Argo Verge by Keith Goldschmidt

The JOURNEY Issue

Discover what it means to be an Argonaut, where we came from, and where we are going.

Letters from the Editors EXECUTIVE EDITOR - ERIN TIMMONS As the fall semester began, the Argo Verge team and I grappled with a multitude of decisions. Before us was a blank canvas, and the directions we could take to create our masterpiece were endless. Ultimately we decided upon blanketing the articles that appear in this magazine under the theme of a journey, and the symbolism behind this decision has become far more apparent as we gently hand over our hard work to you with the hopes that you’ll enjoy reading the content as much we enjoyed creating it. Although each individual at the University of West Florida has his or her own story of how they came to arrive on campus, we’re all united in similarity through our connections and experiences. It was through the opportunity to further explore these connections that our journey with ArgoVerge began, and located on the pages within this magazine are the journeys of individuals, groups, ideas, dreams and a university. It is through the University of West Florida that we are all connected. Whether you’re attending your first year of college, making a second attempt at a forgotten dream or just trying to find your place in the world, you’re pursuing a goal set for you by yourself, and you’re surrounded by others who are doing the same. Enjoy it. Make the most of it. Be kind to those around you. Working on this magazine has reminded me of the importance of patience and understanding when it comes to making a connection with another person. I got exactly what I expected, a semester full of powerful lessons taught to me by those who appear in the articles and those who created them. I’m thankful for the experience I have had as editor-in-chief, and I thank you for taking the time to enjoy all of our hard work.

ART DIRECTOR - RACHEL PENNINGTON Working on Argo Verge has been a pleasure and an amazing learning experience. This staff is phenomenal, and I greatly enjoyed working with them. Although my title says “Art Director,” I really feel as if I am just another member of a hardworking team. With many long nights and hours spent hunched over a computer, we can now proudly present you with the third edition of a magazine legacy to come – ArgoVerge.

This third edition of ArgoVerge is a student product produced during a class in the Department of Communication Arts at the University of West Florida, 11000 University Parkway, Pensacola, Florida, 32514. For more information, please contact kgoldschmidt@uwf.edu.

Staff

Our staff was asked these questions: What does your last text message say? What show are you most likely to binge watch on Neflix? What is the most influential album you have every listened to? What YouTube video never fails to make you laugh? What have you enjoyed most about working on Argo Verge? Below are their responses. Thank you for reading Argo Verge.

G I N A AL F OR D- DIC K E R SON, Melbou rn e, FL - Journalism “I just sh*t all my organs out” Supernatural From Under the Cork Tree by Fall Out Boy I don’t watch youtube videos, Vine is where it’s at Getting to take photos

G A RY B E L L , P en sac ola, F L - E n glish Writ ing “As the great philosopher Spongebob Squarepants once said: licking doorknobs is illegal on other planets” Mad Men The Dark Side of The Moon by Pink Floyd Reporter Turns Ghetto in 3 Seconds Meeting the University of West Florida community and working with the rest of the Argo Verge staff F E R NA N DA B OR E L , B razil - J ou rn alism “Nope, I’m really grump in the morning” Once Upon a Time Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles & Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys Pink Panther - I would like to buy a hamburguer The great people I had a chance to meet and the oportunity to understand a bit more how journalism in the U.S. works A N TO N IO J ONE S, S an An t on io, T X - J ou rnalism “Will call you later” I use Hulu & American Horror Story and Grimm The Wolfman (2010) soundtrack by Danny Elfman Thailand Funny Ghost Prank The people I have gotten to know and work with

J O S H MORTON, J ac kson ville, F L - J ou rn alism “Curren$y. Got the dollar sign right” New Girl Teenage Politics by MXPX “Cat on Crack” (the one that’s only 5 seconds long) Helping to build something from the ground up has been cool and I look forward to being able to show people something that I had a big part in creating R A C H EL PE NNINGTON, P en sac ola, F L - PR “That would be your luck” Game of Thrones, definitely The Blue Album by Weezer Batdad compilation Making good friends and getting to actually create something that I can be proud of

E R I N T I M M ONS, F ort Walt on B eac h, F L - Journalism “Call me when you feel like calling me. Feel like it today around 4.” 30 Rock The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill Winnebago Man I have been surrounded by incredibly talented people this semester, and I’m thankful for the opportunity I’ve had to become a better team member and leader.

CONTRIBUTORS

Jamie Gentry

S a r a h Ri c h a rd s Fall 2013 | Issue III

Layout by Antonio Jones and Fernanda Borel

Index

6 7 10 12 14 16 20 22 24 27 28 31 32 34 36 38 42 49

Making Mistakes

Minorities in Sororities

Vazquez Renews Wardrobes

VAZQUEZ RENEWS WARDROBES meet Amanda Vazquez, UWF’s fashionista

Half the World Away Finding Your Niche Christ on Campus Nontraditional Students Readjust to School

CHRIST ON CAMPUS

christianity thrives in a secular university

Graduation is Coming Judy Bense: confident leader was once ‘scared to death’ Do You Have School Spirit? Rise of the Geeks Review: Arcade Fire’s Reflektor Stuck in the Past The Major Change Stress, anxiety and depression: seeking help is the best cure Editor’s Top 5 Places around Pensacola The Argonaut Voyage Review: M.I.A.’s Matangi

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JUDY BENSE

confident leader was once ‘scared to death’

EDITOR’S CHOICE

top 5 places to visit around Pensacola

FINDING YOUR NICHE the introverts and extroverts

NONTRADITIONAL STUDENTS READJUST TO SCHOOL

UWF students aren’t all the same

RISE OF THE GEEKS the growth of conventions

THE ARGONAUT VOYAGE past, present and future of UWF

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Photo from Google stock images; layout by Gina Alford-Dickerson

Making Mistakes G

rowing tired of chicken and beef flavored ramen noodles, she started taking ketchup and Parmesan packets from pizza joints to create spaghetti. Nicole Dela Cruz, a nursing major, dreamt of going to New York University and was accepted. She had a small scholarship and Florida Bright Futures was paying her tuition. Bright Futures, however, stopped covering outof-state tuition half way through her first semester. Dela Cruz was doomed. She was left with $30 and the dawning realization that her parents’ in-state college recommendation would have been a smarter financial decision. “I turned homeless for about three weeks. It started with the water being shut off. I thought that is fine, I can always shower at the university gym,” Dela Cruz said. “Then they cut off my electricity, and I thought I could still use the library, at least I have a roof over my head. Then I was evicted. I had to couch surf for a while.” Now a successful student at the University of West Florida, Dela Cruz budgets like a miser, and she plans for the unexpected. According to a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority study, younger individuals show lower financial literacy than older individuals. Respondents were given a battery of fundamental finance questions. For an inflation problem, only 42 percent of the respondents, ages 18-34, were able to answer the question correctly.

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By Sarah Richards

Financial unpreparedness is not the only mistake college students make. Jeremy Hosbein, a telecommunications and film major, is on his fourth major. Hosbein entered college initially following in the footsteps of his father, a computer science major. Hosbein, near the end of his semester, lost motivation and started failing tests. He transferred colleges and studied criminal justice intending to become a police officer, but soon he found the path was also not for him. Reflecting on his scholastic journey, he considered a theater degree, which was always his minor. He changed his major, for a third time, but then feared that he wouldn’t find a job, and that his degree would be viewed as frivolous. He dropped out, discouraged. Some time passed before Hosbein returned to college. He is now at UWF in his third semester studying telecommunications and film, reportedly doing well. Jeff Brenzel, the dean of undergraduate admissions at Yale University, said in a College Board interview, “for most people majors are infinitely overrated.” The College Board, a non-profit organization that develops standardized tests and provides resources for students, reported many students change majors at least once, or even several times. “People often make a premature choice of a major or they obsess over a major,” Brenzel said. “The

truth is, that for your life, for the rest of your life after college, virtually no one’s going to care what you majored in as an undergraduate.” Alexandria Fox, a marine biology major, had to retake a biochemistry course alongside other students, some taking it for a third time. Fox would perform poorly on an exam, wait until the last minute to speak with her professor for help, then would have to work extra hard to compensate. Fox now has effective techniques for studying including; getting involved in study groups, studying earlier, and speaking with professors when she encounters issues. “Don’t get discouraged if you don’t succeed,” Fox said. “The grade forgiveness policy is there for a reason.” Fox was hired as an intern at the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., and continues to push forward with her career goal - working in sea turtle conservation and rehabilitation. Christina Paez, a graphics design major, cites procrastination as one of her college mistakes. “I was consistently waiting until the last minute to turn in work for an online class,” Paez said. “The assignments would be due Sunday night by 11:55 p.m. I usually wouldn’t start working on them until Sunday at 6 p.m. The result was horrible work, which meant awful assignment grades and ultimately a low overall grade.”

MINORITIeS IN SORORITIeS UWF Greeks Integrate, Not Segregate By Josh Morton

hile the South does have an unfortunate history tainted by racial inequality and segregation, one would like to hope 50 years after the civil rights movement of the 1960s, these limitations were finally laid to rest. Sadly, news of a number of black females’ inability to find membership among any of the Panhellenic sororities at the University of Alabama recently surfaced, sparking nationwide conversation among those involved with the Greek life. Fortunately, this issue at UA does not appear to be the problem at the University of West Florida. In an article by the Crimson White, UA’s student newspaper, active sisters of the four sororities involved in the incident explain that they were in favor of offering bids to the black students and that it was the alumnae who were against it. While the alumnae did not get to actually cast votes, they did allegedly influence the active sisters’ votes by threatening to cut back on the funding for their sororities. Alpha Gamma Delta was one of the sororities in question, and they also have a chapter at UWF as well. The voting process at UWF’s chapter is different from that of UA’s in regards to the alumnae’s level of involvement.

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Photos and layout by Gina Alford-Dickerson

“We respect our alumnae’s opinions,” said Lauren Smith, president of the Alpha Gamma Delta chapter at UWF, “but they do not have a say in our voting.” Megan Bryan, president of the Alpha Chi Omega chapter at UWF, said their alumnae have no say in the voting process either. “We invite them to come and visit during recruitment, and they can come in and just watch the parties and stuff, but they’re not allowed to talk to any of the girls,” explains Bryan. She said that this is to keep alumnae from persuading the students to choose one chapter over another. This, according to Bryan, is referred to as “dirty rushing.” Greek Affairs Coordinator Jessica Tweed explained that the voting process within sororities is supposed to be run by the undergraduates. “The only level of involvement of alumnae is the direct alumnae advisor for recruitment, and that person is appointed by their national organization,” explains Tweed. “Luckily our advisors here don’t step in too much because they know their roles as advisors and they’re very well trained by their national organization for that.” There are black members in all four of the Panhellenic sororities who have chapters at UWF. Whether or not the lack of alumnae participation in the voting process has anything to do with this can’t be determined, but those involved with Greek life at UWF are focusing on racial integration rather than segregation. Kim LeDuff, chief diversity officer at UWF, stated in an email that she feels that while this specific instance is the one that happened to reach national headlines, it is highly likely that these practices still take place on many campuses across the country. She said that unfortunately, situations like these reaffirm the need for the work that she does on campus.

