January 31, 2020

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FRIDAY, January 31, 2020 VOL. 135, NO. 1

Alpha Omicron Pi to appeal withdrawal Mason’s Live

officially closes

Peter Edgar Co-Editor-in-Chief The Kappa Gamma (KΓ) chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi (AOII) at Florida Southern isn’t letting a unanimous vote by their headquarters’ Executive Board to withdraw their charter keep them from pursuing an appeals process to reinstate their sisterhood.

After the AOII International Headquarters issued a press release on Tuesday, Jan. 21, AOII ΚΓ chapter alumni took to Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms to express their solidarity, using the hashtag #supportkappagamma.

“I am saddened by this decision, as every day I still rely on the leadership and decision making skills and experience I gained in Chapter Board Member positions,” alumna Sara McDowell said.

“I have been able to count on these sisters through my happiest and most difficult times,” said another.

Sisters hope that the hashtag and social media posts will drum up support for ΚΓ as it builds its arguments of appeal. which it will present to the AOII Executive Board in the coming weeks.

Unfortunately, the timing of the headquarters’ decision means that AOII ΚΓ won’t be able to participate in formal recruitment.

“There’s no way we can get through the appeal process that fast,” Zoe Potter, the

Rebecca Messina Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of Shea Derrick Kappa Gamma chapter had recently elected their 2020 Executive Board before the chapter’s charter was withdrawn from Florida Southern by their international headquarters. ΚΓ Vice President of Membership and Recruitment, said.

The structure of sororities (some of which are also called, more formally, “women’s fraternities”) often seems convoluted to the uninitiated. Each Greek organization, many of which were founded near the turn of the 20th century, is made up of a central governing body, usually called a “Headquarters” or “Nationals,” which determines the rules, standards, and even official style guides for the organization as a whole.

Greek organizations are also governed by their local chapter’s executive board and local coalition of Greeks on campus.

At FSC, the local coalitions for sororities and fraternities are the Panhellenic

council and the Inter-Fraternity Council, respectively. Some but not all of the national organizations are likewise respectively united by the National Panhellenic Conference and the North American Fraternity Conference.

The headquarters then responds to invitations from institutions and students who want to host a branch, or chapter, of the organization on their campuses.

Chapters are named alphanumerically; that is to say, chapters are listed from Alpha to Zeta (then, from Alpha Alpha to Zeta Zeta) based on the date of their founding. This naming structure accounts for the chapter name of the Alpha Omicron Pi branch at Florida Southern: Kappa Gamma.

continued on Page 2

United Methodist Church faces potential split Vanessa Alvarez Staff Writer The United Methodist Church will be convening in May 5-15 to vote on a proposal that will split the organization into different denominations.

The issues of same-sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy have been controversial topics within the community and are now the reasons for the church’s proposed split.

In 2019, a Special Session of the General Conference was called, at which a Traditional Plan was approved by 53 percent of the church leaders. This plan affirmed the current restrictions placed on the LGBTQ+ clergy which includes banning ordination as well as officiating or hosting same-sex marriage.

“I hope the proposal passes,” religion major Sean Baz said. “The United Methodist Church has been fighting over this for too long. Many people have been hurt in the process, and the Church does not exist to hurt people. The Church exists to bring God to people and to bring people to God, and nobody should feel excluded and unloved in the pew of a church, regardless of who they are or who they love.”

Following the approval of the Traditional Plan, controversy continued to stir over the treatment of the LGBTQ+ community which resulted in the development of new proposals. Bishop Cythia Fierro Harvey

SOCIAL MEDIA

was amongst a handful of United Methodist leaders revealing that the separation would resolve complicated differences within the community.

The Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation is one of several proposals to be presented at the next General Conference in May 2020.

The proposal documents the mission of the United Methodist Church as well as different adaptations that will take place if approved. For example, if the split occurs, traditionalists will be set to begin a new Methodist denomination which must be designed by May 2021.

“While many see this as a negative, I see it as evidence that those churches are doing what they should be doing,” Bas said.

“Jesus never said that following his path would be easy. He never said that it would attract big donors and bring thousands through the doors of the church. He said that his followers would be persecuted and hated by the world. Full pews don’t seem to be the name of the game.”.

According to the official proposal, the more progressive, modernist groups will remain under the United Methodist Church while traditionalist will need to form their own denomination. Traditionalists will receive roughly $25 million once a plan is developed for the new denomination.

“It seems to me that this is a fair way to go. The United Methodist Church has been far from united over the course of the last

few decades. I hear a lot of people say that the church should stay together in spite of stark differences, but it seems to me that striving for unity in the name of unity alone is a pointless exercise,” said Baz. Featured on the United Methodist website is a link to the “Next Generation Legislative Overview” which further analyzes the proposal.

The goal of this new progressive United Methodist Church would be to repeal build an amicable environment beginning with eliminating any harmful language toward the LGBTQ community and integrate them more into the church.

Florida Southern’s United Methodistaffiliation may be called into question given the potential division.

“What I can speak to is how Florida Southern is related to the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church,” Chaplain Timothy Wright said.

“As an affiliate entity, we would remain under the auspices of the Conference in terms of relationship and support.”

United Methodist is the second largest protestant denomination in the United States, where more than half of its 13 million members reside.

Florida Southern College was founded by the Florida Conference of the Methodist Church and continues to hold an affiliation with the organization.

@fscsouthern

Through an announcement on Facebook Jan. 9, the management of bar and nightclub Masons Live announced that it is now permanently closed.

“YES, MASONS IS CLOSED,” the post states. “Thank you all so much and stay tuned for whats next! It will be amazing.

Masonites, you will be missed....”

The last event that Masons Live hosted was a “Roaring 20’s New Years Eve Party” on Dec. 31.

Though Masons Live is closed, the company’s Facebook and Instagram pages are still active. The automated response set up through Facebook Messanger states, “We are under new management.”

Masons Live hosted “College Night” regularly on Thursday nights. The bar was a 21+ venue at all times except on Thursday nights when they lowered the age for entry to 18+ to accomodate for younger college students.

“The closing of Masons severely impacts everyone’s college experience,” sophomore Breanna Curran said.

“Masons was overrated,” senior Lilly Talbott said. “The drinks were watered down and overly expensive. The cover charge was not worth the experience.”

There hasn’t been any word on whether or not the new management will open a new establishment similar to Masons Live.

“We are saddened everyday by the lack of diversity, socialization, and freedom that Masons had brought us on our Thursday nights,” Curran said. “RIP Masons, it was more than just a college bar.”

Towards the end of the fall semester, there were rumbles about Masons Live shutting down for good. At their Halloween party, the company stated that Masons was here to stay.

“

“The closing of Masons severely impacts everyone’s college experience.”

- Breanna Curran FSC sophomore

Lakeland has other late-night options that cater to college students. Wild Greg’s Saloon features a large dance floor, a mechanical bull and a DJ. Wild Greg’s is open to people ages 18+.

Other options for 21+ looking for new late-night locations are The Federal Bar, The Yard On Mass, Molly Mchugh’s Irish Pub and Linksters Tap Room.

“Masons Live will be missed, but there is still fun to be had here at Florida Southern,” Curran said.

www.fscsouthern.com

fscsouthern@gmail.com

The Southern JANUARY 31, 2020

NEWS BRIEFS MocSpeak Presents: 2020 Vision Craft Night On Friday, Jan. 31, the Association for Campus Entertainment will be hosting a craft night. The event will be held in the Snake Pit and students have the opportunity to receive free items they craft.

Moc Interview Day The Office of Career and Continuing Education will be hosting a Moc Interview Day on Wednesday, Feb. 5, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This will be located on the first floor of Rogers. Students must RSVP to this event, secure your spot by emailing careercenter@ flsouthern.edu.

Pro Tips: Digital Stories and Online Exhibits Students have the opportunity to earn Passport Credit for Learning Beyond the Classroom on Wednesday, Feb. 5. In the 3rd floor classroom at Roux Library, students can learn how to tell stories on the web or how to create online exhibits using free software.

