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MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021
VOLUME 115 ISSUE 39
Published by Campus Communications, Inc. of Gainesville, Florida
Not officially associated with the University of Florida
Traces of COVID-19 found in UF residence halls wastewater THE VIRUS WAS DETECTED IN WASTEWATER FROM THE MALLORY HALL AREA
By Isabella Douglas Alligator Staff Writer
Walter Harwood // Alligator Staff
A deserted Toyota RAV-4 on Northwest Fourth Boulevard in Gainesville on Wednesday, July 7, 2021. The Gainesville Police Department stated this vehicle and one other got stuck after drivers attempted to cross the flooded street.
A 13-year-old boy is dead after a shooting at Gainesville American Legion CHRISTOPHER SCOTT’S FAMILY IS ASKING FOR HELP WITH MEDICAL EXPENSES
By Abigail Hasebroock Alligator Staff Writer
A 13-year-old boy is dead after A 13-year-old boy is dead after being shot during a party at the Gainesville American Legion on June 24. Christopher Scott endured lifethreatening wounds after gunshots erupted during a party at the American Legion at 4701 NW Sixth St. Christopher and four teenagers
were taken to UF Health Shands Hospital after two other teenagers started firing shots. The four other teenagers suffered nonlife-threatening injuries. Four suspects were found and arrested on June 25. Jakarean Ford, 14, was arrested and charged with fleeing and eluding law enforcement, operating a motor vehicle without a driver’s license and possession of marijuana by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. Javari Baptiste, 17, who stole a car and fled the scene with Ford after the shooting, was arrested and charged with attempted felony murder by the Gainesville Police Depart-
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ment and with possession of a stolen firearm and resisting without violence by ACSO. Christian Jones, 16, was charged with attempted felony murder and carrying a concealed firearm. Jarquez Kerreim Mitchell, 17, was charged with aggravated assault and carrying a concealed firearm. Christopher’s family created a GoFundMe for medical expenses, and about $5,000 has been raised out of the $10,000 goal as of July 12. @abbeyhasebroock ahasebroock@alligator.org
COVID-19 on campus
Recent wastewater testing found traces of COVID-19 on campus. A UF Health Screen, Test and Protect email sent the morning of July 8 warned students of COVID-19 found in the wastewater around a residence hall or Greek house. The email was sent along with a text alert to students living near Mallory Hall, informing them of traces of COVID-19 detected in the area’s wastewater. The hall is near Sorority Row next to Yulee, Reid and Cypress Hall. The message urged students to take a free saliva COVID-19 test within two days of the email. In the first week of July, UF averaged a seven-day 1-2% COVID-19 positivity rate, which has remained that low through the majority of the summer. “I didn’t really know what the email was about, initially I was just a little surprised,” Michael Lunin, an 18-year-old biology freshman, said. “I didn’t really understand what they were asking of us or what they were saying, it was a little confusing.” Monitoring the wastewater helps UF identify locations where the virus may be present, even if people may not show any symptoms, according to the email. UF Health spokesperson Ken Garcia wrote wastewater testing is a part of the campus’ COVID-19 surveillance. The efforts began as a result of the outbreak of COV-
Traces of the virus found in Mallory Hall wastewater, pg. 6
Artificial Intelligence UF AI high in rankings, pg. 5
ID-19 Fall 2020. Wastewater surveillance will continue for the Fall semester to monitor and contain any viral spread of COVID-19, UF spokesperson Steve Orlando wrote in an email. “Given that not all students are vaccinated, it is expected that there will be positive cases on campus,” he wrote. He wrote students who are vaccinated should not be concerned about the traces of COVID-19 found in the wastewater. He encourages students who are not vaccinated to wear a mask and receive the vaccine at any of UF’s free locations. Wastewater Analysis and Tracking for Community Health, or GatorWATCH, was created April 2020 to monitor wastewater found in UF residence halls, campus apartment complexes and fraternity and sorority houses, according to a UF News release. Created by public health, microbiology and environmental toxicology experts with medical and facilities personnel, GatorWATCH alerts UF Health Screen, Test and Protect if any traces of the virus are found. Joseph Bisesi, an environmental toxicologist, wrote his team is testing the sewage from each residence hall three times per week. The locations are based on occupancy of the buildings and their ability to isolate samples. Occupied off-campus halls like Infinity Hall and halls not isolated from other buildings, like Jennings and Yulee Hall, are not able to be tested. Anna Olliff, an 18-year-old
SEE COVID-19, PAGE 6
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2 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021
Environmental conference for Florida Today’s Weather high school students held in Gainesville SEEK BRINGS 30 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE STATE TO LEARN ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL CAREERS AT UF
By Eve Thompson Alligator Staff Writer
“Think globally, act locally” is a phrase repeated by climate activists and politicians alike. But to Quinn Zacharias, it’s more than a phrase — it’s a necessity. Zacharias is the head counselor at SEEK, an environmental conference for Florida high school students held from June 28 to July 1. While the conference moves yearly between cities in Florida, this year it was held in Gainesville. SEEK stands for Save the Earth’s Environment through Knowledge, and the program aims to expose high school students to careers within environmental science. “We need to understand how the environment works in order to protect it,” Zacharias said.
Walter Harwood // Alligator Staff
David Kaplan, an associate environmental engineering professor at UF, gives the Summer Engineering Experience for Kids attendees a tour of Sweetwater Wetlands Park on Monday, June 28, 2021. Kaplan hopes the camp can serve as "motivation to look to nature for a way to design things that minimize human impact."
SEEK is sponsored by the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, an organization for garden and landscape enthusiasts that also promotes volunteer and philanthropy work. The federation gives scholarships to 30 high school students from around the state. Students entering grades 10-12 can apply to SEEK. At the program, participants can expect hands-on and field-based educational experiences, including guest speakers, observations at UF’s bat house and a trip to an energy research park. SEEK has been around for about 40 years. The program was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mary Whisler is the conference chairperson and said she became interested in protecting the environment because of Florida’s increasing population. A report from state analysts shows the state will grow by about 300,000 residents per year. “If groups aren’t really focusing on making the state be sure that we grow in a responsible way, we’re going to end up with having just wall-to-wall people and losing all of the beauty of this state, and the environment collapsing,” Whisler said. The conference began June 28 with a sunny hike at the Sweetwater Wetlands Preserve. It started out with a short walk through a dense wood, then the trail opened up into a wide dirt path. The students and counselors, guided by David Kaplan, associate professor in UF’s department of environmental engineering sciences, made their way along the trail. Every so often, Kaplan stopped to point out an alligator, bird or unique plant. “It’s a pretty boring thing to hear about water and hear about plants and hear about alligators,” Kaplan said. “But when you see an alligator right in front of your face, or an osprey cat, holding a giant fish that it had just snagged out of the water, you see that the ecosystem is this thing that functions kind of with or without you.”
