February 21, 2020

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FRIDAY, February 21, 2020 VOL. 135, NO. 2

First full-time female NFL official speaks at Convocation Jillian Kurtz Co-Editor-in-Chief The first convocation of the spring semester culminated in several campuswide announcements and guest speaker Sarah Thomas, the first full-time female NFL official.

This convocation counted as a “wildcard” event, meaning that students could apply the attendance credit to any of the six categories in the Passport Program.

This information was sent to students from the Office of Student Development via email.

Thomas was originally supposed to speak at the fall convocation, but had to be rescheduled due to Hurricane Dorian.

A Mississippi native, Thomas grew up with two brothers and has been playing sports since she was young. This lead to her pursuing a career with the NFL. During her address in Branscomb Auditorium, she encouraged students to break barriers and keep working towards a goal. Her background as a female in a maledominated sports industry, she said, has helped her gain confidence and become a

role model to young women.

“Do not go through life trying to prove people wrong,” Thomas said. “One door closes, another one opens; it is so true.

If you are trying to prove yourself to someone else, you will exhaust yourself.”

Prior to Thomas’s speech, Student Government Association student body president Arjeet Tipirneni announced that students will be able to get discounts at certain Lakeland businesses such as Taco Bus, Cozy Oaks, Levy’s Tire Store and more by showing their FSC student ID card when they make a purchase.

Tipirneni also announced that Florida Southern’s homecoming week will take place from March 15 to March 22. A campus mural will be featured on the back wall of the bandshell for the celebration.

“This mural will be student-designed and student-executed,” Tipirneni said. “It will be representative of our campus and will be repainted every four years as a homecoming tradition.”

A form will be available on Engage for students to fill out to give suggestions for design ideas.

President of Omicron Delta Kappa,

Photo courtesy of Emma Lytle/ Student Development

The first full-time female NFL official, Sarah Thomas speaks to students at convocation on Feb. 12.

Carson Mitchell, announced the national leadership honor society’s 20 new members.

Founders Day Convocation will be held on Friday, March 20 at 11 a.m. during homecoming week. This event is

mandatory for all students in the Passport Program. The guest speaker will be Florida Southern’s 86th Honorary Chancellor, Tom Williams, Chairman and CEO of Universal Parks & Resorts.

Education building, apartments and more construction underway

all the site work for the Carole and Marcus Weinstein Computer Sciences Center, located between the France Admissions Center and the Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise. Dennis has hopes that the foundation will be poured in the next two weeks.

“Computer science started a few years ago with a really small group, but they’re growing rapidly and there’s a demand for them,” Dennis said. “The things they use, we don’t necessarily have in another building.”

Grace Newton Staff Writer In the next few weeks, a new education building will open. This is one of many new construction processes at Florida Southern College.

This new building is located on the northwest corner of campus, and it has two parts. One side, the Carol Jenkins Barnett Health and Early Learning Center, will house the preschool. Curry Education, the other side, will contain all of FSC’s education classes. The dedication of the building will take place on Feb. 21, with hopes to move classes into the building the following week.

V. Terry Dennis, Vice President of Finance and Administration, explained that the education department has gotten bigger, and therefore required a move.

Stephanie Hansen, junior elementary education and Spanish major thinks that the new building will be positive for both the education department and the FSC Preschool Lab. “Part of learning to teach is learning to use technology in the classroom,” Hansen said. “A new building means more advanced and reliable equipment to work with.”

Hansen especially appreciates the new location near the Roberts Academy, as education majors shadow and teach there often.

“Many of the education classes are designed to provide hands-on experience by working with students,” Hansen said.

“The new location is going to make connecting with elementary and middle school students easier.”

Edge Hall, where the education department is currently housed, will not

SOCIAL MEDIA

Photo by Grace Newton The Carol Jenkins Barnett Health and Early Learning Center/Curry Education, still under construction. stay empty. A different group will inhabit the building come next fall, but Dennis said the decision will be made over the summer.

Also located in that corner of campus, an extension of Roberts Academy is in the works across the street. This new building will function as a middle school, allowing the second through fifth grades to be separated from the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades; this will also make space for a larger number of students.

“We started planning it about six months ago,” Dennis said. “The donor saw there was a real need to bring more students in.”

While he hopes to have this building open for the beginning of next fall, Dennis admitted the schedule is a bit tight.

The fall also promises new apartment buildings. The first building in the Star Apartments opened earlier this semester, with two other buildings still under construction. Almost an exact duplicate of the Garden Apartments, these apartments are allowing for more students to be

housed. The second building should be finished before the end of the semester, and the third by late June. Due to the shape of the buildings, Star Apartments will be able to house more students than Garden.

Dennis also thinks these apartments will be popular because of its larger parking lot.

“When the other buildings were all built, city code was one and a half cars per apartment,” Dennis said. “With us, if it’s a three-bedroom apartment, you have three students, and all three might have cars. So, we tend to have heavier parking use than a regular apartment.”

Dennis said that they knew they needed the apartments a year and a half ago, as more students wanted to be on campus.

However, planning and construction takes time.

“Once you see dirt moving, it’s probably been in plans for an average of six to eight months,” Dennis said.

There is other construction planned for the next year. Currently, workers are doing

@fscsouthern

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“Once you see dirt moving, it’s probably been in plans for an average of six to eight months.”

-Terry Dennis, VP of Finance and Administration This building has been in the works for about a year and half, and Dennis hopes for it to open around this time next year. However, with it being so early in construction, he cannot guarantee anything.

New ideas for construction are always happening, but Dennis is unsure what will be next. While many groups have a need for new spaces there are many factors involved, including outside support and locations.

“We’re always looking at majors and changes that are going on,” Dennis said.

“We have a large pile of things that would be possible.”

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The Southern FEBRUARY 21, 2020

NEWS BRIEFS Metal Straw Fundraiser Beta Alpha Psi is hosting a “Skip the Straw” fundraiser where students can purchase a metal straw at Buckstop for $2.

This will take place on Friday, Feb. 21, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Scholars Weekend The Feb. Scholars Weekend will take place in Friday, the 21-22. There will be numerous activities on campus on Friday including SoCo’s “sad boi hours” show at 9 p.m. in the Snake Pit and Studio Box: Sock Hop! at 11 p.m in Jenkins Fieldhouse.

Menstrual Product Drive The Women’s Advocacy CLub is hosting a product drive for those who cannot afford menstrual hygiene products until Feb. 24.

There are boxes placed around campus for donations. Everything collected will be donated to the Peace River Center.

Observation on the Green On Tuesday, Feb. 25, at 7:30 p.m., the Astronomy Club is hosting an astronomy observation on Mr. George’s Green. This event will count as a Passport event, under the Learning Beyond the Classroom category.

“Cinderella” Students have a chance to earn Passport credit and see the Russian National Ballet’s production of “Cinderella” on Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 7:30 p.m. The event will count for a Fine Arts credit and tickets are required.

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Travel office monitors coronavirus spread may Vanessa Alvarez Staff Writer COIVD-19, otherwise known as coronavirus, continues to sweep through nations and impact various facets of life including travel and business.

The disease broke out in China and, according to the New York Times, currently affects 24 other countries with about 400 reported cases. The CDC reports 15 positive cases where COIVD-19 was found in states including Texas, California and Washington. The United States, Spain, Vietnam and Italy are among the 28 locations confirmed to be affected by coronavirus.

As summer break rapidly approaches, many Florida Southern students are preparing for their Junior Journey to locations currently affected by COIVD-19.

These locations include Vietnam, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany which combined have seen a total of roughly 40 positive cases.