Studio Box: Living Museum...

Rated “R!” The Studio Box show on Friday, Feb. 7, will be historythemed and considered one of the group’s rated “R” shows. Studio Box encourages students to come to the show at 11 p.m. dressed up as versions of their favorite historical figures.

Isn’t It Romantic On Friday, Feb. 7, ACE’s Southern Cinema will be showing “Isn’t It Romantic” to celebrate Valentine’s Day. The film will be shown at 7:30 p.m. in the Fanin Center. Students can enjoy the movie along with free food.

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Continued from Page 1, AOII to appeal withdrawal Because chapters are listed according to the date they were founded, even if ΚΓ’s appeal is denied no future chapter will share its name—unless, that is, AOII’s headquarters chooses to re-extend the charter to Florida Southern Students.

“Alpha Omicron Pi sincerely hopes to return to the Florida Southern College campus when it is in the mutual best interests of the university and Alpha Omicron Pi,” the headquarters’ press release said.

According to Potter, the 14 members of ΚΓ at FSC had been called into a meeting in their chapter room the night they found out their charter was being rescinded, Jan. 20. The week before, they had been practicing for recruitment in the hopes that they would recruit 20 more women to the sorority.

Four members of AOII Headquarters were present for the meeting where they broke the news to the sisters.

“We for a long time had been too small and had trouble recruiting,” Potter said.

“We were all pretty upset; we asked them a lot of questions and that was the main reason they decided to rescind the charter.”

The representatives from AOII International Headquarters told the women that they had the right to appeal the decision, Potter said. ΚΓ has submitted a request for an official appeal hearing, during which its members would have a video conference with their headquarters’ executive board and present a formal appeal.

“We’re trying to really show the Executive Board that we have potential as a chapter and that we are capable of being an upstanding chapter in their eyes

and meeting the membership potential that they expect of us,” Potter said.

In the days following, the Southern reported the events and produced a copy of the headquarters’ press release; comments, condolences, and concerns rolled in on various platforms.

“

“We are shocked, sad, but understanding.

- Kat Corelli KΓ President

“We are shocked, sad, but understanding,” Katt Corelli, who had been serving as President of AOII ΚΓ, said in a statement in response. “As AOII we will always be united through our sisterhood and committed to each other.

Now, the sisters are using the social media response as part of their argument that AOII ΚΓ ought to remain on campus with its charter status intact. Potter said that as part of their appeal, members of ΚΓ, alumni of the chapter, professors from the College, parents, unaffiliated friends, and other Greeks have agreed to submit letters of testimony on behalf of the chapter.

“I’m certain they could have gotten a great class [out of recruitment],” AOII ΚΓ sweetheart Andy Roman said in a message to the Southern. “They are amazing girls and we are trying are best to spread awareness of the situation to hopefully reverse this decision.”

When asked about their chances in the appeal process, Potter said she was unsure.

“Our chapter has been through this process before,” she said, “quite a number of years ago, and they got the charter back.”

AOII ΚΓ faces an uphill climb in the event that they win their case at nationals: they’ll have to recruit without the help of Formal recruitment, which will take place Jan. 29 through Feb. 1.

“We’ll just have to double our recruiting efforts and all go through formal recruitment next year,” Potter said, “Even with how difficult that will be, we are willing to do that to get our charter back.”

Rochelle Meyer, who had been serving as Vice President of Finance, is one of the chapter’s most ambitious supporters on the ground at Florida Southern. At the Student Government Association’s combined meeting of President’s Circle and Senate on Jan. 23, she gave an address to the student representatives assembled, inviting them to join in solidarity with ΚΓ.

“Please share your positive memories and thoughts with us on social media,” said Meyer, who herself has made use of Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and TikTok to do so.

Potter said similarly. “We’re looking for support from anyone and everyone; that would be greatly appreciated,” she said, “We appreciate any and all help.”

Editors’ Note: The sisters of AOII will continue fighting for their sisterhood in the weeks to come, and the Southern will continue to follow the story.

Amusement parks make safety strides for guests Grace Newton Staff Writer

Security is one of theme parks’s biggest priorities, especially after recent incidents.

Last month, a man trying to enter Disney’s Animal Kingdom was stopped by the park’s security, who found a semiautomatic pistol in his bag. While the man claimed to have “forgotten” it in his bag, he was unable to enter the parks. The man attempted to enter using the “no bag” line, so security’s capability to detect the issue reinforces the reputation of the Walt Disney World security team as a strong force. Walt Disney World, the “Most Magical Place on Earth,” has proven itself to be secure.

This is not the first incident that has occurred in the last few months at the Orlando theme parks. A security scare shut down a Universal Studios Parking Garage this past July. Many people are turned away from the parks every day for possessing unauthorized items.

Theme parks have extensive security measures, as they are visited by large amounts of people every day. According to the Themed Entertainment Association’s Global Attraction Attendance Report, the Magic Kingdom alone was visited by 20.45 million people in 2017.

Lakeland is within 50 miles from a variety of theme parks, including Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens. While the parks themselves are varied, they all place an emphasis on security. Screening measures have increased dramatically in the last five years; prior to entering any theme park security guards search bags, guests walk through detectors and some guests are even

Photo courtesy of Deanna Wright / Disney Photo Pass Walt Disney World Annual Passholder Deanna Wright has been going to the parks for many years; here she is photographed with Mickey and Minnie. scanned twice.

The increase in security has been of deep concern to theme park officials because of recent public safety concerns. The measures are constantly changing and evolving, in hopes of continuing to catch violations before entrance to the parks, such as the previously mentioned Disney’s Animal Kingdom incident. In a CNBC article statement, Disney stated, “We continually review our comprehensive approach to security and are implementing additional security measures, as appropriate.”

Living in close proximity to theme parks, many Florida Southern students visit the parks throughout the year, and some possess annual passes to specific places.

Sophomore communications major Deanna

Wright has been a Walt Disney World Annual Passholder for many years, and she has watched security evolve over the past few years. Regarding the incident last month, Wright is impressed by the security team’s quick actions “I feel like Walt Disney World has gotten better at having the security check...it has improved how fast bag check goes,” Wright said. “It makes me feel comfortable and safe to still go to the park without having the thoughts that I could be harmed by another while visiting there.” Wright said.

The Walt Disney World website notes that “we do not broadly discuss the specifics of our security procedures to avoid compromising their effectiveness.”

3 The Southern JANUARY 31, 2020

ENTERTAINMENT

‘Cabaret’ to open FSC theatre’s spring season Grace Newton Staff Writer Set primarily in a nightclub in Germany during World War II, “Cabaret” combines the darkness of a Nazi-led society with burlesque-style dance to create a dismal, yet intriguing, musical experience.

As a part of the Festival of Fine Arts, the Florida Southern Theatre Department will show “Cabaret” in Buckner Theatre on February 13 and will run for two weekends.

While the show may not seem an obvious choice for a college theatre program, director and choreographer Scott Cook believes that the show is necessary and important in this day and age.

“Since the inception of ‘Cabaret,’ the show continues to make a mysterious appearance on theatre producers’ and directors’ radars at precisely the right time in our political and national environments,” Cook said. “The show commands we listen, react and hopefully become more responsible with our lives long after the curtain comes down.”

Cook admits that there are pros and cons to serving as both director and choreographer, especially because of the amount of work involved in both jobs. “‘Cabaret’ relies on so many layers of story-telling textures, so shaping choreography into actual life scenes gives

me a sense of unity for my overall vision,” Cook said.

Dance is one of the most evident elements of the show, and the style used in the original show has become its own iconic style. Cook treats them as “extensions of story scenes, conscious and unconscious thoughts and satirical comment on the life scene played right before it.”

Unlike a typical musical, the songs and dances of “Cabaret” do not exist merely for entertainment value. These musical numbers work to convey the characterization and emotions of the characters in the show.

“The Kit Kat Club performers are not slick, professional dancers hired to create a dazzling, musical review,” Cook said.

“They are desperate animals, trapped in a club that, if they don’t escape, will lead to their death.”

