March 22, 2019

OUTHERN S The Student Voice of Florida Southern College

Non Profit Org. US Postage PAID Permit 38 Lakeland, FL

FRIDAY, March 22, 2019 VOL. 133, NO. 12

Potential new saftey app, Steak ‘n Shake confirmed FSC celebrates annual Florida Strawberry Festival Mady Lauderman Staff Writer

Photo by Reems Landreth Vice President of Finance Terry Dennis answes a question from students regarding the Student Health Center at the spring 2019 Town Hall meeting in the Hollis Room on March 13. Jillian Kurtz Copy Editor At Student Government Association’s semesterly Town Hall meeting held on March 13, Florida Southern administrators addressed the official Steak ‘n Shake contract as well a potential mobile application through the safety department. Additional information regarding the addition of Steak ‘n Shake was commented on by Director of Food Services, Tim Raible. The location of the franchise has been confirmed to be in the place of the current cycling studio and 24 hour room. “We have the official signed contract from Steak ‘n Shake and the first preliminary design,” Raible said. “The hope will be that we can get all the work done during the summer so it will be open for the start of school.”

At the last Town Hall on Nov. 7, the possibility of Steak ‘n Shake was announced. In a follow up article on Feb. 16, the Southern reported that the Terrace Cafe was the most likely location, but that has since changed. Raible also announced that the walkway outside of Wynee’s Bistro will be screened in and outdoor seating will be available. Another dining question was raised inquiring how the yellow rice was cooked at locations across campus. “I assume you’re talking about the rice at the Buck Stop and it does have a chicken base,” Raible said. A question was posed regarding the new addition of requiring tickets for graduation and the potential of switching locations of the ceremony for future commencements. Dr. Anne Kerr asked students in attendance if they would be interested in having

graduation in Orlando or Tampa in an effort to alleviate the need for tickets. More students responded that they’d rather keep the event local. Vice President of Finance and Administration Terry Dennis responded to a question regarding the Student Health Center and announced the change in staffing and the new partnership with Lakeland Regional Health Systems. More information on this can be found here. Director of Safety and Security Bill Carew stated the potential to add a mobile application as an addition to the safety department. This app would possibly replace the current safety key fob. A follow up question was asked regarding what would happen in the case of no service or if your phone was dead. Carew responded that the details and kinks are still being worked out.

prime minister David Cameron vetoed an EU treaty and lobbied for renegotiating the UK’s membership in the EU. The Eurozone, which is a territory comprised of the 19 countries in the EU that use the euro, had been experiencing ongoing economic instability and migrant crises. A referendum was held in June 2016, in which the UK voted to leave the EU by a slim majority of 51.9 percent and on March 29, 2017, May signed and delivered the official order to the Council of the European Union to begin Britain’s two year plan to withdraw from the EU. The two year period between invoking Article 50 and the actual withdraw is meant to provide time for the country withdrawing to create a deal with the EU, ensuring a smooth exit and allowing the creation of a permanent trade relationship. However, members of parliament (MPs) have rejected May’s most recent divorce deal, which was also voted down in January

in the largest defeat in Parliament in recent history. On March 14, MPs voted to request a delay of the March 29 exit date from the EU as a result of Parliament’s rejection of a no-deal Brexit on March 13. This would create a three month extension, pushing the withdrawal date to June of 2019. “The EU has done everything it can to help get the Withdrawal Agreement over the line. The impasse can only be solved in the UK. Our ‘no-deal’ preparations are now more important than ever before,” the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier said via a post on Twitter. However, as tensions in the UK’s government and citizenry rise, May is believed to make several last ditch efforts to have Brexit approved before the March 29 deadline. Despite the long history of Brexit, it appears that the political spectacle is only just beginning.

Brexit delayed after Parliament rejects ‘no-deal’ Alex Zimmer Staff Writer

British lawmakers have rejected the possibility of Britain exiting the European Union without a deal in place, making delays to Brexit inevitable. Prime Minister Theresa May first announced plans for Britain to exit the EU in October 2016. This would be done by invoking Article 50 of the Treaty of European Union, which states that “any Member State may decide to withdraw from the Union in accordance with its own constitutional requirements.” Though Brexit has been a recent matter, it has a long history. In 1963, Britain joined several other countries in the European Economic Community (EEC) which was created in the wake of World War II to create economic and trade cooperation in Europe. Several decades of economic and market conflict passed until, in 2011, then UK

SOCIAL MEDIA

@fscsouthern

Plant City, Florida recently wrapped up their annual Strawberry Festival which ran from Feb. 28 through March 10. According to Plant City’s Chamber of Commerce, the festival originated in 1930 and has been annually celebrated since 1948. Each year, over 500,000 people attend the festival to partake in activities, attend shows and enjoy the strawberries that are the focal point of the celebration. Attending the festival, one can find unique ways to enjoy the local produce. Options range from the simple plain strawberry, to homemade strawberry shortcake, to a strawberry sandwich, consisting of a hamburger topped with strawberry mayonnaise and relish with other traditional burger toppings. “I love the eats. The food is my favorite part of the festival,” Plant City local and f Melanie Melendez said. Melendez helps work a strawberry booth at the festival every year, and this year she worked for Strawberry Sensation Farm. Visitors can also view competitions such as the strawberry de-stemming contest or the strawberry shortcake eating contest. There are also many livestock shows to attend as well. This year marked the first official Battle of the Bands, where different bands performed and competed against each other. Performance attendance was free with the purchase of gate admission tickets. Acts this year consisted of G.W. Souther, Almost There, Kayla Ember, DBMK, and more. Almost There, the winning band, received $10,000 as well as 25 hours of recording time with All Access Recording. “They were ones to be reckoned with and deserve all of it” said Josh Trunzo, a member of competing band DBMK and local to Plant City. Locals and attendees loved the competition and are eager for next year’s competition and artist lineup. “It was was incredible experience to be able to participate in the first of many [Battle of the Bands]” said Trunzo, “the Strawberry Festival was an awesome change of scenery and a thrilling new experience.” Along with Battle of the Bands, the festival featured other headline acts such as STYX and NEEDTOBREATHE. Festival attendees could purchase tickets to see these acts and others for an extra fee along with gate ticket admission. The dates and entertainment for the 2020 Strawberry Festival have yet to be announced, but general and future information can be found at flstrawberryfestival.com.

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The Southern MARCH 22, 2019

NEWS

BRIEFS Student Life Award nominations open FSC’s annual Honors Celebration has been re-named the Student Life Awards. The event will take place April 11 and attendance requires an RSVP on Engage, as seating is limited. Nominations are live on Engage for individual students or organizations that showed noteworthy activity this year.

La Francophonie Day held at Polk Museum The Polk Museum of Art at FSC is hosting La Francophonie Day on March 23 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free to the public and counts as Fine Arts Passport Credit. Attendees will learn about the French language and culture as well as experience presentations and performances following the Francophone theme.

Religion Dept hosts symposium FSC’s Department of Religion and Philosophy will host their next symposium on March 27. The symposium will be themed on Feminism and Scripture. Three guest speakers from Emory, Notre Dame, and Duke will lecture, the first beginning at 1 p.m. and the last beginning at 7 p.m.

FSC Dance: Then and Now FSC’s Dance Program will open “Then and Now” this weekend. Shows are at 7 p.m. on Saturday and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. The show will feature an abbreviated version of Swan Lake. Tickets are free for students and attendance counts as Fine Arts Passport Credit.

Fiat Lux held at new time FSC’s Association of Honors Students will host Fiat Lux on April 24. Presentations will consist of honors thesis proposals and final presentations, as well as poster presentations and many more. In a change from past years, presentations will begin at 12 p.m. and continue through 6 p.m. rather than being an all evening event.

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UMC decision sparks ongoing controversy Elisa White Staff Writer Following a February conference that resulted in a maintained ban on full inclusion of LGBTQ+ members, whether or not the United Methodist Church (UMC) will split is still unclear. On Feb. 26, UMC delegates from around the world voted to uphold a ban on the marriage of same-sex couples and the ordination of LGBTQ+ persons in the church. Members across the world expressed confusion over the church’s decision. Then, on March 14, the New York Times released a report that said that at least four of the votes in the 54 vote winning margin were cast by individuals who shouldn’t have been eligible to vote. Even more, the Judicial Council of the UMC has yet to declare the decision constitutional. They are expected to do so in April. Until then, the UMC hangs in a balance, with many church members unsure of what their future in the Church looks like. Bella Arango, a junior religion major, is inspired to stay based on her desire to see change happen.

“After the vote, I was super upset because I felt like there was no space for me in the United Methodist Church because I have this inclusivity that I want. And I want to be a great ally, but the church is hurting me,” Arango said. “But then I thought, if we don’t fight for this [LGBTQ+ inclusion], we’re not going to see it in our lifetime.” There is also a potential for the church

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“Not only do I think a split would be wise, but I also think it’s necessary.”

- Ben Juliano

to split over this decision. The Western Jurisdiction of the church, which encompasses the western half of the United States, has stated that they will not abide by the conference’s decision. Following the split, the conference said, “We acknowledge the harm inflicted during this Special Session of General Conference, especially towards our LGBTQI siblings...

we are committed to full inclusion of all God’s children in the body; we will not cut off a part of the body.” While a split is not guaranteed, some Methodists feel positively towards the idea. “Not only do I think a split would be wise, but I also think it’s necessary,” FSC sophomore and son of a UMC pastor Ben Juliano said. “The events in St. Louis a few weeks ago underlined divisions that have threatened to tear the Methodist church in this country apart for decades and they show no signs of ending. There comes a time, as painful as it may be, when it is necessary to part ways for the sake of the Gospel mission.” Until the church decision is finalized and concrete, it is hard to say what the UMC will look like going forward. According to Waite Willis, Florida Southern’s chair of the Department of Religion and Philosophy, Florida Southern is not expected to change its policies in response to the decision. “The school itself has its own policy that is not impacted by the vote of the General Conference. So the school will go right ahead being completely inclusive for employees as well as students,” Willis said.

Gay marriage laws vary across the world

MyLena Ferman Staff Writer

Despite many accomplishments, there are still places around the world in which homosexual relationships are banned or not protected by law. Same-sex marriage is only legal in about 19 percent of the world, with only 34 percent of regions allowing full protection against LGBT+ discrimination and 31 percent of regions having homosexual activity outlawed entirely, according to equaldex.com. Below are a list of different continents and some information on the status of homosexual relationships in each.

Africa: Six FSC students hail from different regions in Africa, a continent in which the majority of regions (58 percent) have outlawed homosexuality. In four countries, having a same-sex relationship is punishable by death. In 33 countries it is illegal and punishable by imprisonment. In Uganda, not only is engaging in same-sex relationships punishable by law, but also promoting them is illegal. The punishment is often seven years or more in prison, according to Amnesty International UK. In 23 countries, being homosexual is legal. South Africa is the only country that recognizes same-sex marriage. However, while eight African regions additionally recognize same-sex marriages, they are territories of Spain, Portugal, France and the UK.

Europe: 50 students from FSC come from countries in which homosexual activity is completely legal. There is no place in Europe which it is illegal to have samesex relationships; however, only 30% of Europe recognizes same-sex marriage while 62 percent has laws to protect against LGBT+ discrimination. Despite these high numbers, conversion therapy (a practice that aims to change

sexual orientation and gender identity) is only banned in 4% of Europe. Malta, one of the smallest countries in Europe, was the first European country to ban conversion therapy back in 2016. In 2018, the British Government banned conversion therapy as part of their LGBT Action Plan. It is still legal in the rest of Europe.

Asia: Eight FSC students are from one of the largest continents, Asia. It is legal to be homosexual in approximately 43 percent of Asia, though laws differ greatly from place to place with five regions criminalizing gay relationships but not lesbian ones. In eight regions, homosexual people may face whipping or death as punishment. Two countries in Asia recognize foreign same-sex marriages, the rest of Asia does not. However, Taiwan’s Constitutional Court gave the government until May 2019 to legalize same-sex marriage. They are currently pushing a bill that would grant same-sex couples legal protections similar to those afforded to heterosexual couples. The bill is facing backlash from conservative voters who had previously voted to reject same-sex marriage in referendums. They will be the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage. Russia legalized gay relationships in 1993 (female homosexual relationships were always legal) though it is illegal to promote homosexuality in any way and same-sex couples do not get the same protections as heterosexual couples do. In Chechnya, however, it is even more dangerous to be homosexual. The country has been known to abduct perceived homosexual people and send them to concentration camps where they may be imprisoned, tortured, or killed. The Head of the Chechen Republic denied the abductions and the existence of homosexual men in the region.

North America: Majority of FSC students come from North America simply from being a citizen of the USA. 24 students, though,

come from various other countries in North America such as Mexico, Canada, Jamaica, and other regions. North America has legalized homosexual relationships in 78 percent of the continent, 25 percent of regions legalized same-sex marriage, and 42 percent have laws to fully protect citizens against LGBT+ discrimination. Conversion therapy has only been banned by 6 percent of North America. In the USA, only five states have banned it (with one territory and various local laws), it is not banned in six states, and other US regions are ambiguous with their laws. In Canada, it is banned in three provinces and one city, though citizens are petitioning to create a federal ban.

South America: 10 FSC students come from South America, a continent which homosexual activity is 93 percent legal and same-sex marriages are recognized in 36 percent of the area. Additionally, 50 percent of the area protects fully against LGBT+ discrimination. Though many countries do not recognize same-sex marriage, some through constitutional bans, Guyana is the only country to have homosexual relationships criminalized. The prison punishment is, however, largely unenforced.

Oceania: One student is from the Oceania area (which consists of Australia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia) in which it is legal to be openly homosexual in 71 percent of regions. 38 percent recognize same-sex marriages and 50 percent protect fully against LGBT+ discrimination. Same-sex marriage was legalized in Australia in 2017 after many years of bills failing. Conversion therapy was banned in one state, Victoria, earlier in the month. Despite Australia promising to make banning conversion therapy a top priority in 2018, Victoria is the first and currently the only state to have banned the practice.

3 The Southern MARCH 22, 2019

ENTERTAINMENT

The Imperial Symphony Orchestra plays in Polk County Sarah Oulman Staff Writer

Florida Southern College and Southeastern University recently collaborated in an effort to bring a night of symphonic music to Polk County. The Imperial Symphony Orchestra performed an Italian symphony with Conductor Mark Thielen on March 12 at the Youkey Theatre. This performance was part of the Southeastern University Masterworks Series and supported by a partnership with Florida Southern College’s music department. Many students of Polk County universities performed in the orchestra. Florida Southern College voice performance major Jade Ferrell provided vocal accompaniment for several songs and was presented with the Beth Mason Young Artists Endowment Fund Scholarship on last week. “The mission of the Imperial Symphony Orchestra is to educate, entertain, and inspire audiences through symphonic music,” founder of the Young Artists

Endowment Fund Beth Mason said. “As the ISO embraces and trains these audiences to learn these things through their programs, they’re also very interested in placing an emphasis on education and inspiring future generations of music professionals.” The Young Artists Competition sought out talented piano, strings, woodwind, brass and percussion artists in Polk County. Ferrell, the winner of the competition, received a $1,000 scholarship, as well as the opportunity to perform two songs alongside the Imperial Symphony Orchestra. She has also just recently been awarded as the winner of the FSC Symphony Orchestra aria competition. Mark Thielen, the orchestra’s music director and conductor, explained that the Italian symphony pieces such as Tchaikovsky’s “Capriccio Italien” and Mendelssohn’s “Symphony No. 4 Italian” were very dramatic, tuneful, and exuberant compositions and embodied the feelings that were evoked within the composers by being in Italy. “It’s amazing that these Italian pieces, even though they were not written by

Italian composers, were inspired by being in the wonderful country of Italy,” Thielen said. “You will hear within these pieces some folk tunes, dances, and even some of the angst that the composers suffered.” The Imperial Symphony Orchestra has been educating and entertaining Central Florida audiences since 1965. Although originally composed of only 30 volunteer musicians, the ISO has now become a paid, per-service orchestra which provides free tickets to students in Polk County. The orchestra also provides programs such as School Day Concerts and Fossils!, which allow students to be introduced to instruments and musical performances. The ISO Program Tea & Symphony also provides educational opportunities and it allows participants to learn about Masterworks pieces. The Imperial Symphony Orchestra regularly offers a Masterworks series, several free family concerts and various special performances throughout the year. The ISO’s next performance will be a free family concert at Florida Southern on April 7 in the Branscomb Auditorium.

‘The Umbrella Academy’ reins in the Netflix viewers

WHAT’S NEW Dumbo Tim Burton returns to the director’s chair to reimagine the classic Disney animated film for a new generation. The timelss tale of an elephant trying to find his place in the world stars Michael Keaton, Colin Farrell and Eva Green. The movie will be released in theatres March 29.

Justice League #20 It’s a race against the clock as the Justice League try to stop the mother of all creation Perpetua from destroying the universe. The only way to stop her might be one of Superman’s greatest foes, Mr. Mxyzptlk. While Mr. Mxyzptlk may not the power himself to beat Perpetua he does have one more trick up his sleeve, send Superman into the literal incomprehensible. Enter The Sixth Dimension. This issue is out now and also stars the Justice League from the future.

What We Do in the Shadows

Photo courtesy of Christos Kalohoridis/Netflix The “Umbrella Academy” is based on the hit Dark Horse Comics written by Gerad Way and art by Gabriel Bá. Hannah Keister Staff Writer A family can be formed in many ways including seven adopted children, a mysteriously cryptic father, a robot mother and a sentient ape house assistant, according to Netflix’s new show “The Umbrella Academy.” The show focuses on the Hargreeves family, whose seven children were all born at the same time on the same day by mothers who were not pregnant when the day began. Seven of these children are adopted by Sir Reginald Hargreeves, who trains them throughout childhood to become a team of superheroes. At least six of the children are superheroes with powers they learn to master as children. The seventh child, Vanya, appears to have no powers and the reason behind her adoption into the family appears a mystery. For the sake of avoiding spoilers, I won’t go any further. The non-linear timeline of the show translates very well to the screen, as the narrative bounces between the children’s past, and their lives as thirty-somethings in the present. There are several storylines happening at once- the children are estranged and haven’t been home in years, their missing brother (Number Five) suddenly reappeared to tell

them the world is ending in eight days, he is being pursued by shady time assassins, and Vanya is struggling with her identity and position as the black sheep of the family. These plotlines are only the main few; there are many more narratives to be found within the show. What carries the show is the dynamic between the seven siblings. Though estranged at first, dire circumstances bring them back together and force them to have some sibling bonding time—whether they want it or not. None of the main characters

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“Audiences will be attracted to the relationships between the characters and the unpredictable, and sometimes wacky, nature of the show..” -Hannah Keister

are static. Each one experiences some kind of change or growth by the time the first season ends, ensuring a show that is never boring to watch. The cast gave amazing performances, but the best one has to go to Aidan Gallagher, who plays Number Five. The cocky 13-year-old time-and-space traveler returns to his family after being stuck in an apocalyptic wasteland for over forty years. When he returns, he is thrown

back into his 13-year-old body, and is hell-bent on stopping the apocalypse. Gallagher perfectly captures the old man stuck in a 13-year-old body. His sarcasm, wit, and resolve make him one of the most interesting characters to watch. The audience can genuinely never guess what he will do or say next. The same can be said for the entire show. Despite the abundant superhero content in the entertainment industry right now, ‘The Umbrella Academy” provides a refreshing break from the typical and sometimes repetitive superhero narrative. None of the Hargreeves kids are what an audience would expect to see from superheroes. This quality also makes the Hargreeves more relatable. Though they often face extraordinary circumstances and wrestle with super powers, their main problems often deal with identity crises, sibling rivalry, parental issues and addictions— that normal, everyday people also struggle with. Audiences will be attracted to the relationships between the characters and the unpredictable, and sometimes wacky, nature of the show. There are moments to laugh at, and equally as many moments to be shocked at. “The Umbrella Academy” is worth a watch and will leave the viewer with much tothink about once the season finale is over.

Based on the hit Australian mockumentary about vampires gets exported a makeover for American audiences. However, Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement’s, the directors of the original film, attached to executive produce the project. The show follows three vampire roommates in New York City as they try to deal with hundreds of years worth of history living together. The show premieres on March 27 on FX.

Guardians of the Galaxy #3 Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw continue to breathe new life into the Guardians of the Galaxy as Peter Quill’s rag tag group of heroes tries to save Gamora from the Dark Guardians who are out to kill her. All the while, Hela and Thanos’ Black Order are trying to complete the resurrection of Thanos from the dead and the rest of the cosmic heroes trying to prepare for the Mad Titan’s reign once more. This issue is on comic store shelves now.

The Southern MARCH 22, 2019 4

OPINIONS

Munn Park Confederate statue a lose-lose

Mylena Ferman Staff Writer

The Lakeland City Council finalized the decision to move the Confederate statue in Munn Park to the Veterans Memorial Park. The verdict, however, has caused absurd debate and protest from some citizens. Judging by the amount of kickback, readers may expect the statue was being removed entirely, bulldozed down. This is not the case. The statue is being moved less than a mile away to a larger park created to honor U.S. Veterans. Why the city council would put a statue symbolizing Confederate soldiers (who fought against American troops) in a veterans park is beyond me, because The United States never gave Confederate soldiers veteran status equal with those who served in the US military. Additionally, the plot of land, is part of a historically-black neighborhood in Lakeland. One of the Confederacy’s main goals was to protect the institution of slavery. It baffles me that anyone thought it is okay to allow a symbol of this group on land which was once a predominantly African-American community. One of the main arguments many people held was that the statue honored Confederate soldiers who helped to build the community and therefore should not be moved. The founder of Lakeland, Abraham Munn, was not a Confederate. He was born in New Jersey and, while he lived in Kentucky for a portion of his life, there is no records of him holding slaves or fighting in the confederacy.

I agree with the statement that erasing history can be detrimental. However, the statue is not being used to educate people on the history of the Confederacy and the horrors of slavery. If there was a plaque which detailed information about the history, I would advocate to protect the statue and keep it in Munn Park, where it is more visible. One argument against the removal of Confederate monuments is that they symbolize not slavery or racism but rather a semblance of “Southern heritage.” This misconstrues history—a majority of Confederate statues have a clear link to racial movements. James Grossman, a historian who specializes in southern America and slavery, explained the questionable timing of statues’ construction in a National Public Radio article. “These statues were meant to create a legitimate garb for white supremacy,” he said. The Confederate statue in Munn Park was erected in 1910 along with many other statues around the country. Suspiciously enough, these statues were placed during the segregation era, a time in history when slavery was finally abolished but Jim Crow Laws, which were created to disenfranchise African-Americans, replaced it. The state and local laws segregated everything from barbershops to public transportation. Business owners had to serve either white or black people patrons exclusively; teachers would be fined if they taught students of both races; even prisons had segregated apartments and dining

halls. It is understandable that Confederate statues were placed during this era, especially if the statues’ main purpose was to symbolize white supremacy. This is further demonstrated by the declarations of secession each state wrote. James Grossman explained in an ATTN video that the primary goal of the Confederacy was to uphold the institution of slavery. He then explains every Declaration of secession from Confederate States has slavery as a focal point in the documents. “Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery-- the greatest material interest of the world.” Mississippi’s Declaration of Secession said. There are numerous other primary sources which would explain how slavery, race, and the oppression of people of color were directly tied into the Confederacy. Alexander H. Stephens, the vice president of the Confederacy, admitted to such in his Cornerstone Address. “[Our government’s] foundations are laid, its cornerstone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery, subordination to the superior race, is his natural and normal condition” he said. It is undeniable to say that the confederacy ties directly into white supremacy; to say such a thing is to be willfully ignorant. Instead of putting effort into preserving monuments which promote slavery and white supremacy, energy should be placed into dismantling current day impacts of oppression.

Arrest of local middle schooler sparks national pledge debate Alexandra Zimmer Staff Writer A sixth-grade student who refused to say the Pledge of Allegiance at Lawton Chiles Middle Academy downtown was arrested on Feb. 4 after a confrontation with his substitute teacher. When asked by the substitute teacher why he would not stand to recite the pledge, the boy made statements expressing his belief that the U.S. flag and the national anthem were “racist” and offensive. After a further exchange of words, the substitute teacher called the office and the Dean of Students and the Lakeland Police Department Resource Officer responded. According to the official news release from LPD, the student was asked over 20 times to exit the classroom and refused. When the student eventually did exit the classroom, he reportedly “created another disturbance and made threats.” He was then placed under arrest at the discretion of the School Resource Officer. “To be clear, the student was NOT arrested for refusing to participate in the pledge; students are not required to participate in the Pledge of Allegiance as noted in the Polk County School Board Code of Conduct for Students,” an LPD news release said. The sixth-grader was charged with Disrupting a School Function and Resisting an Officer Without Violence, both of which are misdemeanor crimes. “I’m upset,” the student’s mother told Bay News 9. “I’m angry. I’m hurt… If any disciplinary action should’ve been taken, it should’ve been with the school. He shouldn’t have been arrested.” This conflict follows a great deal of controversy

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons The American flag hangs in FSC classrooms, but students are not required to say the pledge. surrounding Colin Kaepernick’s decision to kneel during the National Anthem at a 2016 football game. It once again raises the issue of an individual’s right provided by the Supreme Court’s 1943 decision in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette to protest patriotic rituals like saying the Pledge of Allegiance or standing for the national anthem. Separate from the drama surrounding whether or not the student was arrested for refusing to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, there is argument over whether or not the student should have been arrested for the disruption created in the classroom that day. The majority opinion is that Lakeland Police Department took things too far in arresting the student. Notable organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union criticized the actions of the School

Resource Officer. “This is outrageous. Students do not lose their First Amendment rights when they enter the school house gates,” says the ACLU through their social media accounts. However, there are some individuals who believe that the arrest of the student was justified given claims that the student made threats against those involved. “Who cares? He was disrespectful,” one comment on The Ledger’s report of the incident said. “OK so clearly this kid is not in the right. Don’t threaten to beat up the teacher,” another commenter said online. At this time, the charges against the student have been dropped and there are no further issues pending in court. A Tampa attorney is expected to file a civil rights complaint with the Department of Education.

Junior Journey changes student’s global views Victoria Salvatore Staff Writer I have always dreamed of going to Europe and experiencing a different culture, but it never became a reality until this year. For my Junior Journey, I went to Spain—and not only did I get to fulfill my dream of going to Europe, but I did it for free. I’m so grateful for the adventure I was able to have and I would encourage anyone looking into a Junior Journey to go for it. The Junior Journey program at Florida Southern is incredible. When I applied to the college, it wasn’t even on my radar. In fact, I wasn’t planning on doing one until I looked at the available trips and saw the free Spain option. It blew my mind that there was a free trip to Europe, and I didn’t want to miss out on it. The trip was to southern Spain: we visited Madrid, Granada, Seville, Malaga and Cordoba. Each place was incredible and offered amazing historical and architectural sights. Before going on the trip, I was ignorant about the lives of people outside of America, their culture and about Europe in general. Going on my Junior Journey opened my eyes to how other people live and that there are countries that do things better than America. In my eyes, I saw America as being the best, and I wondered why people wouldn’t want to live here, but after my Junior Journey I’m ready to move to Spain or any other European country. I learned that the culture in southern Spain is much more relaxed than America’s culture, and people don’t seem to rush around like Americans do. There are small cafes and tapas bars along the roads with outdoor seating where people enjoy an afternoon outing with their friends or significant other. People seem to be outside more, enjoying the presence of loved ones. During the trip, we stayed with host families and mine was a young couple that had visited America and liked the culture, but they also noticed that our culture is much busier. One of the biggest takeaways from my trip is that I realized how young America is. It seems that every time you turn the corner in Spain there’s a huge cathedral or a beautiful building with some kind of historical significance. Having grown up in a newly developed area of Florida, I don’t experience the feeling of walking in an area that has thousands of years of history, but I experienced that during my trip. My mind couldn’t comprehend how old everything was and I was in awe of the architecture. Many of the buildings we visited had incredible architectural features that looked like they were meticulously created and to think they were built thousands of years ago without machines is mind boggling. Traveling to another country gave me a different perspective on people outside of my world, and it’s inspired me to continue traveling and experiencing different countries.

5 The Southern MARCH 22, 2019

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

SGA Executive Board elections candidates express goals

Peter Edgar Editor-in-Chief

Voting for the SGA Executive Board begins Monday, March 25 and closes at midnight after Wednesday, March 27. To vote, visit the Engage SGA portal and fill out the form. You may need to reset your password, so give yourself time. Three students are running unopposed, but the new Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion is one of the most competitive races in recent SGA memory. Arjeet Tipirneni Student Body President

“I hope to continue all of the great things that we’ve done in the previous administration to the new one and use all of our connections that we’ve made in our advantage--to help the student body.” Maxwell Giard Executive Vice President

“In the position I really hope to organize our Presidents Circles and make sure those are conducted reasonably and responsibly, as well with work with the executive board to make sure student needs and student organization needs are met throughout the year.” Mark Haver Administrative Vice President

“Last year I served as the VP of Community and Public Relations, where I coordinated events like MLK Day of Impact with CSI and MSC, senior speaker auditions, and managed the SGA Twitter, Instagram, and other social media accounts. Between 2016 and 2018, I also managed Florida Southern’s Snapchat and Instagram stories. As having been on the executive board of SGA and a first and third year senator, I understand the inner workings of SGA to a degree where I feel comfortable in being able to translate the duties of SGA to the senate and to other people interested in SGA’s proceedings. I hope you can trust me to lead SGA to be more accountable, to be clear, and to be transparent.”

Madelyn Walsh Administrative Vice President

“I think I could use the tools I learned this year as VP communications and when I served as a freshman as first year senator. I’ve been able to learn about myself and what I can do as a leader, and with the lessons that I’ve learned, I think that it will give me an advantage and it qualifies me to facilitate communication with the senate, the student body, and upper administration.” Abbey Hoffman Administrative Vice President

“I really want to bring unity to our campus, because I know we have a lot of initiatives that are going on and sometimes they don’t reach from one end to the other. So like Enactus is working on a project called Sustain Lakeland, which is all about recycling in the community and I know SGA has our Sustainability committee. and I know those things don’t always match up with what we want to do and we don’t get to communicate that much, so I really want to bring unity to our campus.” Ahad Aziz Vice President of Finance

“If elected, I would like to save the school some money... as well as hav[e] less t-shirts on campus and put that money towards more efficient uses around campus. Perhaps water bottles for everyone—like personalized water bottles for everyone that has their preferred names on it.”

Paige Hardell Vice President of Communications

“I hope to be a voice for all my peers and to bring what they have to say to the administration.” Piper Garick Vice President of Communications

“I just hope to improve the communication between SGA and the rest of the student body. Since I’ve been on SGA for a couple of years now, I feel like I have the experience to be a qualified executive leader.” Katte Vargas Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion

“I’m just excited to be able to be more involved and also listen to the needs of the students. I know that this is a position that can demand a lot and a lot of people have ideas so I’m excited to listen to them and hopefully work with them and hopefully make a change on this campus and with our diversity.” Onose Ijewere Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion

“[I want] to help unite the campus regardless of anyone’s origin and to make it feel like home.”

This page of the Southern is exclusively dedicated to issues surrounding the elections of a new Student Government Association Executive Board. Some of the names on this paper may be familiar to you—you may even hold some of them dear and close to you— or you may be reading about people completely new to you. Each of them is a person that already has been and wants to continue serving your needs on campus. Some have done so through clubs and advocacy networks on campus. Others have served as your senators or on their own by engaging on community service outside of FSC. That said, much is changing. The board that you elect this semester will not look like past SGA Exec Boards. Some positions, like Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion, haven’t existed before this election. Some of the board members’ roles have shifted in terms of how each position specifically will serve you next year. At the Southern, we believe that an informed electorate, whether the vote is for a student government organization or our national government, makes the best choices for itself.

We want to bridge the gap between the issues and concerns that each of you care about on campus, from wheelchair accessibility and sustainable living oncampus to what kind of bagels are in Tutu’s. The Southern Staff also holds dear the knowledge of your indispensability to this campus. Believe it or not, your opinions hold weight. The reason Town Hall and SGA elections exist is to give you another kind of platform from which you, the student body, calls for change. So, this week, vote. Vote for the candidate that you think represents you, the candidate that cares about the issues you care about, the candidate who will think of you before making a decision, the candidate whose foundation is on solid ground. It is on this foundation that this institution will build in some way in the coming year. All of the words that you see above are the candidates’ own, excerpted from interviews. Please vote; go Mocs!

Peter Edgar, Editor-in-Chief

“If I win, I would like to work with my team to help bring more diversity around the campus. I think myself and the community can broaden the uniqueness we have.” Nelson Hill Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion

“I hope to gain a better understanding of the organizations on campus and do my part to leave it a better place. I am running to provide not only a voice to groups who feel that their opinions lie on deaf ears, but to put actions to words and bring about initiatives and policy to combat the social apathy here on campus.” Jollice Boyd Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion

“Basically what I kind of want to do for the position is just work with the student body. Even on the outside it may not seem like our student body is that diverse, but all of us come from so many different places and backgrounds and I think it would be really cool for us to engage with each other on that level, to get to know where we come from and the diversity there.”

OUTHERN S The Student Voice of Florida Southern College

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

Letter from the Editor Fellow Students,

Marisa Pagan Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion

Editor-in-Chief

Peter Edgar

peter.edgar30@gmail.com

Features Editor

Abby McHenry

abemchenry@gmail.com

News Editor Entertainment Editor

Center & Copy Editor Sports Editor

Photo & Online Editor Advisor

Hannah Kiester W James

Jillian Kurtz

Andrew Pawling Reems Landreth Mike Trice

hnkiester@gmail.com doubleu56@aol.com

jilliankurtz98@gmail.com andrewp1465@gmail.com

landreth.reems@gmail.com

mtrice@flsouthern.edu

The Southern is published every other Friday during fall and spring semesters of the academic year at Florida Southern College. The newspaper is produced 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 or 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 William F. Chatlos Building on Johnson Ave. Staff can be reached at fscsouthern@gmail.com and at their email addresses, listed above. The Southern is also available for reading at fscsouthern.com. It also posts on Twitter, @FSCSouthern, and receives interaction from readers on said platform, as well.

Women’s History Month

The Southern MARCH 22, 2019

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Helen Keller “Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.”

Ruth Bader Ginsburg “My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant be your own person, be independent.”

Coco Chanel

Ida B. Wells “The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”

Aung San Suu Kyi “You should never let your fears prevent you from doing what you know is right.”

“A girl should be two things: who and what she wants.”

Hillary Clinton “To all the little girls who are watching this, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and the opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your dreams.”

Malala Yousafzai “This is what my soul is telling me: Be peaceful and love everyone.”

7 The Southern MARCH 22, 2019

Photo courtesy of Lady Boss Social Club

Mady Lauderman Staff Writer

T

he month of March marks the annual celebration of Women’s History Month in the United States. According to womenshistorymonth.gov, the first full month celebration occurred in 1987 and has been continuously celebrated since 1995 under the presidencies of Clinton, Bush and Obama. Women’s History Month serves to celebrate and recognize the vital role of women in American history. Woman have impacted the medical world, technology, the arts, athletics, the business world and much more. One woman in American history who deserves to be recognized is Dr. Maya Angelou. Angelou was an author, educator, actress, activist and more. She was a woman who desperately desired inclusivity and sought to show the similarities and connection of people, rather than their differences. In her time, Angelou wrote a total of 36 books, with her most famous work being I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. The book was banned during the time of it’s release due to its violent honesty about the sexual abuse Angelou experience. Now, the novel is used throughout campus’ around the world. Angelou, originally born with the name Marguerite Annie Johnson, was a single mother at 16, but still pursued her dreams of music, poetry and performance. After her career as a singer and songwriter, she pursued writing and joined the Harlem Writers Guild. Angelou met alongside Malcolm X during his growing time of activism. After his assassination, she went on to work with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

in his fights for justice. Angelou never pursued a college education. She received an honorary doctorate by more than fifty colleges and universities around the nation. Her activism, writings, poetry, and many other influences not only awarded her an honorary doctorate, but impacted the lives of many and empowered woman around the world. Angelou was honored and recognized by many presidents in her lifetime for her written works and civil rights activism. President Obama awarded her the Medal of Freedom himself, the nation’s highest civilian honor. “Now you understand just why my head’s not bowed. I don’t shout or jump about or have to talk real loud. When you see me passing, It ought to make you proud.” The above lines are from a poem written by Angelou titled Phenomenal Women, a favorite of Dr. Jobia Keys, author and professor of Communications at Florida Southern. “Among other things, I will be speaking about the importance of both women and men supporting, advocating for, and uplifting girls and women” Keys said. On March 20, Dr. Keys will be the primary speaker in honor and view of Women’s History Month. The event will take place in Eleanor Searle at 6p.m., where complimentary refreshments will be provided. “For me, everyday is Women’s History Month” Keys said. “I am to uplift and celebrate women every day. This is a time to celebrate all women and girls and recognize the ability for all women to achieve greatness.”

they believed they could, so they did

The Southern MARCH 22, 2019 8

FEATURES

Facebook sees longest site outage in over four years

Freshman to spend third semester in the Disney College Program Jillian Kurtz Copy Editor

Photo courtesy of Chesnot/Getty Images Abby McHenry Features Editor Facebook and the Facebook “family of applications” such as Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp experienced one of the longest reported service outages on March 13 from approximately 1 p.m. until about 10 p.m. Facebook’s Director of Product Management Rob Leathern tweeted that afternoon that the company would share an update as soon as possible. Facebook users took to Twitter with #facebookdown quickly became the top trending tweet in the United States according to USA Today. People used these tags to express their annoyance, post memes and trade tips for how to survive without the Facebook apps. Junior Ansley Blackwell works for the companies Jadelynn Brooke, Casely and Typesetter, all of which depend on her social media presence. She posts Instagram Stories and photos to promote the companies. “The brand [Jadelynn Brooke] had a ton of new releases that the reps weren’t able to promote,” Blackwell said. “10 hours down during top posting hours put us all a day behind.”

For people whose jobs depend on social media, service outages can leave them in an awkward place. It can also narrow communication opportunities, especially between larger companies and organizations. Freshman Elisa White is in charge of her sorority’s Facebook and Instagram pages, and she posts a few photos and stories a week on both accounts. “I did have an initial panic that somehow our [the sorority’s] Instagram page would get messed up,” White said. “It’s been hard to keep up with other accounts such as [Alpha Chi Omega] headquarters or other [sorority] chapters.” There were initially online rumours that the outages were a result of a distributed denial-of-service (DDos) attack (a hack in which attackers flood a company’s network), but Facebook tweeted that the issue is unrelated to DDos. The company has not given any further updates since this last tweet. “It affected me because I use Facebook and Instagram to stay updated with what is going on with my extended family and friends who live far away from me,” sophomore Brock Townsend said.

As a first year college student, Mara Benton has faced many changes and challenges throughout the past few months. Benton came into Florida Southern College as a Dance major, having studied at Cypress Lake High School in Fort Myers, Florida in their dance arts program. After a few months in the dance department, she decided that she no longer wanted to pursue a career in dance. Benton changed her major to Elementary Education and is already assisting in a sixth grade classroom at Florida Southern’s Roberts Academy. “I like working at Robert’s Academy because the class sizes are small which means I get to know the students better as individuals,” Benton said. “This really allows me to understand each student so I can grow as a teacher who knows more so what students need.” During her time at Robert’s Academy, she has also been able balance being on the cheerleading team. Having never cheered prior to coming to Florida Southern, Benton took the challenge and has become a pivotal member of the team. “Mara has come a long way since the beginning of the season,” cheer coach Teri Richardson said. “Having never cheered before didn’t stop her from trying out and learning what she needed to in order to make the team. She is a very hard worker and has learned to be one of our flyers. She has proved that big things come in small packages and with her smile as she lights up a room. Mara is a wonderful fit in our cheer family and we really enjoy having her on the team.” One of the factors in why Benton chose to come to Florida Southern was because of how close in proximity the campus is to Walt Disney World. She had always planned on applying for the

Photo courtesy of Mara Benton Benton showing off getting accepted into the Disney College Program by displaying her “I’m Celebrating” button. Disney College Program (DCP) towards the end of her college career, but decided to apply when the Fall 2019 application came out. “I applied to the DCP because it has always been a dream of mine to work at Disney World,” Benton said. “ I ended up getting put through the entire interview process very quickly and it all felt like it was meant to be.” Benton’s significant other, Liam Fisher, is looking forward to seeing her thrive in the next chapter of her life, getting to be a part of something she has always wanted to be in. “I’m super happy for her to be doing the DCP, I think that it’s going to be such a great thing for her and with everything that’s been going on with her the last few months and I think she’s going to be so much happier than she recently has been,” Fisher said. After many changes, Benton has proven to be resilient and maintains her firecracker attitude. After finishing out this semester, Benton will pack up her college dorm and move to Disney. She plans on returning to finish her degree after she finishes the DCP.

Southern Takeover for ‘19-’20 school year to take place in the fall Peter Edgar Editor-In-Chief

Photo courtesy of Natalie Barton / Center for Student Involvement American Authors playing on Mr. George’s Green at the 2018 Southern Takeover on March 16, 2018.

The next Southern Takeover will take place within the fall semester next school year, Assistant Director of Student Involvement Jackie Inskeep announced at a general body meeting of the Association of Campus Entertainment (ACE) on March 13. This year’s Southern Takeover featuring bands Judah and the Lion, Sawyer, and Juice will still be taking place on Mr. George’s Green two weeks from now, on March 30. For the upcoming school year, however, ACE will be planning to have the event much closer to when first-year students arrive at the college: in the Sept. to Oct. range. “We’re going to have to start planning very soon,” Julianna Coughlin, Director of Southern Sound for ACE, said. “We have to begin conversations with agents and vendors before summer.” Coughlin said that she will begin planning the next Southern Takeover with Inskeep even though she is graduating this semester and ACE is holding executive board elections early April. Presumably, Coughlin would transition her authority to

the next director of Southern Sound and graduate smoothly. “They might not get a huge say in artists, but there’s still a lot to plan,” Coughlin said. “Students will definitely still have input, though.” Both Coughlin and Inskeep explained to students some of the reasoning for the shift in master planning. Because of deferred recruitment (the moving of Greek life recruitment from the fall to the spring), there is a large involvement gap that ACE feels it needs to fill in order to make students feel at home. The directors hope that Southern Takeover can help fill that void and create a large community space that engages students. ACE has traditionally spent the majority of its budget on the last two months of the school term on Southern Takeover and the end-of-year Farewell Festival. Inskeep noted that moving Southern Takeover to the fall will balance the budget to some extent. In the past, students have been asked to vote on Engage for a choice of genre for Southern Takeover; no such form has been released yet, but Coughlin and Inskeep are still working on the next steps forward to a much closer Southern Takeover.

9 The Southern MARCH 22, 2019

The Poor Porker under new management Alex Zimmer Staff Writer

One of the original owners and founders of The Poor Porker, located in Downtown Lakeland, sold her share to investor and majority shareholder Wesley Barnett. Barnett, grandson of Publix founder George W. Jenkins, became an investor in The Poor Porker in 2014 when he met founders Robyn Wilson and Jarrid Masse through mutual friends and colleagues. At the time, The Poor Porker was a booth at the farmer’s market and was attracting customers from Lakeland and beyond with their beignets and coffee. “We [my wife and I] really liked their product and the way they were bringing the community together,” Barnett said. Barnett soon entered into talks to invest capital into The Poor Porker to allow the business to grow and received a 30 percent share. In 2015, an abandoned service station in Downtown Lakeland was renovated to become The Poor Porker’s current location which Wilson describes as “a place the community has built.” The Poor Porker underwent renovations again in 2018. The business was losing money and the renovations were done in an effort to revitalize the location and business while also providing additional amenities and products for customers. According to Barnett, it was successful and improved sales. In early 2019, tensions rose in the business between Wilson and her managers over disagreements about how to run the business. The conflict came to a boiling point in February and Wilson ultimately decided to sell her 33 percent share to Barnett, who had become the majority shareholder in 2016 when Jarrid Masse

St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday annually celebrated on March 17, and as years prior, thousands of people will be walking the streets in green attire. Traditions and folklore indicate that wearing green makes a person invisible to the leprechauns, which helps to avoid the pinches they supposedly give out. Wearing green is also supposed to bring a person good luck as well as honor in the Irish culture. Other traditions of St. Patrick’s Day include Chicago’s annual emerald dyeing

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Angela Gemma Junior Journey to Spain Abby McHenry Features Editor

Photo by Abby McHenry

sold his share to pursue other interests. Despite the strained nature of Wilson’s departure from the business, Barnett says there are no hard feelings. Wilson’s departure from the business has left many wondering if the products offered at The Poor Porker would remain the same, especially the beloved beignets. Wilson claimed in an online statement, since deleted, posted to The Poor Porker’s Instagram account that no-one currently employed at The Poor Porker is trained to make the beignets. However, Barnett says, though the recipes are regularly refreshed,

they are the same and the products have continued to receive a positive reaction. Moving forward, Barnett hopes that The Poor Porker will continue to be a hub for the community to come together for music, food, and fellowship. With the redevelopment occurring in the Lake Mirror area, he believes The Poor Porker will continue to be a great asset to Lakeland. “She [Robyn] was the face of The Poor Porker and it was her and Jarrid who really brought that place to life,” Barnett said. “We hope to keep it as an ongoing, wellloved business in Lakeland.”

of the river, parades and foods such as corned beef, cabbage and shepherd’s pie. Junior Benjamin Estes has Irish roots in his family and enjoys some of the traditional food associated with St. Patrick’s Day. “I enjoy the traditional food with my family such as soda bread and corned beef,” Estes said. “We usually get together with a bunch of people and enjoy these things.” With all of the festivities, who is the St. Patrick we celebrate? According to the Farmer’s Almanac, St. Patrick was the saint and apostle who successfully brought Christianity to Ireland in a more organized, “church” structure.

A three-leafed shamrock, not a fourleafed clover, has been traditionally associated with St. Patrick. St. Patrick used the three leaves of the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity (the father, the son and the holy spirit). St. Patrick - originally named Maewyn was kidnapped at a young age and brought to Ireland to work as a slave. In the midst of his captivity, he escaped to a monastery and converted to Christianity. According to an article by Georgia Public Broadcast, the original celebrations of St. Patrick, after his death, were not as glamorous as they are today. Only once the potato famine occurred and many Irish people immigrated to the States did the festivals become bigger and more like what we see today. These bigger celebrations were a means for the immigrant Irish to connect with their roots. “I think it is pretty interesting how a lot of people who are not Irish celebrate St. Patrick’s Day,” Estes said. “I enjoy celebrating a day for the Irish with a bunch of people.” Places around Lakeland such as the RP Funding Center, Swan Brewing and other restaurants hosted events last weekend in view of the holiday. A few organizations on campus as well. Alpha Epsilon Delta, the Pre-Health Honor Society, hosted an event on March 18 to discuss the healthcare system of Ireland and enjoy green snacks. ACE handed out St. Patrick’s Day themed cake pops during convocation hour on the same day. Finally, tonight, Studio Box will be putting on a St. Patrick’s Day themed show at 11 p.m. in the Thrift Alumni Room. Additional information can be found on Engage regarding these events.

St. Patrick’s Day is not all Leprechauns Mady Lauderman Staff Writer

FEATURES

Photo courtesy of Natasha Jelezkina / Wikimedia Commons

The Chicago River turned green for St. Patrick’s Day in 2018.

Junior Angela Gemma traveled to the southern region of Spain along with other Florida Southern students for her Junior Journey over Spring Break. Gemma traveled to many different cities, including Madrid, Grenada, Cordoba and Malaga. She said loved Malaga the most because it was like a nicer version of St. Petersburg, Florida with its beaches. She said the beaches in Spain were different from Florida’s beaches because the water was more green and blue and described it as being pretty. “We sat on the beach on a restaurant and had sangria and paella and that was amazing,” Gemma said. She said the seafood paella was one of her favorite meals, and it included rice and all kinds of different seafood. Gemma said she learned how different the Spanish culture was from the United States. Something that stood out to her was the different way of portioning meals throughout the day. The Spaniards typically have a light breakfast, a big lunch at 2 p.m., and a big dinner at 8 p.m. Gemma said most Spaniards also typically take a nap around 4 p.m., which is very different from the U.S. She enjoyed getting to practice the Spanish language while she was there. She had taken Spanish all throughout middle and high school, and two semesters in college. Gemma said it was very important for her to be patient and present on this trip. “The hardest part [of the trip] was being patient with 30 other people,” Gemma said. “When we would do something someone would be like ‘oh I have to go to the bathroom’ or ‘I have to get coffee’.” Gemma said the nightlife in Spain was different from the U.S. because people go out at 1 or 2 a.m. and then stay out until 5 a.m. In the United States people typically go out at 11 p.m. or 12 a.m. and be back home at 2 a.m. Gemma said this is her second trip traveling with non-family members out of the country and that she enjoyed traveling with a large group of students. “I was able to make memories with new people and have free time to explore the city by myself,” Gemma said. “I usually can’t do [that] with my family.” Gemma said it is her dream to travel to Haiti to do mission work and hopes to make that her next travel destination.

The Southern MARCH 22, 2019

SPORTS

SPOTLIGHT Zach Scott

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Men’s basketball Women’s basketball falls in NCAA Regional Championship falls in Regional Semifinals

Baseball

Reems Landreth Online Editor

Mikaela Queen Co-Sports Editor

Lakeland native, Zach Scott, joins Florida Southern baseball after attending Polk State College for two years. Scott said after the coaching staff got in touch with him and he visited campus, he immediately felt at home. He joined the Mocs this fall as a third baseman and an asset to the lineup. As of March 17, Scott has started in all 25 games of the season with a .956 fielding percentage. He has appeared at the plate 114 times, recorded 32 hits including six doubles, three home runs and 21 runs batted in. Scott started playing baseball at the age of two when picked up a baseball and threw it after his parents laid down all sports balls in front of him. He said playing in college was his goal growing up, ultimately chasing the opportunity to play professionally. Scott said his biggest adjustment coming to Florida Southern was learning how everything works in class and on the field. He said it was a slow start to the season, but the team began to put it all together in the stretch against Felician, Claflin and Flagler. “The whole team has picked it up, it’s not just me,” Scott said. “The whole team has grown.” Scott majors in marine biology and one day hopes to work as a biologist. During his free time he likes to fish and work at a reptile company here in Lakeland. You can catch Scott on the diamond on March 29. at Henley Field when the Mocs take on Embry-Riddle at 6 p.m.

Get to know Zach: Favorite color: Red Favorite food: Steak Favorite singer: Luke Combs Favorite movie: Aquaman Desired superpower: To fly Fun Fact: “I’m color blind.”

Photo courtesy of Reems Landreth / FSC Athletics Elsa Landberg and Julia Jenike hug Anja Fuchs-Robetin (24) and Camille Giardina (22) after they step off the court for the last time in the 63-84 loss to Nova Southeastern on March 18 in Jenkins Field House. Reems Landreth Online Editor

Florida Southern women’s basketball program (30-4) fell to Nova Southeastern, 84-63, in the NCAA South Region Championship game on March 18 in Jenkins Field House. The tone was set early in the regional title game as the Sharks (21-11) kept the Mocs from scoring until nearly the halfway mark of the first quarter (5:22) when Camille Giardina got Southern onto the board (2-5). Anja Fuchs-Robetin and Julia Jenike also added to Florida Southern’s tally in the opening period, but five Sharks combined for 19 to take a 12 point lead (7-19) heading into the second quarter. The Mocs continued to struggle in the second quarter as Nova limited Southern to nine points in the opening minutes to build a 17 point lead (16-33) with 5:04 left in the half. Fuchs-Robetin began to rally in the closing minutes of the half, but her solo effort was not enough as the Mocs still trailed by 17 (26-43) at the half. Southern was able to control the Sharks better as the second half opened, but four three-pointers by Nova were enough to keep the lead at 15 (46-61) as time

expired in the third. The Mocs opened it up in the fourth as they were able to cut into the deficit, but the late push was not enough as the Sharks held the lead in double digits as the clock struck zero. Nova Southeastern shot 47.6 percent from three while keeping the Mocs to 34.3 percent from the floor in the 23 point rout. The Sharks are headed to the Elite Eight for the third time in six years while Southern move to 12-14 in NCAA Tournament play and 2-2 in the Regional Championship game. The women finish their 2018-2019 campaign as the SSC regular-season and tournament champions for the second straight year. The team’s 30 wins this season set the school record previously held by the 199495 team who had 28 wins. Head Coach Betsy Harris was also named the SSC Coach of the Year. Giardina finishes her career at Florida Southern with 1,939 career points, shooting 44.1 percent from the field and 39.7 percent from beyond the arc. Fuchs-Robetin finished her career with 1,677 points, shooting 50.8 percent from the field and picking up 6.9 rebounds per game. Claybrone finished her two years at Southern with 399 points, shooting 44.4 percent from the field while tallying 4.8 rebounds per game.

Florida Southern’s men’s basketball sees their season come to a close in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as Lynn defeated them in the NCAA South Region Semifinals, 88-78. The Mocs (25-8) struggled in the opening minutes as Lynn (25-6) took a 9-0 lead before Brett Hanson was able to get Southern on the board (2-9) with 16:41 left in the first half. The Mocs were able to narrow the lead to four on the next possession (5-9) before the Fighting Knights extended their lead to 12 points (13-25) with 9:47 left in the half. Southern attempted to tie the game before halftime, but was only able to narrow the difference to six as time expired (35-41). The first half momentum carried through the break for the Mocs as the opened on an 8-0 run to take the lead (43-41) with 16:35 left to play. Jack Rauch extended the lead to three on the next play (46-43) but that was it as the Fighting Knights went on their own 8-0 run to take the lead and hold it for the remainder of the game. The Mocs made multiple attempts to regain the lead but could not move closer than five (58-63) as Lynn eventually pulled away with the 10 point win. Florida Southern finished with 44.1 percent from the floor and seven threepointers, but Lynn’s 52.5 percent from the floor, nine three-pointers and the 38-31 out rebounding of the Mocs proved to be the difference in the game. Southern moves to 43-32 all-time in NCAA Tournament play and 11-3 in the Regional Semifinal game. The men finish their 2018-2019 campaign as the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) tournament champions for the 24th year and finished with 25+ wins for the 16th season. SSC Player of the Year Jonathon Lawton finishes his two years at Southern with 1,428 points while averaging 22.3 points per game. Ben Marello finishes his two years at Florida Southern with 588 points while averaging 9.5 points per game. Slinky Jones finishes his two years with the Mocs with 675 points, shooting 10.4 points per game while rebounding 6.2 times per game.

Mocs baseball continues back and forth season Andrew Pawling Co-Sports Editor

The baseball team’s back and forth season continued March 15. and 16. when they took on Eckerd in a three game conference series. The Mocs dropped two of three games against Eckerd, moving to 14-10 on the season through their first 24 games. In game one of the series the Mocs fell by a final of 4-11 after starting pitcher Cooper Bradford gave up eight runs in four innings of work. In Game two starting pitcher Matt Martin who gave up eight runs in under two innings of work in the Mocs 7-8 loss. The Mocs would battle back into the game, scoring seven unanswered runs from the sixth inning on but Eckerd’s eight run second inning kept the game out of reach.

In game three the Mocs picked up a 17-1 victory, getting their first conference win of the season. Zach Diewert, Zach Scott, and Ryan frost all homered for the Mocs who gave plenty of run support to freshman starting pitcher Carson King. Injures have been the primary cause for the Mocs inconsistent play this year as several key returners from last year’s squad have missed significant time due to injury. Key injures include: starting pitcher JJ Niekro who has yet to appear in a game while dealing with an elbow injury, second baseman Dylan Costa who has missed a majority of the season with a hamstring injury, shortstop Pablo Cabrera who is sidelined for at least a month with a broken finger, and reliver Mike Pelaez who will miss the entire season following tommy john surgery. In total, over 16 players have been listed as unable to play for at least one game. Outfielder Christian Maglich, who missed

time with a shoulder injury, believes that the team has managed to stay above 0.500 due to players stepping when opportunities present themselves for increased playing time. “We started to realize we weren’t playing as a team,” Maglich said. First basemen Jacob Teter has been dealing with a sore wrist but that hasn’t slowed his production at the plate. Teter set the school record for RBIs in a single game, with 10 in the Mocs 24-5 win against Felician on March 6. “Setting the record was extremely awesome and humbling,” Teter said. “To be a part of history at such an accomplished program means more to me than I can describe in words.” Teter would be named SSC Player of the Week and NCBWA National Hitter of the Week after hitting .591 with 17 RBI for the week of March 4.

11 The Southern MARCH 22, 2019

SPORTS

Men’s, women’s lacrosse to begin conference play NEXT UP No. 3 women defeat Florida Tech Panthers; men trumps Lynn Fighting Knights Mikaela Queen Co-Sports Editor

Women’s lacrosse opened up their conference season with a 16-4 vicotry over Florida Tech on March 16. Aubriana and Maliah Benedetto teamed up for six goals and two assists helping the Mocs defeat the Panthers for their fourth loss of the season. The Mocs began the game with a 3-0 lead as Brenna Smith scored two goals in the first eight minutes of the game. Sarah Grady put one in the back of the net just 38 seconds after Smith’s second goal. The Panthers put a point on the board 10 minutes into the game, as Sam Schiano snuck one past Florida Southern goal keeper, Patrica Werker. Three minutes later, A.Benedetto started a 4-0 run with an assist by Marina Jozokos. The two scored again, less than a minute later, when Jozokos took a feed from A.Benedetto. The Panthers were able to put two more points on the board by the end of the first half, but were not able to catch up. The Mocs went into the second half with a 9-3 lead. M.Benedetto opened up the second half with an assisted goal from Sam Keesey 15 seconds after the clock started. The two repeated the same play 16 seconds later increasing their lead to seven. Riley Bannatyne and Catherine DeKorte put two points on the board before M.Benedetto scored her third goal of the game. With under nine minutes left in the game, Lexi Woviotis scored the Panthers’ only goal of the second half. A.Benedetto and Abby Joselyn each got one in the net to end the game with a 16-4 victory for the Mocs. The Mocs will continue conference play on the road against Tampa on March 27, and end the month with a home game against Mount Olive on March 30 at 1 p.m.

3.22 at Lynn 3.23 at Lynn (DH) 3.29 vs. Embry Riddle 3.30 vs. Embry Riddle (DH) 4.05 vs. Rollins 4.06 vs. Rollins (DH)

Beach Volleyball

3.23 vs. Stevenson/South Florida 3.25 vs. Lincoln/Alabama 3.26 at Eckerd/Lincoln 4.02 at FGCU 4.06 at Tampa/FGCU 4.09 vs. Saint Leo

Men’s Lacrosse Photo courtesy of Leslie White / FSC Athletics Freshman goal keeper Maxwell Freestone defends the net against Lynn University March 16 on Moccasin Field. Men’s lacrosse dove into conference play with a 13-9 victory over Lynn as the Mocs sent the Fighting Knights back to Boca Raton with their second loss on March 16. The Mocs started the game trialing the Fighting Knights by one after Keegan Maxwell scored with eight minutes left of the first quarter. Justin Dunleavy and Kyle Silverstein took the lead for the Mocs as both scored within the last three minutes of the first quarter. Jeff Atlas, Kyle Silverstein, Kevin Horwitz, Sean Nolan and Carson Wallace all put one in the back of the net for the Mocs during the second quarter. Along

with his two goals, Atlas also had three assist during the quarter. The Mocs went into halftime with a 8-3 lead. The Fighting Knights outscored the Mocs 4-3 in the third quarter, but were unable to break their 11-7 lead. Silverstein and Nolan each scored in the fourth quarter propelling the Mocs into their 13-9 win over the Fighting Knights. Silverstein lead the Mocs offensively with four goals and Maxwell Freestone made 14 saves locking down the Mocs defensively. The Mocs host Belmont Abbey on March 22 at 1 p.m. and Colorado Mesa on March 24 at 12 p.m. on Moccasin Field.

another. I believe that this has encouraged a stronger spirit and desire for winning.” At home, the Mocs are 2-0 at the Ruthven Beach Volleyball courts after sweeping a double header against UT Martin on March 5. Freshmen Haley Goodrich and Celia Greco picked up wins in both of their matches against UTM. “Winning my first two college home matches was so fun,” Goodrich said.

“Celia and I competed like we never have before, and seeing it pay off so we could get the dub was awesome.” “My relationship with Celia is extremely healthy and rewarding,” Goodrich said. “She’s my best friend on and off the court, and I love playing with her.” Freshman Curry Ward believes that the team has rebounded from their 0-4 start due to their ability to make adjustments while still sticking to their style of play. “I think we are all starting to find our niche in the team as well as grow more confident in our skills,” Ward said. “As a very young program, a majority of the team has just been working to gain confidence in their abilities through more touches.” Senior Morgan Cleary credits the seven returners from last year’s squad in helping the team get off to a better start than last year. “I think this year we have a lot more chemistry,” Cleary said. “Incorporating freshmen and transfers into the mix we have was very easy, so it’s like a family.” The Mocs will host Stevenson/South Florida on March 23 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Ruthven Beach Volleyball Courts.

Beach volleyball looks to set new win record Andrew Pawling Co-Sports Editor

Beach volleyball starts their second season with a 4-7 record over 11 matches and are on track to surpass last season’s win total where they finished 5-18 overall. “I feel as if though we act more as a team than individuals,” sophomore Kayla Trefren said. “We cheer each other on, help when needed, and always support one

Photo courtesy of Andrew Pawling / FSC Athletics

Celia Greco attacks her pass from Haley Goodrich in the Mocs doubleheader against UT-Martin on March 5.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Baseball

@FSCsports

3.22 vs. Belmont Abbey 3.24 vs. Colorado Mesa 3.30 at. PBA 4.03 vs. Tampa 4.06 at Rollins 4.10 at Saint Leo

Women’s Lacrosse 3.27 at Tampa 3.30 vs. Mount Olive 4.03 vs. Rollins 4.06 vs. Embry-Riddle 4.09 at Saint Leo 4.12 at Tiffin

Softball

3.22 vs. Embry-Riddle 3.23 vs. Embry Riddle (DH) 3.29 at Barry 3.30 at Barry (DH) 4.05 vs. Saint Leo 5.06 vs. Saint Leo (DH)

Men’s Tennis 3.31 at Lynn 4.03 vs. Azusa Pacific 4.06 vs. Barry 4.07 at Eckerd 4.13 at Florida Tech 4.17 vs. Rollins

Women’s Tennis 3.25 vs. Academy of Art 3.29 at Nova Southeastern 3.30 at Lynn 4.05 at Eckerd 4.06 vs. Barry 4.10 vs. Rollins

eSports

3.25 vs. UC Irvine The Snakebite Wednesday @ 3 p.m.

The Southern March 22, 2019

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