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“My hope is that this even will lead to conversations on why the practice is antiquated and outdated,” states LeDuff. “This event poses a teachable moment for any campus community.” Logan Schultz, the vice president of finance for UWF’s Alpha Gamma Delta chapter, shared her thoughts on what happened at UA in an email. “It makes me sad to know that was going on for who knows how long and I am so thankful we don’t have that problem here. Our organizations may not be incredibly diverse, but I know that it’s for no other reason than that the majority of potential new members are white.” Smith explained that Alpha Gamma Delta has an anti-discrimination policy that covers racial, cultural, and religious backgrounds. “Would I say that we have a skewed number of Caucasian girls versus everything else?” she asked. “Yes, but I think that’s because people have the image in their mind that this is something that they wouldn’t be interested in.” Myliekia Stevenson, president of the African-American Student Association at UWF, feels that in order for UWF to become a more diverse university, it is going to have to learn how to make diverse populations feel welcome and create a desire for them to finish their degrees here, and stated that she felt that is what AASA, as well as other organizations such as the Muslim Student Association and the Hispanic Student Association, are all about. In addition to educating students on African-American culture and heritage, AASA also offers scholarships to students and has an office where students can feel free to come by and do their homework. LeDuff said that faculty and staff are working on retention efforts for diverse students, the recruitment of diverse faculty and staff, and strengthening relationships with some of the diverse factors of

the Pensacola community. She also said that they are working to make sure that there are opportunities on campus for everyone to develop further understanding of both themselves and others. “Cultural competence is important if we want a campus environment that is inclusive and inviting for all members of our community,” LeDuff said. Statistics from the 2012-2013 UWF Common Data Set, an annual report of the academic and demographic makeup of the student body, showed that 30 percent of the 10,333 undergraduates enrolled at UWF during the academic year were minorities. Stevenson said that lower enrollment rates for African-American students at UWF can be partially attributed to the fact that many black students are taught growing up that getting a high school diploma is enough, so they never feel that extra drive to pursue a college education. For those that do choose to go to college, she explains that a sense of family and belonging is important for African Americans to excel academically. Currently, AASA has 298 members at UWF, more members than any of the other campus organizations. She said that while most of AASA’s are predominantly black, they do have two members who are of another race. “We do encourage other races to join our organization,” Stevenson said. “I think it’s just one of those things where you hear African-American and think that if you’re not African-American, it’s not for you.” In the early 1900s, when racial segregation was running rampant, nine women at Howard University founded Alpha Kappa Alpha,the first Greek letter organization established by and for black women in response to the Panhellenic sororities not extending a welcoming hand to females of their race. This was the first of eight other “National

Panhellenic” sororities that would come to be nicknamed “the divine nine.” National Panhellenic sororities are not strictly for black students, but they are, historically, predominantly black. At UWF there are two National Panhellenic sororities, Alpha Kappa Alpha and Zeta Phi Beta. Aisha Henry, president of the Zeta Phi Beta chapter at UWF, said the reason she decided to pledge National Panhellenic rather than Panhellenic was because Zeta Phi Beta visited her high school. She explained that it is predominantly black, but that there is also a white member, a Hispanic member and that she herself is biracial. Jade Johnson, president of Delta Phi Lambda’s UWF chapter, is another example of someone who is not allowing the race barrier to hold her back. Delta Phi Lambda is an Asian-interest sorority that is neither Panhellenic nor National Panhellenic, but is listed as an associate member of the Panhellenic Council. This essentially means that they follow the same rules and guidelines regarding conduct and levels of student involvement. “In the beginning when I first joined, I felt a little out of place because I was the only black person,” Johnson said, “but I don’t really look at skin color and because I have such a strong interest in the Asian culture, I didn’t notice that I was different and they didn’t make me feel like I was different at all.” She explained that the group is so diverse that she sees them all as sisters rather than through different racial lenses. Ali Rawls is a black student at UWF who recently was offered a bid by Alpha Gamma Delta. She explained that even though her mother and her sister are both alumnae of Alpha Kappa Alpha, she felt a stronger connection with the members of Alpha Gamma Delta. Rawls said that she thinks the presence of segregation has to do with the geographic area you are in. She explains that while she can understand older generations still not accepting different races into predominantly white sororities, she still attributes it to ignorance. “I thought it was ironic because I’m like, ‘Oh! I just got a bid from Alpha Gam,’” Rawls said in ref-

erence to what happened at UA. “I want to show up to the campus and be like, ‘Hey!’ and throw up (an Alpha Gamma Delta) sign.” In regards to the fact that the majority of her sorority sisters are white, Rawls said that while growing up her parents always taught her about integration and not to look at anybody differently based on their skin color. Edwina Richardson, another black student who received a bid from Alpha Gamma Delta, explained that she was drawn to the Greek life because she has always wanted a big sister. Her cousin is a member of UWF’s Alpha Delta Pi chapter and when she saw the relationship between her cousin and

committing to the Greek life. She is still undecided on whether she would go Panhellenic or National Panhellenic, but said that she does like the “step shows” (a type of dance like you might have seen in the 2007 film, “Stomp the Yard”) that the National Panhellenic perform. Although Lima is black, she explains that her skin color would have nothing to do with her choice to go Panhellenic or National Panhellenic. “I was brought up to love everyone,” Lima said. “Seriously, color isn’t even an issue. We don’t even choose our colors, you know what I mean? So why have this [segregation]?” Tweed said that students’ choices to go to one Greek organization versus another seem to come down to where they feel the most comfortable. “I know a lot of times when I’ve talked to women, they go where their friends are,” she said. “So depending on how you were raised, the type of people you were raised around, the things you believe in and the things you are excited about, that’s probably going to determine where you decide to go.” In regards to the recent chain of events at UA, she said she feels lucky to be part of a university where students do not have to feel in danger of being discriminated against. She explained that because UWF has such a wide variety of diverse women in its organizations, she didn’t really see it as something it was being affected by. She said that they did discuss what happened, because they try to encourage discussion of issues and things going on locally, as well as globally, with fraternity and sorority life. “We can talk about those issues and make sure it doesn’t happen here,” Tweed said. “But at the end of the day, it’s a different campus, a different college.” Students at the University of West Florida who feel that they are being discriminated against based on “age, color, disability, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, and/or veteran status,” are encouraged to contact the Office of Human Resources, located in Building 20E/Room 117. They can also be reached at 850-474-2694.

“Cultural competence is important if we want a campus environment that is inclusive and inviting for all members of our community.” her sorority sisters, she knew that that was something she wanted. She chose Alpha Gamma Delta over the others because their philanthropy department focuses on diabetes and her grandfather was diabetic, so she naturally felt a connection to that cause. Regarding the issue of racial inequality, she shares a stance similar to that of Rawls’. She feels that it is going to differ depending on the area you are in, and personally tries not to pay attention to the color of people’s skin. “To me, color doesn’t really matter,” Richardson said. “I don’t really let it affect me. I’m still going to be me at the end of the day, whether I’m Greek or not.” Of course, not everyone who goes to college sets out to find a sorority or fraternity to join. Stevenson, for example, comes from a family where she is the oldest of nine children. With the combination of her siblings and her AASA family, she explains that she doesn’t feel the need for the additional family sororities provide. Whitney Lima, one of Richardson’s friends, said that she wants to let her first year of college go by and get a feel for the student body before

From left to right: Aisha Henry, Ali Rawls and Edwina Richardson represent their sororities.

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Vazquez Renews Wardrobes By Gina Alford-Dickerson

hen Amanda Vazquez walks into a room, people are bound to stare. She is beautiful, confident and most importantly, well dressed. When she came to Starbucks for our interview, she was wearing flashy floral pants, a white top that fit her perfectly and polished black heels. She accessorized with a pair of diamond earrings that would shine every time she moved her head. Most people would consider that overdressed, but for Vazquez, it is completely normal. Maybe that’s why many women ask for her assistance when it comes to restyling their wardrobe. Vazquez, 23, is a senior majoring in public relations at the University of West Florida. When she isn’t busy with classes, Vazquez spends her time helping women revamp their closet to give them a fresh, new style. “I love PR,” Vazquez said. “It’s exactly what I’ve always wanted to do, but fashion is my passion.” Vazquez said she has always been styling people, starting with her cousins when she was younger. When she began college, she continued styling her friends and her sorority sisters from Phi Sigma Sigma. “We would always leave our doors open,“ Vazquez said. “So then, in the mornings, say if I didn’t have something to wear, I would go into other people’s closets and just put stuff on, and people did the same thing with me with my closet. And

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Photos and layout by Gina Alford-Dickerson

so, I just started putting things together for certain people.” Vazquez has worked with many girls from the UWF community, but, her awesome eye for fashion isn’t the only thing that draws women to her business. Vazquez doesn’t just have her clients buy all new, expensive clothes. Instead, she takes

Vazquez searches for clothes at Goodwill.

them to Goodwill and picks out pieces that fit their personal style and body type. Vazquez goes down each aisle, filing through every piece of clothing on the rack—pants, skirts, blouses, dresses—until she comes across something she thinks will look fabulous on her client. Sometimes, it’s a hit or miss. If something she picked doesn’t quite fit the bill, then Vazquez goesback into the sea of clothing and doesn’t stop until she finds something that does. She then adds her own touch to the once forgotten articles of clothing, and makes them something her client will love to wear. High-waist shorts are one piece in particular that women love Vazquez to make for them. She has her client buy an old pair of pants from Goodwill and then she cuts them into a pair of shorts. After this, she rips and stresses the shorts to model them into a completely new piece of clothing. These are a big hit among her clients. Vazquez also goes through the closet of whomever she is styling to help them put together different outfits from the clothes they already have. If a woman thinks her clothes are old or out of style, then Vazquez will show her ways to make it trendy so she will enjoy what she is wearing. Vazquez’s friend and sorority sister Christine Rodgers said she had a positive experience when Vazquez created her a new look. “I felt like the types of clothes she picked was just for me and for my body type,” Rodgers said. “She made it really personalized. So it made me feel more confident, more beautiful.”

Vazquez mainly relies on recommendation through word of mouth to help her business grow, but she also uses social media as a way to show off her skills and to find new clients. She uses Tumblr to post pictures and stories about girls she has styled. Vazquez also co-runs an Instagram account called TheSpotted with her friend from Brigham Young University in Utah. On the account, the two post photos of well dressed, trendy students they spot around campus at UWF and BYU. In addition to getting her degree, running a blog and helping women with their wardrobes, Vazquez also raises her 15-month-old son, Giovanni. With her husband in the Marines, she does most of it on her own. “I mean it’s not easy at all,” Vazquez said. “It’s just like, I have to do it. I have to do my work and I have to juggle my son. I’m still learning how to really get the two to work fluidly and everything.” Vazquez might still be trying to figure things out, but she looks up to her sorority sisters, fashion bloggers and icons for inspiration to keep her motivated. As a financial advisor for her sorority, a mother and stylist, Vazquez has also touched the lives of many women, giving them someone to admire and something to work toward. She seems proud of it. “It’s so easy to mess up in college, it’s so easy to get into the wrong things,” Vazquez said. “That’s why I’m here, that’s what I do. I guide them, I watch them, I do all of that… I do the best that I can to give them a good example.” Another friend and sorority sister of Vazquez’s, Roxanne Carrero, has been very grateful to have Vazquez in her life. Moving to America from Puerto Rico was a big culture shock for Carrero. When she met Vazquez, who is also Puerto Rican, she found someone she could feel comfortable around. “We kind of like had this connection,” Carrero said. “We just started hanging out, and we just realized we had so much in common, that I guess she was just like my comfort blanket…that’s what she turned into for me. So, I just ended up going back to her for like everything I needed… advice, fashion, everything.” Women that know about Vazquez and what she does are confident in her abilities to style and create new looks for them. But, those who aren’t too sure about stepping out of their current fashion comfort zone and who might need that extra push don’t have to look too far for reassurance. Many of Vazquez’s clients have great things to say about her work. “She is really great at focusing on you,” Rodgers said. “She sits down and she figures out what you want and what you want out of it, why you don’t like your style now… and she really makes you feel beautiful and confident. I would definitely tell other girls, definitely go to Amanda.” Vazquez works hard to keep her clients happy. Though she doesn’t charge yet, she said she might start charging a small fee in the future. So, if you’re looking to create a whole new look while still keeping some money in your pocket, consider contacting Vazquez. Who knows? You might soon find that a pair of mom jeans from Goodwill are sexier than you think.

Contact Amanda

Blog: amandayesyeshi.tumblr.com Email: aev4@students.uwf.edu

Fall 2013 | Issue III

By Fernanda Borel

Illustrations and layout by Fernanda Borel

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look at the clock for the seventh time this night. I have been shaking my legs since the moment I sat down, thirty minutes earlier. I know there are two other girls from my school on this flight, but I cannot really get up and look for them. It is like I am glued to that spot – and it has nothing to do with the fact that my iPad is still charging. The chocolate bar I bought at the Duty Free shop is pretty much finished, and my nails, which took me around six-months to look good, are now bitten and short all over again. You could say anxiety is kicking in, and I guess it makes sense for it to happen. Even though I’ve been living away from home for almost four years now, it’s just not the same, and that’s because I’m not really scared of being apart from my family and friends. What really worries me at that moment is facing the unknown… And the fact that I really hate planes. It was a stressful trip, and 24 hours spent in airports and airplanes can really tire you. Planes have a lot of uncomfortable seats, hours of waiting and some bad food. Also, no one ever sleeps well when they are travelling, right? Especially if there is a one-year-old baby right next to you who can cry really loud when her cartoons stop working. Eventually, I got to the place I was going to call home for the next four months. Being here turned out to be a road of ups and downs, where amazing stuff would happen and one minute later, it would all come crashing down. The initial days were really good. One student offered to pick me up at the airport and helped me on my first day, taking three others and me to the supermarket. It was more than I was expecting. People were nice, friendly and they were mostly all exchange students, which I did not think was a bad thing. Eventually I wondered where the Americans were and if I would ever become friends with any of them? Mariana Rodrigues, an international student from Brazil attending the University of West Florida, thinks even though Americans are nice, it is not easy to build a relationship with them. “American people are very helpful, but they do not give me space to start a friendship. I think they do not like to start new relationships, especially with exchange students.” Do not get me wrong, I like the friends I have made so far, but sometimes it is like we are always going out together, with the same people, to the same places. I am the kind of person who has lots of friends who are really different from each other, and they are all distinct escapes depending of what

I was running away from. But here, it is like I do not really have a place to run to, and that makes me feel kind of lonely. Especially because when things get tough, all I can do is hide in my room and watch movies - which happens a lot. I think I might even be in a relationship with Netflix. And my fridge. “The worse part of being here is that you feel like you are never going to come out of it.” Frida Björkman, a student from Sweden tells me, “You are stuck. You feel guilty about being alone. You feel like you have to do something about it, call a friend or something. You compare yourself with other people and their lives.” And I have got to say that I couldn’t describe better how I feel sometimes. Maybe I was spoiled by the awesome friends I had back in Brazil. Maybe I feel like this because I wanted to be near them, but I have got to face the facts: they are not here. My parents are working as hard as they can so I can have this opportunity, and I would not – or could not – just give up and not enjoy this moment. Truth be told though, I still wanted my friends to be here enjoying it with me. I guess it is OK to miss them. There is a word in Portuguese and Galician that the rest of the world cannot really translate. “Saudade” means really missing someone that you love and that is absent from your life. Sometimes that is the only word my friends and family will send me on in a message,

to deal with all of these changes and where we fit in. I am not the only one going through that and according to the Office of Immigration Statistics; there were around 2,128,808 international students and exchange visitors in the United States in 2012. The International Student Office at UWF says that out of that, 252 students were enrolled in the University of West Florida, all trying to work out the same things I am dealing with right now. Rachel Errington, director of UWF’s Study Abroad program, says “When you study abroad, it is the first time for a lot of students to feel independent, and so maybe adjusting to a new culture and a new life, and not dealing well with it can almost be seen as like a failure and so they try to deal with it on their own.” She adds, “That is why we try to hit it hard in the orientation process with the students that you are probably going to feel this way. If you completely shut down it is not going to get any better.” Shutting yourself down and pushing people away is definitely not the best way to deal with this experience. You learn to be more open to new people and to try to enjoy it, even when all you want to do is hide in your room. It is hard to miss your family and get used to this different life. But I’ve got to say, even though it’s not easy being half the world away, it’s completely worth it.