The Kit Kat Klub is overseen by the Master of Ceremonies, or the Emcee, played in this production by sophomore musical theatre major Liam Fisher. As this character narrates and dictates large parts of the show, Fisher is heavily involved in the Kit Kat Club dance numbers.

“A big part of the dancing for me is finding how it fits with the story and how it makes myself and other people feel,” Fisher said.

Originally played by Joel Grey, who won a Tony Award for the role, the

Photo courtesy of Mercedes Mendoza

The cast of “Cabaret” rehearses in preparation for Feb. 13 opening night.

Emcee is an omniscient and mysterious character. Overseeing the Kit Kat Klub, he contributes to many of the more shocking parts of the show. However, Fisher believes that the shock value is “exactly what theatre tries to be.”

“It is disturbing, frightening and meant to make people uncomfortable,” Fisher said. “On the other hand, it’s spectacular, stunning and amazing. It makes people feel and think. It’s not just a show that people come to enjoy. It’s meant to make people think.”

Junior Anna Weaver serves as co-dance captain for the show. Weaver was dance captain for “The Sound of Music” last semester, but she says that this show is very different. As a dance captain, Weaver has to work closely with the other dancers to get into the style. Since this show places such an emphasis in dance, Weaver called the dance call “so necessary.”

“There’s a lot of weird, complex dance going on…complex in the sense that not everything is your typical dance steps,” Weaver said. “He [the director] needed dancers who were not just technically talented…they had to be willing to dedicate themselves to the show. None of them are technically good dancers…that changes how we view the dance.”

While she admits the darkness of the show makes it difficult, Weaver is excited going forward in the process of the show.

“I’m so emotionally invested already because there are so many layers…there are so many things I’m going to discover in the rehearsal process, and I’m excited for it,” Weaver said.

Weaver says that the darkness and risqué nature of the show is necessary and applicable today. “It’s about people in this horrible time reverting back to their past desires because they have nothing else…

They’re just trying to live out their last few months as best they can,” Weaver said. “It represents the dark side within everyone personally, and of society.”

Tickets are available at the Buckner Box Office or online, and they are free for Florida Southern students. There will be mature material, so audience discretion is advised.

‘Marriage Story’ shows love’s highs, lows Emily Fournier Staff Writer Netflix adds another “Best Picture” nomination to its list with Noah Baumbach’s 2019 “Marriage Story.”

Netflix has been rising in the film industry as a competitive production company, with many of their films and television shows gaining critical acclaim and notoriety from famous accolades. For instance, Netflix films’ such as 2019’s “Roma” and 2018’s “Mudbound” have both been nominated at the Oscars for “Best Picture” and “Best Documentary Feature,” respectively.

The streaming service’s most-recent award nominated film moves away from the romanticized view of love and marriage that romantic comedies are known for pushing on audiences, exposing the realities of divorce and the new-normal of “broken-families.” The story follows Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver’s characters Nicole and Charlie Barber, as their divorce goes from an amicable parting to an ugly separation that sadly involves their son Henry, as Nicole takes

him with her to Los Angeles for a job opportunity.

“Marriage Story” does not just show Nicole and Charlie’s divorce and the hidden truths behind their break up, but presents the respect and love they still share through this experience. While their lawyers, played by the talented Laura Dern and Ray Liotta, are using every possible means to win their clients’ demands, the couple bonds over their shared interests: Henry and theater.

One scene in particular that is gaining public attention is an argument between Nicole and Charlie that sums up many of the reasons why their marriage did not work. Both Driver and Johansson intensely show their acting abilities, screaming and crying as their characters not only fight over Charlie’s need for control and Nicole’s quiet disposition for expressing her feelings, but also comfort each other when regretful words are said in the heat of the moment, such as “everyday I wake up and I hope you’re dead.”

Twitter has understandably been abuzz about Baumbach’s film, especially with this scene in particular. “I had to ask my

husband to pause #AMarriageStory after the argument scene because I wasn’t sure I was breathing,” Ceil said in a tweet on Jan. 4, 2020.

While “Marriage Story” seems to be about topics that college students would not relate to, many Florida Southern students are enjoying the film.

“I haven’t come from a broken family but it shows what it can be like,” junior Carley Denault said.

Divorce is also a pertinent subject to many people, even at our stage of life because many come from homes of divorce, allowing them to sympathize not just with Nicole and Charlie, but even their son Henry.

“They are both really good actors, and they did a really good portrayal that these characters are not perfect and have flaws,” junior Zeng Michalczyk said.

This article continues online.

To read the rest, visit fscsouthern.com

WHAT’S NEW Birds of Prey “Birds of Prey” (2020) is a spinoff of “Suicide Squad” (2016) that puts Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) in the spotlight. The film follows Quinn after she separates from the Joker and joins a team of female superheroes in an effort to locate and protect a young girl from a formidable crime lord. This film is rated R and will release on Feb. 7.

Cheer “Cheer” (2020) is a docuseries about a Texas cheer team training to compete in the national championship. The six -episode show chronicles the successes and diffculties that the members of the team experience.

Despite the success of the show, season two is not confirmed.

Spinning Out The new Netflix series is about a figure skater named Kat Baker (Kaya Scodelario) vying for an olympic medal after a severe head injury. Viewers watch as Baker contends with the shift from solo to pair skating, as well as romance, family issues and managing symptoms associated with her bipolar disorder.

Selena Gomez’s new album: ‘Rare’ Over four years have passed since Selena Gomez has released an album, and on Jan. 10 she broke this creative hiatus with the release of “Rare.” Gomez experienced immediate success with this album and earned her third No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart.

Louis Tomlinson’s new album: ‘Walls’ Louis Tomlinson’s first solo album “Walls” will debut on Jan. 31. Tomlinson is the last member of One Direction to release an album, and his 2020 world tour begins Feb. 2 and ends July 23.

The Southern JANUARY 31, 2020

FEATURES

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MLK Day impacts students to serve the community Ariel Molinaro Staff Writer Students, faculty and members of the Florida Southern community honored the late Martin Luther King Jr. through art, language and service during the annual MLK Day of Impact on January 20.

MLK Day of Impact is a two-part tradition at Florida Southern that focuses on remembering King’s legacy through a speaker presentation and student community outreach initiative. Each year, the program aims to educate the student body on the importance of unity and embracing diversity within one’s surrounding community.

Sheila McCants, the District Program Manager in the Office of Equity, Diversity and Special Programs at Hillsborough Community College, spoke at this year’s event.

“There are all kinds of social issues: race, gender, age, sustainability, poverty, hunger, [and] abilities,” McCants said.

“All [of] these impact our community on a local and global level, but when we see ourselves as part of that community, when we see ourselves as co-owners of that community, that’s when we become part of the solution.”

Student leaders were among the planning committee(s) for this event, while others had art displayed at the entrance or performed musical or written pieces.

The event program was a collaboration between the Evett L. Simmons Center for Multicultural Appreciation, the Multicultural Student Council, the Student Government Association and the Center for Student Involvement.

SGA introduced the Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion position to the organization’s executive board during the March 2019 election period. The VPDI serves as a liaison between the SGA body and diversity and culture appreciation organizations on campus like MSC and

Photo by Elisa White Antoinette Warren, an accounting major, recited an original poem as part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day program.

Allies. The organization’s bylaws state the standing VPDI should “research and recommend improvements in the areas of student life as it relates to diversity and inclusion.” Katte Vargas is the first student to hold this position.

“This year, because of the Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion position, we were able to partner up with more people.

So, we had a graphic design professor, Dr. Romero, assign art projects for students to do and I think that it was very impactful that people were able to come in and just see all of that art,” Vargas said.

The poster exhibit was displayed in the entrance lobby of the George W. Jenkins Field House during the event. Samuel Romero, Ph.D., an associate professor of art at FSC, assigned students in his advanced design course to reference posters from the civil rights movement and create a collective series of MLK quotes with custom typography styles.

“I wanted to focus on [MLK’s] words, which at the time, were radical. The reference to civil rights posters gave

the quotes context. These ideas and his words came with a price. I hoped that the posters would act as a reminder of what the celebration was about,” Romero said.