Dr. Mary Crowe, the Assistant Provost for Experimental Education at FSC is continuing to monitor the outbreak by checking the Department of State and Center of Disease Control websites on a daily basis. In terms of monitoring trips, Crowe says it is too early to speak on behalf of May trips, however, she has no concerns about upcoming March Junior Journeys.

“With respect to the March trips we are not concerned about any specific trips as all of the destinations are to countries that have minimal cases of people (>20 individuals) who have tested positive for

the coronavirus,” said Crowe.

FSC sophomore Connor Bligh will be attending the Spain Junior Journey this upcoming summer and thus far, he has no concerns about his trip.

“I am worried for my friends that are going on Junior Journeys at the same time to Asia,” Bligh said. “The travel office mentioned it in a recent meeting with students on Junior Journeys this summer, and seem to have a good plan in place. I’m just keeping an eye on any health advisory warnings and seeing if there are any cases in cities we’re visiting.”

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“I am worried for my friends that are going on Junior Journeys at the same time to Asia.”

- Connor Bligh FSC sophomore

On Jan. 31, FSC’s Division of Student Life sent an email to the student body regarding the disease. The school’s administration is closely monitoring the illness and, as of that time, reported no threats to upcoming Junior Journey trips. The school confirmed the Office of Student Travel is monitoring coronavirus and will continue to update students if CDC advisories impact trips.

Thus far in Florida, there have been no confirmed cases of COIVD-19,

however, the Florida Department of Health is closely monitoring the illness alongside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There is currently a nationwide level four travel warning for individuals hoping to travel to China.

The Florida Department of Health and CDC recommend individuals traveling to China avoid contact with individuals appearing to be ill, avoid animal products and markets, and discuss the upcoming trip with healthcare providers.

The CDC reports symptoms of coronavirus as fever, cough and shortness of breath. It is believed the symptoms will appear between two days and two weeks after an individual is exposed to the illness. Individuals contracting symptoms after visiting China are encouraged to speak with a doctor as soon as possible.

Coronavirus was renamed COIVD-19 by the World Health Organization on Feb. 11 and is an acronym that stands for coronavirus disease discovered in 2019.

The disease originated in Wuhan, China and was likely passed from animals to humans through a market according to Boston’s NPR News Station, WBUR. The disease is prominently seen in China, however, continues to spread worldwide.

CNN reported the disease impacting more than 69,000 people with a rising death toll of 1,669.

Aside from travel advisories for individuals visiting China, the Florida Department of Health has not set any guidelines or restrictions for Floridians.

The department is continuing to track the disease and set proper precautions as needed.

Plant-based fast food on the rise in Lakeland

Sarah Oulman Sports Editor

Vegan and vegetarian options are increasingly becoming more popular among customers in the U.S., leading many fast-food giants and popular restaurants to offer more plant-based alternatives to traditional meals.

Burger King initiated the plant-based food frenzy among fast-food chains when it released the Impossible Whopper last August. The burger includes all of the toppings of a traditional whopper, yet features a vegan patty made from soy and potato protein.

“The Impossible Whopper is performing very well in our test markets, and it continues to drive new traffic to our restaurants,” Burger King spokeswoman Dori Robau Alvarez said in a statement with CNBC. Following in Burger King’s footsteps, restaurants such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Subway and Little Caesars have all started to roll out new plant-based alternatives to some of their most famous meals.

KFC also made headlines in August after it became the first fast-food chain in the U.S. to serve plant-based chicken alternatives.

The “Beyond Fried Chicken” was available in one Atlanta location while it was being tested among customers when the vegan chicken alternative sold out in less than five hours. Despite the success last year, KFC has yet to release its plant-based chicken in stores nationally and announced that they will likely perform more tests in stores.

Hooters also became the most recent restaurant to join the plant-based meat craze, after announcing the launch of their new “Unreal Wings” this month. The

Photo by Sarah Oulman The Impossible Whopper and other plant-based alternatives are becoming more common at fast food restaurants, increasing options for vegans and vegetarians. restaurant has partnered with Quorn, which is a brand of meat substitute originating in the United Kingdom, for this release, and there is plenty of buzz online regarding the abundance of new plant-based options in the restaurant world.

Lakeland also has many small, local restaurants that offer plant-based options, including Good Thyme Eatery, Victor and Mika’s Bakery and Kc’s Artisan Pizza and Wine Bar, all of which advertise their abundance of vegan menu items.

Victor and Mika’s Bakery, which was established in 2017, is a popular produce stand and market with items that are 100% vegan. There are gluten-free and ketofriendly options available, and the market is most known for its vegan churros and cinnamon rolls.

Kc’s Artisan Pizza and Wine Bar also offers vegan pizza options, as well as vegan garlic knots and other italian meals for anyone looking for plant-based options in Lakeland. Good Thyme Eatery, located in Dixieland next door to Concord Coffee, is best known for its fresh, healthy meals, including vegan and vegetarian options.

The menu includes items such as vegan biscuits, acai bowls, poke bowls and more.

With plant-based foods increasing in popularity in the area and across the U.S., it’s likely that even more fast-food chains and local restaurants will begin offering plant-based alternatives. For now, FSC students can stop by the Buckstop for a black bean burger for a taste of plant-based meals on campus.

3 The Southern FEBRUARY 21, 2020

OPINIONS

Passport Program is a big commitment for students

Taylor Wilson News Editor Florida Southern College has enforced the Passport Program, a graduation requirement for students, since the fall of 2016.

The program requires students to attend at least one event from each of the six categories in one academic year. This is expected to be done every year a student is attending the institution.

There are six categories that events can fall under to be classified as Passport credit. These are as follows: School Pride, Learning Beyond the Classroom, Fine Arts, Service and Diversity, Health and Wellness, and Convocation.

The Passport Program is a good way to get students involved on campus and allows for discovery of new clubs and organizations that host events.

Senior Hannah Lewis discussed her

thoughts on the program a little, weighing in that it could use adjustments.

“Passport has developed into much more since my time here,” Lewis said. “Before my class, students were just required to go to convocation for this type of credit.”

Inconveniences also arise for upperclassmen who live off campus or in apartments. There is less of an availability and willingness to travel back and forth from campus and home for events.

“I think it’s a good idea for freshmen, but it gets a little overwhelming and harder to complete,” Lewis said. “I think it would be better if it was required for freshmen, only to help them get more involved within their first year.”

Concerns with the program arise when it comes to scheduling and the requirement to complete said events.

“I know I have to get them all [required Passport credits] or else I’ll get fined,” Lewis said in regards to her knowledge of the program.

Coronavirus spreads to United States, not yet major concern in Florida Even with no U.S. fatalities, it doesn’t hurt to take preventative measures Nathalie Moreno Staff Writer To say that this new year has been off to a rough start would be an understatement, and the new epidemic that is the coronavirus disease is not helping matters.

“Chinese officials report that sustained person-to-person spread [of coronavirus disease] in the community is occurring in China. Person-to-person spread has been reported outside China, including in the United States and other countries,” the official CDC website says.

This particular strain of coronavirus, called COVID-19 or 2019-nCoV, is new to the world. Coronavirus is a zoonotic disease, meaning that it can spread from animal to human, and then continue spreading from human to human.

The disease can cause a range of respiratory problems, from a common cold to severe acute respiratory syndrome. The first cases were linked to a seafood market in Wuhan, China.

The terrifying outbreak of the coronavirus disease started in Wuhan in late December of 2019, starting as severe pneumonia from unknown causes.

Since then, there has been a confirmed number of 59,804 confirmed cases in China, 1,367 of those cases resulting in death.

Has this coronavirus epidemic become a pandemic that Americans should be concerned about?

