The Current Vol.36 Issue 7

February 26, 2026

Issue 7, Volume 36

NSU's student-run newspaper, housed in the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts

NEWS p. 4

FEATURES p. 7

ARTS p. 9

SPORTS p. 16

Black Student Union to host Black Excellence Showcase

Roots and Boots: Davie’s Orange Blossom Festival brings a town together

NSU dancers take the stage at ACDA Southeast Conference

NSU baseball emphasizes team chemistry with new faces

NSU celebrates 20 years of theater with the Duncan arts endowment reception ARTS By Antonio Miguel Escorzon and Alexandria Munroe

PHOTO BY MADISON KASPER

Theatre faculty and staff are recognized at the Arts Endowment reception as NSU celebrates the 20th anniversary of the theatre program.

The Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts hosted its Mark Lindsay Duncan Legacy Endowment for the Arts Reception in collaboration with the Office of Advancement and Community Relations on Feb. 20 in the Performance Theatre in the Don Taft University Center.

DCMA started the Mark Lindsay

Duncan Legacy Endowment for the Arts in 2023 to support the arts programs and arts students at NSU. The endowment and reception honors Mark Lindsay Duncan, NSU theatre professor, who passed away from cancer in October 2021.

Bill Adams, music and theatre program director, opened the event.

“We lost Mark four years ago, and I wanted to say that you never get over something like that, but we’ve done something wonderful,” Adams said.

“We have created this endowment where we can support students.”

The reception featured a series of piano and singing performances from department students, faculty and

alumni.

Noelia Olivero, senior theatre major, who performed at the reception, benefited from the endowment as it assisted with tuition for a summer intensive.

“Last year in June, I went to the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York for five weeks,” Olivero said.

DUNCAN ARTS ENDOWMENT RECEPTION p. 10

Jonathan Carter coaches to carry forward father’s legacy SPORTS

By Isabella Fernandez de Cueto

PHOTO BY MADISON KASPER

Jonathan Carter, head men’s and women’s cross country & track and field coach, coaches Shaelyn Taylor, freshman marine biology major, during practice at Joseph C. Carter Park on Feb. 17.

SPORTS p. 17

| February 26, 2026

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Letter from the editor Located in the Don Taft University Center Room 328 @nsu_makonews / makomedia.nova.edu

NEWSROOM

Phone: 954-262-8455 makonews@nova.edu

BUSINESS & ADVERTISING

Phone: 954-262-8455 thecurrentad@nova.edu

NEWSROOM STAFF Antonio Miguel Escorzon Editor-in-Chief

Amaia Flores Social Media Manager

Victoria Ruiz Art Director

Yasmin De Andrade Rodrigues Assistant Social Media Manager

Lila Taricco Art Director

Krish Lalwani Business Manager

Constanza Andujar Reporter Marlee Card Reporter/Music Editor

Liv Zolk Distribution Manager

Samiksha Chemukula Science/Health Writer

Chris Delboni Mako Media Network Director

Isabella Fernandez de Cueto Sports Editor

Mike Lynn Mako Media Network Assistant Director/Music Desk Adviser

Daria Gross Reporter

Dr. Megan Fitzgerald Mako Media Network Faculty Adviser

Bryce Johnson Film Critic Madison Kasper Reporter/ Visual Journalist

Joyce Moed The Current Adviser

Isabelle Moreno Reporter

Dr. Mario D’Agostino Sports Desk Adviser

Alexandria Munroe News Editor/Feature Writer

Dr. Aarti Raja Science/Health Desk Adviser

Sneha Subhash Science/Health Writer

Dr. Eric Mason Digital Adviser

Allen Worrell Web Editor/Reporter

Dr. Shanti Bruce Chair, Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts

MAKO RADIO

MAKO TV

MAKO NEWS

Dear Readers, Hello there, Sharks! I hope you enjoy reading this issue of The Current, NSU’s student-run newspaper. I am Antonio, the editor-in-chief.

We covered fun on-campus events like Community Fest, which was on Valentine’s Day, as well as the theater show “Boeing Boeing.” The Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts hosted the show’s opening night after the Mark Lindsay Duncan Legacy Endowment for the Arts reception.