The observance of King, held on the third Monday in January, was declared by

“

“MLK Day means coming together as a community and trying to make a difference, as he did.”

- Chaunte Shim, MSC President

President Ronald Reagan in November 1983. The federal holiday celebrates the life, achievements and teachings of the American civil rights leader. Across the country, Americans designate the holiday as a national day of service to volunteer on behalf of non-profit organizations

throughout the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

“MLK Day means coming together as a community and trying to make a difference, as he did. So, it doesn’t matter what service that is or if you’re just learning more about it, it also helps,” Chaunte Shim, MSC President said.

Day of Impact enables students to collectively participate in a service activity that aims to benefit the Lakeland community in a positive outlook.

The hosting organizations partnered with kidsPACK for this year’s act of service. kidsPACK of Polk County is a non-profit whose mission is to provide meals to underprivileged children when they do not have access to subsidized school meals.

According to a college press release, attendees wrapped 250 kidsPACK meals.

Each tray given to the students contains six weekend meals, including two breakfasts, two lunches and two dinners. Students have worked with this organization during the annual MLK remembrance event since 2017.

“I am so proud that Florida Southern College is an institution that reveres the legacy of Dr. Martin Lurther King and I’m equally proud and [grateful] that ours is a college community that embraces diversity and works hard toward inclusivity,” Dr. Anne Kerr said.

Hosting organizations hope to further improve the 2021 MLK Day of Impact by incorporating students in an aspect that explores a modern approach to King’s messages. Shim expressed an interest in hosting a national speaker with a background working with advocate and other organizational projects. Vargas said she wants to further explore adding additional service projects, as seen in 2018.

“Next year I would really push for there to be two or three service projects and I think it would be very beneficial,” Vargas said. “There are 200 people that show up to this event, so there is the probability for the people to do more than one service project.”

Alpha Chi Omega promotes Healthy Relationships Week Taylor Wilson News Editor Healthy Relationships Week is Feb. 10 through Feb. 14, just in time for Valentine’s Day. The week is meant to bring awareness to what a healthy relationship is, as well as taking a stand against domestic violence and sexual assault.

This week holds an important place in the hearts of the sorority women affiliated with Alpha Chi Omega. Their philanthropy involves domestic violence and sexual assault prevention, so the organization will be promoting healthy relationships and doing their part for a cause they are passionate about.

Quinn Lightfoot, former VP of Recruitment Information and current PACE Chair for Alpha Chi Omega spoke on the topic. She helps run all of the organization’s tabling events - including healthy relationships week.

The sorority will be tabling on Feb. 5, to promote the week and bring awareness around campus. Info will be provided regarding how to identify a healthy relationship from an unhealthy one, domestic and dating violence statistics and trivia and treats for everyone who attends.

“Every year Alpha Chi Headquarters

will announce a topic to focus on for the year,” Lightfoot said. “This year the focus is on healthy communication, so we want to spread awareness on what is healthy versus unhealthy communication in relationships.”

Lightfoot is a woman who leads by example and is in a healthy relationship herself.

“I personally am in a healthy relationship with my boyfriend and to be completely honest what makes us work so well and keeps it so healthy is that we both are always super honest with each other and trust each other,” Lightfoot said.

“It’s okay to have a couple things that you enjoy, that the other person doesn’t,” Alpha Chi’s Vice President of Philanthropy Kat Spencer said. “Spending every second with a person can become a little unhealthy.

Should you be with someone/friends with someone that you can see yourself spending everyday with? Yeah, of course.

It’s a good goal. But if you can’t have that alone time, that’s a sign of dependency.”

The members of Alpha Chi Omega promote healthy relationships on campus to help in keeping people safe from possible violence and abuse. As humans, we are bound to form relationships, and these are vital to our mental and emotional wellbeing, but also our survival.

Northwestern Medicine regards that healthy relationships can be crucial to one’s health. Some benefits they provide include lessened stress, better healing ability, overall healthier behaviors, a greater sense of purpose among individuals and can lead to a longer life.

“My tips would be to always be upfront and honest with whoever your relationship is with, whether it be your parents, siblings, friends or significant other,” Lightfoot said.

“It doesn’t matter who your relationship is with, if you aren’t honest and upfront about what you want out of the relationship it’s never going to be healthy.”

Spencer also discussed her thoughts on what a healthy relationship is, along with providing signs that you might be in an unhealthy relationship.

“I think it’s different for every relationship,” Spencer said. “However, I feel like whether that relationship is romantic or platonic it should have emotional stability, trust in yourself [and] each other [communication] and should be healthily supportive.”

To continue to bring awareness to the importance of healthy relationships, Spencer also provided some signs that point to an unhealthy relationship. These include: if your partner shows any signs of aggression, if your partner is not willing to

hear your feelings, if they make you feel inferior, if they make false accusations about you, if they are over possessive or if they are extremely jealous or insecure.

“I think that unhealthy patterns can be broken,” Spencer said. “I think that communication is the hammer that shatters the glass. I think it’s about time that people speak up. Don’t stay silent, because your voice has more power than you’ll ever know.”

Photo by Alex Zimmer

5 The Southern JANUARY 31, 2020

MSC to highlight black talent in February Peter Edgar Co-Editor-in-Chief Following Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Multicultural Student Council began making plans for February, which celebrates Black History Month.

The MSC’s approach to BHM is twofold: it will hold large-scale events with guest performers and food as well as meetings at the Simmons Center for Multicultural Appreciation aimed to start group discussions.

“The mission is to provide students with an opportunity to learn about cultures that are here on campus as well as in the community,” MSC President and senior chemistry major Chaunté Shim said. “We just want to give them (students)—make them more culturally aware.… not saying that ‘you’re from here’ or ‘you’re from there’ but ‘we’re all together, creating this environment that we can succeed in.’”

Kicking off the Black History Month series will be the Wall of Oppression event on Feb. 3. At the Simmons Center, attendees will externalize and discard their oppression by tying writing it out and tying it to a gate. On Feb. 7, there will be a ceremony to literally dismantle the gate while symbolically dismantling the oppression with it.

The Monday following, Feb. 10, the Jonathan Baptiste Trio will be returning to FSC at the Fannin Center for the third year in a row to perform a jazz set.

In a change of pace, the Feb. 13 general body meeting will directly engage attendees at the Simmons Center by asking them to consider “the countless accomplishments of African Americans throughout history,” according to a graphic given to the Southern.

“Any MSC event always has the opportunity not just to educate, but to engage,” Outler said.

On February 26, the dance team Taken By Surprise, which has won

national competitions in the rhythmic, percussive dance style called Step, will be performing in the Thrift Alumni room.

The final event of February will be a general body meeting the day after Taken By Surprise performs, on Feb. 27 at the Simmons Center. The discussion will involve FSC faculty as well as attending students and center on themes of empowerment and encouragement.

Why should students attend these events, according to Lewis?

“Well it’s our age-old story, so we can learn about each other,” she said, “for the dialogue.”

EVENTS CALENDAR

Ryan Pask

Abby McHenry Features Editor

WALL OF OPPRESSION MONDAY, FEB. 3, 5:30 P.M.

JONATHAN BAPTISTE TRIO MONDAY, FEB. 10, 5:30 P.M.

STEP TEAM EVENT WEDNESDAY, FEB. 26, 6:30 P.M.

Jameson Champion Staff Writer

Photo by Jameson Champion

Competitor Raymond Duffy preparing to present his barbecue at the competition. divisions.

Raymond Duffy was one of the many competing teams at Pigfest this year, competing in the backyard division with his team “The Sons of Hamarchy”. Near their tent one could witness the mayhem as they prepared for the last turn-in of their barbecue for the night as they rushed to finish off the sauce.

“I’ve been competing here for 10 years now” Duffy said, “My favorite part has to be the camaraderie involved with the other teams.”

“Persistence is important in this competition, just keep trying,” Duffy said when asked about the key to success in this competition. At the end of the night, word was spreading around their group that they had won the sausage part of the competition.