VOLUME 115 ISSUE 39
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Eventually, the group reached the spillway, the part of a dam that allows water to run over or around it. There, students were surprised by the amount of garbage that had been filtered out of the water before it poured back into the wetlands. Then, they hiked back to the parking lot, sweaty but smiling. Geeta Robinson, a high school student from Dunnellon, Florida, said the trip helped her understand the need to take care of the environment. “It’s one of those things that people aren’t afraid to talk about but never actually do anything about,” Robinson said. “So coming to this camp is a way to highlight what we can do and how we can step in to help.” Later in the week, students visited O’Lena State Park, watched the bats at the UF bat house and created their own research projects in a symposium. Both Zacharias and Whisler, the conference’s organizers, said seeing high school students interested in environmental science inspires them. “I just want to keep Florida a beautiful state, and without educating the next generation, we’ve lost,” Whisler said. “I think that your age group can do a tremendous amount on saving this whole state and our planet.” Walter Harwood contributed to this report. @evealanaa ethompson@alligator.org
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MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021 ALLIGATOR 3
Pineridge residents demand answers after receiving notices to vacate homes THE ALACHUA COUNTY LABOR COALITION HELPED ORGANIZE THE MEETING THAT ATTRACTED 40 PEOPLE
By Alexander Lugo Alligator Staff Writer
Pineridge residents gathered the morning of July 10 to voice concerns about notices to vacate their homes that appeared in some mailboxes last week. Residents of the north Gainesville neighborhood went door to door last week to warn others of the notices. The property manager, SunCoast Property Management, sent the notices to inform residents of plans to renovate some apartments, which tenants said have been deteriorating. These renovations will increase rental rates. One resident said her rent was expected to go up from $500 to $900. The Alachua County Labor Coalition, a local social justice group, wants to ensure the tight-knit neighborhood isn’t displaced by the renovations and subsequent rental hikes.
The ACLC organized a meeting for a crowd of about 40 residents to discuss the issue with the new property owners and city officials on July 10. Lee Feldman, Gainesville’s city manager, attended the meeting and ensured the city will work toward a solution. “I don’t think this company wants anybody out on the street,” Feldman said. ACLC asked the city of Gainesville to set aside money for rental assistance and for assistance in finding temporary homes for residents while renovations take place. The city received about $32 million from the federal government, but must spend it exclusively on COVID-19 relief. Feldman said the city might give some of that money to landlords to renovate apartments while keeping rent affordable. Additionally, Alachua County received $8.3 million for rental assistance, but the county has had a shortage of people applying for the funds, Feldman said. At least one person living in the home has to be unemployed to be considered as a recipient. One resident pushed back and said some
Alexander Lugo // Alligator Staff
Sheila Payne, one of the meeting’s organizers, speaks to a crowd gathered in the Pinewood neighborhood on Saturday, July 10, 2021. Pineridge residents gathered to voice their concerns about notices to vacate their homes that appeared in some mailboxes last week.
don’t qualify for the program because they’ve been working throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Even while working through the pandemic, paying bills has been hard, and the county’s money is only being aimed at people who lost work during the pandemic, the resident said. Feldman acknowledged the problem but promised the city is trying to find ways to help people who need it. He also said the process will take time, which is disadvantageous to residents facing homelessness. Carolyn Grant, a resident of Pineridge for 26 years, said her roof had a leak, but she was too scared to call for maintenance because she doesn’t want to be displaced by the renovation. “I’m too scared to go to the mailbox expecting that 30-day letter,” Grant said. Grant said she has a friend who was evicted and is now homeless, and she is scared she’ll end up like her. Some tenants in the neighborhood do not have enough money to pay a significant rental hike right away. Pamela Morrison, who has lived in Pineridge for 22 years, thinks they should have been more involved in the process leading up to the decision to renovate. KeyCity Capital, an investment company based in Texas, bought 83 apartments in October, including a unit turned into the neighborhood’s community center. Residents were made aware of the renovation plans the week of July 4, and Morrison is upset about the lack of communication during that time. “Why didn’t you tell us this eight months ago and give us a choice to say whether I want to stay out here or not?” Morrison said. Lacarlya Peoples, a longtime resident, said she’s seen quick solutions in past renovations from the previous owner. “I’m not against the raising of the rates and the renovations,” Peoples said. “Just do it right. Don’t come in and patchwork.” Carey Erff, who is in charge of community support services at KeyCity Capital, flew into Gainesville from Texas to address concerns at
Alexander Lugo // Alligator Staff
A sign for the Pineridge neighborhood sits at Northwest 34th Boulevard on Saturday, July 10, 2021.
the meeting. “The root of this issue, I believe, is communication breakdown,” Erff said. She offered residents a chance to talk to her one-on-one by staying after the meeting and making her phone number available. She also mentioned the possibility of offering tablets so residents can fill out applications for rentals more easily. Some residents expressed concerns over people convicted of crimes being turned away, but Erff assured them that most crimes committed over five years ago would be excused. She said specific crimes, such as arson, might lead to a rental denial for new applicants. Erff also guaranteed residents who decide to leave following the rate increase will have 90 days to find a new home. The only reason the notices said 30 days is because a 30-day notice is required by law in Florida, but KeyCity Capital can extend that. The meeting helped answer some questions, but some were left with worries of losing the community they’ve grown with for years. “We are a family. We live here. We built this,” one resident said. “I feel safe on this street.” @alexlugo67 alugo@alligator.org
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4 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021
Tropical storm Elsa brings torrent of damages and hazards for county residents ALACHUA COUNTY EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTIES IN THE AFTERMATH OF ITS FIRST TROPICAL STORM THIS YEAR
By Phong Huynh Alligator Staff Writer
Tropical Storm Elsa hit Alachua County July 7, bringing flooding, sunken cars, power outages and fallen trees. Although the storm has passed, Gainesville residents are still dealing with the effects, which some said were unprecedented. “I’ve lived here for 38 years of my life, and this is the wettest that I’ve seen since 1990,” Dorothy Cayce, a homeowner on Southwest 56th Avenue, said. She said the standing water brought by Elsa has disrupted her property’s water system. “I can’t wash my dishes, I cannot flush my toilets and I cannot take a shower inside,” she said. Victoria Laan, a 62-year-old retiree, was driving home from helping a friend on the afternoon of July 7 and said she was shocked to find flooding at the intersection of Southwest 34th Street and Williston Road. “I think some of the rain issues were definitely caused by all the new construction that’s going on,” she said. “As a county, we really need to
make sure we’re making good decisions for everybody.” She said seeing the flooding reminded her how much Gainesville has changed. “I felt deeply affected because I grew up on that road, and I have never seen that intersection flood before,” she said. “I was born in Gainesville and been down that intersection many times, been through many hurricanes — never flooded like that.” Leslie Patterson, a 37-year-old waitress and resident of 63rd Avenue, or Rocky Point, said construction in the area has worsened flooding issues. “All these new buildings going up and new neighborhoods that were flood zones, like where is this water supposed to go,” she said. “That’s my concern just about any storm season coming up. But this is just a small tropical storm. What’s gonna happen till the next big one?” New infrastructure developments in the area are making some residents feel as though county officials are apathetic to their concerns. However, Patterson said she does believe the county is proactive with checking on rural areas and opening shelters in emergency situations. She said she appreciates how active the county is in updating and sharing information on social media. “They’re really pretty good about opening shelters and going in rural
areas to check on people,” she said. “To me, it’s mostly about the little communities inside of the community—the little people you don’t see.” An Alachua County update encouraged residents to stay home and avoid driving in flooded areas. Road closures are still in place as of Thursday evening and will be updated by the county. “We just want to make sure that
people understand that there are still some dangerous conditions out there,” Mark Sexton, Alachua County’s communications and legislative affairs director, said. Sexton said no fatalities have been reported in the county. Alachua County has also advised residents to avoid flooded waters entirely. “If you come up on standing wa-
ter, and you have any question about what depth it is, just turn around,” Sexton said. “I mean, the old saying is ‘turn around, don’t drown,’ and this is the time to keep that in mind or you don’t want to flood out your car and be stranded.” @phongphont phuynh@alligator.org
Walter Harwood // Alligator Staff
Rainfall from Tropical Storm Elsa saturated the ground at Meadowbrook Golf Club in Gainesville, causing several retention ponds and irrigation ditches to overflow on Wednesday, July 7, 2021.
