is a half hour to an hour of free time. Wallace’s reference to not having time for cancer treatment struck a chord with Holtz: “That’s... a good point. Interesting way of looking at it.” Layla Khalil, a senior studying theater, has heard much about the benefits of regular yoga sessions. “I have a lot of friends who rave about [yoga],” she said. “They always talk about CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
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how calming it is, how it refreshes you, takes away stress, that kind of stuff.” As much as she’s heard about its benefits, yoga’s perceived flexibility requirement intimidated Layla. “I’m a performer, but not that kind,” she clarified, laughing. I showed both Layla and Anthony the example of another “performer” who loves himself some yoga: towering linebacker Ray Lewis. Holtz, being something of a football fan, recognized Lewis’ picture and couldn’t help but laugh. “Hell, that’s got to be tough for a guy his size. It probably helps his overall flexibility though, you know? Probably why he’s a surefire hall-of -famer.” As a self-proclaimed “not much of a sports fan,” Khalil nonetheless needed little more than a picture of Lewis to provoke her reaction. “There’s no way.” Yoga’s application focuses on relaxation and relieving stress. There aren’t too many places that lack the former and carry the latter more than college. Will yoga make you into a surefire hall-offamer? Doubtful. Will it even turn you into a pro athlete? Probably not. LeBron James can keep his four MVP titles. I’d just like four passing grades.
GET FLEXIBLE: Fall yoga sessions at FAU are being held from October - December on Mondays and Wednesdays. Visit: http:// www.fau.edu/student/ broward/wellnessbroward
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Yoga instructor, Paty Wallace, leads her class in some warm-up stretches at the Davie campus. Photo by Austen Erblat. Photo by Lamise Mansur.
SPORTS
REVENUE
PAT ON THE BACK After his first year on the job, Athletic Director Pat Chun is earning praise for steering FAU in the right direction Story by Zack Kelberman Sports Editor
W
hen Pat Chun was introduced as FAU’s new athletic director last July, he laid out his vision for the university’s 19 sports programs. If you take a step back, you can see how they’ve moved forward in only 13 months. Then: FAU athletics toiling away in the Sun Belt Conference, barely generating six figures in annual revenue. Now: FAU athletics sits in Conference USA, where they’ll pull in between $2-3 million in revenue. Then: FAU athletics receiving little-tono exposure. Now: FAU athletics –– particularly football –– expected to air on networks such as FOX, ESPN, and CBS. “When I look back on the year, I feel like we’re in a better place today than we were a year ago,” Chun said. Chun preaches a “we, not me” 22
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Photos by Ryan Murphy Photo Editor
philosophy, which is evident in both his short-term and long-term strategies. “It’s one thing for me to have a plan, but it’s more important for our department to have a plan as a team,” Chun said. “For all the athletic programs, there’s no finish line, just a constant reorganization on what our purpose is.” That purpose, he says, is to develop FAU’s student athletes into champions under the umbrella of a new conference. Jumping from the Sun Belt to C-USA was Chun’s crowning achievement thus far, but when presented with the opportunity, he declined credit for the move. “Getting into Conference USA was a testament to the university and the student body,” he said. “If there’s anything I’m personally proud of, it’s that we’re now in a conference that’s a great fit for us geographically and culturally.” Chun hasn’t spent a lot of time in office,
yet he’s already made strides that former AD Craig Angelos hadn’t in almost a decade. Fired last March after nearly nine years on the job, Angelos’ departure reportedly stemmed from a lack of marketing and fundraising strategy put forth by his department. Case in point: Angelos helped FAU land a state-of-the-art football stadium, but he couldn’t secure the funds to pay back massive bank loans or fill the $70 million venue with fans or TV cameras. As soon as he stepped into office, Chun was tasked with correcting Angelos’ mistakes, the effects of which are still felt today. “I’ve been very clear that we have to make an effort with our fundraising,” Chun said. “The number one focus for our fundraising is to raise money for an academic center and weight room. We have CONTINUED ON PAGE 24
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REVENUE