Sponsors to the event include companies such as Publix, Kingsford and Coca-Cola.

Pigfest is also sponsored by the City of

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Publix Analyst

Pigfest cooks up local competition in LKLD Once a year, Lakeland gears up for over 150 of the best competition barbecue teams from around the nation to make a monumental visit to one of the largest barbecue competitions in America.

Lakeland Pigfest, an event which ended its 24 year in operation last weekend, ran from Jan. 23 to Jan. 24.

Pigfest was held this year at Lakeland Linder Airport’s Sun ‘N Fun expo campus, approximately a 30 minute drive from Florida Southern College.

The event was first started in 1997 by several Lakeland businessmen who had visited a Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) barbecue championship in 1994.

The KCBS would sanction the event in 1996 just before the first annual Pigfest on March 27th 1997.

Pigfest has grown to become one of the largest annual events in Lakeland, and not only focuses on being a place for people to find excellent barbecue, but also on giving back to the community as well.

Pigfest boasts to have raised over a million dollars in its history that has gone towards several different charitable causes in the community.

In 2019 they partnered with organizations like Exploration’s V and the Sun ‘N Fun Youth Education program, both of which are local charities dedicated to enriching the lives of children in Lakeland.

Pigfest isn’t just a competition for the most famous barbecue teams across the nation, there is also a backyard division sponsored by Publix for smaller and more local teams. Pigfest also features a competition where kids are able to compete under the same rules as the other

FEATURES

Lakeland.

Entertainment was yet another feature of Pigfest, as bands such as The Betty Fox Band, the Rusty Wright Band, and Soul 2 Earth.

The local singer-songwriter Dan Signor also put on a show. Some vendors even got in on the fun, having their own bands play songs near their booth.

Samantha Couch was among the many visitors attending Pigfest on Friday night among a group of her friends, all of them sitting on a ledge and eating barbecue.

“Honestly, my favorite parts of this entire thing are coming with all my friends old and new, as well as the fried oreos,” Couch said.

Pigfest has been an integral part of Lakeland’s culture since its inception over 20 years ago, celebrating the art of barbecue and bringing people from all over together.

While still in school, senior Ryan Pask works with Publix at the corporate level as the Utility Expense Analyst having already done an internship with them over the summer.

The business administration and accounting major interned at Publix’s Expense Payables Department and worked with the utility bills. He was later offered a full time position doing similar tasks that he did for the internship.

Pask looks at the invoices and analyzes them. This requires him to guess how much the company owes, how much hasn’t been paid yet, or how much they will have to pay next month.

After doing his internship for the summer, Pask got hired for his corporate position analyzing the garbage invoices.

“I get anywhere from 5 to 1,000 invoices in a day,” Pask said. “I just look at them, I process them, and then I analyze whether we’re overpaying, underpaying, whether we should change vendors, etc.”

Pask reports these findings to his supervisors at month end, quarter end, and year end. Over the summer he worked full time, 40 hours a week.

Pask said these hours can be split up in different ways.

During the school year he works part-time, so no more than 32 hours a week. An hour before his afternoon and evening classes start, Pask clocks out in order to have time to relax.

“It’s hard to go straight from one thing into another thing,” Pask said.

“My brain just has to have time to transition.”

Pask does not find himself utilizing his kitchen or buying groceries often because he takes advantage of Publix’s cafeteria. He said this has saved him a lot of time and money.

Having never experienced the private sector of accounting was the most challenging part for Pask of his internship with Publix. Now being accustomed to this, he said the amount of papers he goes through each day is a challenge.

Pask said he has six different stacks on his desk right now.

“The biggest stack is probably well over 1,000 and well worth half a million dollars just sitting at my desk that I have to analyze,” Pask said. “Trying to get through that as a part-time [employee] is pretty difficult right now.”

On Jan. 28 Pask got a promotion to be a Real Estate Accounting Specialist starting Feb. 17.

The Southern JANUARY 31, 2020

6

CENTER

New Star Apartments

open to students for spring semester

Photo by Christina DiGregory

Lexi Potter Staff Writer

The

Star Apartments are set up in suites with

four

single bedrooms,

two

shared bathrooms, a shared

living room and kitchen.

Students began moving into the newly constructed Star apartments at the beginning of the spring semester.

One of the three new buildings being ready for move in, while the others, as well as the parking lot, are still being finished. The new apartments, being named the ‘Star Apartments’ have been designed in an almost identical fashion to the colleges garden apartments.

The hope is that with the new addition of these apartments, that the housing shortage that Florida Southern College has experienced due to a growing student body, will improve. The fact that these new apartments will be adding so many new single rooms as well, will mean more options for current students.

For these new residents, there are some perks to moving into these brand new apartments. “There’s a ton of room and they are clean, obviously, because they are brand new,” senior student Olivia Eileen said. Eileen had formerly been placed in the Hollis dorms, but the move has been beneficial as she has a dog, Luna. “Yeah Luna loves the apartment and my roomates,” Eileen said. “There’s plenty of room for her to run around.”

7 The Southern JANUARY 31, 2020

CENTER Each student/resident will have a private bedroom and there will be two bathrooms to be shared among the suitemates.

Some students have complained about certain apartments having leaks or that the walls are very thin, which means that residents can hear a lot of unwanted noise. The living room has also been described as somewhat small because of all of the furniture that has to fit into it. Currently the construction also poses as a bother to these new residents because of the noise and the current parking situation.

Despite some of the issues faced with a project this large, the construction of these new apartments will mean a great deal of improvement to campus life for many students.

More options could mean more upperclassmen getting to live in apartments, and/or single rooms.

This is very beneficial for upperclass students and would even trickle down to underclassmen, leaving more room in dorms like Hollis and Miller.

The other two buildings are said to be completed by next fall, ready for more students to move in. The extra parking at that location may improve some of the parking issues on campus. Overall, these first students getting to move into the apartments are only the beginning of the beneficial process.

Photo courtesy of Lauren Soncrant

Each apartment comes standard with a full kitchen including a full size refridgerator, a microwave, convection oven and a four-burner stove top.

Pictured above is the standard living room for the Star Apartments. The apartments come furnished with the sofas and tables and a dining table set.

Photo courtesy of Lauren Soncrant

The Southern JANUARY 31, 2020

8

OPINIONS

Wynee’s Bistro remains most reliable dining option Kenzie Carlson Staff Writer Florida Southern College is home to six dining options that students all love for different reasons. As an FSC student, here are what I believe to be the top 6 dining options, ranked from worst to best.

6. Tutu’s Cyber Cafe Tutu’s Cyber Cafe is a common hangout spot for students, whether they are studying, using the computers or grabbing lunch or a coffee on their way to class.

Let’s talk food for a minute. Tutu’s has an array of sandwiches, bagels, soups and salads to offer.

Despite Tutu’s being at the bottom of my list, I do really enjoy their bagels. They also have many different drinks to choose from, such as iced coffee or hot chocolate, but compared to other dining locations on campus, they are very limited in what they offer.

“It’s good for coffee and the speed is convienent, but the food options are minimal,” freshman Bella Lamb said.

Personally, Tutu’s is my least favorite dining option on campus because of this very reason.

5. Steak ‘n Shake Steak ‘n Shake officially opened on Nov. 5, after a soft opening the week prior.

The lines were extremely long when they first opened.

I myself went twice in one day the day they opened, but I honestly wasn’t overly impressed.

The original Steak ‘n Shake was brought to life in my hometown of Normal, Illinois, so I have plenty of experience with the Steak ‘n Shake chain.

Our campus Steak ‘n Shake has a very limited menu with just two burgers, a hot dog, chicken tenders, chicken sandwiches, salads, along with the classic milkshakes.

In comparison, a normal Steak n’ Shake has a much broader menu with more burgers and shakes to offer.

Another reason why I personally don’t prefer the campus Steak ‘n Shake is because the quality of the food isn’t very high. There have been times when I get a burger and it is slapped together messily with the patty falling off the bun.