New Florida law requires colleges’ political and viewpoint diversity to be surveyed THE RANGE OF INTELLECTUAL PERSPECTIVES WILL BE EVALUATED ANNUALLY
By Juliana Ferrie Alligator Staff Writer
A new Florida law will assess political and ideological diversity on campus through yearly surveys. House Bill 233 was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis June 22 and went into effect July 1. In the survey, students, faculty and staff will be asked whether they feel comfortable expressing their viewpoints at Florida College System
Julia Cooper // Alligator Staff
Gov. Ron DeSantis looks down at his notes as he speaks to a crowd of reporters in Surfside, Florida on Thursday, July 1, 2021.
institutions. It states both the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors may not shield students, faculty or staff from speech allowed under the First Amendment. The law defines “shield” as limiting exposure to “uncomfortable, unwelcome, disagreeable, or offensive” ideas and opinions. As an institution that values academic deliberation, UF is a marketplace of ideas and houses a variety of opinions, UF spokesperson Cynthia Roldan wrote in an email. “We believe the survey will reflect that, and we look forward to widespread participation across campus,” Roldan wrote. As a public state university, UF will be affected by the law. On campus, students can be involved in a variety of political organizations representing a wide range of ideologies. Some of the biggest politically affiliated organizations include UF College Republicans and UF College Democrats. Nonpartisan groups like Democracy Matters UF are also present on campus. Beyond the survey, the law allows students to record class lectures “for their own personal educational use,” which can be used as evidence for a criminal or civil case or to bring a complaint against the school, according to the law. However, the recording, whether audio or video, cannot be published without the speaker’s permission. In a press conference June 22, DeSantis said universities once allowed students to be exposed to many different ideas, but today, they are “intellectually repressive environments.” While some orthodoxies are encouraged, he said others are suppressed. “We don’t want that in Florida,” DeSantis
said during the press conference. “Students should not be shielded from ideas, and we want robust First Amendment speech on our college and university campuses.” College is advertised as a diverse environment where students from different backgrounds can learn from each other, Jackson Rowell, the external director for Young Americans for Freedom at UF, wrote in a statement. “Intellectual freedom is a non-partisan ideal, and the students of UF deserve nothing less,” Rowell wrote. “Bill 233 protects intellectual freedom and speech, as the non-partisan survey will help to maintain a wide array of diverse viewpoints around campus.” UF College Republicans and Turning Point USA at UF did not respond in time for publication. To Andrew Taramykin, a 19-year-old UF political science and economics sophomore, the law seems unnecessary. He said Florida’s universities already promote intellectual diversity and freedom. “It really just feels like Gov. DeSantis wants to put his signature on something that’ll get good coverage on Tucker Carlson, but it’s not actually solving a problem in Florida,” he said. Looking at the faculty, on-campus organizations, classes and speakers, it’s hard to argue the state’s public colleges are politically swayed in one direction, Taramykin said. “I don’t think there’s a shortage of left or right perspectives,” he said. “I think we have a vibrant, civically engaged culture, not just at UF but at FSU and other Florida schools.” Taramykin said the law will not have much of an effect unless the state withholds funds based on the survey’s results. However,
the law is vague and leaves a lot of discretion to the Board of Governors, he said, meaning no one knows what it’ll look like in practice. It’s going to be hard to get honest feedback from faculty and students, he said. To Taramykin, the survey seems like a waste of the government’s, students’ and teachers’ time. “It’s disheartening to see academia and government have an adversarial relationship because I think our public universities are some of the most glowing success stories of Florida state government,” Taramykin said. It’s unfair to assume professors at liberal arts colleges are only left-leaning, Rachel Wolfrey, UF College Democrats’ public relations director, said. The 20-year-old UF political science and public relations junior mentioned Richard Spencer’s visit to UF in 2017, for example. Wolfrey said she has met students who are conservative, liberal, moderate and extremist. She doesn’t believe students will be comfortable documenting their personal beliefs on this scale. “This is a school where we have a pretty even playing field in terms of viewpoints,” she said. Wolfrey said she worries about how the survey information will be used. House Bill 233 could be used as an excuse for students to use intolerable language, she said. “If a professor is not able to step in when there’s blatant racism, sexism, homophobia, who knows what that’s going to lead to in between the students,” she said. @juliana_f616 jferrie@alligator.org
MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021 ALLIGATOR 5
The Thomas Center opens its doors to a new folk art exhibition ALYNE HARRIS’ 200 PAINTINGS ARE ON DISPLAY IN GAINESVILLE UNTIL JANUARY 2022
By Phong Huynh Alligator Staff Writer
Streaks of vibrant colors stretch across each frame decorating the walls of the Thomas Center. Each canvas captures the ever-changing nature of life the artist and her audience share. The exhibition, “Between Heaven and Earth — The Paintings of Alyne Harris,” opened
June 17 as part of Gainesville’s “Journey to Juneteenth” and will be on display at the Thomas Center on 302 NE 6 Ave. until Jan. 15. Alyne Harris, a 79-year-old Gainesville resident and selftaught folk artist, portrays her life experiences with symbols such as angels and flowers. Russell Etling, the City of Gainesville’s cultural affairs manager, said Harris’ works cover different areas of her life from her Christianity to her Black culture. He said Harris grew up near Mount Pleasant Cemetery on 2837 NW 13th St. and played in
Mingmei Li // Alligator Staff
Stephanie Birch, 33, the Gainesville Cultural Affairs African American Studies Librarian at the University of Florida’s George A. Smathers Libraries, comes to view paintings by Alyne Harris at the Historic Thomas Center on Thursday, June 17, 2021.
the graveyard as a child. “They talk about incidents that happened of great joy and also of great sorrow,” he said. “They’re very expressive and her freedom of imagination, her use of color and the passion of which she tells the story is very very powerful sometimes.” Two hundred of her paintings are displayed on the walls of the first and second floors for anyone to see for free. Evelyn Tanner, a 93-year-old resident from Archer, said the paintings reveal Harris has lived a full life. “You can tell she’s seen good and bad things in her life and been through hard times just like we have,” she said. “They all tell a story. This is what she’s seen in her life.” Stephanie Birch, a member of the City of Gainesville Cultural Affairs board and the UF African American Studies librarian, said she came to see the exhibit to show her support for Black history and Juneteenth celebrations. “It’s a really fantastic opportunity to come see such an immense and rich body of work in one space all at once,” she said. “Seeing so far just a fraction of the exhibit, there is a lot about Black life and experiencing life through the eyes of a Black woman that is very telling — that you can just really see pouring off of the canvases.”
Mingmei Li // Alligator Staff
Nancy Parkinson, 80, a Gainesville resident, stands in front of artwork at the “Between Heaven and Earth” exhibit at the Historic Thomas Center on Thursday, June 17, 2021. Birch said the exhibition shows how young people can still learn from older generations that have contributed to the Gainesville community. “It’s important that we still have folks who can share and paint and show us what they looked like — what life looks like and has looked like for African Americans throughout the years through art — through whatever means of expression that there is.” Anne Haisley, an 81-year-old former co-owner of Books Inc. and an attendee of the opening, said she has bought Harris’ art and encountered her at downtown art shows.