“You are stuck. You feel guilty about being alone. You feel like you have to do something about it, call a friend or something.” and it is enough to bring me to tears. Other exchange students at UWF also deal with this feeling. Marie Osterrieth, a student from Belgium, thinks that missing loved ones back home is one of the hardest parts about being here. “I miss a lot of people from Belgium, to start with, my boyfriend, of course. I try to Skype with him as much as possible, but three months is still a lot for being so far away from him. Secondly, I also miss my sister a lot. She is younger than me but we are very close and it is difficult not being able to tell her everything that I would like to.” I guess it sounds like I am not having a good time here, and that is not true. I really like my classes – I honestly think my professors here are incredible teachers – and I am having fun. It is just that when people think about going abroad, they forget that it is not always a party, and that we, as exchange students, struggle with figuring out how

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Finding your niche By Gary Bell

n the opposite side of the grueling and nerve-testing struggle that is higher education lies a haven for all students to break free and enjoy necessary times of leisure. Student involvement in college can be observed from two perspectives: introverted and extroverted. In order to take full advantage of recreation time, students should be aware of what campus organizations and local activities fit their personality type before deciding how to get involved. Students can be placed into two general personality categories: introverted and extroverted. Researchers estimated that 16-50 percent of the population is introverted and 50-74 percent of the population is extroverted, according to Psychology Today, a bimonthly general interest magazine dedicated to psychological research and assistance. Introverted individuals often find peace of mind in solitude. “By definition, an introvert is someone that is uneasy and uncomfortable in the company of other classmates or people,” said Neil Davis, a psychology professor at the University of West Florida. “Introverts are more interested in the psychological aspects of the mind, meaning that they are thinkers who usually prefer being alone.” Shane Mitchell, an organizer for the Pensacola Video Game and Otaku Maniacs of Pensacola, has a good number of students from UWF attend his organizations. The easy going and small environment complements Shane’s own introverted qualities and does the same for other members. “I am very much an introvert,” Mitchell said. “A small group of people is usually cool and that’s usually what you’ll find at the events. I find a lot of people that come to the events appreciate the fact that it is more of a smaller gathering.” While Shane was never exactly bullied for his interests while in school, he was labeled as an outsider, but he never let that bother him. “Where I went to school, I was definitely the nerd of the class,” Mitchell said. “I wasn’t picked on terribly much because of it, but I was definitely labeled as the weird kid because of my love for

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video games and anime. I suspect I still get funny looks from people, people who think I’m weird for what I like, but it does not bother me.” The interests of introverts tend to be far outside of standard social interests, which may explain the lack of organizations that may attract introverted students in UWF’s extensive catalogue of student clubs and organizations. However, introverts possess the power to form their own clubs and restructure the social landscape while they make their way through college. “If a student cannot find a club to fit their personality and interests, then it is very easy for them to start their own organization,” said Student Involvement Coordinator Karli Sherman. “All you need is at least five group members, an up-to-date Constitution, and a faculty or staff adviser.” With social media now becoming the primary channel of communication today, introverts can become extroverts in an imaginary sense. “I call them faux extroverts,” Davis said. “They are not really extroverts, but they have a circle of friends on social websites. A person can pretend to be an extrovert behind a computer screen and truly be a socially-uncomfortable introvert when offline.” Extroverts are the naturally electrifying group of people who thrive off of being social. Unlike the introverts, solitude can make an extrovert feel uneasy. Not saying they do not partake in alone

time, but being amongst a crowd is their ideal habitat. “Being an extrovert is empowering because of the ability I have to interact with others easily,” said Nicole Richard, a graduate student at the UWF College of Business. “As a member of the CEO business club on campus, which better prepares students to own businesses one day, I feel more confident about my future.” The push for student involvement at the university continues to grow, along with the rapid increase in population due to rising enrollment. The Student Affairs department strives to make sure students are receiving the full college experience. “Student affairs is my passion!” Sherman said as she nearly jumped out of her seat with excitement. “That is why everyone in this department is here: to guide students and to make sure they are enjoying themselves while in college.” Fraternities and sororities are staples in the college journey. They consist of several students and alumni who stand together as one for a higher power. “Fraternities and sororities are groups of individuals who have pledged themselves to a higher standard,” said UWF Greek Affairs Coordinator Jessica Tweed. “Greek life connects members to many things, from campus involvement, to even beyond college.” Tweed also said the reason she pledged as a

college student in the past was because she wanted to be part of something bigger than herself. She believes the work these students are doing will help improve the campus and our community. The Campus Activity Board is dedicated to providing entertainment for students, faculty, and residents of the Pensacola community. Philip Gamon, the current president of the Campus Activity Board, discussed how joining the Campus Activity Board improved his lifestyle and academics. “I was an introvert, and I did not get involved with anything or anyone my freshman year,” Gamon said. “I fell behind with my classes, and ended up having one terrible semester. I broke out my shell and became more extroverted after I joined the Campus Activity Board, and not only did my grades improve, but I began feeling better about myself as a person and leader.” Faculty and staff at UWF want more of the student population, whether they are introverted and extroverted, to become involved because the current students at the university have the distinct honor of creating tradition. “Students at UWF today are looking for tradition,” Sherman said. “They have the opportunity, at this very moment, to define what Argo pride is all about for all the student classes that will come after them.”

Researchers estimated that 16-50 percent of the population is introverted and 50-74 percent of the population is extroverted, according to Psychology Today.

Photo by Gina Alford-Dickerson/ model- Kirby Gagne; layout by Rachel Pennigton

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CHRIST ON CAMPUS: Chrisianity Thrives in a Secular University By Josh Morton

et’s face it; college can be an overwhelming experience. This point in your life can provide you with a multitude of options and variables. Whether you’re living at home with your parents or you’ve moved out, you’re being faced with the opportunity to shape who it is that you want to be. You can leave behind whatever reputation you acquired in high school and recreate yourself. Maybe you’ll experiment with drugs. Maybe you’ll see what it’s like to kiss someone of the same-sex. Maybe you were brought up in a straight-laced, uptight, religious home and you feel like you can finally breathe and put your Bible away for a while. You may want to look into some other religions and spiritual takes on this world that we’re living in and see how they suit you. Or maybe you might be inspired to delve even further into the Christian faith and see what it has to offer you. While some students will venture off into a world of spiritual and moral exploration, others will interpret their college experience as the perfect opportunity to dive even deeper into their faith. There are several Christian clubs and organizations that meet on campus at the University of West Florida that enjoy reaching out to college students who are exploring their faith. These organizations are not just directed towards the UWF student body but Pensacola’s college community as a whole. Baptist Collegiate Ministries and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, two organizations present at UWF, have chapters set up at campuses and churches across the country. Isaiah Mason, a sophomore at Pensacola State College, explained that while his faith may get tested at times, he stands firm in his beliefs. Deciding to start taking his relationship with Jesus Christ more seriously in his senior year of high school, Mason started attending a college-aged ministry with a few of his older friends at UWF, called BCM (Baptist Collegiate Ministries). Mason explained that a good portion of the Christian

MEET AND GREET 1

BCM MEETINGS: CRASH meets every Thursday night at 7 p.m. at the BCM Center (building 950)

INTERVARSITY CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP MEETINGS: Thursday nights at 6:30 p.m. in the Pace Hall upstairs lounge (building 32)

THE GARDEN MEETINGS: Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. in the University Commons (building 22)

Photos by Fernanda Borel (bottom) and Rachel Pennington (top)

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friends he has now are from BCM, but the fact that he is a Christian doesn’t mean he only hangs out with others with the same beliefs. “One of my closest friends is actually not a Christian and we talk about Jesus all the time, and God, and what Christianity looks like and stuff like that,” Mason said. “She gives me her reasons, and I respect it, and that’s that.” The same is true even after you graduate from college that you will come to a point where you find yourself interacting with someone who has a set of morals that are much different than your own. Lindsey Valery, a junior majoring in health science at UWF, remembers a situation where she was in a position of leadership for the African American Student Association and her vocalizing her beliefs as a Christian became an issue for some of the other AASA members. “Some of the students complained, saying that we brought too much Christianity inside the organization just because they would walk into the AASA office and hear us talking about God,” Valery said. The opposition, and in a sense restriction of her beliefs eventually led to herself and a few other students stepping down from their positions. She mentioned it’s humorous in retrospect because the people that replaced them were Christians as well. Valery currently serves as the president of a Christian organization on campus at UWF called Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. ICF hosts a weekly Bible study on Thursdays from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. that meets in the multi-purpose room of the President’s Hall at UWF. Valery says that when she first started coming, there were only six or seven students who attended regularly. Now they’re averaging about 40 students every time they meet. She explained that the group is open for anybody to attend, no matter their belief system. Valery mentioned one instance where an atheist showed up to the group. “It’s not my job to condemn,” Valery says. “It’s my job to show God in the most graceful way that I can and that’s by, number one, loving.” In addition to hosting weekly Bible studies, ICF strives to be involved with the outside community as well. You won’t find them standing on sidewalks with megaphones and signs commanding you to repent or burn in hell, though. Valery described an instance when ICF set up a table in the walkway that leads to the University Commons on UWF’s campus, and had a stereo set up playing Christian hip-hop artists like Lecrae and Trip Lee. When students would walk by, they’d ask what the table was set up for and Valery and other members of the organization would then ask passers-by what they thought about the sound and lyrical content in com-

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parison to that of secular hip-hop artists. Through this presentation, ICF encouraged people to question the lyrics that they ingest on a daily basis. Even among other Christians, there will often be a variety of stances on the various cultural issues that America, and the world as a whole, is facing. “I will be completely honest with them and tell them that I don’t do these things because it’s in the Bible and it’s what I believe,” Valery added. “It’ll get kind of spicy sometimes because some students will be like, ‘Well, I’m a Christian, too. What are you trying to say?’” Tony Olesky, director of Pensacola’s Baptist Collegiate Ministries has a similar stance. While he says that he always directs anybody with doubts or questions about Christianity and it’s standards to the Bible, he is quick to let it be known that he is not in a position to judge. “God has given me the gift to be able to separate the person from the behavior,” Olesky says. “You could tell me whatever you were, and my opinion of you wouldn’t change one bit.” Due to his personal stance, Olesky believes that anyone would

“It’s not my job to condemn. It’s my job to show God in the most graceful way that I can, and that’s by, number one, loving.”