This month is Black History Month. Check out our “Sharks Speak” on students’ answers about Black historical figures they would like to meet and our preview on the Black Student Union’s Black Excellence Showcase to take place on March 14.

What is also coming up is the Town of Davie’s annual Orange Blossom Festival from Friday, Feb. 27, to Sunday, March 1. You can read more about what to expect from our feature, “Oh, The Places To Go.” While we are close to the end of midterms week, I

look forward to spring break because I will be spending time watching shows recommended to me, like “Kaleidoscope” on Netflix.

The Current is part of Mako Media Network. MMN also includes Mako TV, NSU’s student-run broadcast news station on YouTube, and Mako Radio, NSU’s student-run radio station on 88.5 FM. If you have questions, comments or story pitches, you can find us in the Don Taft University Center, room 328. On behalf of everyone at The Current, thank you for reading and making us part of your day.

Take care, Antonio Miguel Escorzon

AMANDA M. DELBONI JOURNALISM ENDOWMENT FUND The Amanda M. Delboni Journalism Endowment Fund was established to support NSU’s journalism program, including student scholarships, mentorship and shadowing opportunities. Donating to the Amanda M. Delboni Journalism Endowment Fund supports NSU journalism education and prepares students for industry careers.

The Current is Nova Southeastern University’s established vehicle for student reporting.

Editorials, commentaries and advertisements in this publication reflect the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the University or its officials, The Current advisers or advertisers. The Current will not publish

unsigned letters except under special circumstances at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief.

The Current reserves the right to edit, publish or deny submitted works.

The Current shall remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility or otherwise create bias, real or perceived.

NEWS

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PHOTO BY MARLEE CARD

Students, families and friends explore the tables set up by NSU organizations and clubs during Community Fest on Saturday, Feb. 14.

NSU hosts the 22nd annual Community Fest

By Antonio Miguel Escorzon At this year’s Community Fest, Melanie Staples, junior marine biology major, attended the event for the first time.

“I think it’s super fun,” Staples said.

“It’s great for all these people to come and see what Nova has to offer.”

The Division of Student Affairs hosted the 22nd annual Community Fest at the Gold Circle Lake on Feb. 14.

More than 300 tables for student clubs and organizations, NSU departments, Davie community partners, sponsors and food vendors took part in the event, such as the Undergraduate Student Government Association, Sweet Aloha Ice Cream and the Davie-Cooper City Chamber of Commerce.

Ritchy Laguerre, assistant director of Club and Organization Engagement

in the Office of Campus Life and Student Engagement, said the event allows students to meet a lot of different clubs and organizations.

“It just gives them the opportunity to build a home and a connection with other people and see if they want to be a part of these clubs and join,” Laguerre said.

Natalie Torres-Boone, student in the Composition, Rhetoric, and Digital Media Ph.D. program and coordinator of Global Engagement for the Center for Student Leadership and Global Engagement, said Community Fest is one of the rare opportunities for NSU students to interact with the outside community.

“A huge part of the college experience is not just going to class,” Torres-Boone said. “It’s being a part of a community, both on campus and around campus.”

Akhil Revuru, senior biology major,

USGA residential senator and ambassador for the Inter-Organizational Council, said the event is an amazing opportunity to meet the wider Broward County community.

Sadreena Colonel, assistant director of Student Experience, said Community Fest is important for students because it intertwines the NSU community with Davie.

“It allows the Davie community to come onto NSU’s campus and see everything that we have to offer,” Colonel said.

Dylan Levy, senior secondary social studies education major, helped table for Alpha Kappa Psi, a business fraternity, of which he is a member. He has attended Community Fest since he was a freshman.

“It’s a fantastic event, and I recommend that everyone goes at least once even if they’re not tabling with an organization,” Levy said.

Kassy Reyes-Lazo, junior biology major and president of the Green Sharks Student Sustainability Club, said tabling for Community Fest allows students to learn more about on-campus groups.

“I think it’s a great event to get everyone involved, and for the different students to see what’s going on in campus and get involved in different organizations,” Reyes-Lazo said.

Teresa Ojeda, a North Carolina resident, came to know about the event through Facebook and went to the event while visiting her daughter.