“She would smile, and she would say hello and that sort of thing,” she said. “No long conversations because she’s not into that — at least she hasn’t been that I know of. But it’s her work that speaks for her.” Haisley said she admires the dedication and progression of Harris’ works. “Even then in the very beginning when it was much more primitive, you could see it just came from her heart and soul,” she said. “Her spirit and soul kind of jump out at you from the pictures.” @phongphont phuynh@alligator.org
Top-ranked HiPerGator AI supercomputer paves the way for growing AI Initiative at UF THE SUPERCOMPUTER EXCELLED IN ITS ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND COMPUTING POWER
By Makiya Seminera Alligator Staff Writer
Following recent rankings from Top500, the most referenced global list of supercomputers, UF’s HiPerGator artificial intelligence has been named the most powerful and energy efficient university-owned supercomputer in the United States. Besides its national advances, HiPerGator AI also ranked No. 2 worldwide for energy efficiency. The rankings not only bode well for the Artificial Intelligence Initiative, but are also welcoming news in UF’s pursuit of becoming a top five public university. “The AI initiative and HiPerGator AI will dramatically enhance the reputation of UF by allowing its students and faculty to become experts in AI,” the director of UFIT Research Computing Erik Deumens wrote in an email. Students and faculty from all academic disciplines will be able to utilize AI to solve real-world problems and conduct innovative research, which is an important criteria to get into the top five national public universities, Deumens said. Since the beginning of HiPerGator AI’s use in 2013, the supercomputer has been drastically enhanced by an $80 million donation from UF alumnus Chris Malachowsky and NVIDIA — a computer systems hardware company he co-founded. NVIDIA has been an essential
partner to the university by providing technology to improve HiPerGator’s computing power. In January, the supercomputer became available to student and faculty researchers across the state university system at no charge. The university hopes that the move will help improve the economy by producing students ready for an AI workforce, as well as establish itself further as an AI national leader. “We think we’re the only university or college that is trying to take AI education to majors all across the full breadth of a college or a university,” associate provost David Reed said. “And so we’re doing a lot of communicating with other colleges and universities to try and bring them along.” Expanding possibilities for UF students to get experience with AI has been another initiative at the forefront of increasing student marketability after graduation, Reed said. The announcement of a new nine-credit AI certificate has been a step in achieving that goal. Offered through the department of engineering education, the AI Fundamentals and Applications certificate is open to all majors and experience levels. In the certificate program, students will enroll in an AI fundamentals course, an ethics course and a college-specific course. “Our goal is going to be to expand the number of students and to promote the program so more students take this certificate. We would really like to see a large part of all university students taking at least part of this certificate,” Hans van Oostrom, chair of the department of engineering education, said. Involving faculty and staff in the incorpora-
tion of AI on campus has been another main focus. UF is fueling the mission to hire 100 more AI specialists across its 16 colleges, as well as other UF entities, by Spring 2022. One recipient of faculty from the AI hiring cohort has been the Florida Museum of Natural History, which plans to utilize two new hires to work with AI databases and educate K-12 students on how to use AI. Before the broader AI Initiative at UF, the museum had been a leader in digitizing U.S. biological collections and crafting interoperabile data sets for the National Science Foundation over the past ten years, said Douglas Jones, the director of the Florida Museum of Natural History. Now, in its beginning stages at the museum, machine-learning algorithms are able to interpret the digital data collections of over 40 million specimens and objects. The museum is also looking to expand its use of AI to observe how climate patterns have affected indigenous peoples’ migration patterns in Florida. “Trying to sort out whether populations have migrated or things have gone extinct, it soon becomes impossible for a person to try to identify these pictures and so forth one by one by one,” Jones said. “But AI can do that fairly quickly, once the system has been trained and so we’re excited about that possibility.” In addition to the Florida Museum of Natural History’s mission to protect biodiversity, the AI hiring initiative will also benefit another area on campus committed to environmental preservation: the Center for Coastal Solutions. A cohort of five faculty members were hired to work in the CCS, which is a 2020 UF initiative to prevent environmental, economic
and health hazards to coastal communities. The new members’ responsibilities range from working with underwater robotics to computer science, director of the Center for Coastal Solutions Christine Angelini said. Through a new partnership with SAS Institute — a business analytics software company — the center will also be using AI to integrate satellite data about the location of harmful algal blooms in Florida’s coastal waters. The center plans to use the AI-gathered information to guide rehabilitation efforts for coastal ecosystems. Different academic centers on campus aren’t the only ones using AI to their advantage — UF research teams have also joined in. One research team is using AI technology to make homes energy resilient during natural disaster-induced power outages. The research team — which is made up of engineering professors Prabil Barooah and Sean Meyn, UF alumnus Naren Srivaths Raman and graduate student Ninad Gaikwad — aims to provide solar energy to homes at a low cost through the use of an intelligent control system. The intelligent control system prioritizes how much power certain household devices get during an outage through AI algorithms. “I’ve been able to get the skills that I needed, so that I can actually use it and pursue a career in this direction,” Raman said. “The positive impact that you can create on the society — that’s something that’s very fulfilling for me, so my plan is to continue in the same direction.” @makseminera mseminera@alligator.org
6 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021
Santa Fe College students have many ways of transferring to their desired colleges STUDENTS CAN TRANSFER THROUGH A TRADITIONAL PATH, DIRECT ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS AND MORE
By Antonia LaRocca Alligator Staff Writer
Santa Fe College students’ futures depend on their college admission essays and applications — their life experiences compressed into about 650 words. However, there is more to transferring than answering a prompt on a college application. When choos-
ing how and where to continue their education, students must consider the requirements and deadlines needed to transfer. Santa Fe students have many ways of transferring to their desired colleges — through the traditional path, Santa Fe’s direct articulation agreements, partnership programs and more. Santa Fe students’ top transfer choices include UF, University of Central Florida, University of South Florida and others. Out of 27 other Florida state colleges, UF admits the most Santa Fe students, according to the Santa Fe website. Sergio Arcila, a 20-year-old as-
Alex Brown // Alligator Staff
sociate degree Spring graduate from Santa Fe, will be studying computer science at UF this Fall. He said his transfer process started the moment he was admitted to Santa Fe. “You have to plan your courses accordingly to where you want to go because not every college requires the same classes,” he said. Arcila said he was accepted to colleges straight out of high school, but UF was not one of them. “I decided to go to Santa Fe because Santa Fe was in Gainesville,” Arcila said. “I wanted to live life in Gainesville. I wanted to explore what it was like to be a college student and live that college life.” Arcila sought to make connections in the town, including associations with UF and other universities with Santa Fe’s help. Santa Fe has five SF2Universities programs that include agreements with the University of North Florida, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, University of South Florida, University of West Florida and the University of the Virgin Islands. With the five programs, Santa Fe students are guaranteed admission to the partner universities if all requirements are met, said Thomas Beckwith, a coordinator at Santa Fe’s Academic Advisement Center.