feel welcome attending BCM. Every Thursday night from 7p.m. to 9 p.m., they host an event called “Crash” in the Baptist Student Center, located in building 950 on UWF’s campus. Students get together for live worship and a message from a rotating cast of speakers. They tend to cap the night off with what they refer to as “PostCrash” at a different host church each week, where they provide free food and drinks and a gym where you can just hang out or play volleyball, basketball or dodgeball, along with other scheduled activities. BCM also offer opportunities to provide outreach to the city they reside in, such as the Nothing Lost Outreach that caters to Pensacola’s homeless and those who are on the brink of becoming displaced. “We have different denominations, different spiritual gifts, different levels of spiritual maturity, different everything,” Olesky explained. “And yet over all these years, we’ve been able to stay unified in a loving, caring group.” Emily Erland, who graduated from UWF this summer as an English major currently serves as the associate director for BCM, and doesn’t like to categorize herself as religious. She said she doesn’t like placing herself under the umbrella of religion and the negative stigma that so often comes along with it, but rather prefers to think of her spiritual beliefs as more of a personal relationship between herself and Jesus Christ. “Jesus was the most non-religious person there was,” Erland said. “I’m just following Jesus.” When people approach her about her stance on an issue such as marriage equality, Erland explains to that person that while she may not support it, this doesn’t mean that she takes a stand against it. “I love gay people as much as I love anyone else,” she explained. She said it was important to “make sure that when you’re talking to people it’s out of mercy and out of love and not out of judgment, because it’s so easy to come off that way when you’re trying to stand firm in something, even if it’s going against what society thinks is acceptable.” With rising tolerance among Americans regarding religiously taboo issues such as same-sex marriage and having children outside of wedlock, Erland doesn’t feel that it has affected BCM, as they are currently averaging about 80 students weekly, but admitted that she has noticed a rise in churches taking a stance of acceptance when it comes to many of the world’s cultural and social issues. Some Christians on campus actually enjoy and even welcome discussing some of these “hot-button” topics. One such group is called The Garden. Shelby Andrews, a sophomore social sciences major at

UWF, currently serves as the group’s president and explains that they would love it if more students with different religious affiliations, or lack thereof, would come and check them out. “Those are the type of issues that we love to talk about because people do have such differing opinions,” Andrews said. “The importance of discussion is really just helping people realize the different perspectives and not being judgmental of what other people believe... You can’t always hide your opinions just because you’re afraid of what someone else might think of you.” One of the biggest problems that Andrews says she faces as a Christian at a secular college is being stereotyped. “A lot of times people will automatically assume that I’m condemning them in my head or something, when in reality, I probably have a different opinion than they would think I do,” Andrews said. “So that’s been difficult, kind of getting swept under the over-generalization of Christian belief.” The Garden meets on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. in room 260 of the second floor in the University Commons and had their first meeting in the fall semester of 2012. There are currently only about five students who regularly attend, but they are hoping and believing for growth. Whether you choose the pursuit of religion, self-discovery, or a combination of the two, one thing is for sure: it’s finally your own. This is a decision that can be both exciting and confusing. You are going to be faced with the opportunity to challenge your beliefs and open your mind up to the world’s views of cultural issues that you might have not considered or debated until now. A 2008 PEW study of UCLA students found that about half of the freshman student body supported same-sex marriage and that their approval rating went up to closer to two-thirds by their junior year. Regarding their stance on legal abortion, again, about half of the freshmen thought it should be legal, while it jumped up to about two-thirds for juniors who were in favor of legal abortion. The study referred to Christianity specifically, and when the same students were asked if they attended religious services or not, nearly half of the freshmen said that they frequented religious services while only one-fourth of the juniors claimed to attend them. While this study only surveyed one college that happens to be in Los Angeles, a notoriously socially liberal city, it demonstrated that students experience changes in their belief systems as they go make their way through college. Whatever your personal set of beliefs happens to be based on, there is no doubt that your college years will serve as a trying time that, depending on your mindset, can either sharpen or taper them. Whether you are a Christian or an atheist, a heterosexual or a homosexual, for or against the war on drugs, college is the place to figure out where you fit into the whole equation and UWF offers plenty of places for a student to do that. Dig in, be smart, and enjoy yourself. You might discover something new about yourself along the way. Photos by Rachel Pennington (top and bottom), Gina Alford- Dickerson (middle left and right bottom), Fernanda Borel (top middle right)

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Photos by Rachel Pennington and layout by Fernanda Borel

Nontraditional Students Readjust to School By Josh Morton

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hen Jennifer Schab graduated from high school in 1997, she went right into college on a volleyball scholarship from Central Washington University. With her sights set on joining the United States Army, and being commissioned required her to earn a degree, she decided to at least study something she had an interest in: history. After serving 12 years of active duty in the Army, she retired and realized that she had no idea how she was going to use a history degree to find herself a decent paying job. So at age 36, she decided it was time to go back to school and get a degree that would help her find a job doing something that she loved and could get paid to do. Schab is one of many nontraditional students currently enrolled at the University of West Florida. The Association for Non-Traditional Students in Higher Education describes a non-traditional student as one who works full time while enrolled in college, is financially independent, has dependents other than a spouse, does not have a high school diploma, is a veteran from the military, or does not enroll in college the same year they graduate. In the 2012 fall semester at UWF, almost 30 percent of the students who enrolled were older than 25. “I love to travel, and I wanted to do something where I could still have that opportunity to travel, and not just as a tourist,” Schab explains as the motivation for her return to college. “Something where I could potentially earn an income while getting to see more of the world.” While she did get to do quite a bit of traveling while active in the Army, she didn’t feel that she was able to truly enjoy it. As she sits behind one of several student computers in the Military and Veterans Resource Center office, where she works part time as a work-study student, Schab explains that she chose to major in hospitality and resort management and minor in Spanish because her end goal is to open up a resort in Latin America. Her life is currently a juggling act of her workstudy on campus, her class schedule, and her seasonal job at Perdido Beach Services (an hour drive from campus, in Orange Beach, Ala.) where she works as an auditor. While she is eager to get on

“Some days I feel old, most days I still feel like I’m 25 years old.” with her life, she has enjoyed being back in college for the most part. “I really feel like I’m using my brain a lot more,” Schab says with an honest laugh. “I’ve really enjoyed that.” Brianna Mayor earned her first degree in childhood education in 2000. Like many, she got a degree, got married, and had a kid. Now, at 36, Mayor is still married, is a mother of three young children and is working towards her master’s degree in nutrition. “Finding time to study is hard,” Mayor explains. “I find myself studying mostly after they’ve gone to sleep, which basically is when I just want to go to sleep.” She weighed her options, and decided that her teaching degree just wasn’t cutting it for her. “Life is short, and I definitely didn’t want to teach anymore,” Mayor says. “That’s not what I feel my passion is, so, you’ve got to do it, you know? I didn’t want to wake up 50-years-old; my kids are graduated from college, and me going, ‘What now?’” Scott Pauley, 29, had a similar revelation. After serving 10 years in the United States Air Force, he decided it was time to take a step towards a career in something that he really loves doing. “Sooner or later it basically came down to, ‘What do I like to do if I don’t get paid?’”, Pauley says. “So I figure if I’m going to sit back and watch football and go into work and talk about football, I might as well get a job where I do that for a living.” His major of choice is broadcast journalism, of which he intends on pursuing a career that involves sports. He explains that he feels the only real difference between traditional and nontraditional students is that, “traditional students are finding themselves while they’re in school and nontraditional students have found themselves and decided to go back to school.”

Brandon Defoe, 26, decided to leave high school at age 16 in pursuit of a GED and try college on for size. He realized that he wasn’t making any real progress, so he joined the Army, where he served for two years. After his contract was up, he worked the job circuit for a while and realized it was probably best that he just went back to school. He is working towards a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. “It’s a good fit for what I want to go to graduate school for; to do biomedical engineering and create robotic prosthetics.” While robot prosthetics and biomedical engineering may not be everyone’s choice, a recent article from The Wall Street Journal did provide data stating that older students are much more likely to major in fields like business, computer science, and engineering. Sarah Kuhl, an academic advisor for the department of computer science at UWF, says that this trend is more than likely a result of students realizing that those majors are the most lucrative. Kuhl highly recommends nontraditional students talk with one of the faculty members or experts in their field of interest. That way, the student can receive information on what kind of money and jobs are available in the field, rather than just reading in the catalog about the curriculum that a particular program will be offering. She also stresses the importance of nontraditional students considering their level of availability. Many times if students’ schedules aren’t flexible enough, they will consequentially end up looking at the available online degrees. “There is no reason in starting classes through our department if there’s going to be no way they can finish it in the end,” Kuhl says. While these students may be a little older than most in their classrooms, the price is a small one to pay, and is at times hardly noticeable. “Age is a frame of mind,” Mayor says from behind her designer sunglasses, as she sits on the park bench right outside of the College of Business with her blonde hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. “I definitely feel older than everyone in my classes, but I still don’t necessarily look at myself as, you know, on the downhill slope of 40. Some days I feel old, most days I still feel like I’m 25 years old.”

Brianna Mayor tries to study at the University of West Florida library, while her three daughters play

Fall 2013 | Issue III

Photo by Harrison Keely at stock.xchng; layout by Rachel Pennington

Graduation Y

ou are in your last year of college and you think after the year is over with you won’t have to worry about anything. Well that isn’t the case, unless you have won the lottery there are things you should be aware of post-graduation, things like your student loans, finding a job or maybe going to graduate school. By Antonio Jones

Student Loans and Paying Them Back

You must repay these loans you can’t cancel them. Only borrow the funds that you need and not the maximum amount available. You servicer will provide your repayment schedule which will have you payment dates and amount to pay. You will have a six month grace period. Not paying them can lead to credit rating damage and legal action.

Internship and Job Planning

Get practical experience for your job with Internships and if you can’t do those take service learning field studies instead. The average time it takes to find a job post-graduation is six months. Use your school’s career services to help with job preparation. UWF has JasonQuest, which is available for students to help find a job. To be readying for a job interview students need to practice for interviews and look at a career development guide. Come to your local career service early for job preparation help and to get resumes looked at and ready for job interviews.

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n is Coming Graduate School

Graduate school allows student to get a masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s or doctoral degree. You have departments and disciplines instead of core subject classes. You must research what you want to do in graduate school before just applying to it. To get ready for graduate school you must go through the graduate school admission process once you find one what department you would like to study in graduate school. It is also good to speak with your academic advisor to see what other things you need to look for before starting the admission process.

Finding a Job

Networking is important; get your name out there. Go to job fairs and look at all kinds of internship opportunities. Get a resume of your qualifications and skill set, so your future employer can see how much practical experience you have. Be ready for job interviews at any time and dress the best you can for your interviews. You always want to make a good impression during your first interview, never arrive late and try to arrive early to show you are eager for the job. After the interview making a follow up call could help your chances at getting the job.

Graduate Application Process

For the application process you will need to study for and take the Graduate Records Examination (GRE), it is recommended you take it earlier in your undergrad year. You will need letters of recommendation from your professors or bosses in your field of study. A personal statement to send off which should tell people why you want to study in the department and how committed you are. You will need an academic history resume. Once all that is done make sure the conditions of your acceptance are clear and take care of any fees needed.

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Photo from UWF archive/ John Blackie

Judy Bense confident leader was once ‘scared to death’ B y E r i n Ti m m o n s

t was a moment of honest sincerity. It comes in the form of a thoughtful response, and it catches me off guard. I can tell the question that prompted the quiet hesitation wasn’t warmly received, as her face scrunches up slightly with annoyance. I recognize this reaction immediately – she earlier had given a faculty member who talked about economic data analysis longer than desired the same look, and I froze in anticipation of her response. “What was the most difficult moment for me in college?” she echoes back to me, eyes distantly gazing into a memory that I anxiously awaited for her to reveal to me. Her eyes catch mine for a second before she glances off and recounts the moment she sat in a phone booth, hundreds of miles away from home. “I had just gotten to Washington, and I was scared to death,” she says. “I held onto the phone pleading with my mother who was back in Florida to understand why I wanted to quit and move home. I felt like I was in over my head and out of place. Everyone around me was smarter and better prepared to handle graduate school, and I wasn’t sure if I was.” After a few seconds of silent pause, the voice of Judy Bense is no longer stentorian as it usually is, and she recounts the conversation she had with her mother decades ago as a fearful young woman in a new place with no familiarity to anchor to. The meekness in her voice as she shares her story is reminiscent to the tone in mine as I cried into my cell phone my first night in my dorm at Baylor University, pleading with my mother for the same reassurance she sought from hers. Immediately I am reminded of my first night as a lonely freshman, and suddenly a woman who seemed so different than me shows a familiarity I had only hoped would emerge, but did not expect I would discover. University of West Florida President Judy Bense rarely speaks in low, meek tones. Her voice has a confidence to it that one would assume would be present from someone who holds the position of president. At 68-years-old, her professional accomplishments are numerous and impressive, spanning the fields of anthropology, archaeology and university administration. No feat is cherished more by Bense than her position as president of UWF, what she refers to as her “single greatest achievement.” All have contributed to influencing how she leads faculty, staff and students since becoming UWF’s fifth president in July 2008.. “It certainly hasn’t been an easy road to get to where I’m at today,” Bense says, hands wrapped around a coffee mug. “I just had to roll up my sleeves and find a way to make things work to my advantage even though it was immensely difficult at times. It’s very easy to quit. It’s a lot more difficult to be fearless, but that’s what my students need from me.” With growing enrollment rates, the promise of a new football team and the reorganization of the colleges on the horizon, UWF is immersed in change that hasn’t been present at the university prior to Bense’s tenure at the helm. Gone are the days where UWF is seen as a small commuter col-

lege in the sleepy woods of Pensacola, Fla., and considerable growth has placed UWF at a monumental stage of expansion. “Students need a leader with grit. It takes qualities like tenacity, persistence and determination to accomplish what needs to be done, especially when you’re in a position of leadership,” Kim Brown says. As chief of staff to President Bense, Brown is Bense’s right-hand woman, constantly keeping her informed on appointments, talking points and practically everything else. Brown witnesses Bense’s persistence first hand when she is questioned repeatedly about the location of a green blazer. Bense stands in her office, hands on her hips, and taps the toes of her brown leather loafer on the hardwood floor as if she can make the blazer arise solely with the impatient movement of her feet. The gold blazer that she selected this morning from her closet catches the warm light in her office as she bounces up and down with each tap, but it won’t be