So far, there have been 15 confirmed coronavirus cases in the US according to the CDC, spanning around seven different states, most recently one confirmed case in San Antonio, Texas.

“Eight cases of the virus have been confirmed in California, one in Arizona, one in Washington state, one in Wisconsin, two in Illinois and one in Massachusetts,” Marissa Iati writes on the Washington Post, just one of the many news stations making live coronavirus updates.

At the end of January, the World Health Organization deemed coronavirus a global health emergency and advised travelers to stay away from Wuhan.

Although that alone seems like cause for panic, coronavirus being a threat to those outside of China is still a low risk. The disease does not seem to be an immediate threat to Florida as of right now, but nevertheless, it is better safe than sorry.

The CDC provides a list of ways to reduce the risk of contracting the disease on their website. These preventive measures include washing your hands multiple times throughout the day, avoiding close contact with those who are sick, staying home when you feel sick yourself, and more.

Even if it is not an immediate threat at the moment, it is better and safer to keep a note of it in the back of the mind, for the sake of ourselves and everyone around us.

A little concern never hurt anybody, however, carelessness and reckless behavior does. It’s not smart to downplay the fact that anyone is at risk of being infected, no matter how slim the chance.

Events for Passport credit can generally be found on Engage and can be found, hit or miss, on posters and other literature placed around campus. Most students

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“I think it would be better if it was required for freshmen, only to help them get more involved within their first year”

- Hannah Lewis, FSC senior know that Passport is something they have to complete each year, but may not be aware of their personal progress, except when we get near the end of the school year and it’s a scramble to complete whatever is left.

Graphic courtesy of flsouthern.edu

Students need to attend six different events in each passport category in order fulfill their passport credit requirements.

“I think it’s really important for students to get involved, but sometimes it’s hard to go to events if you’re off campus or involved in other organizations,” junior Jessi Forman said. “They also don’t advertise the Passport Program enough, so students usually forget about it and are stuck trying to do it all last minute.”

Florida Southern’s website advertised this on the page dedicated to the Passport Program: “As an added incentive, students will have their names placed into a drawing pool for a chance to win one of five $200 VISA gift cards at the end of the school year for each event attended beyond the minimum as tracked by The Center for Student Involvement.”

SOUTHERN The Student Voice of Florida Southern College

Florida Southern College 111 Lake Hollingsworth Dr. Lakeland, Florida 33801 Always on fscsouthern.com 863-680-4456 fscsouthern@gmail.com Editor-in-Chief

Jillian Kurtz

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News Editor

Taylor Wilson

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Features Editor Opinions Editor

Entertainment Editor Sports Editor

Centerspread Editor Advisor

Peter Edgar

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Abby McHenry

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Sophia Gonzalez

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Sam Odom

Sarah Oulman

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Christina DiGregory

Mike Trice

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The Southern is published once a month 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 FEBRUARY 21, 2020

FEATURES STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Alex Van Ryne

Panhellenic President Abby McHenry Features Editor The 2019-2020 academic year has see The 2019-2020 academic year has seen some changes in the recruitment process, one being formal recruitment period being changed from fall to the spring. Alex Van Ryne loves the Greek community as a whole and decided to embrace these changes as take on the role of Panhellenic President at Florida Southern.

Van Ryne is a member of the Eta Beta chapter of Gamma Phi Beta at FSC. She served as Panhellenic Affair Vice President for her chapter in 2019 and loved being able to work and continuing working with organizations outside of her own as Panhellenic President.

“I love that in my new role I can help work towards the growth and development of every single organization on campus,” Van Ryne said.

This year, Van Ryne said that FSC’s Panhellenic Council and Interfraternity Council are working on merging a little more to focus on Greek Life as a whole rather than two separate organizations.

This will include higher participation in each organization’s philanthropy weeks, a fraternity and sorority event together, and overall more involvement between IFC and Panhellenic.

Van Ryne said the Panhellenic Council is looking into several bylaws changes in the coming year, including some alterations to recruitment rules.

“I think sometimes there gets to be a little bit too many that get to be a little too nit-picky,” Van Ryne said.

“Sometimes they can get confusing for some people, or there’s so many to have to remember and abide by.”

Van Ryne wants the Greek community to be involved in the decision making process in order to initiate changes that benefit everyone in the coming year.

The Panhellenic Council holds general body meetings on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m., and any sorority member can attend.

Sorority members can also speak with their chapter’s Panhellenic Delegate about any Panhellenic related questions or concerns. The delegate can then bring this information to the Panhellenic Council.

“I really believe in Greek life can provide incredible leadership experience to its members, help develop a value in philanthropy, and overall give back to the community,” Van Ryne said.

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Wright approaches two decades at Southern Grace Newton Staff Writer As the longest-serving chaplain in Florida Southern College history, the Rev. Tim Wright, is leaving a legacy for students, even if he isn’t fully sure of his impact. As the head of the campus ministries offices at FSC, Wright has the opportunity to minister to and impact students each year through sermons, fellowship, and other activities.

“You are being in ministry to a group of people for a very specific and a very short amount of time,” Wright said. However, while the job of chaplain may seem straightforward, the FSC alumnus has more responsibilities than students might expect.

Wright has served 18 years in the position of chaplain. After transferring to FSC as an undergraduate, he continued on to Duke University Divinity School with the intention of pursuing his doctorate to become a theology professor. However, after multiple experiences chaperoning youth groups, Wright felt led to ministry.

Combining education with religious outreach, campus ministries was his “best of both worlds” situation. However, it took a few years for him to return to Lakeland.

“When I graduated, there wasn’t anything that was available that I was really interested in. The person who had this job still had it, so I was like, well, I guess timing isn’t right for that. So, I took an appointment in a local church,” Wright said.

The Melbourne native’s next appointment was in the Orlando district, where he met another pastor, who happened to be a member of the board of trustees at FSC. When the previous chaplain announced that they were leaving FSC, the board member recommended Wright to the president as a replacement.

“They did a national search, and it came down to three different people at the end of it, and I interviewed. So, it took me four years after graduating, but then my dream job became available, and I got it.”

While a few of Wright’s duties may seem obvious, such as preaching on Sundays and generally overseeing the campus ministries, he works in more than just a ministerial context. He also teaches in the religion department, serves as a counselor when needed, and is a member of the college presidential cabinet.

“That gives me various assignments as are warranted. Every year, I get on a couple of committees and task forces that are looking in different needs of the college, whether it be retention, graduation rates, behavior,” Wright said. “I was on the committee that did the Cornerstone. And I report directly to the president, so my job is whatever she tells me she needs done.”

As Wright’s position grew to include responsibilities outside ministry, he had to change his approach, which resulted in the creation of the associate chaplain position.

“If I was going to be needed in other areas, I wanted to make sure we still had someone who would be accessible to students and available the way I had been when I started. Finding that balance took some getting used to,” Wright said.

The current associate chaplain, Bryant Manning, attended FSC and was a student worker in Wright’s office. After Manning graduated from seminary at Duke, Wright asked him to come back to Florida. Now as colleagues, Manning says that Wright “was a voice for me.”

“He gave me a chance when I didn’t have a chance, he gave me a job and he was very influential in my life in my call to ministry,” Manning said.

While Wright’s job has changed with the addition of the associate chaplain, the role of chaplain still has some of the same jobs as a typical pastor. However, the audience and time frame differ. Working with undergraduates, he knows that his time with students is limited in terms of years.

“In a local church, you have the luxury of consistency. There are many members who have been at the church their entire lives. On a college campus, the most we get with students is four to five years,” Wright said.