Santa Fe also has two programs that guarantee admission to UF: Gator Engineering and Gator Design and Construction. Students who want to be admitted into one of these programs must apply as freshmen to UF, be accepted into the program and successfully pass critical tracking courses at Santa Fe to be admitted into UF, according to the Santa Fe website. Paula Mello, a 21-year-old UF English and sustainability studies senior, graduated from Santa Fe in the Fall of 2019 after a year and a half and transferred to UF in the Spring of 2020. She said she chose Santa Fe because she wanted to be around UF and didn’t want to stay home or attend college with her high school friends. Mello attended a few Santa Fe transfer events that helped her prepare for transferring. “I think just having the UF advisers there is really great on Santa Fe’s part,” she said. Although UF advisers provided guidance, Mello said she would have liked to know more about the courses that were needed to be accepted. Santa Fe also has an honors program where more than 88% of its graduates enroll at UF, according to
Santa Fe College addresses equity goals THE COLLEGE PROVIDES ACCESS TO PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS, AFFINITY GROUPS, TRAININGS AND MORE
By Antonia LaRocca Alligator Staff Writer
In the wake of decreased overall enrollment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Santa Fe College lowered some of its equity goals for demographic distribution. According to the college’s 2020-2021 Educational Equity Act Report, a report about its efforts for nondiscrimination and equal access to education and employment, Santa Fe has updated some of its equity goals, or goals regarding demographic diversity. The only group that achieved its 20192020 overall student enrollment goal is “other minorities” — a category that includes people who are Asian, Native American, Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, Alaska native, biracial and multiracial, Santa Fe’s equity officer and Title IX coordinator Lara Zwilling said. The other seven demographic groups include people who are Black, Hispanic, white, female, male, have limited English-language proficiency skills (LEP) or are students with disabilities. Zwilling said the college’s goals are not based on the previous year’s goals but current enrollment and employment expectations. Due to the pandemic and changing trends, Zwilling said the goals have changed. Black, white, male and LEP students are among the groups with decreased overall enrollment goals for the 2020-2021 academic year, according to the report. Meanwhile, the overall enrollment goals for Hispanic, other minorities, females and students with
disabilities increased. Compared to Fall 2020, new student enrollment for Fall 2021 is up 24% as of June 28, Zwilling said. Yet, she said this growth is overshadowed by the decrease in overall enrollment from the previous year. Zwilling said the college aims to increase diversity through virtual events for incoming students, re-engagement efforts with former students, affinity groups and partnership programs. One program that promotes student equity is My Brother’s Keeper, a recruitment and retention program for Black men that supports student academic and personal growth, according to the college’s website. “We just want to make sure we’re student-facing, we’re here, and we’re here to serve students,” Zwilling said. “Our goal is a more diverse campus. And so, that is what we’re constantly striving for.” Jamaal Baptiste, a 24-year-old information technologies student and MBK ambassador, said MBK provides financial opportunities and a sense of belonging within a predominantly white space. “I believe it serves as more of a pipeline for more disadvantaged groups, primarily Black males going into college with little direction,” Baptiste said. Beyond the student population, the decrease in equity goals extends to the college’s staff. The Hispanic male full-time executive, administrative and managerial staff goal decreased from a stated 3% goal in Fall 2020 to a 2% Fall 2021 goal while raising or maintaining the goals for all other groups, according to the report. The EAM goal for white male staff remained at 30% of EAM positions for Fall 2021.
For increasing diversity among the staff, Zwilling said the college is currently developing an Association of Hispanic Faculty & Staff affinity group and has purchased advertising packages to find niche publications for hiring. Due to a decline in enrollment, Lela Frye, the director of human resources, said an increase in hiring opportunities is not expected. She noted Santa Fe partners with UF for a faculty development project that strives to increase Santa Fe’s faculty diversity and give underrepresented UF doctoral students teaching experience. The partnership is an opportunity for potential minority faculty candidates, and the project’s students are considered Santa Fe adjunct faculty when teaching, she said. Santa Fe also aims to increase equity op-
the college website. Jocelyn Standard, a 20-year-old incoming UF elementary education student, said her interest in Santa Fe’s honors program led her to Santa Fe. She said Santa Fe also offered a chance to save money and become familiar with the UF area. “Santa Fe is still a pretty big campus, but it’s kind of like an inbetween step between high school and college,” Standard said. “So, if you have anxiety about going to college like I do, it’s like a really good in-between step to help you get accustomed to everything.” On top of overcoming anxiety, she said she had to work through her confusion about the application process for her desired program at UF. She graduated in December and was hoping to start at UF in the Spring, but she wasn’t aware that her degree’s program doesn’t begin until the Fall semester, she said. With the help of her Santa Fe and UF advisers, she was able to correct the confusion and was accepted to UF. “Everything seemed to perfectly fit together,” she said. “I’m just happy to be transferring to UF.” alarocca@alligator.org @antoniarlarocca
portunities and awareness by offering free workshops to the college’s students and employees, Zwilling said. In partnership with the Racial Equity Institute, Santa Fe has offered two online interactive workshops in June and has plans to offer another one later this year, according to the college’s website. The trainings focus on increasing awareness of institutional racism and how it has affected society and institutions, as well as teach how to use the information provided and pursue institutional change. “The more people that understand and have this knowledge and this training, the better we’ll be able to continue to move forward as an equitable society,” said Cheryl Calhoun, Santa Fe’s dean of access and inclusion. alarocca@alligator.org @antoniarlarocca
COVID-19 in wastewater COVID-19, from pg. 1
psychology freshman, lives in Mallory Hall. After receiving the email, she noted that masks were not enforced on campus since May. “So, I shouldn’t be that surprised that COVID followed us here for the summer,” Olliff said. Kyla Brewer, a 17-year-old UF health science freshman, has lived in Mallory Hall since the start of Summer B. After moving to UF two weeks ago, she is left wondering where the COVID-19 testing locations are on campus. “I get that I’m supposed to do this but how and where do I go?” Brewer asked. The email informed students how to receive the test. Students must go to ONE.UF, complete the screening questionnaire and schedule a test. The results will be emailed between 48 to 72 hours and appointments open daily at 10 a.m. “I think none of us know what exactly to do or if it’s mandatory,” Brewer said. “More information is probably necessary.” @Ad_Scribendum idouglas@alligator.org
MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021 www.alligator.org/section/the_avenue
HEALTH & WELLNESS
SOBERBABY subverts the addict stereotype with weekly talk show THE SHOW’S HONEST CONVERSATIONS TACKLE THE STIGMA BEHIND ADDICTION
By Heather Bushman Avenue Staff Writer
Marina Sachs is tired of hearing they don’t look like an addict. The SOBERBABY creator identifies as an alcoholic and an addict, but when talking about their experiences, they’re often met with dismissive disbelief — they don’t seem like an addict because they don’t look like one. The truth, Sachs said, is there’s not a particular ‘look’ to an addict, but stereotypes run deep. Sachs, a UF graduate student in the Master of Fine Arts program, said the perception of addicts is a product of a society-wide stigma, a concept made apparent to them by their conversations with addicts and nonaddicts. SOBERBABY, Sachs’ Instagram Live talk show, was born with the goal of erasing this stigma. The show debuted February 12 with an Instagram post captioned “where it all begins.” Running just under an hour, the first episode featured Sachs flying solo, offering their own experiences with addiction and
Alex Brown // Alligator Staff
everything that led to the show’s creation. Every Friday at 5 p.m., Sachs opens both their home and heart to the featured guest of the week and leads a conversation about their individual experiences with addiction. The relationship between Sachs and SOBERBABY guests is showcased by the shared space they sit in every episode, something they said is vital to putting the show in context. “These conversations are not happening in a vacuum,” Sachs said. “These conversations are real and with real people.” The talk show/livestream hybrid is often initially incorrectly categorized as a strictly auditory experience by guests and listeners alike. But the show isn’t a podcast, Sachs said. Despite the misnomer, SOBERBABY is currently only available via IGTV. But each post has a purpose. In candid conversations with friends and family affected by addiction, Sach aims to break stereotypes of the disease one episode at a time. Sachs’ inspiration for the show stemmed from their sobriety journey, which began three years ago and came with three years’ worth of honest discussions. “I had some sort of idea where having honest and unfettered conversations with people, things that were usually private and whispered about, things that you aren’t supposed to talk about in public are placed very publicly,” Sachs said. SOBERBABY started with only Sachs and their cellphone, but the show is gearing up to expand. Custom merch inspired by Sachs’ own designs and other local artists is in the works. A Patreon page is up and running, and episodes are expected to be available on Spotify and other platforms by the end of the month. With the addition of audio engineer Jenny Alpaugh, SOBERBABY is graduating from its humble beginnings to a more advanced setup. The show now operates with an array of professional audio equipment, priming the content for release on more platforms. The partnership between Sachs and Alpaugh was forged by chance when the two met at a Swamp City Gallery Lounge popup market, where Alpaugh was selling her custom crochet designs. Alpaugh already knew of Sachs from their art, and when Sachs mentioned SOBERBABY, Alpaugh said she was immediately intrigued. Alpaugh said the technical improvement is the first step