“It’s been fantastic,” Ojeda said. “We brought the grandkids, and they got to do so many things. I think it’s a great way to bring the community together.”

Laguerre said Community Fest brings the community together.

“Everyone and their families and pets can also come and attend this event,” Laguerre said.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

NSU builds for the future

By Antonio Miguel Escorzon

PHOTOS BY MARLEE CARD

Construction workers renovate the Terry Administration Building.

Starbucks in the Terry Administration Building has recently opened.

Ayanna Stephens, director of Design & Construction, said the opening is part of the renovation to the building’s first floor to increase dining options.

“We’ve had a lot of good feedback,” Stephens said. “It seems like it has been a big hit.”

Felix Leon, senior project manager in Design & Construction, said the Terry Administration Building’s renovation project is due to conclude

between May and June, as Starbucks has been added.

“What is to be finished is the interior portion of the dining expansion,” Leon said. “It’s going to have more square footage of tables and chairs.”

In addition to the Terry Administration Building’s renovation project, another ongoing project on-campus is installing solar panels to power Mako Hall, an on-campus residence building.

Carlos Guiovani Caceros, a project manager in Design & Construction,

said the project allows Design & Construction to work with Florida Power & Light and D3Energy, a floating photovoltaics developing company where they build solar panels to convert light into energy.

“Florida Power & Light is finalizing all the wiring,” Caceros said. “They have to test every panel and how it connects to the electrical panels that are right outside the lake.”

Design & Construction plans to have the solar panels operational by June.

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Black Student Union to host Black Excellence Showcase COURTESY OF TAYJAH CHAMBERS

Students attend 2025’s Black Excellence Showcase.

By Antonio Miguel Escorzon Janiyah Fluitt, junior child development major and president of the Black Student Union, said that during Black History Month, she feels like she can express herself.

“I think it’s just so significant being able to celebrate your culture, your background, your ancestors and everything that comes with it is the most important part of Black History Month,” she said.

The Black Student Union will host its Black Excellence Showcase on Saturday, March 14 at 7 p.m. in the Flight Deck Backyard. The event will have food, music and performances.

“I think, personally, as a president and somebody who has seen this event transpire for about three years now, it’s one of my favorite events during the school year because it’s just a night where people are allowed to be themselves, and you have your friends that are able to perform on stage and you can come with your friends,” Fluitt

said.

The Black Student Union is a student group on campus that welcomes students from all backgrounds.

“This doesn’t mean that you have to be Black in order to be in the organization. No, it’s just an organization that is focused towards advocating comfortability and supporting our Black students on our campus,” Tayjah Chambers, junior psychology major and vice president of the Black Student Union, said.

The Black Excellence Showcase’s theme this year is “Lux & Legacy.”

“We will be giving away awards for different organizations on our campus because we just want to show recognization to organizations that have helped our campus and have helped the community,” Fluitt said.

Chambers said events like the Grammy Awards and the Met Gala inspired the theme.

“Any of those big performances with like very big influencers or celebrities and stuff like that, that was the whole inspiration to the showcase.

That’s where the Lux came in,” Chambers said. “And then obviously the legacy part is the legacy that Black Student Union holds on campus.”

Fluitt said the event will take place in March because during February, the Black Student Union wanted to try a new approach this year, which includes hosting its “Mr. and Miss BSU” pageant” earlier in the day of the showcase and having various events throughout the last week of February.

Chambers said the event is a great way to give back to the students.

“It showcases Black excellence within our community

or excellence in general, whether it is performance arts, like as in talents,

academics-wise or community-based,” Chambers said. “It’s just basically showing the involvement and the excellence within our community.”

The event is open to the South Florida community.

“I’m just excited for how everyone else is going to feel about our showcase this year,” Chambers said.

COURTESY OF TAYJAH CHAMBERS

Students from the Nova High School “The Ladies of Ashanti & The Men of Black Reign” step team perform at last year’s Black Excellence Showcase.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

NSU News Recap

By Alexandria Munroe and Constanza Andujar Recruit a Shark Career Fair The Center For Academic and Professional Success hosted the Winter 2026 “Recruit a Shark Career Fair” on Feb. 10 in the Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation, located on the fifth floor of the Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center.