While he acknowledges the limitations, the chaplain wants to make the most of his time with students. He said that one of the biggest things he’s learned from his job is patience.

“One of the things I appreciate so much about my job is working with 18 to 22-year-olds in whom I see so much potential and so many things that they can be doing in the life of the church and in the Kingdom (of God),” Wright said. “It really excites me, and I want them to reach that potential right now. And I’ve had to learn patience because, you know what, they have to go through their own growth.”

Over the years, Wright has left an impact on many students, whether it be as a pastor, mentor, teacher or counselor. “He was totally willing to help me excel in a career path and gave me all the information I needed,” sophomore Mellina Evert said.

The chaplain said that the most rewarding part of his job is watching students grow in their faith, as well as personally. However, he has also been influenced by the students of FSC. “Working with young people…I see their potential and I think of the way that they’re going to do things. It just gives me hope that all the ways that my generation might’ve screwed things up, that maybe the next generation’s going to come in and have an impact,” Wright said.

FSC is a historically United Methodistaffiliated school, making the position of chaplain a recognizable position within the institution. Those who have served before Wright have left legacies of their own, which could appear daunting to follow.

However, this chaplain doesn’t think about what he does in terms of legacy because he doesn’t think of what he does as belonging to him.

“If I had to pinpoint a legacy, everybody who I’ve ever had a chance to be in ministry with, if they knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that God loved them,” Wright said. “If this is the only place they ever heard that, and it came out of my mouth, and they saw it in what we’re trying to do here on campus, then I’d be pretty satisfied with that.”

Photo courtesy of FSC Chapel

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5 The Southern FEBRUARY 21, 2020

FEATURES

Strawberry Festival sweetens Lakeland springtime Genevieve Chiaramonte Staff Writer The Florida Strawberry Festival celebrates the blooming of strawberries and the town of Plant City, Florida on Feb. 27-Mar. 8.

According to Florida Rambler, Plant City has been known as the “Winter Strawberry Capital of the World.” The Strawberry festival celebrates its 85th Anniversary in 2020 with the theme being “Our Perfect Vision for 2020.”

They want to emphasize that 20/20 also means perfect eyesight and therefore envisioning a perfectly beautiful festival.

According to ABC News, each year around 500,000 people come to the Plant City festival.

“This is my first time going,” freshman Logan Neel said. “I’m thrilled to see what the Strawberry Festival is all about.”

Tickets are being sold in several grocery stores, and ticket prices go from eight dollars for adults and four dollars

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“It’s a fun tradition that Plant City has every year that brings families together that some families look forward to.”

-Kennedy Mathew, sophomore for children. The festival’s hours of operation are 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Ronney will be performing at the

Junior Gabby Liddel at the last Florida Strawberry Festival in 2019.

Senior Vanessa Lujan sips on a drink in her strawberry themed cup while riding the ferris wheel with a view of the Florida Strawberry Festival.

Strawberry Festival this year as well as Reba McEntire, Patti LaBelle, Charlie Wilson and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Florida Southern students have the chance to see some of the lineup before leaving for spring break.

The line up times for the performers on Feb. 27 include Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra at 10:30 a.m., The Oak Ridge Boys at 3:30 p.m., Rascal Flatts at 7:30 p.m. On Feb. 28, the festival hosts Tommy James & The Shondells at 3:30 p.m., and Michael Ray at 7:30 p.m.

In addition to the musical lineup, the festival has rides, art galleries, food places, and games. The festival has a market where you can buy candy, clothes, and different kinds of fruits.

The signature food at the festival is strawberry shortcake using homemade ingredients including Plant City strawberries in all the recipes.

Some students at Florida Southern College are very excited about the Florida Strawberry Festival.

“The food is excellent,” sophomore

Decorations enhance dorms Sophia Gonzalez Opinions Editor Just because college dorm decorating can be expensive for students, doesn’t mean that it has to be if it’s done properly.

Here are some tips for college students who are either just moving into their dorm rooms or who are looking to upgrade their college dorms without sacrificing a meal.

Florida Southern College senior Abby Paul maintains a pleasing aesthetic for dorm room decor without having to splurge on a lot of items. She uses her cutest personal belongings and arranges them so that they look aesthetically pleasing.

“I’m pretty minimalistic in decorating, so I just kind of use what I already have (hats, bags, etc.) and pick the cute ones to hang on the walls, then throw up a couple little posters of bands I really like,” Paul said.

Dorm decorating can also be fun. If a student dabbles in art and is willing to paint their own or make their own crafts can save a lot of money in comparison to buying separate decorations for the walls.

Students can also save money when they decorate their room by bringing items from home. This is a simpler method of decorating than creating art. This includes picture frames with friends and family or any sort of personal belongings that can be found back home. Bring the desk light

Photo courtesy of Vanessa Lujan

Photo courtesy of Gabby Liddel

from back home, rather than starting fresh and buying a brand new one.

“Decorations I’ve taken with me from home include all of my collectible comics,” sophomore Esteban Cepero said. “All semester the most eye-catching decorations on my wall have been my comics.”

Owning a flag or tapestry can cover a lot of wall space, as opposed to other wall decorations where one has to buy multiple items to fill up the empty space. Although some flags and tapestries aren’t always cost effective, a lot of them are nice and not too expensive. When looking for tapestries on Amazon.com Inc., the majority of them don’t exceed $15, and the same thing goes for dorm room flags.

“I think we should all have flags of some sort,” sophomore Kevin Medina said.

“A flag is a descriptive of who you are.

Whether it’s a national flag, sports flag, or random flag.”

Printing pictures with friends and family and sticking them on the wall is another cost effective method to fill up empty wall space.

This style of decoration is simple. The only thing one would need is tape to stick the pictures to the wall, and it only costs 34 cents to print 4X6 pictures. It’s also smart to save up some of the pictures from one’s polaroid to hang on the wall. They’re minimal effort, and they still make your room look good.

Kennedy Mathews said. “It’s a fun tradition that Plant City has every year that brings families together that some families look forward to. It also gives friends and college students a chance to go because it’s not too much money.”

The Florida Strawberry Festival is coming up soon and there will be several performances throughout the eleven-day celebration. The festival is ready for everyone to see what their slogan Our Perfect Vision for 2020 brings to the Strawberry Festival this year.

Valentines craft night draws artists and non-artists alike Jessica Stalter Staff Writer On February 7, Florida Southern students gathered in Edge 201 to create crafts at a Valentines Craft Night event hosted by the Art for the Non-Artist club.

“Art for the Non-Artist (ANA) strives to provide a safe, judgement free zone for students to create art.” ANA president and co-founder, Sarah Tomlinson said.

“Students will be given an opportunity to learn artistic skills at their own rate with no pressure. ANA provides an outlet for students to find new passions, share their

“

“Art for the Non-Artist is a neat club because people of all different skill levels can come and learn how to make fun crafts”

- Claire Dininger, freshman

creativity, and connect with other students with similar interests all in a stress and judgement free environment.”

This event gave students the opportunity to gather together and hang out while crafting.

“We wanted to do a holiday themed craft night to get people excited for Valentine’s Day. We also knew that it was at the end of a week where a lot of teachers scheduled, so we wanted to provide a destress night for FSC students,” Tomlinson said.

Attendees were able to choose from a variety of Valentine’s crafts and activities including wooden picture frames and cutouts to paint or color, foam puppies with attachable clothing stickers, friendship bracelets and card making.

“I love all of the options we had for crafting, and how kind everyone is,” sophomore Ashley Jackson said.

There were materials available for making these cards and valentines such as construction paper, stylized paper, foam heart stickers, glitter glue, paint, crayons, markers and candy.