in the show’s conceptual growth. Multimedia elements, live episodes, international audiences — SOBERBABY is looking to break barriers. “We’re shooting for the moon, the stars, whatever’s next,” Alpaugh said. Even in its infancy, SOBERBABY is already touching on topics beyond addiction. Sachs begins every episode providing context of the show with “show notes” — a recap of world issues they said deserve the audience’s attention. Though SOBERBABY is a lighthearted affair, Sachs said heavier topics are inherently tied to the conversation. Race, class, gender, sexuality and other factors aren’t separated from addiction, Sachs said. Rather, they are integral components in an individual’s experiences with addiction, and Sachs said the issues surrounding them are essential to address on their show. SOBERBABY’s casual conversations aren’t entirely representative of the darker moments on the journey to sobriety, Sachs said. Incorporating these external factors is their way of adding context to SOBERBABY’s more cavalier approach to addiction. As SOBERBABY grows, Sachs said they’re growing along with it. Though still touching on past trauma, Sachs said their art, full of vibrant colors and eclectic designs, is now an exercise in professionalism and unbridled joy. It’s this enthusiasm, along with the deep-rooted desire to make a difference, that carries the future of SOBERBABY — a future Sachs said is limitless. “I have no other option than to aim as high as possible.” SOBERBABY is available on Sachs’ Instagram page @ marina2mp3. The show streams every Friday at 5 p.m., and past episodes are available via IGTV. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction or mental health, call the National Suicide Hotline at 1(800)273-8255 or the Central Florida Intergroup Alcoholics Anonymous Hotline at (407)-260-5408 @hgrizzl hbushman@alligator.org
FOOD
BYPPOCampus connects students through food THE FOOD DELIVERY SERVICE DEBUTS THIS FALL AND CAPITALIZES ON NETWORKING THROUGH FOOD
By Melissa Hernandez De La Cruz Avenue Staff Writer
BYPPOCampus plans to change how people interact with food delivery by highlighting the power of networking. In the primetime of DoorDash and UberEats, face-to-face interactions can be lost. Sometimes the only evidence of an exchange is a brown paper to-go bag left at your door along with accumulated debt. Founder of BYPPOCampus Victoria Liu said the goal of the delivery service is to connect students through food, especially after the pandemic.
“As freshmen, you’re probably really scared coming to school for the first time, you know, post-pandemic, and you’re not really sure how to meet people,” she said. Debuting this Fall, the BYPPO food delivery service capitalizes on being “for students, by students.” BYPPOCampus hires students to be “hippo hustlers” to deliver food from local restaurants in an eco-friendly way. Students are encouraged to deliver food by walking, biking or using a scooter. “We think about just our impact in the world,” Liu said. “Our mission in the company for BYPPO has always been, ‘How do we support our community, and our community really is our Earth, how do we make the Earth a better place?’’ Liu said. For first-year students who don’t know their way around UF, signing up for BYPPOCampus provides an
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easy hustle and an opportunity to meet new people, Liu said. Liu, 25, graduated from UF with a masters degree in accounting and planned on being an auditor in south Florida. Things changed a few months before graduation in 2019 when she opened BYPPO, a delivery service in Gainesville. The idea for BYPPOCampus and BYPPO originated from Liu’s time at UF. During a Gator football game, the long concession stand lines led Liu to consider how convenient it would be to get a Gatorade or a hot dog delivered to your seats without having to miss any part of the game. The name BYPPO is a meld of the words “baby” and “hippo.” Aside from hippos being Liu’s favorite animals, she realized many people become feisty when hungry, much like a hungry hippo. Liu worked with Gator Business
Services and Gator Dining services to create the on-campus delivery service. Tim Bucolo, 39, resident district manager for Gator Dining Services, said BYPPOCampus’ focus on UF makes it unique. From the conception of the idea, the delivery service was geared toward being a UF student. Bucolo said he’s been working with Liu for over a year to introduce BYPPOCampus to UF, especially after the pandemic. Among the team working on bringing BYPPOCampus to life is Taysir Ismail, 20, a third-year finance major, who works as an operations intern, helping out Liu with anything from delivery bag designs to tabling events. “I think my favorite part definitely is the idea of bringing students together, through delivery,” Ismail said. “A lot of this is a wonderful op-
portunity for students to meet other students, especially when you just came on campus.” Kadir Salas, 17-year-old first-year architecture major, arrived at UF at the start of Summer B. He said he’s been using DoorDash to get food to his dorm. “It’s my first time away from home so I don’t really know how to cook like that. And I’m really dependent on the meal plan right now,” Salas said. “Cooking is not my thing. If I can mess up water, I’ll probably do it.” Salas said he plans on using BYPPOCampus if it provides a cheaper alternative to services like DoorDash and UberEats. Liu said she plans on expanding BYPPOCampus to other schools in the future. For now, she wants to focus on using food as a way to connect students across UF’s campus. @mhernandezdlc mhernandez@alligator.org
Gators in the MLB
Mike Zunino and Pete Alonso headline the top Florida alumni in major league baseball, pg. 12
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8 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021
Column
What I’ve learned from conversations on climate change
O
ver the past few months, I have been talking with groups of people living in smalltowns in North Florida about the impacts of climate change and how they might get involved in resiliency efforts. Despite the perception that many rural residents are climate change deniers, my interactions revealed a surprisingly large awareness and interest in this critical issue. As an environmental science student at the University of Florida, I wrote my undergraduate thesis on ways to overcome climate planning challenges in rural inland Florida. My two main research findings were: Rural attitudes towards climate change and environmental conservation are misunderstood, and rural Florida is often excluded and ignored in climate conversations. To better understand perspectives, share information and expand the conversation, I embarked on what I call my “Florida Climate Roadshow.” I reached out to community-based organizations — Rotary Clubs, Kiwanis Clubs and Chambers of Commerce — across North Florida. I wondered how many would agree to meet with me because of the political divide on climate change. To my surprise, many were interested. From mid-April to the beginning of July, I presented to 14 groups — from Hamilton County to Marion County, and from Leon County to Putnam County. Along the way, I discovered the charm of rural Florida with its wildflowers, farmlands and historic buildings. Upon arriving at a meeting place or logging onto a Zoom call, we would share stories about our backgrounds and lives. During my 15-minute TED Talk-style presentation, I would review county-level and regional climate trends and impacts, acknowledge the power of community groups in the climate fight and discuss actions to address climate change locally. A few discussions included hard questions and comments about the financial investment of climate solutions, who is to blame and the validity of the science. But I was never disrespected by those uncertain about the issue. I found there is common ground on protecting our environment. Crescent City Rotarians talked about changing lake levels and algal blooms and their relation to precipitation events and extreme heat. In Dixie County and Ocala, groups discussed recent infrastructure challenges from flooding and runoff. At the Hamilton County Chamber of Commerce, board members explained how disempowered rural counties feel about the
Valdosta sewage spill issue. I was encouraged by my audience’s interest in climate action as they asked questions. What does adapting to changes in the climate actually look like? What can I do as a business owner to prepare for extreme weather impacts? How do I talk about climate change to those in my community who deny it? Talking about climate change can leave people in despair or feeling overwhelmed. But I walked away from my climate roadshow with one unparalleled feeling — hopefulness. I learned there is not much difference between rural Floridians and this city girl. Both of us recognize the importance of saving and conserving the environment, the impact of extreme weather events on our environmental, economic and social wellbeing, and the power we have as individuals and community groups to make a difference. My big takeaway from this experience is that rural communities are an important part of Florida’s history and future. To proAshley Hicks // Alligator Staff tect our beautiful peninsula from the changing climate, rural Floridians must be included in the climate conversation. Lacy Lingelback is a Florida Student Climate Fellow for the Florida Climate Institute and Askew Scholar for UF’s Bob Graham Center for Public Service, having graduated from the University of Florida this past spring.