4. Grill Master Grill Master serves all-things-grilled.

My personal favorite things to get include: burgers, chicken sandwiches and mahi sandwiches. They are located right outside of Tutu’s Cyber Cafe, which makes it easy to grab a quick bite on your way to study or work on a group project.

The downside to Grill Master is the lack fo variety they offer when it comes to meal options. I know for me personally, that’s a turn off since I am able to get the same food closer to where I live on campus.

3. Buckstop Buckstop is one of the most popular dining locations on campus due to its location being in the very center of campus, and for me, it’s the closest to my dorm.

Buckstop, similar to Grill Master, serves burgers, and chicken, with the addition of pizza and sides as well as canned sodas and lemonades. They also serve breakfast pizzas and sandwiches.

Their turn around time also makes them a great place to stop for breakfast or lunch between classes. The longest I’ve waited for food is around 10 minutes.

Photo by Kenzie Carlson

Boar’s Head cashier, Richard Nowicki, takes student’s order.

2. Boar’s Head The new Boar’s Head, also referred to as the undercaf, is one of the places I frequent the most for breakfast, lunch and ocassionally dinner.

I enjoy the fact that they have so many customizable options such as build your own wrap, sandwich or salad. For breakfast, Undercaf has an array of options including breakfast sandwiches, wraps, muffins and pancakes.

“They have several options that are consistently good an they’re relatively quick,” Lamb said. Like Lamb, I enjoy the variety that the Undercaf has.

1. Wynee’s Bistro Now we’ve reached the number one spot: Wynee’s Bistro, or the caf. I think the caf is the best dining option on campus because you get a lot of food for cheaper

than other dining locations on campus.

The new meal plan implemented by FSC dining services at the start of this school year allows students to purchase a “meal deal,” which includes one entree, four sides, and a drink.

For me personally, that is more than enough food. I also love the variety the caf has, there’s something for everyone for every meal.

That being said, I and many others, including junior, Alicia Tracey, miss the aspect of being able to go up and get food any time.

“Now you have to pay per plate,” Tracey said. “I believe it should be a set amount of points per meal!”

I agree with her that having a set price per plate would be easier, but I think the amount of food we’re given with the new meal plan is perfectly sufficient. The caf is definitely the best value out of all FSC’s dining options, thus making it the best campus dining option.

Congress passes law raising legal smoking age to 21

It’s the right move to limit teen access to nicotine Nathalie Moreno Staff Writer For many teenagers, it may seem like their worst nightmare just came true following this new law that Congress passed and President Donald Trump signed prohibiting the vending of e-cigarettes and vaping pens to anyone under the age of 21.

“Beginning in the summer of 2020, it will be a violation of federal law to sell tobacco to anyone under the age of 21,” Madeleine Carlisle of Time Magazine said.

Though teenagers might not see it yet, this law could save a lot of lives, and it is a good thing that this problem was realized and acted upon as quickly as it was.

This vaping age we live in has quickly gone from a phenomenon to a catastrophe.

Vaping cartridge companies, such as Lava2 and Juul, have had a recent boom in business this past year. A lot of the credit for this business boom goes to teenagers who started buying e-cigarettes and vapes.

Christine Sexton, a news journalist from Health News Florida shed light on a scary statistical increase in vape use in the past few years.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

Raising the legal age to 21 will prevent teens from smoking, but teenagers will just look for different ways to obtain e-cigarettes.

“The Bureau of Tobacco Free Florida, which is part of the Department of Health, reported that in 2018, about 25 percent of Florida high school students reported they used vaping devices. That’s a 58 percent increase compared to the previous year,” Sexton said.

Vaping has become a part of students’ lives everywhere, with Florida Southern College as no exception. Faculty, administration and students all have their own opinions on this new law.

“I don’t agree with it,” freshman Maggie Walker said. “[This] means all the kids who vape are now struggling with an addiction, have no resources and will just get others to buy them vapes like they always have.

It’s not going to fix anything.”

Though this law is not agreeable among everybody, there are people who believe that this law will make a change, even if it will not be a big one.

“Like drinking, teenagers will still vape, but with limited access, fewer teens will do it, and many of those who do will be forced to do so less frequently,” professor Lou Di Leo said. “Does that make it a good thing? Sure, if we as a society have decided that’s what it is.”

Smoking these metal nicotine filled cartridges might have seemed cool for a while, but now, things are taking a nasty turn. More and more reports are coming in about kids suffering from lung infections and diseases due to excessive vaping and contaminated nicotine carts. Hospital visits

have been at an alarmingly high rate, teens coming in left and right suffering from electronic cigarette or vaping associated lung injuries, an issue they’ve shortened to EVALI. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been carrying out studies into the effects of these lung injuries caused by vaping.

“As of January 14, 2020, a total of 2,668 hospitalized EVALI cases or deaths have been reported to CDC from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and two U.S. territories (Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands),” the CDC reported on their website.

These numbers are disgustingly high, considering they pertain to injuries and deaths. This new law is one of the better things President Trump has done while in office.

Smoking electronic cigarettes and vapes is not worth losing your life or permanently damaging your organs for.

There is no doubt that teenagers will just look for different ways to rebel and persist against this law and others like it, mainly because rebelling is in our nature, but at least this is a step in the right direction.

9 The Southern JANUARY 31, 2020

OPINIONS

Impeachment trial will not likely get rid of Trump

Political tensions discourage young Americans from voting Sarah Bliss Staff Writer As the impeachment of President Donald Trump kicks into high gear, many Americans find themselves sitting back and scratching their heads in apathetic confusion.

The Senate recently commenced their investigation into the allegations against the President, and will eventually determine whether or not Trump will remain in office long enough to begin his re-election campaign. The trial

is surrounded by heated rhetoric, as politicians on both sides wrap their cause in the American flag and style themselves the defenders of American values.

However, the passionate commitment dominating recent news cycles has failed to percolate down to many American citizens, particularly college-age students like those at Florida Southern College.

“I think the idea of impeaching Trump has been around almost longer than he has actually been president, so I think that a lot of people just roll their eyes at this point,” junior Veronique Miller said.

“I see so much technicality and red

tape that it seems almost impossible to get proof from either side,” junior Lily Langdon said.

Veronique isn’t the only student—or young voter, for that matter—that finds him or herself watching the latest political crisis with skepticism. A synopsis of US Census Data performed by Hamilton College stated that the voter participation of Americans between the ages of 18-24 has declined drastically since the 1970’s and fallen to 30 percent.

“

“I think the idea of impeaching Trump has been around almost longer than he has actually been president, so I think that a lot of people just roll their eyes at this point.”

- Veronique Miller, FSC junior

Photo courtesy of Gage Skidmore

President Trump at the 2019 Student Action Summit hosted by Turning Point USA at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida.

WiFi problems arise, disrupts campus-wide resources Avery Mariotti Staff Writer Florida Southern College was challenged with Wifi problems on the first week of school. The problem with the Wifi is a recurring problem at FSC’s campus.

Students travel off campus for faster wifi when it’s time to sign up for classes and in order to do homework.

Before the break, Community Living sent out an email to all students living in the dorms informing them about the future installment of wireless routers into each individual dorm room on campus to help with the wireless problems that occurred last semester when the WiFi would shut down randomly on campus.

The change to the routers in every room was a problem that I don’t think anyone was prepared for on this campus. The problem of having so many computers and phones thrown onto a network that no one had really tested over the break definitely impacted this crash.

The individual rotors were tested the fall 2019 semester in the Dell and Wesley residence halls.

Mike Crawford, the Dean of Students mentioned that the crash with the new routers on campus was caused by unauthorized traffic. This crash only impacted internet access on campus.

Students living off campus or in the apartments were not impacted by the crash.

“An unauthorized wireless router was plugged in on campus,” Crawford said.

This just shows that the school was not prepared for the wireless problems that were bought after setting up the new routers on campus.

“When this was discovered our network team and our outside technology consultant implemented protocols to help reduce issues caused by unauthorized devices,” Crawford said. “However, it was discovered during the implementation of these protocols, that some of our older network equipment (a few networks switches) were unable to support the protocol, so this equipment had to be quickly replaced or bypassed.”