“She’s an amazing leader, and she keeps this university running in a way that is nothing short of impressive.” acceptable enough to wear to the Student Ambassador luncheon scheduled for 11:30 a.m. “She’s an amazing leader, and she keeps this university running in a way that is nothing short of impressive,” Brown begins to say as she is interrupted by Bense. “All of the Student Ambassadors will be wearing their green blazers, I really should have it here in my office,” Bense says, and Brown quickly scribbles a reminder to herself to keep Bense’s green blazer in the closet for the future. Bense looks over at me as if she expects me to understand the importance of a green blazer over a gold blazer, “It’s about appearances. So much of this job is about appearances.” If appearances present an accurate picture of one’s position, Judy Bense certainly acts the part. At roughly 5-foot-5, she stands before 24 Student Ambassadors in their green blazers with an ease and confidence demonstrated only by someone

who is secure in their position. As she shares her definition of leadership with the students, the fluorescent light from above occasionally captures the gold nautilus charm that hangs around her neck as it swings like a metronome, timed to her rhythmic bounces as she speaks with excitement. She never stumbles over a word, yet her pace is easy and conversational like a Sunday stroll, and she speaks with an enthusiasm that draws you in and makes you want to be excited, too. Students sit wide-eyed listening to Bense recount the tale of the time she brought archaeology to the university, diligently taking notes as if the secret to success would be somewhere hidden within her words. “It’s really difficult not to be inspired by Dr. Bense and her leadership abilities,” Student Ambassador Tasia Elery says as she waits in line to shake hands with Bense. “It’s easy to identify with someone who has struggled with adversity and has taken control of their destiny the way she has. Knowing she is leading our university makes me proud to attend the University of West Florida.” Bense has served the University of West Florida for more than three decades, founding the nationally ranked anthropology and archeology department in 1980 as well as the Archaeology Institute, where she has served as its director for the past 20 years. It is her work within the department as a professor that greatly impacted Provost Martha Saunders, who began her career at UWF in 1984 as an assistant professor, and who would later serve as the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. "I think it's important to note that Judy Bense's impact on students did not begin when she became president of the university,” Saunders says. “Her commitment began when she first set foot on this campus and has lingered in the memories of countless young minds. I remember her best as a true hands-on professor. She was never content to give out information and hope it stuck. She actively engaged her students in the subject matter and never let up until the lights came on.” The ability to never let up has been a present quality in Bense far before she became president of the university in 2008. She credits this diligence to her mother, who Bense lovingly refers to as, “pushy and strong minded.” “She was very loving and warm,” Bense says with a rare grin, “but she always expected the best out of me in everything that I did.” Growing up on a farm in Panama City Beach, Fla., Bense longed for adventure elsewhere. It was through contemplating the theories of biological evolution that she was inspired to pursue a career in anthropology and archaeology, and she attended Florida State University during the ‘60s, a time Bense refers to as “revolutionary.” “I made mistakes that I had to learn from, but I sure had a lot of fun,” Bense says, as she recalls her time at FSU with the sweet taste of freedom fresh on her lips. “I was really inspired by the film ‘Easy Rider’ as well as the civil rights movement and music by the Eagles and Janis Joplin. There was a cultural revolution occurring around me that I really wanted to immerse myself in. I wanted to know more about what inspired humanity and how we get to be the way that we are, and through this

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desire my passion for anthropology and archaeology grew.” Bense’s emergence in the field of archaeology during the ‘70s wasn’t always met with a friendly welcome. At a time when archaic and sexist beliefs were prolific in the workplace, Bense frequently dealt with her fair share of hardships and adversity. “A lot of men didn’t think women had a place in archaeology at the time,” Bense said. “I refused to quit. When my plan A didn’t work, I went to plan B, or C until I found a viable option. I gained respect in my field by not giving up when others assumed I would.” Vice President for University Advancement Brendan Kelly directly attributes Bense’s experiences as an archaeologist to her leadership style and success as president. “Bense is an authentic leader that never stops being what she went into higher education to become – an archeologist,” Kelly says. “Archaeologists seek truth by digging up and examining the things of life. They try to tell the story of human communities of the past in truthful and authentic ways based on the best available evidence. If new evidence emerges that challenges how they saw the past, good archaeologists willingly change their perspective based on the evidence. “That process is reflective of how Dr. Bense leads as a president. She carefully files through all the pieces and parts that comprise the basis for action, then makes sound and carefully informed decisions based on the best possible evidence and, always, in the best interests of the students of the University of West Florida.” With leadership skills deeply rooted in the field or archeology, Bense has had a great impact on the

faculty that serves around her, and the students that attend the university she leads. Detractors may say UWF doesn’t have the ability to become an institution of notoriety, but those who serve around Bense say that her dedication will lead to nothing but success for UWF. “She’s changing the culture at UWF,” Brown says as she reflects on how Bense has impacted the university and those who attend it. “She’s demonstrating to our students and the community of Pensacola what a leader is all about; determination, dedication, and a distaste for the word ‘no.’ ”

Photos by Erin Timmons and layout by Fernanda Borel and Rachel Pennington

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Do you have school spirit?

onversation of school spirit often brings to mind images of students adorned in their school colors, participating in age-old traditions, but the University of West Florida is a relatively young university, only becoming a four-year institution in 1983. Alumni Relations Director Missy Grace, graduated from UWF in 2010. She said she has seen a lot of growth in school pride through the generations of alumni, and she attributed this to the addition of freshmen and sophomores. “We aren’t a commuter campus anymore,” Grace said, “We have gained momentum over the years. School spirit is about getting involved in something you are passionate about on campus.There has been more of a focus on student life in recent years. The administration has made that a priority.” But many students feel that getting involved on campus is still a challenge. Sophomore Norma Haas, an education and theater major, said when she hears about events on campus, she usually attends, but she does not feel that others get involved on campus. “A lot of students don’t really do the school spirit stuff,” Haas said, “It seems like it is the same people going to the events all the time. No new people. They need to put more of a word out.” Haley Bennett, a sophomore telecommunication and film major, said that there are lots of clubs and organizations to get involved in, but there are problems. “It is hard to find them. You have to search for them or go talk to someone. It is like there

By Jamie Gentry

is not anybody reaching out to you, and there needs to be a more diverse group of clubs especially for my major. It is growing, but there is nothing really to be involved in.” Sports are also a part of school spirit, and Athletic Director David Scott feels optimistic about the future. “When somebody scores, this place roars,” Scott said, “People are excited about it. You’re getting that experience. Maybe you’re into volleyball, maybe you’re just into being a part of the crowd. But it gives you that experience that is unique to you here at the University of West Florida.” Athletic Marketing and Sales Coordinator Garron Lucuis said that he haswitnessed a change in student involvement since he started working at UWF. “You can tell at our games we definitely have more student involvement,”Lucuis said, “Volleyball set a new record for most fans at a match at the Pack it Pink match. We had 709 people.” Bennett said she believes the addition of football at UWF in thefall of2016 will also increase student involvement in sports. “I think people can get rallied up for football even if they aren’t watching the game,” Bennett said, “It’s more of a big-following sport,whereas tennis and soccer you have more of a minority following it.” Whether it is student life or athletics, UWF school spirit is in transition. When asked what the ultimate goal was, Scott said, “We want them bleeding blue and green.” And as time goes on, it seems that students at the University of West Florida will.

Photos and layout by Fernanda Borel

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The growth of conventions By Antonio Jones

“Here are these people that all of our lives we have been trying basically to label these geeks and you know what? It’s okay to be a geek. There is nothing wrong with it.”

Photos by Antonio Jones and layout by Fernanda Borel

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Conventions such as Sand Diego Comic-Con and Dragon Con try to embrace all of the geekdom groups: make-up art, special effects, tv shows, sci fi, movies, comic books and all of those that someone could call â&#x20AC;&#x153;geekâ&#x20AC;?.

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REVIEW

Layout by Fernanda Borel

Arcade Fire Reflektor Sonovox 2013 By Josh Morton

rcade Fire is one of those bands whose album releases don’t just slide by under the radar. Starting with their release of Funeral in 2004, they have been releasing golden albums every three years, with Neon Bible arriving in 2007, and The Suburbs in 2010, which went on to surprise many by winning album of the year at the 2011 Grammy’s. Each album has seemed to place a general focus on the desire to get away from everyday societal pressures and in turn push the belief that there is more to life than material things. For starters, Reflektor was produced by James

Murphy, front man for the electronic indie rock group, LCD Soundsystem. Immediately it’s clear that this is going to be different than anything they have put out in the past. The album is split up into two discs, with disc one having more of an upbeat disco-dub, glam rock feel to it, and disc two slowing things down a bit while still dangling its feet in the cool waters of the first half of the record. Disc one opens up with “Reflektor,” a track combining bongos, a disco-rock beat, and abstract electronic noise towards the end of the track which brought to mind The Clash’s hit from 1982, “Rock the Casbah.” “We Exist” appears on disc one as well with a bass line bearing an uncanny resemblance to the main hook of Michael Jackson’s 1982 hit, “Billie Jean.” It’s not such a blatant replication that it is unbearable, but it is something that listeners are going to probably notice right off the bat. The first disc closes with “Joan of Arc,” which starts off with a misleading punk rock intro that leads us to another almost glam rock sounding song that actually has singer Regine Chassagne bringing an almost doo-wop feel to the chorus with her French echo to front man Win Butler’s chorus. Disc two starts off with the brief, mantric “Here Comes the Night Time II,” which serves almost as intermission music as the set designs are changed

from Act One to Act Two in the “Reflektor” epic. “Awful Sound (Oh Eurydice),” tells the tale of Orpheus’ attempt to bring his wife, Eurydice, back to life and rescue her from the underworld. Set to a somber, shoe-gaze arrangement, this tale is most likely referring to the notion that though we may think that social media has connected us with one another; it has actually driven us into a death-like state of solitude and exclusion from those around us. Butler seems to be expressing a longing to go back to his pre-internet mindset. The title of the closing song, “Supersymmetry,” is a tip of the hat to the scientific concept of the same name saying that whenever one particle moves, somewhere else there is another particle moving in exactly the same way. The song ends just past the five minute marker, but carries on with electronic ambient soundscapes, which at first seem unnecessary, but upon coming to an understanding of the concept of the song, and really the album as a whole, it does make artistic sense. Reflektor will without a doubt come as a shock to many and perhaps a disappointment to fans afraid of change, but this is still the same band that has managed to keep people interested and coming back for more for the last nine years and they don’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon.

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Stuck in the Past The gender gap still exists in STEM majors By Gary Bell

hen I tell people that I am a college student majoring in English with a focus in writing, I tend to receive mixed opinions depending on the gender of who I am discussing it with. Men often negatively criticize my selection, deeming it worthless because it is not as lucrative as a major such as engineering or chemistry. On the other hand, women mainly praise and support my major selection even though most assume that I write romantic poetry. I show about as much emotion as a cardboard box. A recent study conducted by Forbes magazine revealed that the top ten money making college fields of study are all related to STEM programs (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). These fields are all dominated by male students, and in 2011, the Department of Commerce reported that only one out of seven engineers were female, and that statistic has yet to increase. Female students outnumber male students by almost eighty percent in fields of study such as English,

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liberal arts, and education programs that make considerably less money than STEM programs. So, are female students at a monetary disadvantage because of their major selections once they enter the workforce, or are they at an advantage for chasing their passion instead of chasing dollars? The University of West Florida can attest to the gender gap in STEM programs. This trend is not only true in regards to student enrollment, but in professional employment as well - a challenge that fares difficult for a university that prides itself for being diverse. A lack of qualified female candidates prevents diversity in jobs that could be filled by both gender, and most positions within STEM related programs at UWF are filled by male applicants. “UWF is huge on diversity,” Jamie Sprague, the coordinator of faculty and staff employment opportunities, said. “Yet we only have one or maybe two females who apply that are accredited to teach in STEM programs when we offer the positions. It is hard to be diverse with a pool so shallow.”