Alachua County libraries host in-person, outdoor reading programs for children ALACHUA COUNTY LIBRARY DISTRICT’S “STORY TIME ON THE GREEN” PROGRAM AIMS TO BRING FAMILIES TOGETHER
By Phong Huynh Alligator Staff Writer
On the green lawn of the Headquarters Library, 18 children and caregivers sat together on
June 30 listening to Samantha Noll read picture books and sing songs using sign language. Noll, the 34-year-old library specialist in the youth services department, said she loves spending time with kids and engaging them in the library’s programs. “I always like to start with a hello song or book,” she said. “I hadn’t done it before, but
I wanted something that said ‘hello’ since we haven’t seen these guys in a while.” Alachua County Library District’s “Story Time on the Green” is an in-person educational program for caregivers to bring their young children to the library branches. Librarians will read stories aloud, sing songs and lead activities outside on green spaces or in parks. The program
Courtesy to The Alligator
is intended to help children build their communication and reading skills. Different branches will host the program on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 10 a.m. for about 30 minutes until Oct. 2. At each branch, librarians select books to cater to young children. Noll said she picked new books that were short, colorful and interactive. She said she prefers reading pop-up books and using funny voices for the children. Jaqui Sturms, a 38-year-old stay-at-home mom who brought her daughter, Kaiya, said the program was a good opportunity for her daughter to socialize. “Before COVID, she was very small, and we came to some of the library things, and it was good to see the other kids out,” she said. “But since COVID has happened, there aren’t many opportunities for her to see other kids and be around kids, which is a big problem with COVID babies.” Brent Warner, a 48-year-old stay-at-home dad, brought his two children. He said he wanted to allow his oldest son to spend time with other kids because the past year limited his son’s social interaction. “We used to come a lot to the library to do a lot of events, and it’s kind of hard on him not being able to do these things,” he said. “I think it’s taking him back socially a little bit.” Radha Allard, a 28-year-old
stay-at-home mom who brought her 16-month-old daughter, said she liked the relaxed, laidback atmosphere. She and other caregivers shook brightly colored plastic eggs with beans inside and sang songs while using sign language with their children. “I like that it’s very interactive so the storyteller gets the chance to interact with the story,” she said. “It’s not just them telling the story.” Since the program began on June 29, it has experienced a significant turnout. About 45 people attended the first storytime led by the Millhopper Branch team at Possum Creek Park, Rachel Cook, the public relations and marketing manager at the Alachua County Library District, wrote in an email. The library district has hosted virtual programs such as storytime and art craft tutorials through Facebook, YouTube and Zoom since March 2020. All branches now welcome inperson visits, and study rooms are open for the public. On July 6, quiet reading and meeting rooms opened for scheduled public use. Cook said she hopes more parents and caregivers will bring their children to this free program. “We encourage families and caregivers to bring out blankets and chairs to spread out and get ready to wiggle and sing and have fun with their kids,” she said. @phongphont phuynh@alligator.org
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MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021 www.alligator.org/section/sports
SOFTBALL
Gator softball Olympic dreams come true THREE GATORS SOFTBALL PLAYERS, INCLUDING 2014 & 2015 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS AUBREE MUNRO AND KELSEY STEWART PLAY FOR GOLD IN TOKYO. THEY ARE THE FIRST GATOR SOFTBALL PLAYERS TO PLAY FOR THE USA OLYMPIC TEAM
By Julianna Reichenbach Sports Writer
Before former UF softball captain Aubree Munro wore the orange and blue, she drew pictures of herself playing softball on Team USA rocking a No. 1 jersey. Former Gator softball second baseman and shortstop Kelsey Stewart said she always believed she would go to the Olympics, too. She initially planned to swing, vault and flip her way onto the five rings a la Simone Biles. Stewart and Munro, who each graduated from UF with degrees in telecommunication in 2016, didn’t arrive at their goals the same way, but long before they left for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, both had aspirations to play for the United States on the world’s largest sporting stage. For several years after the catcher saw the 2004 Olympic team play in her hometown of Brea, California, Munro lived and breathed red, white and blue. Even her fourth grade school projects reflected those colors. Munro’s teacher instructed her to draw what she wanted to be when she grew up. Munro wrote: “I will be an Olympian.” Stewart competed in gymnastics until she was 15 years old but eventually lost interest. She showed her athletic prowess in basket-
ball, cheerleading, soccer and volleyball. Finally, after growing up inspired by the likes of Caitlin Lowe, Tairia Flowers and Laura “Bergie” Berg, she found herself on the infield dirt of a softball field. When the International Olympic Committee removed softball from the games in 2008, the future Gators said they felt gutted. “It was like a dream that was taken away,” Stewart said, “and we could do nothing about it.” The duo merged their paths in Gainesville in 2012. Munro was elected captain in her debut 2013 spring season. In her career, she committed only four errors behind the plate in 1,423 chances. In the same four years, Stewart had 357 hits and a .391 batting average, both of which stand alone atop UF’s career records. They won two national titles and made the Women’s College World Series All-Tournament Team in 2014 and 2015. With softball out of the Olympic cycle, they thought the WCWS in Oklahoma City was it. They believed they had reached the peak of their sport. Everything changed with a vote. In August 2016, the IOC decided to bring softball back into the games for Tokyo. Elated, the pair’s dreams came back to life. “I felt like a little kid again,” Stewart said. “I was dreaming big and no one could tell me anything different.” Both players made the USA Women’s National Team in a January 2016 tryout while still playing college ball. In the final game of the 2018 World Championship, Munro hit an RBI double in the 10th inning with two outs to tie the Olympicbid clinching game. Stewart proceeded to hit
Jordan McPherson // Alligator Staff
Aubree Munro catches during Florida's 7-1 win against Kansas on Feb. 21, 2015, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. alligatorSports has a podcast! The alligatorSports Podcast releases episodes every Wednesday and can be streamed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or your other preferred streaming platform.