“I love how many options there were to choose from, my card would never have looked this good by myself,” senior Danielle Miller said.

The next event hosted by the club will be a Bob Ross painting party on February 28 in Edge at 5:30 p.m.

“Art for the Non-Artist is a neat club because people of all different skill levels can come and learn how to make fun crafts,” freshman Claire Dininger said.

The Southern FEBRUARY 21, 2020

CENTER

6

Exhibit runs from Feb. 8 until May 31 at the Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College “Entrance to Music and Dance in Painting of the Dutch Golden Age”

Photo by Grace Newton

Grace Newton Staff Writer

On Feb. 8, a collection of 17th century Dutch art was presented for the first time at the Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College.

The exhibit consists of twenty-seven oil paintings from the Golden Age, depicting music and dance, located throughout the two main galleries of the museum. Created with the Hoogsteder Museum Foundation from the Netherlands, a large amount of the works are from private collections. The subjects of the works show musical instruments, diverse dance styles and the music and dance of daily life in the 17th century.

Dr. Alexander Rich, the head of the Florida Southern College Art History program, also serves as curator of the museum. While he has worked with many different exhibits, this exhibit has been over two years in the making.

“Our first collaboration with Hoogsteder Museum was in June 2017, when we relaunched as an academic museum, affiliated with Florida Southern,” Rich said.

“Before he left, we were already talking about the next one.”

According to polkmuseumofart.org, the museum’s mission is to be “a teaching museum that enhances lives through inspirational and engaging art experiences for all.” This academic approach contributed to the decision of the subject matter.

“We knew as an academic museum and one affiliated with FSC… and for the public, we thought the crossdisciplinary work would attract different people,” Rich said.

Focusing on the Dutch Golden Age, the works come from the first time when artists were sought out by the public. However, they also honed their craft and created fantastic and timeless works. The use of oil throughout the exhibit reflects the processes of the time.

“The use of oil paint and brilliant pigment was relatively new in the 1600s,” Rich said. “If you went 100 years back, you’d have minimal use of oil as a medium.”

A particular draw of this exhibit is the exclusivity of the works.

“They’re from private collections, so if you don’t see them in this exhibit, you never will,” Rich said.

“Still Life with Musical Instruments and a Lidded Porcelain Pot” by Jurriaan van Streeck

“Landscape with Dancing Peasants” by Lucas van Auden and David Teniers II (above) “Peasants Making Merry Outside a Tavern” by Isaac

7 The Southern FEBRUARY 21, 2020

While the works are over 400 years old, Rich believes that the idea that music and dance were part of Dutch daily life should resonate with how integral music and dance are today. With this exhibit, he hopes to show visitors something new.

“I want people to know that this is the largest show in many ways that we have ever done at the Polk Museum of Art, in that it is including rarely seen works from private collections throughout Europe with a theme that many don’t associate with the visual arts,” Rich said.

The exhibit has only been open a short time, but it has already thrilled the public, including FSC students.

Moriah Quint, a freshman graphic design and film major, saw the exhibit on its first day, and she hopes many others will take advantage of the opportunity to see the works.

“The new exhibit is incredibly intriguing because of how unique and special it is as a one-of-a-kind exhibit,” Quint said. “Its focus on music and dance of the Dutch Golden Era brings an enrichment of culture and society that is explored not only in high-class society, but low-class as well. To see these magnificent works in person is truly a delight.”

“Music and Dance in Painting of the Dutch Golden Age” is open now at the Polk Museum of Art and runs through May 31. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Tuesday to Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

Admission to the museum is free for all visitors.

CENTER

“Interior of the St Laurenskerk, Rotterdam”

by Anthony de Lorme “Palace Garden with Dancing Company and Musicians”

by Louis de Caullery

van Ostade (right)

The Southern FEBRUARY 21, 2020

8

ENTERTAINMENT

‘Jazz Faculty Highlights’ engage students and viewers alike Kenzie Carlson Staff Writer On Feb. 12 Florida Southern faculty member Dr. Jeff Benatar from the Florida Southern music department took part in the first Jazz Faculty Highlights event on campus. Benatar put this event together with the help of both full time and adjunct professors in the music department.

The efforts of professors such as Dr. Brian Brink, History of Jazz professor Paul Butcher, applied instructor of Saxophone Valerie Gillespie, applied Drum Set instructor Ian Goodman, and applied Jazz Bass instructor Jay Mueller brought this performance together.

Of the eight pieces performed at the event, my favorites included “A Darker Hue of Blue,” which was arranged by Benatar himself, and “Interface,” as well as Benatar’s own “Hanky Swanky.”

I enjoyed these pieces for their tempo and the variance of instruments used in each piece.

“Hanky Swanky” specifically stood out to me because of the heavy ties to Hank Jones and his music.

The concert was entertaining for viewers like me, but also encouraging to FSC jazz students like John Pirillo who plays lead trumpet.

“Watching him perform is really inspiring and encourages me to better my personal performance skills,” Pirillo said.

“Hanky Swanky” specifically stood out to me because of the heavy ties to Hank

Jones and his music.

The performance, Benatar notes, is the fastest part of the whole preparation process.

The performance is where the musicians have to trust all of their hard work and become confident with their abilities on stage.

“Watching Dr. Benatar perform along with the other faculty really set some great examples for myself and my peers,” Pirillo said. “He’s a phenomenal professor who

“

“Watching him perform is really inspiring and encourages me to better my personal performance skills.”

- John Pirillo lead trumpet has the talent to back up his teaching.”

The setlist included eight songs and all of the music played was either inspired by or written by Hank Jones.

“I arranged four of the pieces we played last night and that was my way of putting my own personal spin/understanding on the Music of Hank Jones,” Benatar said. “I also wrote the closing piece “Hanky Swanky” based on this deep study and investigation into the music of Hank Jones.”

In order to make the performance come to life, Benatar had to first do research.

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Photo by Kenzie Carlson Audience members wait for the performance to begin in the Anne MacGregor Jenkins Recital Hall on Feb. 12.

“This involves researching the history, importance, and characteristics of the artist, era or type of music you are preparing,” Benatar said. “This includes online research, reading, listening to interviews, watching YouTube videos and listening and detailing recordings.”

Picking his topic is just as important, and usually happens after Benatar completes his research.

“This usually involves selecting which pieces you’d like to play, transcribing any pieces that are not published, deciding what instrumentation you would like for each piece, writing specific arrangements

of the pieces and organizing the pieces in a cohesive set,” Benatar said.

Benatar also has to consider logistical aspects of performance.

“This involves coordinating a rehearsal time, booking the hall, organizing a sound check, preparing an efficient rehearsal plan, editing and double checking all individual parts, distributing parts and recordings and crystallizing one’s vision for the performance,” Benatar said.

Through Benatar’s “Hanky Swanky,” I could see his affinity for Jones as well as better understand Jones’ importance in the jazz field.

FSC students experience the daring ‘Three Musketeers’ Emily Fournier Staff Writer On Feb. 12 a group of Florida Southern students saw a rendition of the “Three Musketeers” at the Orlando Shakespeare theater through the Discover Florida program.

The theater describes the show as “a story of double crossing, kidnappings, and carefully guarded secrets, complete with lavish sword fights and sweeping romance,” and they did not disappoint.

While the bus ride over, which was free with sign up, was quiet as everyone waited in anticipation to make it to the theater, the performance was boisterous and captivating. The sword fights and lavish costumes were close enough to touch, as Discover Florida was able to obtain seats positioned behind a balcony. At times, the actors would run across, as their characters fought over diamonds or were chased by thieves.

“I’ve been here three or four times, and I’ve always enjoyed it,” sophomore Jollice Boyd said. “The sets and choreography was amazing, and I really enjoyed it.”