Administrators are highly regarded individuals in all areas of study in any college setting. They are vital pieces in the decision making process in regards to the overall progression of an academic department and its curriculum. However, with such a small amount of women involved in the STEM administration, fair representation regarding gender could possibly be an issue in the department. “Fifty-six percent of the associate professors in STEM programs are female,” UWF Mathematics and Statistics professor Raid Amir said. “However, only two of out of the thirty-three professors in higher ranked positions in STEM administration are female. That is a problem.” After receiving this gender gap information from Sprague and Raid, I wanted to compare it with someone with an international academic perspective. S.M. Razee, a student at UWF and originally from Bangladesh, explained how his experiences studying overseas are different than here in the United States. “I have studied in Bangladesh, Philadelphia,

Illustration and layout by Rachel Pennington

and now here at UWF,” Razee said. “In Bangladesh, there is more of a balance throughout all fields of study and employment, including STEM programs.” When comparing the number of STEM majors in the United States with counties overseas, the United States is currently at a huge disadvantage. According to Forbes, only about a third of awarded bachelor’s degrees are STEM-related in the United States, while the ratio in countries such as Japan, China, Bangladesh and Singapore, the ratio is more than one in two. Because male students make up about eighty percent of that forty percent of STEM-related bachelor’s degrees, the female presence appears to be even smaller. Researchers agree that female discrimination in STEM programs across the United States is still alive and well. According to a report from the American Association of University Women, thirty-three percent of women reported leaving STEM fields because they did not like the classroom environment or their professors. Many women reported feeling

a sense of hostility from male counterparts, arguing that the only reason they were accepted into the programs was affirmative action. In the minds of the male students, standards are being lowered in order to accept more women into STEM-related fields. That biased mentality has caused a number of female students to look elsewhere for potential careers. As stated before, English is a college major that is dominated by women in the United States. As a male English major myself, I can say that the female students in the field are very passionate about the subject matter. “My classes, even the ones that focus on male-oriented literature, are filled with more female students than male,” UWF English professor David Earle said. “The women are always more engaged in the material and more active in the discussion.” As a society, Americans, especially males, are taught to follow the money wherever it is abundant. That attitude is the reason why men often major in STEM programs: they are more practical. Even

though that may be true, money is not the only definition of success. Ronald Belter, a psychology professor at UWF, states how there is a difference in the majors that men and women select because they tend to view the usability of a college degree differently. “Men tend to think more practically and about salary when it comes to selecting a career, which can lead to unhappiness and depression,” Belter said. “On the other hand, women tend to look for fulfillment in their careers, which leads to happiness.” Instead of accepting unfair treatment in STEM programs by male students and professors for wealth, more female students are choosing to study their interests and passions. However, there are female students who are truly passionate about STEM studies. Those female students are standing their ground against any challenge to their dedication. Until we learn to judge an individual for their abilities and efforts instead of their gender, not even a ratified government bill will change things for the better.

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nurse

doctor

5 6

politician

artist

3 Scholar

coach

THE 2 MAJOR CHANGE

By Gina Alford Dickerson

financier

Scientist

Professor

hen Kevin Arcelay was younger, he dreamed of one day becoming a professional wrestler. He was enticed by the thrilling lifestyle he caught a glimpse of when he watched the matches on television. Looking back on it today, Arcelay has a different opinion. “That was just a kid’s dream,” Arcelay said. Now an adult, Arcelay is a student at the University of West Florida majoring in psychology and biological anthropology. He has come a long way from his initial goal of becoming a pro-wrestler. Most UWF students have been in Arcelay’s shoes at one point or another. They start with a certain goal, and as they get older and gain experience they decidto move onto something else. This is especially true for students who have changed their majors or have considered doing so. So, why would an undergrad decide to ditch their chemistry major to pursue the life of a philosophy student? There are many grounds for why a student would make the decision to go through with a major change, but a few reasons are more common than others. When students enter college for the first time, they are asked to declare a major. Hastily deciding on an occupational path without conducting any previous research is one particular reason a student might feel insecure about his or her choice.

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“I know that they feel like they have to pick a major, which makes sense, and I do think that they’re limited in what they pick because often, people don’t come to college knowing about that many professions,” said Kelly Meek, associate director of Clinical Services at UWF. “So they just pick something without really thinking it through.” Meek said finding students unhappy with their choice of major is not uncommon in her area of work. After working with students as the associate director of the UWF First Year Advising Center, Anna Shiplee has also found that a student’s reasoning for picking the wrong major may stem from “unclear expectations and ignorance” when it comes to a certain career path. The reason why a student chose her major might also play a part in the unhappiness with her selection. If a student chooses a major for the wrong reasons such as money, fame or because it will make their parents happy, they could ultimately be making it more difficult for themself in the future. “If they have that discrepancy between picking something that they should do versus what they want to do, you might find they’re not being as successful in class because their heart isn’t in it,” Meek said. This can mean many things for students who decide to go through with changing their majors. There is no perfect universal outcome for every student who chooses to go down a new academic path. But, there are factors students should consider if they do decide to make the switch. Finances are something students should keep in mind when looking into replacing their majors. Whether an individual has enough money largely affects the outcome of her college career. The UWF Financial Aid Office website states that it currently costs about $103 per credit hour for a Florida resident enrolled at UWF. If you have already spent serious cash on classes, specifically for another major, you might have a dilemma. “If you’re an undecided sophomore, you may begin to eliminate yourself from certain majors based on financial consideration,” said Chester Stanhope, an advisor from UWF’s First Year Advising Center.

“One of the best things a student can do is to dive right into career exploration through job shadowing and volunteering.”

Photos and layout by Rachel Pennington, model- Ashley Panici

Another factor students should consider is how long they plan on being in school. If a student decides to change majors early in her college career, she might not spend any extra time trying to graduate. If she waits a few years, that could be a different story. According to the UWF Undergraduate Catalog, a student is required to complete 120 semester hours in order to receive a bachelor’s degree from UWF, but certain departments may have additional requirements that go beyond these minimums. For example, a student looking to receive her bachelor of fine arts degree must complete 126 total semester hours. The thought of choosing a new major may be daunting to some, but students who are undecided or are looking to declare a new major have many options to help them with their decisions. Before a final decision is made, it is very helpful to learn about the major you are interested in. When it comes to a decision like this it is better to be more informed so you have an idea of what will be expected of you. “One of the best things a student can do is to dive right in to career exploration through job shadowing and volunteering,” said Katie Hudon, career planning coordinator at UWF’s Career Services, in an email. “Seeing the positives and negatives as they relate to the students’ needs and desires through that process help them determine what types of duties they might want to perform and what type of environment best aligns with their values, interests, personality, and skills.” Undecided undergrads looking for information can go to UWF’s First Year Advising Center and speak with one of the many advisors about their academic future. In addition to advising, professionals from career services and counseling are there to

assist students as well. “When a student likes to change their major, we like to show them all of the options that are available to them, both positive and negative,” Stanhope said. “It’s part of our job to educate them on those major changes.” If you have changed your major once, you might not have to worry. But students who constantly find that they are undecided should look into some academic guidance. “If a student feels as if he or she might be becoming a serial major changer, setting up an appointment with Career Services to explore major and career paths is a great idea,” Hudon said. “However, it is perfectly normal for students to change majors even a few times over the course of their academic careers. Picking the right major is not an exact science. For some it comes easy, and for others choosing the right subject to study may take some time. Either way, students should utilize the information and assistance given to them when they enter college to begin the decision making process. This will help get students on an academic path that suits them the best.

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By Fernanda Borel

t’s common sense to all by now that life has the tendency to go very wrong sometimes. With the constant stressors of balancing personal, occupational, and educational responsibilities, a bad day combined with a slight change in your schedule can tip your scale and cause you to lose it. Everyone has their own battles to fight. Even though someone’s struggle may not be easily seen from the outside, that person is still in pain regardless.People build walls around their feelings, and sharing your life’s story is so hard sometimes. Admitting to yourself and to others that you need help is even harder. Thankfully, some things are getting a little easier, and although expressing you need help can be difficult, more people are seeking professional help than ever to deal with mental disorders. They are becoming more aware of these psychological illnesses and they are starting to understand that they don’t have to face these problems alone. It is still a process though, and there is still a long way to go before negative stigma that is attached to receiving counseling disappears completely.

Recently, people have demonstrated to be more interested in the increase of stress, anxiety, depression and other psychological disorders, especially among young people. A study conducted by the American Psychological Association in 2012 demonstrated that the Millennials, the name given to the generation of those born between 1980 and 1995, are more likely to be diagnosed with one of those disorders than individuals who belong to different age groups. For instance, 19 percent of the Millenial generation was identified to have some sort of depressive disorder, while Generation X (people that are the

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age 34 to 47) only had 14 percent of their populamany appointment requests that it needs a waittion diagnosed, and Matures (age 64+) only had 11 ing list to try accommodating everyone who seeks percent diagnosed. When it comes to anxiety, the help. They do have emergency appointments, but numbers are no different. While twelve percent of most of the time, people go to group sessions while the Millennials have been diagnosed with anxiety, they wait for an available appointment to open up. only four percent of the Matures share the same Last year, the counseling center saw 873 different problem. people for some form of therapy, which may seem One major question left unanswered is about like a lot, but it is not even 7 percent of the 12,823 whether or not the rate is really increasing or if the students enrolled in UWF. population is just more aware of these problems? The latter might be the correct answer according to University of West Florida Psychology Professor Ronald Belter. “My opinion is that it may not actually be an increase in the occurrence of depression, anxiety, and other psychological difficulties among college students,” Belter said.“What I think is happening more so is that we are becoming more aware of it. So, it may appear to be that it is actually increasing, when in fact, what is happening is that we are just paying more attention to psychological disorders.” Regardless, the high rate shows that a lot of college students deal with these problems, and understanding the ways they can be helped is the new challenge for those who work in counseling services. At UWF, the Counseling and Psychological Service has so Photos and layout by Fernanda Borel/ Model Claudia Felsberger

So, why are more students not seeking counseling services? Are UWF students free of psychological problems and the need to receive help, or is there something else standing in their way of asking for professional support to help them with stress, depression, and anxiety? Software engineering major Sean Garner said hewould not seek professional help, but would rather talk to his friends. “Honestly, I am afraid of judgment from people,” Garner said. “It is just a subconscious thing; you do not want to do it, but you do it anyway. Even I judge people for everything.” Garner’s statement brings back an old discussion about whether or not there is still a stigma when it comes to dealing with a psychological problem, and if it prevents people from admitting they need help. “There is a long standing stigma attached to being identified as “mental” and the fear of being labeled as such is legitimate,” Psychologist Capt. Jason Richards said, who counsels military officers who may be suffering from a psychological disorder.

“When you are depressed, people isolate anyway, and so it is harder for them to even think of counseling as an option,”Associate Director of Counseling & Psychological Services Kelly Meeksaid. For her, when you are dealing with a psychological problem, it is hard to realize that you need help. Even though Meek also said some people do not view counseling with this stigma anymore, it is still noticeable that people would rather talk to family and friends about their problems rather than handling them with the help of a professional. Psychology major Zach Lewis saidhe would seek his friends first. “It depends on who you are closer to,”Lewis said. “I feel more close to my friends and family, and I feel that I could tell them anything. Counseling would be the last thing; it would be like the last resort.”

Talking to your family and friends might be a good way to start, but it is important to remember that they are not specialists who are ready to deal with certain problems, which can lead to them having psychological disorders of their own. It is essential to know when it is time to ask for the help

of a professional and not rely on the help of your family members and peers only. Psychology major Feliesha Martin said she would only seek counseling after talking to family and friends, but, she does think seeking a psychologist or counselor is a good choice. “In life, you always need someone to talk to,” Martin said. “Psychologists are professionals and counselors are professionals. So therefore, if you go to them, they will be able to help you manage whatever depression or stress you are going through.” It is hard to break away from the idea that if you need psychological help, then there is something wrong with you, but psychologists are dealing with this common ideology. It seems that it is not just about making counseling look good for the counselors and psychologists, but it also important to show people that there is nothing strange about dealing with psychological problems and seeking help. In fact, dealing with psychological problems while having a professional supporting you will probably be nothing less than beneficial to your life. So, do not be afraid or embarrassed to get help. “What they are experiencing is very normal and understandable, and they deserve to get good quality care” Belter said.

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1 2 Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Top 5 Places around

pensacola By Erin Timmons

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4 5

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Blue Wahoos Where it’s located: Pensacola Bayfront Stadium plays

host to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, a minor league baseball team and Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, during their season which runs April through September. Located at 351 West Cedar Street, students should try and get acclimated to this 30-minute drive – UWF’s football team will host their home games at the stadium until one can be built on campus. Although Pensacola doesn’t offer the same sporting environments as larger cities may, their minor league offerings and the Blue Wahoos provide a fun escape from the common sources of entertainment that are (not so) readily available on or near campus. The stadium itself is modern and offers a great amount of amenities due to its nearly new state. Some complain about its small size, but I find that it prevents there from being a bad seat in the house. Located on the bay, the views are incredible as is the breeze it provides on a hot summer day.