to get those efforts going.” While fundraising remains a work in progress, Chun’s convergence with Conference USA projects to help FAU’s marketability, particularly through the football program. “I’d say that as we develop this program, our brand will improve,” Chun said. “I have a lot of faith in [Head Coach] Carl [Pelini] and the staff who’ve done an unbelievable job in a relatively short period of time.” If only FAU’s administration had the same faith in Angelos. Chun enjoyed a groundbreaking year for men’s baseball, which won its first Sun Belt Tournament and came within a run of entering the NCAA Super Regionals. Despite its success, the program is saddled with a lack of field upkeep and no indoor bathrooms in its antiquated stadium. Still, coach John McCormack speaks glowingly of Chun and admires his determination to get FAU the proper recognition. “He has raised the profile of our University and Athletic department with our entrance
to Conference USA,” McCormack said. “I feel confident that he understands and knows what it takes to be a successful department in all facets: academic, on field and in the community. I look forward to watching Pat continue to lead our department, he knows only one thing: success.” Chun said that his highlight at FAU has been getting to know the people –– students, studentathletes, faculty, and staff. According to Katrina McCormack, FAU’s assistant AD for Media Relations, the feeling is mutual. “He has a plan in place and has set realistic and tangible goals to empower the student athletes and staff to be better leaders,” she said of Chun. “Year two should be a transforming year and one that I am looking forward to under his leadership.” Going into his second year, Chun’s top priority centers around forging a positive culture between the department, the athletes and each and every fan. “If we do that, the results will be very evident,” Chun said. “Our goal now is to be one of the elite schools in Conference USA.”
Athletic Director Pat Chun
July 2, 2012: Chun introduced as FAU Athletic Director
Jan. 23, 2013: FAU announces it will join Conference USA for the 2013-2014 season
July 1, 2013: FAU officially joins Conference USA and debuts new football uniforms August 2013
July 2012 Sept. 17, 2012: Chun signs FAU baseball coach John McCormack to multiyear contract extension
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Nov. 29, 2012: FAU announces move from Sun Belt Conference into Conference USA
Feb. 20, 2013: New women’s soccer head coach Patrick Baker becomes Chun’s first hire
September 6th, @ 12:30p.m. Follow Us:
@FauStudentUnion
BEAUTY
Mi
ss F AU
Sto ry
by S Co arah ntr ibu Pruza tor ns ky
Brittany Oldehoff bares all on her big break, her thoughts on Miss Utah, and what it’s like to go from FAU student who barely ever stepped on campus to Miss Florida 26
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Photo courdesy of Brittany Oldehoff
FEATURES
Crying, with a huge smile on her face, Miss Florida waves to the crowd. Brittany Oldehoff, who was crowned on July 13, was supposed to be a model — not a pageant queen. But, she says both careers were accidents. Oldehoff is not only Florida’s newest title holder, but an FAU graduate. But according to College Magazine, runway royalty graduating from FAU isn’t a new concept. In fact, it ranked FAU number nine out of the “Top 10 Colleges with the Hottest Girls.” Move over Owlcatraz and
president scandals — it looks like our school is also known for its pageant queens. Starting as a ‘tween,’ skinny and nowhere near the skyscraping height she stands today, Oldehoff began taking modeling classes. “My mom put me into John Casablanca’s when I was I think 10 or 11 years old, and just because she didn’t know how [to] teach me how to do hair and makeup, public speaking, and all the things […] she wanted me to learn from somebody that was a pro.” Turns out the classes were a
good call because, “Lord behold it. I ended up being 5’11.” Oldehoff started taking modeling seriously around the age of 18 and from there, made it her full time job. But something was still missing. “I’ve watched Miss USA since I was a little girl, and I’ve always wanted to do the pageant system but I just never knew that I could because for some reason, give or take, I thought that you couldn’t as a model. And once I found out that [other models] had done it and their experience, I signed up
right away.” Now, the model has some hefty appearances under her belt, such as Project Runway, a Conair hair commercial, and the cover of GQ South Africa. But even with all of that, Oldehoff was still crying in anticipation before being crowned this year’s Miss Florida. The Miss Florida winner goes on to represent Florida in next year’s Miss America competition. Check out the UP’s exclusive interview with Oldehoff below:
What was it like when you were announced as Miss Florida? Right before, I was trying to keep it together. I started crying actually before they even announced the winner because standing up there, I’ve never had that moment where it’s like you never know. It could be either or. And when they finally called my name, my jaw just dropped. Only because the girl I was sitting next to had competed in pageants for four years, was the first runnerup in California and the second runner-up in California. I had never done a pageant aside from when I was in Miss Fort Lauderdale. So, I was in total shock. I was in awe.