The theater, also known as the Orlando Shakes, is known for its performances of William Shakespeare’s classic plays.

However, Shakespeare is not the only playwright whose works they put on.

The “Three Musketeers,” for instance, is adapted from a novel written by Alexandre Dumas.

Discover Florida continuously takes full advantage of the Orlando Shakes’ shows. Usually in conjunction with the English department, it has gone to see such Shakespeare performances as “Twelfth

Night,” “Hamlet” and “Love’s Labour’s Lost.” Every show is free for Florida Southern students who sign up and includes transportation to and from the theater.

“I love that the school offers free trips

“

“I love that the school offers free trips to see plays. This theater always has good acting and strong performances.”

- Tia Amos FSC junior

to see plays,” junior Tia Amos said. “This theater always has good acting and strong performances.”

With Discover Florida giving students a chance to attend shows such as these, at little to zero cost, it is surprising that more students do not take advantage of this service.

Seeing shows such as the “Three Musketeers” allows students to experience literary history in a fun and entertaining way.

Hopefully Florida Southern will continue this tradition of seeing more performances at the Orlando Shakes.

If you do not want to miss out on the daring adventure, The “Three Musketeers will run at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater until March 22.

9 The Southern FEBRUARY 21, 2020

ENTERTAINMENT

Documentary tells of murder and stardom Vanessa Alvarez Staff Writer Netflix released its latest documentary “Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez” detailing the rise and fall of NFL star and convicted murderer Aaron Hernandez.

The documentary captivating fans everywhere takes a different approach to the stereotypical narrative of a documentary by honing in on the psychological details rather than the simple story. In a span of three episodes, Hernandez’s life and death is explained in chronological order beginning with his early life in Bristol, Connecticut to his historic career at the University of Florida and ends at his death in a Connecticut correctional facility.

Hernandez began playing for the University of Florida at a mere seventeen years old and was later drafted to play for the NFL at just 20 years old. During his time at UF, Hernandez played the position of tight end alongside Heisman trophy recipient and quarterback, Tim Tebow. He contributed to two of UF’s BCS National Championships.

Phone calls between Hernandez and family members while in jail, personal interviews with friends and family, as well as live footage from Hernandez’s outings piece together his death. The “why” of Hernandez’s crimes are answered from many viewpoints and components of his life are called into question more specifically regarding his drug use, sexuality and mental health.

“The only thing I didn’t like about the documentary is that they tried to pin a lot of it on his oppressiveness of his sexuality,” said nursing major Annie Gustafson. “They’re outing someone who never publicly outed themselves which is disrespectful to that

To All The Boys 2

Photo courtesy of Netflix

Aaron Hernandez in the documentary ‘Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez.’

person. It’s not right of the documentary to exploit that because that’s someone’s soul. Even though he is a terrible person, he didn’t deserve that.”

Aside from being a true-crime series, the documentary brings a heavy awareness to degenerative brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The disease heavily impacts individuals, mostly men at this point, who participate in high impact sports that cause heavy and repeated brain trauma.

“The fact that he was only in his early 20’s with brain damage equivalent to someone who had been playing football for about 30 years is absolutely insane,” Gustafson said. “It doesn’t acquit him of his crimes, he chose the path that made him a murder.”

According to the Concussion Foundation, symptoms of CTE include depression, aggression and suicidal thoughts, all of which Hernandez expressed, and became evident in his phone calls and criminal history.

“Aaron Hernandez’s story is just one tragic dialogue that is being used to promote the life-altering effects of CTE,” psychology major Olivia Kerper said. “Hopefully this documentary will shed a light on the importance of safety precautions in high-impact sports.”

This documentary appears to pin the NFL and collegiate football legend as a victim through tales of abuse and oppression while ensuring audiences recall his wrongdoings.

Similar to other documentaries, “Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez” captures Hernandez’s life through individuals close to the subject and includes previous tapes from court cases and interviews. Rather than solely centering the documentary on the suspect, however, a bit of light is shed on the victim, Odin Lloyd.

This article continues online.

To read the rest, visit fscsouthern.com

‘Little Women’ leaves room for viewer choice Emily Fournier Staff Writer Greta Gerwig’s 2019 film adaptation of “Little Women” is currently up for six Oscar nominations, including “Best Actress,” “Best Supporting Actress,” and the all-important “Best Picture.” While the film is adapted from Louisa May Alcott’s best selling 1868 novel of the same name, it uses creative choices to further demonstrate the book’s original stance on the lack of female presence in “men’s” spheres, such as the literary world.

The film, as well as the novel, follows the March sisters as they grow up under their mother’s guidance, portrayed by Laura Dern, while their father fights in the American Civil War for much of the plot. However, Gerwig plays with timelines by beginning the film in the middle of the story.

The first scene shows the main character and aspiring author, Jo March, played by Saoirse Ronan, trying to sell a short story to a prominent New York editor. We see her squirming under the editor’s intense scrutiny of a female author and his need to heavily edit her work, before buying it. This opening scene does not just manipulate Alcott’s original plot line, but prepares the audience for themes of gender inequality that runs rampant through the rest of the film.

From this moment forward, Gerwig goes back and forth between the March girls’ adult lives, as seen in the first scene, and their adolescent years.

“Pu[t] Alcott’s sunnier and sadder sides in conversation with each other” David

WHAT’S NEW

Sims writes in the Atlantic about the film’s timeline jumping.

Their childhood is marked by brighter lighting, signifying the fresh possibilities that await them. Juxtaposed to this innocent time of their lives, their adult years are presented in grey and blue lighting, as each girl is exposed to the realities of adulthood.

Relationships, or lack thereof, become an important part of their older lives. But not in the way audiences would think.

The film continuously shows that during

“

“I think they casted Jo well, and I think [they] represented the literary characters well.”

- Lilly Langdon FSC Junior

this time period, marriage was important for women to have any standing in society.

Many of the characters lament this fact, including each of the March sisters.

Gerwig allows each of the sisters to go on their own journey of marriage and relationships by giving them the freedom of choice. As society is pushing on them to follow patriarchal standards, each sister makes decisions because they want to, not because they were told to do so.

For instance, Jo, always the rule breaker, chooses to forgo marriage and write a novel about her family, even at moments where marriage seems to be the easier option.

Meg, the oldest sister, is played by Emma Watson, while she goes the traditional route

as a wife and mother, chooses to marry someone of a lower class.

The ambiguous ending of the film also gives audiences the choice of how they think Jo’s story ends. Alcott’s novel shows Jo giving in to defeat and marrying a professor. The film allows the audience to decide whether they want this to be her final moment or not, and depicts her in an alternate scenario.

The film is being praised for Gerwig’s changes to the original plot, especially the ending.

“The very intricacy of the mosaic-like structure is a declaration from the outset that there’s nothing simple or inevitable about the paths and details of these women’s lives,” Richard Brody said in an article for the New Yorker.

Some Florida Southern students were expecting to relive a classic favorite, while others were unsure of what “Little Women” had in store.

“As a literature major, I think it was well done,” junior Lilly Langdon said. “I think they casted Jo well, and I think [they] represented the literary characters well.”

“I knew it would be a timepiece comprised of a female ensemble cast and that’s pretty much it,” senior Kimberlee Knight said.

“The movie has received so much attention that I went in expecting an amazing film and I did not leave disappointed.”

It is through Gerwig’s own creative choices that audiences are shown women who fight against their lack of free will and make choices for the betterment of their happiness. We should all come away from the film believing in Jo March’s indignant belief that women have minds and talent.