Need to know: If you can find a place to park in Seville

Square, you’ll avoid paying for parking and will also score a great place to eat before or after the game (hint: see Hopjacks). If you’re smart and elect this method, you can take the free trolley right to the Stadium. Plan to get there early as there are always pre-game giveaways (who doesn’t love free shirts?), and games sell out fast. Tickets are as cheap as $10, and if you visit on “Thirsty Thursdays” you can snag small beers for a $2 steal. Don’t forget sunblock!

Photos by Rachel Pennington, “Florida State Parks” website, and “The National Naval Aviation Museum” website Layout by Rachel Pennington

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2 hopjacks Where it’s located: Hopjacks has two locations in the Pensacola

area. What it shares in common with University of West Florida students is a deep love for all things beer and pizza, and both locations offer a different and unique atmosphere to help you unwind after (or during) a long week of classes and academic stressors. Both Hopjacks locations are open from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. seven days a week, and serve their full menu until 2:00 a.m. – giving you a reason to stay out late and procrastinate on that chemistry homework. Hopjacks Pizza Kitchen and Taproom – 10 S Palafox Place, (850) 497-6073 Each location has over 200 beers with an incredible amount of draft options (112 at this Hopjacks) and an endless selection of bottled and canned beers to choose from. Using top quality ingredients in every recipe (such as seared filet mignon and herb roasted duck) their pizza really is as delicious as they claim. Offering a specialty pizza menu that boasts creations such as Shrimp Scampi, Jerk Chicken and Cajun Crawfish pies, even the most adventurous eaters will be entertained. The Palafox location offers students a downtown feel after a short 30-minute drive that allows you to forget about campus for a while. Sit outside and people watch along Garden Street, or catch a football game on one of the many screens inside. Hopjacks Pizza Kitchen and Taproom – 204 East Nine Mile Road, (850) 912-6181 This location is far closer to campus, and a 10-minute drive will bring you to a great place to have lunch between classes or relax in the evening once you’ve punched the academic clock. I don’t know what it is – but the pizza here doesn’t meet the same standards as the Palafox location, but the Belgian fries, French fries fried in duck fat, are always amazing and never disappoint. If you go between 4:20 and 6:20 p.m., you’ll find half-off specials on all appetizers and drink specials that’ll allow you to beer budget for the weekend. For serious beer connoisseurs, visit Hopjack’s website where you can view the 86 different beers on tap. http://www.hopjacks.com

3 vinyl music hall Where it’s located: 2 South Palafox Place, this venue is a 30-minute drive from

campus and located in a great area downtown. With endless options to dine and drink before or after a show, Vinyl offers students a nice reprieve to catch a variety of national or local musical and comedy acts.

Need to know: Parking in downtown Pensacola can be a frustrating endeavor, to say

the least – and the most convenient option for students hitting a show at Vinyl Music Hall would be to find a spot along Jefferson, Garden or Baylen Street once 5 p.m. rolls around and the parking meters turn off. All events at Vinyl are standing room only, so be realistic with your wardrobe and shoe choice or pay the price with sweaty clothes and sore feet. The photo policy gets a lot of flak for consistently changing based on the artist, sometimes smaller non-flash cameras and phones are acceptable, sometimes they aren’t. What isn’t acceptable is flash photography – and security will definitely remind you of this if they see you snap a photo. Some events have age restrictions – and ticket prices will differ based on each event. For further information, ticket prices or a schedule of events – visit Vinyl Music Hall’s website http://www.vinylmusichall.com

national naval aviation museum 4

Where it’s located: That National Naval Aviation Museum is located at 1750 Radford Boulevard,

and after a 40-minute drive will provide you with a day’s worth of fun (yes, really!) and hopefully a new found respect for our military servicemen and women, who proudly serve along the Panhandle. History buffs and anyone with an interest in aviation won’t need as much convincing as most to spend the day within a museum, but the fact that admission is free should help persuade others to give it a shot. The museum is open seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and offers more than 150 aircraft and spacecraft displays that in their gleaming state will inspire a new appreciation for those who once manned them. Flight simulators allow you to step into the cockpit and see for yourself what it feels like to be an aviator. More than 4,000 artifacts on display allow visitors to view history from pre-WWI to modern day aviation. If you have the money, consider catching an IMAX film on the 62-feet-high, 82-feet-wide screen, eating at the café on site or donating it to the museum. Free tours are provided by retired military members, who make the experience worthwhile as they share their own personal accomplishments and stories along with interesting information.

Need to know: This place is huge. The museum itself is 300,000 square feet, and the grounds are

37 acres of additional exhibit space, with some aircraft being displayed outdoors. Plan to spend the whole day, and try not to rush. Be respectful and use appropriate language as a lot of families and military members visit and have deep emotional ties to what is located within the museum. Bring some sort of identification on you (driver’s license preferred) to ensure you’re allowed entry to the naval station. Backpacks won’t be allowed within the museum and are subject to search and seizure – so it’s best to leave those at home or in the car. Only closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s days; further information can be found at http://www.navalaviationmuseum.org

Blackwater river state park

Where it’s located: 7720 Deaton Bridge Road, Holt - Blackwater River State Park is located the furthest from campus, with a 45-minute drive delivering

you to one of Panhandle’s gems.

Need to know: Blackwater River State Park offers a full list of activities to satisfy anyone itching to get outdoors. Tent camping is available with two tents

allowed Per site for $20 a night. For those wanting to enjoy nature, area trails provide over 600 undisturbed acres and the opportunity to glimpse Northwest Florida wildlife at its finest. Alligator, otter and deer have all been known to be spotted along the trails as well as bobcats and turkeys. A favorite destination for canoeists and kayakers, the sand along Blackwater River is as smooth and white as it is along the Gulf’s beaches, and the water provides a constant current and cool temperature to enjoy on a hot day. Blackwater River State Park offers students a quiet place to get outside, have some fun and enjoy the original source of entertainment – nature. If you aren’t camping, the park opens at 8:00 a.m. and closes at sunset. There is an entry fee, and all plants and animals on the park are protected, so be smart and leave things alone. Alcohol is only permitted in designated areas and the park is patrolled, so make sure you’re following the rules and you won’t be disappointed. More information about Blackwater River State Park can be found at http://www.floridastateparks.org/blackwaterriver Tip: Bring an inner tube, a group of friends and a cooler of snacks and float the river for the day. Deaton Bridge provides a great ending point, and there is only a mile hike afterwards to retrieve your vehicle.

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Photo and layout credit: Rachel Pennington

The Argonaut Voyage By Gary Bell

hen my mother was a young girl growing up in Pensacola in the late ‘70s, she and my grandfather took a short road trip to see the University of West Florida main campus. As they drove around the Campus Drive loop, my mother felt an instant, inexplicable connection to the university; she knew being a student at UWF would be a part of her future. This was far different from the experiences she would soon garner while dwelling deep within the cracks of inner city Pensacola. Even though my family did not come from money, the richness they were able to gain from exposure proved to be invaluable. My grandfather, who never obtained a high school diploma, understood how something as nominal as having a picnic at Bayview Park, attending a Blue Angels air show or riding around the University of West Florida campus could broaden the mental horizons of a child. That is what the Argonaut voyage is all about: opening the doors of a student’s child-like mind to seas and oceans of quality knowledge while tapping into slumbering potential. The University of West Florida began as a two-year institution in 1963 and changed to a four-year institution in 1983. As UWF prepares to enter another groundbreaking period in its illustrious legacy, seeing how far we have come from the past, where we stand in the present day and our plans for moving forward is a vital reflection that will aid our institution’s strong desire for a brighter future. There are three specific areas of the university our administration is excited about and looking to further improve: athletics, diversity and the student experience. With our already-decorated sports teams and the football program less than three years away, the athletic department is looking to bring electrifying entertainment to the UWF students, faculty, alumni and Pensacola citizens. To say the UWF Athletic Department has seen a great deal of success would be an understatement. So far, the department has seventy-one Gulf Southern Conference championships, eleven Gulf Southern Conference Women’s All-Sports trophies, five Gulf Southern Conference Men’s All-Sports trophies, and seven Division II National Championships to their name. Athletic Director Dave Scott has been involved with UWF athletics since 1990 and progress shows no signs of slowing down. Under his direction, the UWF Athletic Department continues to help oversee and expand our culture of athletic success. “I would attribute the success of our athletics to the stability of our coaches,” Scott said. “We’ve hired good coaches who are even better human beings and they’ve stayed. We are also recruiting people to a good academic institution that will provide them with a lot of opportunities for whatever major they choose.” Having accomplished and respectable coaches at the head of our athletic teams along with the chance of earning a respectable education has attracted the fancies of numerous student-athletes whom chose to attend UWF. However, the athletic department has another unique characteristic that garners the attention of student-athletes here in Florida. “Another recruiting advantage that we have is that we are the only Division II public school in the state of Florida,”

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Director of Athletic Communications Matt Rowley said. “We are the only option for students looking to receive in-state tuition and play at the Division II level.” Even though the administration of the athletic department is proud of their athletic success, academic success remains their priority. Finding a balance between a demanding academic schedule and a demanding athletic schedule is no simple task, but the student-athletes rise to the challenge. “As a student-athlete, you are going to work out about twenty hours a week, you still have to attend class, you might have a job and you have to maintain a certain GPA,” Scott said. “Throughout all of that, our student-athletes’ GPA has been higher than the general student population for the past nineteen years.” College students are notorious for complaining about their rigorous course load and how time consuming it is, but if these student-athletes can find a way to manage their extremely-demanding load and perform at a high level, then so can our general students. The student-athletes are expected to excel in their academics at all times because their eligibility to play sports depends on their effort in the classroom first and foremost. “We have coaches that will sit students out if their grades start to suffer and will not take them on road trips,” Scott said. “Sometimes, sports keep our students in school. If they can stay in school and graduate, then they will see how a college education can make a total difference in their lives.” Fall 2016 will mark a new era at UWF, as the long-awaited football program will finally see the light of day. Not only are the students, faculty and alumni excited about the football team, but the Pensacola community as a whole is anxiously waiting for opening day in less than three years. “The upcoming football program has created a new set of energy for everyone involved with UWF and the Pensacola community,” Scott said. “People are really excited about UWF football, and we hope because of that fact, people will become more interested in UWF as a whole.” Scott would go on to add that the reason the

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department chose fall 2016 as the date for the football program was because they felt it was necessary to have a date. President Bense accepted the plan for the football program in summer 2011 and the administration is working at this very moment to put everything in order for the fall 2016 opening. The passion a student-athlete has for their sport is indisputable, but neglecting the importance and wealth of knowledge just to play a sport is unacceptable by our athletic administration’s standard of excellence. That standard of excellence is exhibited by our athletic department’s motto: “Building Champions for Life.” “Character is something that is built and not something that just happens,” Scott said. “These student-athletes and students are going to be able to take that foundation of character they learned from UWF and apply to whatever field they enter once they graduate, and to their lives in general forever. That is what being a champion for life is about.” As UWF continues to expand, the interest in having a diversified population expands along with it. According to the UWF Common Data Set, starting from the 2001-2002 school year to the present school year, seventy-five percent of the student population were Caucasian, twelve percent were African-American, eight percent were Hispanic, three percent were Asian, and two percent listed themselves as two or more races, non-Hispanic. This current school years marks the lowest amount of Caucasian students on campus at sixty-nine percent and the highest amount of African-American and Hispanic students at almost thirteen percent and nine percent respectively. Roz Fisher, who is now a sociology professor, once served as the Chief Diversity Officer during the ‘80s and ‘90s at UWF. Although her experiences were fulfilling, Fisher believes that more could have been done during her time of service if she would have used a different approach. “Sometimes, I was caught up in the regulatory issues and the law,” Fisher said. “I thought that

people would respond better knowing that the rules were the rules. However, I should have brought people into a collaborative group to change the demographics in a way that openly identified race as part of our recruitment.” Instead of bridging the gap between her way of thinking and the mentalities of her co-workers in regards to diversifying UWF, she exercised a written code of conduct that only did more harm than good to the department’s agenda. Fisher would go on to explain how being colorblind is not an aspect of diversity. As a campus, we should take pride in knowing that we have a diverse student population regarding ethnicity so that we can become educated about a style of living we normally would know nothing of. When the topic of diversity is raised in an academic setting, student population is usually the first thought that enters everyone’s mind. However, diversity in faculty is also an important feature that may not always receive the attention it deserves. According to College Factual, a data-driven website dedicated to helping students and parents make better college selections based on quality, cost, fit and value, eighty-one percent of the faculty at UWF are Caucasian, ten percent are African-American, four percent are Asian, and three percent are Hispanic. “We have had some really talented, interesting and innovative people of color leave UWF,” Fisher said. “While some left for better opportunities, the majority say the thing that drove them away was that they did not feel comfortable here. The numbers of our faculty of color have diversified, but not really increased.” With this overwhelming ethnic gap in our faculty, there is a possibility that students of color may feel unrepresented because they see so few like them in our classrooms and in our administration. When defining diversity, a common answer would be the different ethnicities present in a single organization. While that is correct, the definition of diversity has broaden as the decades have passed.