voice is all scratched out, because I’m so tired from the whole week. But a typical day from that is, gosh, from eight in the morning until about 11 at night, it’s backto-back-to-back fashion shows. During the season, you can get a call whenever. You can work once a month, you can work ten times a month, you can work twenty times a month. You never know when you’re gonna get called. So while you’re waiting to get called, you have to go to what are called casting calls, and those can be absolutely whenever. So it’s just whenever they give those to you.
problem. I mean the navigation where the cars are parked in accordance to where your classroom is was not far. You can walk the whole campus in like ten minutes. It was really convenient, and especially the online classes. That is so convenient and set up so easily.
you. You never know.
How are you preparing now for Miss USA? [For] the preparation for Miss USA, my team wants to start three months before but we’re gonna start six months before. So right now it’s just strictly appearances, and getting my headshots and banners done. And then come January is when we’re gonna start. What being in was your favorite part about the Miss Florida pageant? During the week, probably hanging out with all the girls. I know there’s a lot of stereotypes on pageants that the girls are mean, but they’re really not. I promise you, they’re really not. You kind of hang out, it’s like a sisterhood. You meet a lot of different people from a lot of different places, which is nice. And then as far as the competition goes, probably the swimsuit because everybody loves the swimsuit portion. What’s your typical day like as a model? Well, I actually just had […] Fashion Week. That’s why my
How did you get where you are today? As far as the modelling goes, my mom kind of put me into it when I was about 10 years old. And then I started to take it seriously when I was about 18 or 20, and then I’ve just been making it my full-time job. However, along that path I met two girls. One of them is in my modeling agency, and the one that I met at a job, Jessica Rafalowski and Anastagia Pierre. And both of them were former Miss Floridas. I’ve watched Miss USA since I was a little girl, and I’ve always wanted to do the pageant system but I just never knew that I could because for some reason, give or take, I thought that you couldn’t as a model. And once I found out that they had done it and their experience, I signed up right away. How did you benefit from your experience at FAU? It was great. Everything was really easy. As far as, I never really had to go to campus which was nice. The semester that I did, I mean the parking was easy for me. I mean I always hear rough things about parking but it was good for me. I would get a spot in no
What advice would you give to anyone looking to pursue modeling? It depends what type of modeling you’re looking for. If you’re looking for fashion, swim, the type of modeling that I do, the realistics behind it in the industry you have to be tall. I think 5’8” is the minimum now in Miami, and if you’re looking to go along something that line, you need to be 5’8” in order to do swim and fashion and make the castings, and get with an agency ‘cause the only way that an agency’s gonna find you is if you have that height, and once you get with the agency, you get all the jobs. So your best bet is go to an agency.
What was the most memorable experience in your career? Probably doing my Conair hair commercial. They flew me to New York for like three days. I stayed in a really nice hotel, and we shot in a mansion, which I’ve never seen in New York City. I’ve never seen a mansion in New York City. I didn’t realize they’re attached to all the other buildings. So beautiful when you go inside. That had to be my best experience. What kind of people do you deal with as a model? I mean you deal with all different types of people. It’s nothing just specific. You have your models, your designers, your bookers. Everybody has a different personality so it’s just conforming to what works for you and them at the time.