“To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You” (2020) follows Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor) as she navigates her and Peter Kavinsky’s (Noah Centineo) newly established relationship. As the two figure out relationship dynamics, John Ambrose (Jordan Fisher), another one of Lara Jean’s childhood crushes, walks back into her life. The third and final installment of the series was already filmed, but the release has not was not announced.

Locke & Key “Locke & Key” is a Netflix Original Series about three siblings moving into a house the father inherited. Upon moving in the family discovers numerous keys that give them magical abilities, as well as a foreboding presence in the house.

Parasite wins at Oscars “Parasite” won best picture at the Academy Awards, and was the first non-English and South Korean film to do so. The other Oscars “Parasite” won were best director, best original screenplay, and best international feature film. The film was also the first foreign language film to earn best ensemble at the SAG Awards.

Sonic the Hedgehog “Sonic the Hedgehog” is now in theatres after its delayed release. Sonic (Ben Schwartz) finds himself on earth after evading villains on his planet.

He meets Tom Wachowski (James Marsden) and enlists his help to prevent Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) from using his powers for evil.

Justin Bieber’s new album: ‘Changes’ Justin Bieber released his new album “Changes” on Feb. 14. The album has 17 tracks, including Bieber’s highly criticized “Yummy.” Bieber “Changes” tour begins in Seattle, Washington on May 14.

The Southern FEBRUARY 21, 2020

SPORTS

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United States Olympic Softball team visits FSC USA Softball kicks off Stand Beside Her Tour

Sarah Oulman Sports Editor The United States Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) began the Stand Beside Her Tour with a stop at Florida Southern’s Chris Bellotto Field at the Barnett Athletic Complex on Feb. 1.

The Olympic USA women’s softball team took the field to prepare for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games during an open practice for the first stop on their tour.

All 18 members of the roster, along with the coaching staff, participated in batting practice and simulated game situations.

“It is the beginning of the journey,” Team USA head coach Ken Eriksen said in a statement with The Ledger. “We’re at the bottom of the mountain right now.

To come out and have the enthusiasm, the energy, the wherewithal on day one (was pretty good). Having the veterans here, it wasn’t like a first day of spring training with rookies. You just basically fell back into your skill sets. Now’s the time to just polish (those skills) like crazy.”

The Stand Beside Her Tour had multiple stops in Florida this month, including a scrimmage with University of South Florida, the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic, a scrimmage with University

of Florida and St. Pete Clearwater Elite Invitational.

For the first time since 2008, softball will be returning to the Olympic roster.

For veterans on the Women’s National Team, this may be the last time that they will compete for an Olympic medal, as the Paris 2024 Olympics will not include softball on the roster.

“We were elated, needless to say, when they wanted to come here,” Florida Southern College softball head coach Chris Bellotto said. “It’s neat for the community, because you can be this up-close and personal [with the team].

Everything about it was a very positive experience, and we were happy they were here.”

The Stand Beside Her Tour features 35 stops throughout the United States and will finish on June 25 in Salem, Virginia.

Over 500 free tickets were issued for the public practice on Feb. 1 at Florida Southern, while the United States Women’s National Team also held a private practice at the field earlier in the week.

The open practice provided an oppotunity to bring the Lakeland community to Florida Southern’s Barnett Athletic Complex to watch the Olympic team.

“I do know that some of our

administrators had said that was probably one of the best events we’ve ever hosted,” Bellotto said. “It was a very positive experience for everybody, and like I said, what a neat thing for the girls to know that they’re going to be representing the Olympics.”

For Florida Southern College’s softball team, the opportunity to see and interact with the Olympic team was a unique experience.

“

“I do know that some of our administrators had said that was probably one of the best events we’ve ever hosted.”

- Chris Bellotto, FSC Softball Head Coach

Despite the national team’s busy tour schedule and practice times, they made time to talk with Florida Southern athletes, while showing students and the community what it takes to participate in an Olympic game.

Additionally, the players even took

to social media to show off the Chris Bellotto Field and promote the free event to the public, as well as Florida Southern College students.

“They were very focused with their practice, but we got a chance to talk to them some, and the girls got a chance to see how hard they practice so it was a really neat experience that way,” Bellotto said. “I noticed on Instagram that some of them were even posting pictures of the field and how pretty it was, so from a recruiting perspective, that’s awesome.

Any time you have the Olympic team saying how great our field is, that’s a good thing.”

The United States Softball Women’s National Team’s tour will continue next with stops at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic Feb. 20-23 and an exhibition doubleheader against Cal State San Marcos and UC San Diego on March 8.

Florida Southern College softball lost both games of its first SSC doubleheader against Florida Tech last weekend. The Mocs (5-5, 0-3 SSC) fell quickly in the first game and were defeated in the second game by the Panthers (4-7, 3-0 SSC) despite an early 1-0 lead.

This week, the Mocs will face Western Ontario for another doubleheader at the Chris Bellotto Field at the Barnett Athletic Complex on Feb. 21.

Women’s Lacrosse opens 2020 season with a win Sarah Oulman Sports Editor Florida Southern College women’s lacrosse began the 2020 season with a victory over Young Harris College in a non-conference match on Feb. 14.

The No. 8 Mocs (1-0) maintained a 11-0 lead over the Mountain Lions (1-1), defeating Young Harris College 18-6.

The Mocs, with an initial lead of 11-0, were led by senior Marina Jozokos, who scored five points on three goals and two assists.

Ten other Mocs also scored during the game, in which Sandy Grady, Brenna Smith, Grace Glinecki and Katie Yeagle scored multiple goals.

Florida Southern junior Maliah Benedetto won the opening draw on Friday, while Jozokos scored the first goal of the 2020 season with 28:34 on the clock. Soon after, the Mocs secured a 3-0 lead in just 53 seconds after Glinecki and Benedetto fired the next two goals.

The team continued to capitalize on the early momentum, reaching an 11-point lead before sophomore Taylor Greenberg scored Young Harris College’s first goal of the game.

Florida Southern College freshman Madison Tare finished out the first half of the game by scoring her first collegiate goal in the last two minutes of the first half, raising the Mocs to 12-1.

With the season now in full swing, Florida Southern College women’s lacrosse coach Kara Reber is prepared for an exciting season with the team this spring.

“I’m excited for this season because I don’t think that many teams really know what to expect from us, since we’ve lost

our All-Americans,” Reber said. “We do have a senior class of 13 who have had three full years of experience under them, and I think that they’re ready to step up for the challenge this year.”

This comes after the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) Preseason Coaches Poll placed the Mocs in third place for the season in the eight-team league, while the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) ranked the team No. 8 in its Top 25 list.

“It’s always great to be recognized as one of the top teams in the country, but again, that’s all coaches’ opinion polls,” Reber said. “It’s just something that we know we want to work to make sure that we finish at the highest level that we can each season.”

With 40 points and one first place vote,

Florida Southern follows behind Rollins College and University of Tampa in the 2020 SSC Preseason Poll.

During the 2019 season, Florida Southern College, Rollins College and University of Tampa each finished with a 5-1 league record, leading all three teams to share the 2019 SSC regular-season championship.

University of Tampa continued to win the 2019 SSC tournament, beating out Rollins College during the semifinals along with Florida Southern College in the championship final.

The Mocs were also ranked No. 8 in the IWLCA Coaches Poll with 471 total points, after a final record of 16-4 during the 2019 season and an appearance in the NCAA Regional Semifinals.

Florida Southern was joined in the

Photo courtesy of Mikaela Queen / FSC Athletics

Marina Jozokos in the 2018 NCAA National Championship game against LeMoyne at the University of Tampa.