Students and alumni had the opportunity to connect with

employers from different industries, such as the Florida Panthers Hockey Club, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and AutoNation.

“College is about grades and academics, but it’s equally just as important as building your network, getting experience, building your resume, and things that supplement what you learn in the classroom,” Johnny Kevorkian, director of Career Development, said.

PHOTO BY ALEXANDRIA MUNROE

Karen Fuller and Matthew Nichols perform “Dragonfly” by Bill Withem, assistant professor of commercial music.

The Music of Bill Withem On Feb. 5, the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts hosted a concert of original music by Bill Withem, assistant professor of commercial music, at the Adolfo and Marisela Cotilla Gallery in the Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center. Withem said that this event was an opportunity to present his music live after several years. ​​“For me, being able to connect with the larger community that’s in Davie as well as what’s on campus was just

awesome,” he said. “The feeling of the thrill is back.”

The concert started with “Dragonfly,” a three-movement piece performed by Jihong Adams-Park, associate lecturer in DCMA, on piano, alongside Karen Fuller on flute and Matthew Nichols on marimba. The concert also included “Italian Settings,” a five-movement work featuring Bill Adams, commercial music and theatre program director and professor in DCMA, singing tenor, with Laura Gonzalez on violin and Jihong Adams-Park on piano.

PHOTO BY CONSTANZA ANDUJAR

Students talk with employers at the “Recruit a Shark Career Fair.”

NEWS

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Students for Social Change hosts vigil to honor victims of ICE

By Marlee Card Students for Social Change hosted a walk around Gold Circle Lake and a vigil on Tuesday, Feb. 17, to speak out against recent deaths connected to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and to raise awareness about immigration enforcement across the country.

“We’re gonna walk around to show our visibility, get people aware that there’s people here that care about the victims of ICE shootings and people being detained, and that there’s students here that are being affected by that right now,” Gabriella Flora, junior marine biology major and president of Students for Social Change, said. Flora is also a DJ with Mako Radio.

Ana Gonzalez, freshman double major in biology and neuroscience, said the purpose is to honor individuals she says were killed by ICE. Gonzalez is a member of the club.

“We are just doing a walk, and it’s kind of like a vigil because ICE has murdered many individuals, including Renee Good, Keith Porter Jr. and Alex Pretti, and we are walking out in support because it is an injustice,” she said.

On Dec. 31, 2025, an off‑duty ICE agent killed Keith Porter Jr., an American citizen, in the Los Angeles area.

In January, ICE agents in Minneapolis

fatally shot Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, also American citizens, on separate occasions.

Emilio Padilla, sophomore health and wellness major and member of the club, said the purpose of the walk and vigil is both a remembrance and a call for awareness.

“We have been hosting a vigil for those who have been impacted by ICE or the people who have been brutally murdered under this tyranny that is this ICE operation,” he said. “Also to spread awareness, spread peace and incite communication between people all around the school and even further.”

Gonzalez emphasized the importance of student voices on campus, pointing to South Florida’s large Hispanic American population and urging students not to be afraid to speak up.

“NSU is in the heart of South Florida, and South Florida has a huge Hispanic American population. The fact that no students are speaking out, I think is crazy,” Gonzalez said. “You shouldn’t be afraid to speak up because speaking up isn’t an extreme. That’s what you should do.”

Padilla said ICE policies have personally affected his family, including a family member who was deported to Spain.

“It’s impacted me specifically because it’s never a good feeling to know that a family member has been deported, especially a family member I grew up with,” he said. “There are people out

PHOTO BY MARLEE CARD

Students for Social Change members walk around Gold Circle Lake. there that are getting it worse, in detention facilities, separated from their families, uprooted from a nation that they feel was supposed to protect them.”

The event followed high school protests on Monday, Feb. 16, in Palm Beach County, where students from four schools protested against ICE as well.

“The students at NSU recognize the terrors that thrive in silence and refuse to be complicit,” Flora said in her speech during the vigil. “That’s the lives of our neighbors, fellow students and friends around the country: continuing

to be torn apart for a political show.”

Ariel Pierre, sophomore math and biology major, said it is important for NSU students to advocate for change and to support one another.