So what’s your favorite thing about modeling? My favorite thing about modeling is definitely the all-expense-paid traveling. You get to go to a lot of different places, and still get paid for it so it’s great.
What was your first big break and how did you get there? My first big break was probably Project Runway. They set a lot off for me. I got a lot of magazine covers, my bookings went up, I got a GQ cover, and after my GQ cover went out my bookings got even higher. So I have to give the credits to Project Runway honestly.
How did you get onto TV shows such as Project Runway? Project Runway was actually an open call cattle [call] casting, which is a very large casting of girls. I was late to the casting so fortunately I didn’t have to wait in line. But there was a casting in Miami that probably 700 girls went to. I don’t remember how many. And they ended up picking me. You never know. You never know if you’re gonna get it. You never know if they’re gonna like
What does your diet and fitness routine consist of ? My diet and fitness routine mainly consists of when I’m trying to lean out for something, I only eat protein, protein and veggies. That’s it. Like you will not see bread in my hands. And as far as the gym goes, I lift weights. I do like cardio only because my body is – I’m naturally tall and thin, and if I do cardio too much I get really really really sickly skinny so instead I lift weights to try and counteract that. SEPT. 3TH 2013
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Silver Lining In his first year of pro baseball, former FAU pitcher Michael Sylvestri is struggling. He’s also having the time of his life
I
t was a warm June night as the Owls faced the NCAA Tournament’s top seed, North Carolina, with FAU’s first-ever trip to the Super Regionals on the line. Four innings removed from FAU’s ninthinning, game-tying grand slam by outfielder Tyler Rocklein, Owls senior pitcher Michael Sylvestri entered the game, which was knotted at 11-11. With the bases loaded and one out, Sylvestri was tasked with retiring UNC first baseman Cody Stubbs. But then it happened. Stubbs laced Sylvestri’s fastball to left field, driving in the Tarheels’ winning run and bringing FAU’s Cinderella-like season to an abrupt end. UNC’s dugout emptied quickly and frantically, amassing into a congratulatory dog pile. FAU’s dugout, reeling from what had just taken place, looked like they didn’t even know where they were. As he made his way back off the mound, Sylvestri covered his face with his cap, looking defeated and on the verge of tears. Owls coach John McCormack saw his distressed relief pitcher and tried to assure him that he had nothing to be ashamed of. 28
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Story by Mohamed Abdihakim Staff Writer Photos by Michelle Friswell Creative Director
His condolences were of no use. Sylvestri didn’t want to go out on this note. “It hurt, you know?” Sylvestri said. “It was a really difficult loss to take. Had a chance to do something big. But that’s baseball.” Just four days after his collegiate career ended, Sylvestri’s professional career began. He was chosen in the 29th round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft by the
Washington Nationals, becoming the latest Owl to make it to the majors. He was also the only FAU player drafted in 2013. In the very depths of the draft lay the players that most people haven’t heard of, but possess enough talent and promise to warrant a chance with a pro club. Sylvestri, as the Nationals’ scouts saw him, was one of those players. “He’s got a lively arm,” said one Nationals scout. “His secondary pitches need work, and he’s more of a thrower than a pitcher right now, but that’ll come CONTINUED ON PAGE 30
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el Micha ri
t s e v l Sy Senior Stats
ERA (Earned run average) 3.86 Win - Loss 4-3 SO (Strikeouts) 39
with time.” Former MLB closer Mitch “Wild Thing” Williams noted that relief pitchers had to “live on the edge.” While he was sitting around, wondering when or if his name would be called, Sylvestri did just that. “I was an emotional wreck,” he said. “Just waiting, round after round going by, waiting to hear my name called.” It took 885 picks before he would hear it, but the Nats eventually went with the right-handed pitcher out of FAU. McCormack was happy for Sylvestri,
who he recalls wasn’t even pitching two years ago. Coming out of junior college in St. Petersburg, Sylvestri was primarily a catcher. “When he [got to FAU], we basically made him a full-time pitcher,” McCormack said. “He handled the transition really well, spending the summer working on his pitching.” Though there were bumps in Sylvestri’s pitching career, he left a worthwhile impression on his former coach. “We would not have been able to do
what we did without him,” McCormack said. Hailed by most baseball scouts as the Owls’ best prospect, Sylvestri’s draft selection came as no surprise. The righty sports a fastball that hits between 90 and 93 mph on the radar gun, along with sharp secondary pitches, such as his slider. Unfortunately for him, Sylvestri’s potential has yet to translate at the SEPT. 3TH 2013
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Sylvestri received a framed picture of himself from FAU athletics, playing on senior day last season. Sylvestri was joined by his parents and several members of the athletics staff.