IWLCA Coaches Poll by three other SSC programs, including Rollins College, University of Tampa and Saint Leo University.

The Mocs have a challenging season ahead of them, as they are facing nine teams that had previously advanced to the NCAA Championships during the 2019 season.

The team will also be facing seven of the top ten ranked teams in the IWLCA Coaches’ Poll, including Adelphi, Regis, Queens, Tampa, Rollins, Lindenwood and Mercy.

Despite the 2020 season’s difficult schedule, Reber feels that the team is well-prepared and equipped to face-off against some of the top-ranked teams in the program.

“I think our goal this year is to really focus on playing as a team and improving ourselves each game,” Reber said. “Really working on the chemistry, being there for each other and cheering for other people’s successes is kind of the number one thing that we want to focus on this year.”

Florida Southern concluded its twogame road stand with a neutral site game against the University of Indianapolis on Feb. 16, where the Mocs fell 15-14 in double overtime.

Indianapolis scored a goal to tie the game with less than one secon remaining on the clock and managed to snag another goal in the second overtime to defeat Florida Southern.

The loss drops Florida Southern to 1-1, while No. 12 Indianapolis moves up to 1-0.

Florida Southern College women’s lacrosse will face Lindenwood on Feb. 23 and Seton Hill on Feb. 29 at home on the Mocassin Field.

11 The Southern FEBRUARY 21, 2020

Hanson looks back on four years at FSC Mikaela Queen Staff Writer In August of 2016, Brett Hanson came to Florida Southern College from Manchester, New Hampshire as a 6’2” guard.

Hanson began playing basketball at the time he could walk. He said that the game has been a large part of his life from the beginning. He continued a family tradition as his father, Dave Hanson, played collegiate basketball at Plymouth State.

Approaching his collegiate career, Hanson had Division 2 (D2) schools in the south in the front of his mind. He felt that at a D2 school, he wouldn’t be just another number, but he would be able to have the opportunity to be a playmaker.

Hanson was familiar with Florida

Southern due to the fact that his older sister attended the school during his time of recruitment. He said that from the first moment of his visit, he could tell that this was a place he could be comfortable at.

“Coach Donnely and Coach Mak showed me I was a priority from the beginning,” Hanson said.

During his first year at FSC, Hanson was named the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) Player of the Week once and was on the SSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

He saw the court in all 29 regular season games and made 20 starting appearances.

Hanson scored in double figures 22 times, reaching a season-high of 29 in a game against Embry-Riddle.

Hanson added more honors to his name during his second year as a Moc. He earned a spot on Second Team All-SSC,

Photo courtesy of Mikaela Queen / FSC Athletics

Brett Hanson scoring his 2,000th career point for the Mocs against EmbryRiddle Aeronautical University on Feb. 1.

SSC Defensive Player of the Week and SSC Player of the Week.

He started in 31 of 32 games and scored in double-digits 29 times with an average of 18 points per game. Hanson scored 575 points during his second season, which ranked him 58th in the nation and fifth in the SSC for total points scored in one season.

In his third year, Hanson was named SSC offensive and defensive player of the week, NABC All-South Second Team, D2CCA All-South Second Tea, SSC Tournament MVP, All SSC Second Team, NABC Honors Court and SSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll. He started in all 33 games, leading the Mocs in seven statistical categories. He averaged 17.9 points a game and shot 49.4 percent from the floor. Hanson ranked seventh in the nation and second in the SSC for total minutes played (1200:51). He also broke the Florida Southern men’s basketball record for total minutes played in one season.

In his current season, Hanson has continued to break records as a senior. He now averages 21.9 points per game and has been named SSC Player of the Week three times. In addition, Hanson was marked in the record books as the third player in Mocassin basketball history to record 2,000 career points. Hanson said that it was a great milestone to hit considering all the sacrifice that lead up to it.

“Things from my parents driving me all over the place for games, to spending hours in the gym during the summer all add up and it feels great to see some success from that,” Hanson said.

After graduation, Hanson anticipates continuing his basketball career playing professionally at some level.

Esports joins the Peach Belt Conference Lee Patterson Staff Writer Florida Southern esports has joined the 2020 Peach Belt Conference for League of Legends.

The Peach Belt Conference, which has been hosting esports events since 2018, has welcomed Florida Southern College as associate members for this year’s League of Legends tournament.

FSC began its esports journey in 2018 when it became the first college in Florida to have an official varsity esports team.

League of Legends was one of the starting rosters introduced, but this is the first year they’ve participated in the Peach Belt Conference.

“It’s nice that some people recognize the program now,” esports player Anna Patterson said, “I’m hoping we will continue to grow, and that it will become something Florida Southern is known for.”

The Peach Belt Conference hosts a number of athletic events including cross country, tennis, baseball, and most recently esports.

Since 2018, the conference has added to their lineup for esports, giving them a total of 16 teams for this year’s tournament.

This includes last year’s winners, USC Aiken, who Florida Southern has already faced in their first game of the season.

Florida Southern, along with North Georgia, are at the top of the rankings with six wins. The top teams are closely followed by USC Aiken and Montevallo.

After the finals of the Peach Belt Conference, the top two teams

SPORTS

UPCOMING GAMES Men’s Basketball 02.26 vs. Tampa 02.29 vs. PBA

Women’s Basketball 02.26 vs. Tampa 02.29 vs. PBA

Men’s Tennis 02.21 vs. Bates 02.22 vs. Lynn 02.25 vs. Davenport 03.02 vs. Findlay 03.04 vs. Grand Valley St.

Women’s Tennis 02.22 vs. Nova Southeastern 02.25 vs. Davenport 02.29 vs. Newberry 03.01 vs. Tiffin 03.02 vs Clarion

Softball 02.21 vs. Western Ontario* 02.28 vs. Nova Southeastern 02.29 vs. Nova Southeastern* 03.03 vs. Lander* 03.06 vs. Tampa

Baseball 02.21 vs. Tampa 02.22 vs. Tampa* 02.26 vs. UMN Crookston 02.28 vs. Barry 02.29 vs. Barry* 03.03 vs. Saginaw Valley

Men’s Lacrosse Photo courtesy of Lee Paterson

Florida Southern League of Legends player Garrett Benett preparing for the Mocs inaugural PBC campaign. will have the opportunity to advance to the collegiate League of Legends National Playoffs.

Florida Southern’s League of Legends team versed USC Aiken and Young Harris in their first games of the series. The Mocs won both games 2-0 and were able to do the same the following weekend against Georgia Southwestern and Hawaii-Pacific.

This past weekend, the Mocs also took their matches against Harrison State and Lander University, leaving FSC as one of two teams that’s currently undefeated.

“Last week was really good because we had some really decisive wins, were in control of all the games and communicated uncharacteristically well,” esports player Chris Vickers said. “If we can continue

to do that we’ll go really far this tournament.”

The esports team is currently scheduled for games until March 21. Despite their success in the first weeks of the tournament, Vickers explains that the team is trying to treat every game with the same respect to avoid getting overconfident and dropping a game.

The rise of The Mocs esports scene has been one that’s up and coming, but has become more prevalent over the last few semesters, as the program is reaching out and participating in increasingly more tournaments. The goal is that the teams will continue to perform and increase interest in the sport among Florida Southern College students.

02.22 vs. Tampa 02.29 vs. Montevallo 03.04 vs. Saint Rose 03.08 vs. Mount Olive

Women’s Lacrosse 02.23 vs. Lindenwood 02.29 vs. Seton Hill 03.02 vs. Queens 03.04 vs. Wingate 03.06 vs. Regis * designates double header games For additional game information, visit fscmocs.com

The Southern FEBRUARY 21, 2020

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