Even the mail room on campus was affected by the WiFi. Many students couldn’t pick up packages even after getting notifications because they were so backed up trying to log all the packages they could before closing.

Some students stood outside the mail room waiting to finally be able to pick up packages. Many students are frustrated because the lack of connectivity has made it hard to do research and class work.

Students also couldn’t wireless print or log on to engage.

Teachers have been struggling with the lack of WiFi because they can’t put things on portal or respond to emails.

Since WiFi connection has been a recurring problem every year, the monitoring of the Wifi at FSC needs a major reboot.

Political conflicts such as the impeachment trial bear a substantial share in reducing the involvement of young voters. Despite the bold statements and audacious claims of both sides, will the trial really change anything?

News sources—both in and outside of the US—agree that the largely Republican Senate would have to face a radical shift to actually evict the president, and BBC World News asserts that, “the president is widely expected to be cleared.”

What, then, are the expected results from a trial evidently doomed to failure?

One possible answer is a further alienation of young voters already disillusioned with contemporary American politics.

Despite what each side of the trial would label their good intentions, the ambiguity of the issues surrounding the trial and the lack of moderation in the rhetoric of both sides made the whole affair seem sensational and surrealist. If either party wished to be taken seriously, they would need to reduce the heat of their language and adopt a more measured, reasonable tone.

The trial is predicated on serious accusations—that of President Trump abusing his presidential authority to slant the upcoming election in his favor—but the focus on Party politics has transferred the focus of Americans from the validity of the accusations directed at the President to a justification of their Party’s stance— further frustrating young Americans who feel that politics have shifted from sound policy to blind loyalty.

If this trial has done anything positive, it has revealed the depth of feeling and investment many Americans hold for their country.

However, it has also heightened division and exacerbated a sense of frustration and ineffectiveness. While the trial is built on important concerns, a combination of unmediated verbal aggression from both parties and a low likelihood of a concrete outcome make it difficult to take the trial seriously.

OUTHERN S The Student Voice of Florida Southern College

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The Southern is published once amonth during fall and spring semesters of the academic year at Florida Southern College by students through the Communication Department. Opinions expressed on the opinions pages are not necessarily those of the department, the administration, the Board of Trustees or The Southern editorial board. Written and signed responses to views expressed on these pages, or relevant to other Florida Southern College issues, are encouraged and will be considered for publication. All members of the Florida Southern community — students, staff, faculty, administrators, trustees, alumni and other friends of the college — are invited to voice their opinion in and about The Southern. All material submitted is subject to editing for length, style and taste. All material must be submitted to fscsouthern@gmail.com to be considered. The Southern office is in the Chatlos Building on Johnson Ave.

The Southern JANUARY 31, 2020

SPORTS

10

Bower leaves Florida Southern athletics after 3 years

Michael Arias Mora Staff Writer For the first time in over three years, there is a change in leadership for the Florida Southern College Department of Athletic Communications.

Director of Athletic Communications Ryan Bower has left FSC to accept a position in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Bower has overseen the department since 2016 and has managed the athletics website, social media posts and live broadcasts of athletic events for the Mocs.

Bower and his staff of full-time workers and work-study students deal significantly with managing and recording information for Florida Southern’s student athletes.

In Raleigh, Bower will work for the State of North Carolina Office of Human Resources as a Graphic Designer and Communications Specialist.

“I’ll be doing a lot of similar things to what I’m doing now,” Bower said. “I’ll help manage the look and feel and the content that’s on their website. I’ll help do a lot of graphic design pieces that they’ll put out on social media, manage their social media, create some content for them [and] do some photography for them as well.”

Bower explains that now is the right time to move on from his position at Florida Southern, as it is in the best interest of his family.

After over three years at Florida Southern, Bower and his wife are ready to start a family.

While grateful for his experiences at FSC, the nature of Bower’s job has been very demanding. With the new change of pace and setting in North Carolina, he hopes to take on a different role as a father very soon.

Additionally, Bower hopes that the move to North Carolina will allow him to spend more time with his extended family.

The move will place Bower and his wife half-way between their respective families, allowing the pair to spend greater time with their loved ones.

“I’m looking forward to being a dad at some point in time, and I don’t feel that I can be the dad, or the husband, I want to be and do this job,” Bower said. “I think transitioning to something else is good.”

The former Director of Athletic Communications also reflected on the state of the department he is leaving behind.

Bower explained his pride for the department and what he has helped to build over the years.

He believes that he is leaving the department in a better place than when he started almost four years ago, a fact that gave him enough confidence to move onto something new.

“It’s been a great place for three and a half years, a great place to grow, to learn more, to gain experience professionally

Photo courtesy of Mikaela Queen / FSC Athletics

Ryan Bower’s student workers celebrating him at his last basketball game at Florida Southern on January 18. [and] to grow up a little bit personally,” Bower said. “[There are] a lot of people to thank here, and I’ve really enjoyed my time here at Florida Southern.”

While Florida Southern has yet to name a permanent replacement for Bower, he is confident that Assistant Director of Athletic Communications Chris Gonzales, who will take over on an interim basis, will keep things running smoothly, along with other members of the department such as Jonathan Glass and Wil Fisackerly.

Glass will continue to manage the FSC

Mocs social media feed, while Fisackerly will primarily focus on managing video content for the website.

The department has seen tremendous growth under Bower’s leadership, and Florida Southern’s Athletic Communications team has earned six awards in the annual CoSIDA Publication and Digital Design Contest, including back-to-back first-place finishes for video content.

Bower formally left his position at Florida Southern on Monday, Jan. 20.

Bevo Francis Award Watch List names two Mocs Sarah Oulman Sports Editor Florida Southern College men’s basketball players Brett Hanson and Jalyn Hinton have been named to the Top 100 Watch List for the Bevo Francis Award this season.

The prestigious honor is awarded annually to the player with the finest overall season within Small College Basketball and takes into account individual and team achievements, personal character and awards.

“Congratulations to all of the players that have made the initial Bevo Francis Award Watch List of 100 players for the 2019-20 season,” founder of Small College Basketball John McCarthy said.

“The committee takes into consideration season statistics, individual achievements, awards, milestones, and - importantly team success.”

The 2020 season marks the fifth year that the Clarence “Bevo” Francis Award will be presented.

The selected players for the list have been chosen from over 1,200 colleges and universities across the U.S by Small College Basketball and the National Awards Committee.

Hanson and Hinton have each had standout seasons with the Florida Southern Moccasins, with the team currently at 152(7-2 SSC) and coming in at No. 9 in the latest NABC Coaches Poll for the 2020 season.

“It’s definitely an honor to be put on the Top 100 Watch List for the Bevo Francis Award,” Hanson said. “Jalyn and I being named to this list is a testament to our team’s success. This is a great accomplishment that I couldn’t have done

without the constant support of my family, teammates and coaches.”

The Moccasins have a history of being named for the Bevo Francis Award Watch List after Jonathon Lawton finished as one of the finalists for last season’s award and former All-American Dylan Travis was also named to the Top 100 Watch List in 2016.

“I think being named as one of the Top 100 athletes is definitely an honor,” Hinton said. “I credit the recognition to the success of our team, coaches and program.”

Both Hanson and Hinton have earned the Sunshine State Conference Player of the Week multiple times this season.

Hinton was named the SSC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time in the 2020 season last week, after previously receiving the honor on Dec. 9.

Florida Southern Men’s basketball assistant head coach Mike Makubika commented on Hinton’s performance during the 2020 season after he was named for a second time.

“He brings it every day, and he’s consistent in practice,” Makubika said.

“We see it everyday, and he’s reaping the benefits of his hard work.”

In last Wednesday’s game against University of Tampa, Hinton scored 20 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. Hinton slam-dunked the ball in the first half after a fast break pass from Hanson, putting the Mocs at 21-19.

Florida Southern competed against Barry University last Saturday, where Hinton scored a total of 11 points and retreieved 11 rebounds.

Hinton also gave the Mocs a 8-4 lead

Photo courtesy of Andrew Pawling / FSC Athletics

Brett Hanson goes for a shot in the first half against Valdosta State on Nov. 30, 2019 in the Jenkins Field House.

during the first half after scoring back-toback layups.

This week’s SSC Player of the Week Award goes to Hanson, making this the player’s third time reeiving the honor during the 2020 season alone.

Hanson had previously been named this season on Nov. 11 and Dec. 9.

This also marks his eighth time being awarded as the Sunshine State Conference Player of the Week throughout his career.

Last week, the Mocs faced the University of Tampa and Barry University, where Hanson sucessfully scored a total of 30 points in each of the two games.

After a memorable week, Hanson is now approaching a career scoring total of 2,000 points and currently sits only 34 points away from becoming the third player in program history to receive 2,000 career points.

Hanson now only sits behind Kevin Capers, who was the second player to reach 2,000 career points and ended his career with a total of 2,319 points between the 2012 and 2015 seasons.

John Ebeling currently holds the record as the all-time leading goal scorer in the program after scoring 2,514 points from 1979 to 1982.

The Florida Southern senior player currently averages 22.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Between last week’s games, Hanson totaled 60 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds during his time on the court.

The Florida Southern Mocs will return to action in the Sunshine State Conference this week by battling Embry-Riddle on Saturday, Feb. 1 during the next home game. The game will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Jenkins Field House.

11 The Southern JANUARY 31, 2020

WBB’s Jirah Ards sidelined in 2020 season Michael Arias Mora Staff Writer Junior Jirah Ards has been sidelined again, following an ankle injury during the 2019 season that caused her to receive a medical redshirt.

After playing in only eight games in the 2018-2019 season due to a nagging ankle injury, second-year guard Ards was forced to redshirt. Watching from the bench the rest of the season, Ards witnessed her Florida Southern Mocs teammates win the Sunshine State Conference regular season and tournament championships, while also setting a school record for wins with a 30-4 record.

Now entering the 2019-20 season, Ards was healthy and ready to contribute to a team that suddenly found itself very young, with only two seniors and seven new players. During practice early in the preseason, Ards went down in agonizing pain, and an MRI after afterwards

confirmed that Ards had a torn ACL. It was just another unfortunate incident that will make it back-to-back years that the talented guard from Alabama will have to watch from the bench, possibly applying for another redshirt.

“I was in shock, and the reality of it hadn’t really hit,” Ards said. “We didn’t know exactly what happened [right away], but I was disappointed because I [knew] I would be out for some time. It’s definitely not easy sitting on the sidelines.”

On Nov. 8 and Nov. 9 the Mocs played their first two home games of the year.

Florida Southern, along with conference rival Saint Leo, played the AlabamaHuntsville Chargers and Lee Flames from the Gulf South Conference in the annual GSC-SSC Challenge.

It was a tale of two games, for the host Mocs, as in the opener against AlabamaHuntsville they could do no wrong. After a 9-8 start to the game, Florida Southern went on a 12-1 to end the first quarter and had a 21-9 lead.

Photo courtesy of Mikaela Queen / FSC Athletics

Jirah Ards dribbles the ball down the court in the first half against UPRMayaguez on Nov. 19, 2018 in the Jenkins Field House.

The Mocs then went on to increase their lead in the second quarter, going on another big run to lead 42-27 at halftime.

That trend continued during the second half as the Mocs went on to dominate the Chargers. They caught fire from long range in the fourth quarter, hitting 8-11 threes and won by a final score of 93-50 in a game where they never trailed.

The exact opposite happened the following day against Lee, who is ranked #14 overall in the country. Lee jumped out to an early 6-0 lead and used suffocating defense to build a lead on the home team Mocs.

A low scoring quarter had the Flames up 15- 8 after the first quarter. It remained low scoring throughout the second and was a 27-19 game at the half. Lee started to pull away in the third quarter as turnovers and missed shots hurt the Mocs. Florida Southern was able to make a late run in the fourth quarter but it was too little too late and Lee walked away with the 55-43 win.

Witnessing both games courtside, Ards had plenty of belief in her team’s outlook for the season.

“I know that we can go as far as we want this year, we just have to be consistent with how we play every game,” Ards said.

“I know the plays and everything so if I see something on the sideline that they aren’t seeing in the game I can talk to them about it.”

Ards is not sure what the next step is for her when she is healthy again. However, her confidence in her team’s ability to defend their conference title this season is undeniable.

More challenges will come for this young Mocs team, such as matchups against the Bentley Falcons, lead by future Hall of Fame coach Barbara Stevens, and the Drury Lady Panthers, the number one ranked team in the country one year ago.

Baseball ranked third in preseason poll Sarah Oulman Sports Editor Florida Southern College baseball has been picked to finish third in the 2020 season in the SSC Preseason Coaches Poll and managed to snag the last remaining first-place vote.

Topping off the poll is defending national champion University of Tampa, with 100 points and 10 first-place votes, while Nova Southeastern University sits in second with 87 points.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (60 points) came in fourth place, followed closely by Florida Tech (58 points) in fifth, completing the top-five list. Saint Leo University (54 points) trailed behind in the poll in sixth place, with Barry University (50 points) close behind. Lynn University (38 points) grabbed eighth place, and final spots were given to Eckerd College (31 points), Rollins College (26 points) and Palm Beach Atlantic (23 points).

“I try not to focus on preseason rankings too much,” Men’s baseball head coach Lance Niekro said. “Regardless of where we are ranked, there are things we need to work on and play the game the way we are capable of playing.”

The Mocs lead the SSC and NCAA D2 with nine national baseball titles, the last of which was in 2005.

Florida Southern’s third-place pick in

SPORTS

UPCOMING GAMES Men’s Basketball 02.01 vs. Embry-Riddle 02.05 vs. Lynn 02.08 vs. Florida Tech 02.12 vs. Rollins 02.15 vs. Nova Southeastern 02.19 vs. Eckerd

Women’s Basketball 02.01 vs. Embry-Riddle 02.05 vs. Lynn 02.08 vs. Florida Tech 02.12 vs. Rollins 02.15 vs. Nova Southeastern 02.19 vs. Eckerd

Men’s Tennis 02.08 vs. Flagler 02.10 vs. West Florida 02.21 vs. Bates 02.12 vs. Rollins 02.22 vs. Lynn

Women’s Tennis 02.10 vs. West Florida 02.13 vs. Flagler 02.15 vs. Lynn 02.19 vs. Tampa

Women’s Softball 02.03 vs. Ursuline 02.07 vs. West Alabama 02.08 vs. New Haven 02.08 vs. Alabama Huntsville 02.09 vs. West Florida 02.09 vs. Molloy

Men’s Baseball Photo by Reems Landreth / FSC Athletics

Florida Southern baseball players huddle before a game against Eckerd College on Feb. 5, 2019 at Henley Field. the 2020 SSC Preseason Coaches Poll comes after last year’s rough season for the Mocs. After the team experienced an onslaught of injuries during the 2019 season, FSC ended the conference 23-27.

Despite the troubles last year, the team hopes to come back better than ever, with many key players returning and several newcomers joining the team.

“Last year was a tough year,” Niekro said. “We have made a conscious effort to not forget what we went through last year, but to concentrate on what we do

this year.”

The Collegiate Baseball Newspaper also released preseason rankings and players to watch in December. Florida Southern’s Zach Scott was recognized as a South Region Preseason All-American, while Jacob Teter was named one of the South Region Players to Watch. Ben Bagget has been recognized as a South Region Newcomer to Watch.

Florida Southern College baseball will first hit the pitch on Jan. 31, and league play begins on Feb. 21.

01.31 vs. West Florida 02.01 vs. West Florida 02.02 vs. West Florida 02.04 vs. Eckerd 02.07 vs. Columbus State 02.08 vs. Columbus State

Ice Hockey 02.01 vs. Easterm Florida 02.12 vs. South Florida 02.21 vs. Jenkins Alumni

The Southern JANUARY 31, 2020

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