professional level. In seven games and eight innings with the Nationals’ minor league affiliate, the Auburn Doubledays, he’s allowed 11 earned runs on 12 hits. Sylvestri has also struck out just seven batters of the 45 he’s faced, while walking eight. Having seen Sylvestri’s struggles first-hand, McCormack knows improvement will stem from transition. “There’s a level of forgiveness in college baseball,” McCormack said. “But, in professional ball, you’re playing against the best of the best.
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So, that level of forgiveness, or that margin for error, is less and less.” Recognized by his coaches as an extremely driven guy, Sylvestri put his heart into becoming a pitcher and turned out to be one of the best arms in FAU’s bullpen. Making it up the professional ranks won’t be easy, but Sylvestri is taking it all in stride, soaking up the experiences with a positive attitude. “I’m having the time of my life, man,” he said. “This is one step towards the dream, to play in the majors. It’s been a struggle, but I’m grateful.”
PRACTICAL TEACHING | ROCKIN’ MUSIC | JOURNEY KIDZ | CHURCH THAT’S ACTUALLY FUN!
A
NEW
C A SUA L , C ON T E MP OR A R Y, CHRIS T I A N CHURCH
w w w.BOC A JOURNE Y.com
ED RCH T I INV CHU ER 8! E ’R NEY MB U O Y OUR EPTE J HE DAY, S T TO UN S S I TH DEAR FAU STUDENTS & FACULTY: My name is Nelson Searcy and I am the Pastor of a Brand New Church in Boca Raton called The Journey.
After pastoring in New York City for 10 years, my family and I moved to Boca to start a new church. Not just any church, but a church for you to call home, with practical teaching, rockin’ music and a casual atmosphere.
Attend this Sunday and receive a free copy of Pastor Nelson’s new book: Unshakable: Standing Strong When Things Go Wrong
The Journey is not your typical church... You will have a great opportunity to meet people like you, have a genuinely fun and meaningful time at church and grow spiritually in your life.
The Journey Church meets Sundays @ 10:30am
It is my pleasure to invite you to join us at The Journey, Sundays at 10:30am at Boca Raton High School, right across from FAU at Glades Rd and I-95. NELSON SEARCY
Lead Pastor, The Journey Church NS@BocaJourney.com
FREE BOOK
I hope to see you THIS SUNDAY @ THE JOURNEY!
YOU’RE INVITED TO THE JOURNEY CHURCH THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 FOR A NEW TEACHING SERIES:
Join us for the new GAME ON teaching series and discover:
IT’S TIME
TO CHANGE OUR WORLD
• How to use YOUR gifts to serve others • How to develop a heart for those in need • How to live a life of Selflessness • And much more!
www.BocaJourney.com
CASUAL DRESS• PRACTICAL TEACHING• ROCKIN’ MUSIC• CHURCH THAT’S FUN!
BOCA RATON HIGH SCHOOL GLADES RD. AND I-95
Across from FAU, next to Whole Foods
FAU
Exit 45
MEETS HERE
Glades Rd.
Boca Raton NW 15th Ave. Community BOCA 95 High School RATON W. Palmetto Park Rd. Deerfield Beach