Top: plans of UWF in the early 1960s, Bottom: proposed plans for UWF’s athletic center, “University Park.” Photo credit: The John C. Pace Library archives and the UWF flickr account.

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Top: The commencement of UWF’s first graduating class in 1968; the class walked with only 58 students. Ceremonies were held in the University Commons. Side: The commencemnet of UWF’s graduating class of Fall 2012, held in the Pensacola Bay Center. Photo credit: The John C. Pace Library archives and the UWF flickr account.

Kim LeDuff is the current Chief Diversity Officer at UWF. With her enthusiastic demeanor and shining character, she is looking to provide an ideal and comfortable environment for students, faculty and staff of all backgrounds. “Diversity means more than just ethnicity,” LeDuff said. “Gender, sexuality, interests, personality and even politics play roles in defining diversity now.” Organizations such as LGBT and the Gay Straight Alliance are testaments to the advancement of the diversity discussion today. Students are now becoming more comfortable being themselves. This connection with the self and those

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around us will help enhance the UWF experience, and people are ready and willing to share their stories. “A number of people of different cultures are excited about sharing their lifestyles with others,” LeDuff said. “It’s just that someone is going to have to reach over in order to establish a connection.” Opening one’s self up to strangers is not exactly something that we practice in the United States, but if UWF is going to truly become a unified institution, then we are going to have to break out of our comfort zones; a vital step in the process of becoming diverse.

“One thing that I challenge students to do is step outside of their comfort zone,” LeDuff said. “Whether it is eating at a different restaurant or shopping at a different supermarket, switch things up from the norm.” The student experience has been a strong concern of the UWF administration, faculty and staff since it first opened its doors. On our campuses, we have an excellent crop of students, young and old, traditional and non-traditional, and on campus and online. UWF is a smaller campus compared to other larger college institutions in the state of Florida. While the population is currently just under 12,000 at UWF, Florida State Univer-

sity has a total of over 41,000 students, the University of Florida has almost 50,000 students, and the University of Central Florida recently set a school record with over 60,000 students. However, UWF sees this small population as an effective tool for enhancing the student experience and making them feel as if they are a genuine part of the college. “I am a graduate of UWF, and I also attended West Virginia University,” Scott said. “In those classes, you have about 400 students in one classroom and the professors are nearly inaccessible. You are really just a number instead of being a person.” According to the University of West Florida’s Factbook, the average number of students in a class in twenty-one. This lower number of students per class provides students with an opportunity to establish a rapport with their instructors and receive one-on-one time with any issue a student may have a problem with, leading to high levels of student success. One of the original plans for the University of West Florida was for it to be an academic institution that stood out from the rest of the colleges in the state. Current Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Martha Saunders, who began her career here in 1984 as a professor in the Department of Communication Arts, illustrated how our campus has continuously built off the success of former presidents to be where we are now. “Our first president, who was actually a judge, said that UWF did not need to be like everyone else,” Saunders said. “Our second president put an emphasis on the rigor of our academics. As we continue to evolved, we carried on and developed the efforts of all our previous leaders while implementing new, current agendas in the process.” This ideology of carrying the academic torch here at UWF has made the institution a top-tier environment for academics in only fifty years. Former UWF president Morris Marx, who served as campus president from 1988 until 2002, went into detail about his role and agenda as the head of UWF. “One agenda that I had when I became president was that UWF felt that it needed to expand in terms of traditional students,” Marx said. “Over the years, we’ve had to build more dormitories and create things that would attract the traditional student.” Over the past few years, the university has built a number of new dormitories to accommodate the recent influx of students living on campus. In the past, being a resident on campus was not a normal part of the college experience for a student. “In the past, when a student went away for college, they truly went away to a new location and life,” Saunders said. “Now, what we are seeing in the present is an increase in the amount of students starting their lives anew living on campus or remaining closer to home.” Another focus UWF had on the topic of enhancing the student experience was on the quality of our professors and their ability to be effective teachers and leaders. UWF alumni often give a great amount of credit to their professors for their

knowledge, wisdom and willingness to offer assistance in any way possible. Scott Ramsey graduated from the UWF College of Business in 1987. Today, he is a Risk Manager at State Farm Insurance here in Pensacola. Ramsey accredits the great knowledge he has received from his time as a student to his professors because they were experienced in the fields they taught. “What sets UWF instructors apart from other instructors at different institutions was that the instructors gained invaluable knowledge from their work experiences,” Ramsey said. “They were gracious enough to share their real experiences with us to get a better picture of how the jobs we were looking to have one day operated.” One common life phrase labels experience as the greatest available teacher. With the experience that our professors contain, there is no mystery to how UWF students appear to always be ahead of the game and everyone else around them, making a UWF education a prized possession to have. “The degree that I received in 1987 from the UWF College of Business is worth more now in 2013 than it ever has before,” Ramsey said. “When I was around co-workers after I graduated, it always seemed like I was far more advanced than everyone else in the room.”

“I am so proud of where this little university in the woods of northwest Florida started back in the early ‘60s. There was a time when no one thought we could make it – now look at us.” While earning a degree from the University of West Florida is a true accomplishment, students are going to have to endure a rigorous gauntlet of tasks before walking across that stage at graduation. Because our academic programs are demanding, mistakes are bound to happen and setbacks will occur. Celeste Blake, a 26-year-old public health student, explained how her thirst for various kinds of knowledge prolonged her stay at the university. “I was a traditional student coming into college at eighteen,” Blake said. “I went through a lot of different courses, which I really enjoyed, but I wasn’t on a set path to complete a major. I ended up switching my major a few times and I

wish I would have chosen to study public health at the beginning of my career so that I could be a graduate now and be working in my field.” Blake further discussed how she would encourage current and upcoming college students to choose a major and stick with it by their sophomore year in college. Freshman year is the time to explore interests and options, but if you continue exploring while deep in your sophomore year or the beginning of your junior year, graduating early or on time can become problematic. For most, college is a life-altering experience. It can be a young adult’s first taste of freedom, a middle-aged individual’s second chance at following a dream or an older individual’s quest to remain active and well-educated. No matter what section your story may fall under, the faculty at UWF wants the students to leave knowing they were part of an institution of that truly cared about who they were as an individual and the place they wanted to be in life after their student experience at the University of West Florida comes to a close. “I hope that students possess a strong work ethic once they leave UWF,” Saunders said. “I would also implore that our students leave here with a sense of gratitude. As a public university, we are receiving our education off the backs of those who never got the chance.” As a public university, the students and faculty are the seeds of an investment plan planted by our alumni, our community and anyone who believes in the power an education. “The bottom line for me is that I want students to have all of the skills that they’ll need to be successful once they leave,” Marx said. “Also, you never know exactly where you’re going once you graduate, so receiving a broad education will also prove to be beneficial. Learn about writing, learn about mathematics, learn about science, learn about health – be open to everything.” The alumni and current students are also thankful for the services of our faculty and administration. Their efforts have given their students the utmost confidence in themselves and their abilities after graduating. “Everywhere that I go and everyone I get a chance to speak, I tell people that I am a graduate of the University of West Florida and I am an Argonaut,” Ramsey said. “I am so proud of where this little university in the woods of northwest Florida started back in the early ‘60s. There was a time when no one thought we could make it – now look at us.” From humble beginnings, the University of West Florida has garnered local, state and nationwide wide praise of the highest order for its academic prowess. “UWF can prepare you to receive a well-paying job, but there’s so much more to gain during your career as a college student there,” Blake said. “There is so much knowledge to gain. Opportunities as a college student exceed just doing what is needed to eventually receive a paycheck. Be sure to take advantage.” The future of UWF is still waiting for the chance to be written. President Bense has done a fantastic job as our current campus president

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Top: The John C. Pace Library was built in 1965. Side: Pace Library was renovated and reopened in 1995 with the added east side and four story stairwell. The 5th floor, Skylab was added in 2010. Photo credit: The John C. Pace Library archives and the UWF flickr photostream.

through her abilities as a visionary, worker and fervent belief in the potential of the University of West Florida. Truth be told, there is only one President Bense on the campus and she cannot change the landscape of our campus alone. It will take a collective effort from every student, every faculty member, every professor, every administration member, every alumni member and every one of our very own citizens of the Pensacola community to see that our potential of undeniable greatness is fulfilled and exercised. I asked every person that I interviewed one final question at the end of an interview: what does it mean to be an Argonaut? Many defined an Argonaut as an adventurous, daring and innovative

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individual, searching for the truths and mechanics of life, like the mythical Ancient Greek voyagers we are named after. Others defined an Argonaut as an individual with character, integrity and honor; a symbol in any walk of life that exemplifies the foundation and standard of excellence implemented in us all the moment we stepped foot on the University of West Florida. Naturally, I asked myself that question as well. In order to answer that question, I have to look at what I see inside myself every morning when I look at my reflection in the mirror. After each passing day, I begin to look at myself differently. When I stepped outside of my home, I witness corruption just about each day. I have had friends that I have grown up with as a kid

who are now in prison, and I have known young men and women that are now deceased, no longer with a story to tell of their own. But, when I walk to the ECAT bus stop right around the corner from my home, and I take that forty minute ride to and from the University of West Florida, I can inhale fresh air. That fresh air has led me to follow my motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s footsteps and become a graduate of the University of West Florida in May 2014. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any personal miraculous college stories to speak about, and I may not have participated in a lot of events and organizations during my stay here, but at least I am free. I am free to be me, and that is what it means to be an Argonaut in my words.

REVIEW

Layout by Fernanda Borel

M.I.A. Matangi Virgin EMI 2013 B y E r i n Ti m m o n s

f Maya Arulpragasm is skilled at anything, it would certainly be at persistently providing something unique with each album offering. Like Kanye West, M.I.A thrives best in an environment of detractors and doubters, feeding off the media machine that seems to relish any opportunity to turn something provocative that slips out of her mouth into a national headline. If her infectious hit “Paper Planes” from her critically acclaimed sophomore album Kala didn’t thrust her far enough into the spotlight of the media, then her now infamous bird-flip during the 2012 Super Bowl halftime performance with Madonna certainly did. M.I.A. seemingly craves the criticism as fuel for her musical fire, and on her

fourth LP Matangi, its clear she has a full tank. For those who know her origins, the chip on her shoulder attitude should come as no surprise. Growing up in poverty in Sri Lanka, much of M.I.A.’s youth was spent displaced due to the Sri Lankan civil war. It’s not the rags to riches appeal the draws attention to her music, but the relentless ripostes and political observations she delivers in a way that only M.I.A. could. Named after a Hindu goddess for music and learning, Matangi sees M.I.A. return to the dance beats and frenetic creativityt hat was exuded on Kala, the album that provided her with worldwide recognition. With bewildering drum sounds and samples, the title track off the album combines conflicting sounds into a driving chant, propelling you forward into the dizziness. Just when you think you begin to have “MATANGI” figured out, the song disintegrates into the heaviest dub track you’d never expect from M.I.A. “Only 1 U” and “Warriors” both demonstrate rap prowess that cynics once disbelieved could be possible from a Sri Lankan born female known for her eccentric fashion choices and aesthetically pleasing looks. Both of these tracks share a message of individual empowerment, with the latter track touching upon the unending criticism that seems to follow M.I.A. where ever she goes.

This album isn’t just a response to the critics, and there are incredibly powerful messages in many of thelyrics. “Come Walk With Me” is a not-so-subtle nudge to the young and globalized, Internet addicted youth reminding them to treat others with love and kindness. On “Lonely Star,” we see M.I.A questioning what the ultimate goal of receiving fame really is, and track “Boom” directly tackles modern racism in the United States with lyrics like, “Brown gal, brown gal, turn your shit down/You know American don’t wanna hear your sound.” But it’s the songs that display M.I.A.’s incredible pop brilliance, a talent it is time she is praised for, that made Mathangi worth the wait. Although single “Bad Girls” was released on New Year’s Eve in 2010,it’s still just as enjoyable and fresh. “Bring The Noize” surprises fans and shows M.I.A. doing vocal acrobatics over a contagious pop beat. Overall, M.I.A. is in usual sharp tongue, quick-witted form on her new album. It was incredibly disappointing for fans to have to wait longer for the album release due to a dispute between Interscope Records and M.I.A., but now that the wait is over music fans have something new and brilliant to appreciate that was delivered in true M.I.A. form.

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UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA