NSU’s student-run newspaper, housed in the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts
Special Section THE CURRENT
DESIGNED BY NICOLE GOMEZ
THE CURRENT
Letter from the special section editor
Dear Readers,
@makonews / makomedia.nova.edu
Phone: 954-262-8455 makonews@nova.edu
Bryce Johnson Editor-in-Chief
Brielle Aguayo Special Section Editor/ Art Director/ Photographer
Bella Giaquinto Sports Editor
Isabella Fernandez de Cueto Assistant Sports Editor
Nicole Gomez Graphic Designer
Alexandra Acevedo Assistant Graphic Designer
Francesca Abarca Reporter
Luqman Gbenro Reporter
Madison Kasper Photographer
Marlee Card Photographer
Roseline Jean-Pierre Photographer
Emily Potter Photographer
Chris Delboni Mako Media Network Director
Mike Lynn Mako Media Network Assistant Director
Dr. Megan Fitzgerald Mako Media Network Faculty Adviser
Dr. Mario D’Agostino Sports Desk Adviser
Joyce Moed The Current’s Faculty Adviser
Dr. Shanti Bruce Chair, Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts
Hi Sharks, thank you for reading the first Homecoming special section. I’m Brielle Aguayo, art director and photographer for The Current. I’m so excited to share with you a Homecoming recap of all the events, from Nov. 10 - 17. I had the idea for this special section because it’s important to celebrate our school spirit and highlight what Homecoming Week offers. Homecoming Week has been an NSU tradition for decades, bringing together students and alumni. With NSU President George L. Hanbury II stepping down on Dec. 31, this Homecoming was also his last. The week’s events from NSU’s Davie campus included the One Spectacular Night Fireworks Show, Bleed Shark Blue Pep Rally, 33rd Annual “Anything that Floats” Raft Race, Fraternity and Sorority Stroll Off, Shark Bites International Food Festival, Homecoming Parade, Homecoming Tailgate, Men’s Homecoming Basketball Game, Homecoming Bash and Sharks in the Garden Brunch. These events are all featured in the special section.
Our goal is to inform and commemorate Homecoming, which is why we created this special section. I hope you will enjoy what this insert has to offer, from an array of
photos from Mako Media Network photographers, to the stories told through the eyes of students. Our NSU community is full of diverse clubs, organizations and students who were all a part of this week. Thank you for supporting The Current. I hope you have an amazing rest of the semester, and if you ever have any ideas for our staff, feel free to stop by our newsroom inside the Don Taft University Center in room 328.
Happy reading, Brielle Aguayo
Brielle Aguayo, special section editor, art director and photographer of The Current Homecoming Special Section.
By Bryce Johnson and Brielle Aguayo
Fireworks show ignites the spark in Homecoming
For the first Homecoming event, the Office of Campus Life and Student Engagement hosted the fourth One Spectacular Night Fireworks Show on Nov. 10 on the Alvin Sherman Library Quad. The event featured music, food and a fireworks show.
Christina Rajkumar, director of Student Engagement, said it was a great way to start Homecoming.
“It’s literally kicking off Homecoming with a bang,” Rajkumar said. “We had quite a few alumni who came back specifically for that show, and they were able to bring their families out, too.”
Ryan Romero, freshman communication major and DJ at Mako Radio, was a nominee for 2024 Homecoming Freshman Royalty. He enjoyed dancing with other nominees of the Homecoming Court.
“If people want to dance and enjoy some free samples and free food, I
would highly recommend it. I would highly recommend students go to any event, no matter what it may be,” Romero said.
The vendors were Moe’s Southwest Grill, BENTO Asian Kitchen + Sushi, Stoner’s Pizza Joint, Chartwells, Anthony’s Clam House & Grill, Duffy’s Sports Grill, Quarterdeck and Seasons 52.
Students also entered giveaways where they could win swag like a travel pillow, cellphone wallet, picnic blanket, water bottle and a neck
fan.
Anne Sylvie Jean Louis, senior psychology major and 2024 Homecoming Queen, has gone to the fireworks show last year. She encourages people to go next year, as well as to the other Homecoming events.
“Go to Homecoming. Don’t listen to the people that say to only go your freshman year and your senior year. Any year that you can go, just go,” she said.
A crowd of NSU students enjoy the atmosphere of the fireworks at the One Spectacular Night Fireworks Show.
A student takes a photo of the fireworks at the One Spectacular Night Fireworks Show.
Students dance in the colored smoke at the One Spectacular Night Fireworks Show.
By Bryce Johnson and Brielle Aguayo
Pep rally gets students excited about being Sharks
The Student Events and Activities Board hosted the Bleed Shark Blue Pep Rally on Nov. 11 at 6 p.m. in the Rick Case Arena. The event featured games, performances and giveaways.
Christina Rajkumar, director of Student Engagement, said it gave students the chance to feel more connected to NSU.
“It’s another way for our students to really get excited about being a Shark and celebrating NSU,” Rajkumar said.
Avani Kulkarni, senior neuroscience major, student director for SEA Board and nominee for 2024 Homecoming Queen, said her favorite part was watching students play the games.
“The people who weren’t playing who were on the court, they were just cheering them on, because one thing
we all have in common is that we’re a Shark and we’re going to support our fellow Sharks,” Kulkarni said. Traliyah Carey, first-year student in the College Student Affairs graduate program and graduate assistant for Student Programming, is the adviser of SEA Board. Carey enjoyed seeing students interacting with the performances by the Sharkettes, NSU Drumline and Pressure Dance Team.
“I think they were hyping them
up the entire night, no matter who came on stage. They were consistently interacting with them,” Carey said.
Anne Sylvie Jean Louis, senior psychology major and 2024 Homecoming Queen, won an iPad at the pep rally.
“I was lucky enough that I won the iPad, so that has been my favorite part,” she said.
PHOTO BY BRIELLE AGUAYO
The DCMA Dancers from the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts perform during the Bleed Shark Blue Pep Rally.
PHOTO BY BRIELLE AGUAYO
NSU’s Bhangra dance team shows off its dance skills.
PHOTO BY ROSELINE JEAN-PIERRE Students play a game for a chance to win a prize at the Bleed Shark Blue Pep Rally.
PHOTO BY BRIELLE AGUAYO Dancers from the Stomp n’ Shake Sapphires perform in their new uniforms on stage at the pep rally.
Members of NSU’s Homecoming Court introduce themselves on stage and explain why they are running for Homecoming Royalty at the Bleed Shark Blue Pep Rally.
NSU’s Drumline opens the pep rally on Nov. 11 with its performance.
PHOTO BY EMILY POTTER
PHOTO BY EMILY POTTER
PHOTO BY EMILY POTTER
The Sharkettes hype up the crowd during the Bleed Shark Blue Pep Rally.
Make a splash at the 33rd Annual “Anything That Floats” Raft Race
By Francesca Abarca
On Tuesday, Nov. 12, NSU celebrated its longest-standing Homecoming tradition with the 33rd annual “Anything That Floats” Raft Race. This event took place at Gold Circle Lake in front of the Horvitz Administration Building, from 4
p.m. to 6 p.m.
This year is NSU President George L. Hanbury II’s last Homecoming.
“It’s a bittersweet feeling, but it’s a wonderful Homecoming and a great boat race. I think of all the years I’ve been looking at it, for 27 years, this is the biggest and the best,” Hanbury said.
The race consisted of seven rounds. The winning teams of the first six rounds competed against each other in the seventh round to determine the final winner.
The Bubble Boats won the first round, Razor’s Edge Leadership won the second round, Jazmira’s Rafters won the third round, the Fintastic
Reads won the fourth round, NSU WAKE won the fifth round and S.S. SAGE won the sixth round.
In the finalist round, NSU Wake took home the grand prize for the third year in a row. Fintastic Reads landed in second and Razor’s Edge Leadership placed third.
PHOTO BY MARLEE CARD
Frank Christopher, junior entrepreneurship major, and Jack Sardina, junior finance major, shake hands with President George L. Hanbury II after placing first in the race.
PHOTO BY BRIELLE AGUAYO
NSU raft race contestants race their way to the finish line in the final heat of the competition.
PHOTO BY MARLEE CARD
Raft Race contestants and NSU students cheer as the race begins its first heat.
PHOTO BY MARLEE CARD
NSU Drumline opens the 33rd Annual “Anything That Floats” Raft Race.
PHOTO BY BRIELLE AGUAYO
NSU’s alumni raft pushes through Gold Circle Lake as it try to make its way to the finish line.
PHOTO BY BRIELLE AGUAYO
Raft Race team Fintastic Float shakes President Hanbury’s hand as it celebrates after winning second place.
PHOTO BY BRIELLE AGUAYO
Three-time winners NSU WAKE poses for a photo with President Hanbury, holding winning checks from the last three years.
PHOTO BY BRIELLE AGUAYO
NSU WAKE finishes its heat that qualifies it for the final round, as Fischler Academy’s float “Get Schooled” trails behind.
PHOTO BY BRIELLE AGUAYO
NSU Raft Race team Fintastic Float topples over as it finishes second place in the competition.
Greek life celebrates 30th annual Stroll-off
By Francesca Abarca
On Wednesday, Nov. 13, NSU celebrated its 30th annual Fraternity and Sorority Life Stroll Off Homecoming event in the Rick Case Arena. A stroll-off is choreographed movements that members do to a specific song. This event is a competition between the Unified Greek Council sororities and fraternities
for a chance to win $1,000 for their organization.
The three rounds of the night, Who We Are, Movies, and Improv, consisted of performances from each sorority and fraternity. The winner of the overall competition was the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. with its performance of “Karate Kid” during the second round.
Niah Johnson, senior biology
BY ROSELINE JEAN-PIERRE
major and one of the AKA performers, said this has been the best performance the sorority has put on.
“This is truly the best we have done. And then for the students on campus, it was a pleasure being able to do what we do and show them who we are in the community and on campus,” Johnson said.
Malik Smith, coordinator of fraternity and sorority engagement,
said that the reason this event is put on every year is to bring students together and have fun.
“It’s all rewarding in the end, because of the smiles that I get to see on my Greek members’ faces. I want everyone to come here and have fun. It’s usually an event where people get to come and just release and have a little bit of fun during Homecoming,” Smith said.
PHOTO BY MADISON KASPER
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. features “Men in Black” during the Movie round of the competition.
PHOTO
Sigma Lamda Gamma National Sorority Inc. performs during round one at the 30th annual Fraternity and Sorority Life Stroll Off.
PHOTO BY MADISON KASPER
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. performs during the last round at the 30th annual Fraternity and Sorority Life Stroll Off.
PHOTO BY MADISON KASPER
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. celebrates its win.
Sharks swarm this year’s food festival
By Luqman Gbenro
NSU’s Shark Fountain transformed into a foodie’s paradise on Nov. 14 for this year’s Shark Bites International Food Festival. The festival is one of the many Homecoming festivities held on campus. Student-run businesses and off-campus eateries gathered for a celebration of international cultures and their many culinary contributions.
“There are a lot of things that go on in the world. One thing that brings us together is food. A lot of people are here to celebrate Homecoming and bleed shark blue,” said Ritchy Laguerre, second-year graduate assistant for the Office of Campus Life and Student Engagement.
Students had several options to choose from. Tropical Oasis Express and Carrabba’s Italian Grill made an appearance, while student-run stands like La Creperia represented for NSU’s Huizenga Student Businesses.
“I usually go to Oasis’ food trucks; they have good food. I love to eat from there,” said Chancey Cherry, senior neuroscience major and senior Homecoming king candidate.
Cherry understands how important events like these are for fostering community.
“Normally you don’t see a lot of commuters connecting with campus. I used to be an RA, and I always notice when they have events like this; it brings the community together,” Cherry said.
Homecoming Parade brings the community together
By Luqman Gbenro
This year’s annual Homecoming Parade was filled with Shark spirit. On Nov. 15, the Shark Fountain and surrounding parking lots served as the stage for coordinated costumes, colorful cars and powerful percussion.
Students and faculty showed up to show off their organizations.
“[Homecoming] just reminded everyone we’re all NSU sharks and that’s something we all have in common. Let’s hype each other up. Let’s have fun,” said Avani Kulkarni, senior neuroscience major, SEA board director and 2024 Homecoming Queen candidate.
The parade participants competed to win over the judges and secure the top spot. Stomp n’ Shake, a on campus majorette organization came in first. Second prize went to Black Student Union and Delta Phi Epsilon took third. This is Stomp n’ Shake’s second consecutive win, and it is no less meaningful.
“We bring the Broward community together through dance,” said McKayla Sanders, sophomore sociology major and Stomp n’ Shake community service chair. “Homecoming brings everybody back. It’s the biggest crowd you’ll ever see, so it was important for us to be here to see everybody and get along.”
PHOTO BY LUQMAN GBENRO
Carlos Ampudia, artist, paints a shirt for a student at one of the food festival booths.
PHOTO BY BRIELLE AGUAYO
Axel Wilder, freshman marine biology major, eats a funnel cake at the food festival.
PHOTO BY BRIELLE AGUAYO
Stomp n’ Shake poses with Razor and its first-place prize.
PHOTO BY MARLEE CARD
The Filipino Student Association parades around the Shark Circle.
PHOTO BY BRIELLE AGUAYO
Anya Sanjel, freshman public health major, and Sylvia Hoyt, freshman pre-nursing major, eat food from Carrabba’s.
Tailgate festivities for Sharks
By Luqman Gbenro
The Homecoming festivities kept rolling with this year’s Homecoming Tailgate. NSU’s Undergraduate Student Government Association hosted the tailgate on Nov. 15 and flooded the Mailman-Hollywood Parking Lot with food, games and activities like a t-shirt making and a hot-dog eating contest.
“[The tailgate] is cool so far. I wish I got here earlier,” said freshman
nursing major Mitsuika Leonidas. “I’m looking forward to all the free stuff.”
Students who attended the tailgate received free shirts and refreshments from John the Baker, LIME Fresh Mexican Grill and other vendors in attendance. Several on-campus organizations were present for the fun, including Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc, dance group Stomp n’ Shake and Phi Sigma Sigma sorority.
Homecoming court revealed at men’s basketball game
By Francesca Abarca
On Friday, Nov. 15, the 2024 Homecoming royalty was announced at the Men’s Homecoming basketball game during halftime in the Rick Case Arena.
There were two winners per class year. The freshman royalty were Caroline Miller and Ariana Davis. The sophomore winners were
Ashley Smith and Dajenae Garner. The junior winners were Rakeem Richards and Gianna Saint-Jean. The Senior King and Queen were Jared Scott and Anne Sylvie Jean Louis.
Jean Louis, psychology major, said that winning was not just for the bragging rights, but for all the little girls that grew up being told they weren’t good enough.
“This crown and this victory is for little Annie. I was always either told or made to feel like I wasn’t good enough, beautiful enough, all the different things. So now this crown doesn’t define my worth, and I already knew that, but this is a physical manifestation of my resilience over the years,” Jean Louis said. “So to me, it’s for all the little Annie’s of the world.”
Many of the students running for Homecoming royalty felt happy no matter how the votes went.
“Regardless of the outcome, I knew that all of the other nominees would be happy for whoever won, which made the competition less stressful and more fun,” said SaintJean, junior psychology major.
PHOTO BY BRIELLE AGUAYO
Daniyal Baig, senior business major, escapes getting splashed by Markensley Francois, graduate assistant for fraternity and sorority programming, as he sits in the dunk tank.
PHOTO BY BRIELLE AGUAYO
Jared Scott, senior applied professional studies major, celebrates alongside the Homecoming court as he wins Homecoming King during halftime at the Men’s Basketball Game.
PHOTO BY MADISON KASPER
Anne Sylvie Jean Louis, senior psychology major, celebrates alongside the Homecoming Court as she wins Homecoming Queen during halftime at the Men’s Basketball Game.
COURTESY OF SAINTVILLE
IMAGES
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. members pose for a photo with their fraternity brother Jared Scott, senior applied professional studies major, who was crowned Homecoming king.
‘Yachts’ of fun to end Homecoming Sharks in the Garden Brunch ends Homecoming Week
By Francesca Abarca
For the final event of Homecoming Week, NSU held its annual Sharks in the Garden Brunch on Sunday, Nov. 17, at noon in the Flight Deck Backyard.
This year’s theme was Pastels in
Paradise, so attendees wore pastel colors. There were two surprise performances during the event; a flash mob performance by six dance students and a runway show by NSU’s fashion club, Seemly on campus. This year had the largest number of students in attendance and Ritchy
By Bryce Johnson
As part of Homecoming Week, the Office of Campus Life and Student Engagement held a party on a private yacht for students on Nov. 16.
“It’s a party for NSU students. It’s one of the final events, excluding the brunch that happens on Sunday, but it’s one of the two final events that we have to conclude Homecoming Week,” Christina Rajkumar, director of Student Engagement, said.
Around 400 students attended the event. While the party is normally in Fort Lauderdale, Tamara Lumsden, assistant director of Club and
Organization Engagement, said it was in Miami this year.
“I think that a new environment, sailing and just having that experience, I think they really enjoyed it,” Lumsden said.
Rajkumar liked hearing feedback from students, not just for the yacht party, but for Homecoming Week overall.
“A lot of them have said that this is something they didn’t really expect, for it to be to the magnitude that it was, and they were pleasantly surprised by it,” Rajkumar said.
Laguerre, second-year graduate assistant for the Office of Campus Life and Student Engagement, said that the preparation for the brunch depends on the previous events for the week.
“So every year, we want to do the brunch differently. I think this is
supposed to be more of, like, a vibe, more of a calm way to end a hectic, but fun, Homecoming Week. I’m just happy that they’re having a good time, and I think this is a great way to just end it off for the students,” Laguerre said.
PHOTO BY FRANCESCA ABARCA Students in the NSU Seemly club walk the runway at the Flight Deck Backyard.
PHOTO BY ROSELINE JEAN-PIERRE Violinist Tamara Sieviieva, professional violinist, performs during the Homecoming Brunch.
DESIGNED BY NICOLE GOMEZ