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a single to drive in Michelle Moultrie, who played centerfield at UF from 2009 to 2012, defeating Japan 7-6. In October 2019, they were named to the U.S. Olympic roster. Stewart, Munro and Moultrie were going to Tokyo. “We’re the best of friends; we’re like sisters,” Stewart said. “It’s a special bond. It's definitely a crazy bond that we have like all 18 of us [on the Olympic roster] but especially us three.” Munro’s mom jokes the number from Munro’s drawing represents her because, at 5 foot 10 inches, she is tall and lanky like the number one. “It's what I dreamed of when I was a kid,” Munro said. “It's been my number, my whole life, so I'm very attached to it. It’s a huge honor.” Now full circle from when she watched Team USA play in Brea, she earned the opportunity to play in front of fans all over the country in their hometowns, like Gainesville. Team USA played in the nationwide Stand Beside Her Tour in February 2020 and March 2021, when Munro traveled from her current hometown of Naples, Florida, to play at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium twice. Munro relishes her memories at UF and how her experiences in big moments prepared her for the international stage. The former Gator says winning a championship is a familiar feeling. “I kinda feel like [National] Championship vibes right now,” Munro said to Stewart at the 2018 World Championships. When Team USA scrimmaged the Gators in March, Munro received tips from head coach Tim Walton, and both Munro and Stewart say they know they can call Walton at any time. Stewart said she has grown closer to Walton after her Gator days, probably because he doesn’t have to yell at her anymore. She visits the coach whenever she comes to Florida from her hometown of Wichita, Kansas. Stewart said he knows how to talk to her as a player when she’s frustrated and praised him as being an awesome human being as well as a coach. Stewart is excited to grow the sport of softball. Softball is building popularity in the U.S., as the 2021 WCWS recorded its highest viewer ratings ever. Even internationally, the sport features in Japanese video games and airport jerseys. Yet, it will not be part of the Paris 2024 Olympics and is a toss-up for inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles games. Stewart sees that, as Gators, the trio was able to affect how people look at softball in the United States, and now they can do so on a global level. At the Olympics, they can grow the game in Europe, Japan and countries where it doesn't seem like they play softball. “Being able to just be a little part of growing my game and putting softball in the Olympics for every Olympics and not just Tokyo is really the goal,” Stewart said. “I think having the platform that I do to give back to this game that has given me so much is really just unbelievable, and it’s something I truly owe to the game.”
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Jordan McPherson // Alligator Staff
Kelsey Stewart bats during Florida's doubleheader sweep against Jacksonville on Feb. 17, 2016, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Munro said she will decorate her room at the Olympic Village with notes of people who have supported her career, a group she always relied on to motivate on proving right beyond naysayers. Her sister collected around 50 messages from people like childhood best friends, UF coaches and former teammates. While loved ones are not allowed to travel to Japan amid COVID-19, Munro said seeing these people from all along her journey will make everything feel a little bit more familiar. “We all have families that have been a part of this for a really long time, so it's not just my dream; it's like my family's dream,” she said. Stewart, Munro and Moultrie landed in Iwakuni, Japan, July 6 for practices and training games and travel to Tokyo on July 14. Due to their playing schedule, they will not be in attendance for the lighting of the eternal flame nor the closing ceremonies. The first pitch will be thrown for Team USA July 20 against Italy at 11 p.m. EST. The top two from the six-team round-robin advance to the gold medal game. The stars and stripes play each of the five other international teams: Italy, Canada, Mexico, Australia and Japan. Historically, the biggest threat has been host Japan, which defeated star-studded Team USA in 2008. Munro and Stewart said they need to be on their A-game every day, as they know each opponent could send them packing any given day. If they win the gold medal? Stewart wants to keep it safe & visible, on her neck. “I don’t think it’s ever going to come off,” Stewart said. Munro now gets to bring her childhood drawing to life and wear No. 1 for Team USA, as the trio attempts to become Florida softball’s first Olympic champions.
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12 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021
BASEBALL
Gators in the MLB - former Florida stars shine in pros AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF FLORIDA BASEBALL ALUMNI IN THE PROS
By Jesse Richardson Sports Writer
While fans wait for the return of college baseball, MLB teams enter the All-Star break and several UF alumni are making their mark among the elite. There’s a copious amount of Gators spread about the major and minor leagues such as New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso and right-handed pitcher Shaun Anderson, who just got promoted from Triple-A Norfolk to help out the Baltimore Orioles. Every player on the list brings their own set of skills to the table, and this list narrows down the five former Gators tearing apart the league the most in 2021. No. 1 - Mike Zunino, Catcher, Tampa Bay Rays 2021 American All-Star Selection Zunino starts off the list. The nine-year veteran catcher set his anchor back in his home state of Florida after six seasons on the west coast with the Seattle Mariners. A 30-year-old from Cape Coral, Florida, Zunino was the third overall draft pick by Seattle in
2012. The former Gator knocked 19 home runs in the first half of the season to lead the Rays and ranks second among MLB catchers in dingers. Zunino’s .198 batting average doesn’t leap off the page, but his defensive work behind the plate helped the veteran earn his first appearance in the All Star game July 13. The catcher threw out 510 baserunners on 538 chances this year and recorded 26 assists so far this season. The Rays compiled a six game win streak but lost to the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon. Zunino went one-for-three in the Saturday matchup with a home run in the bottom of the third. No. 2 - Pete Alonso, 1B, New York Mets The second-round pick in the 2016 MLB Amateur Draft made a name for himself in the 2019 season. He recorded 53 home runs, the most by a rookie in MLB history, and won National League Rookie of the Year. The right-handed first baseman played for the Gators in 2014-2016 before being selected by the New York Mets in the 2nd round and sent down to the minor leagues. Now in his third season, the 26 year-old remains consistent and has eclipsed his pace from the
2020 season. The Polar Bear has been on and off the injured list because of a lingering hand sprain but returned to the lineup June 9 to launch two home runs against the Baltimore Orioles. In a recent double header against the Pittsburgh Pirates July 10, Alonso bombed his 17th home run while going one-for-four in the 4-2 win. Besides his 17 trots around the bases, Alonso has tallied 68 hits in 268 at-bats, carries a .332 onbase percentage and recorded 49 RBIs. The slugger’s hot bat will be tested further when he defends his crown in the 2021 edition of the Home Run Derby. No. 3 - Jonathan India, 2B, Cincinnati Reds A rookie hailing from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, India recently broke into the MLB and quickly claimed the spotlight in southern Ohio. Selected in the first round of the 2018 Amateur Draft, India blasted through two seasons in the minor leagues before being called upon to play second base for the Cincinnati Reds. Cincinnati sits in second place in the National League Central due in large part to the hot bat of the former Gator. India logged 78 starts this season with a .275
average and batting in 42 runs. The rookie leads the Reds with a team-high seven stolen bases. In a 5-2 victory July 7 over the Kansas City Royals, India went three-of-four and recorded a double plus two RBIs. The rookie’s slugging percentage rests at .408 on the year. No. 4 - Anthony DeSclafani, Pitcher, San Francisco Giants The first pitcher on the list is a seasoned seventh-year pitcher currently working through his debut with the San Francisco Giants. DeSclafani earned the trust of Giants manager Gabe Kapler to start on the hill with a 2.68 ERA. The 31-year-old right hander carries a 10-3 overall record in 107.1 innings tossed. The veteran tossed two complete game shutouts this season against the Colorado Rockies April 26 and most recently against the Washington Nationals June 11. In the two starts, DeSclafani threw 17 total strikeouts while only giving up five hits and two walks. No. 5 - Dane Dunning, Pitcher, Texas Rangers The right-handed Dunning played for the Florida Gators from 2014-2016 before being drafted by the Washington Nationals in the
first round of the 2016 Amatuer Draft. Washington traded Dunning to the Chicago White Sox to work in the minor leagues before Chicago shipped the pitcher to his current squad, the Texas Rangers. The veteran has now found his home in the lone star state and made 17 starts but is only credited with a 3-6 overall record. In 79 innings pitched, the right hander from Orange Park, Florida, successfully struck out 85 of 342 batters while giving up 86 hits and seven home runs. Dunning struck out six and allowed one hit in his last five inning start against the Detroit Tigers July 6. The hurler’s ERA stands steady at 4.22 for the season while his ERA+ is at 106, just above the MLB average of 100. Honorable Mention - Brady Singer, Pitcher, Kansas City
Singer narrowly missed a spot in the top five this week despite similar statistics to Dunning. The right hander from Leesburg, Florida, carries a 3-6 record in 18 starts but finished his most recent stint against the Cincinnati Reds with six strikeouts in six innings pitched. jrichardson@alligator.org @JesseRich352