“There are people out here who will be willing to support each other in our mission to make the world a better, more empathetic and inviting place for everyone, not just people of a certain skin color, certain religion or certain ethnicity, but just everyone in general because human life has inherent value,” Pierre said. “I think that’s what we really need to show on this campus.”

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February 26, 2026

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Sharks Speak: If you could meet any Black historical figure, who would it be?

BY DARIA GROSS “I would pick Jackie Robinson because I am really interested in baseball, and he changed the whole baseball ideals and was very good. He was also very inspiring, and he showed that anyone can be good and that anyone can work for their goals.”

Emily Giammarino, f reshman biology major

“It would have to be Rosa Parks. She is a very activist woman, and while she wasn’t the first lady to sit on a bus and choose not to stand up, the first person to do this was a 15-year-old. The fact that she took that into her own hands to do what she did for activists’ rights was just great.”

Sorayah Bacoup, sophomore exercise sports science major

“Ruby Bridges, who was one of the first black people to be integrated into schools. She was in first or second grade when she began, or the Little Rock 9, who were a group of African American high school students, escorted every day by police and got spat at.

I would love to talk to one of them. They still had the fortitude to say, ‘I want to get my education.’ I would just love to hear their stories.”

“I would personally choose Martin Luther King for his ability to speak hope into chaos and organize people with language, and his speeches. I would ask him how he kept going and how did he get all of those skills to communicate to people and make them feel a certain way, and ask about how he came to the realization that he wanted to make the change for a better future, and where did he get the courage from.”

Sarah Octauve, sophomore neuroscience major

Martina Valdovinos, senior communication major

Donor spotlight: Tate family names University Center club room

By Antonio Miguel Escorzon The club room on the second floor of the Don Taft University Center has been renamed the “Tate Family Championship Club Room,” after NSU donors Kenny Tate and his wife, Sandy Tate.

Kenny Tate, NSU board of trustees member and co-founder of Tate Capital LLC, spoke with Dr. Harry K. Moon, president and CEO of Nova Southeastern University, about the club room.

“In the last few years, my wife and I started coming to the basketball games, and last year, I was with Dr. Moon,” Tate said. “I made some comments that the lounge overlooking the court needed some improvement. Together, we came up with a plan: my donation increased to create more scholarships for the university, and a portion of that donation went to renovate the room.”

Raised in Miami Beach, Tate earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering from Vanderbilt University in Nashville in 1974 and received his master of business administration degree from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, in 1976.

“Although I never practice engineering, what I learned in engineering was the ability to realize as problems came up, I can break them down into little pieces and solve them a piece at a time,” he said.

Tate joined the headmaster’s board at the NSU University School, a K-12 college preparatory school, in 1991. His three daughters, Jennifer, Stef and Jaclyn, all graduated from the University School.

The Tate family is part of NSU’s Circle of Friends, a group that raises funds for the Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center. The family has also donated to the NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale.

Bonnie Clearwater, director and chief curator of the NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, said she admires that the Tate family is community-oriented. She has known the family for 30 years.

“It’s great to have multi-generational supporters of the arts and of the university,” Clearwater said.

Jennifer O’Flannery Anderson, president/CEO of Community Foundation of Broward, knew Tate and his wife when she was vice president of Advancement and Community Relations at NSU from 2013 to 2020.

“When I was there, he and his wife were big supporters of the University School, the library and the Art Museum, and his wife, Sandy, was really involved with the library,” Anderson said. “They keep their commitments, and once they get involved, they really stay involved and they try to help make things better.”

Anderson remembered that while attending NSU board of trustees meetings, Kenny Tate brought an

PHOTO BY MADISON KASPER

Kenny Tate and his wife Sandy Tate cut the ribbon at the Tate Family Championship Club Room dedication event on Feb. 21.

expertise of weighing ideas clearly.

Tate joined the NSU Board of Trustees in 1999.

“What strikes me when I saw him working on the board was how well prepared he always was for the meetings, how he understands all the financial information and asked really good questions,” she said.

In 2009, Tate co-founded Tate Capital LLC, a real estate investment company, with his brother Jimmy Tate.

“My brother and I are partners,” Kenny Tate said. “We try to treat employees as family. We try to

respect them, realize that they have personal lives and try to work with them around that.”

Tate said he learned the importance of being philanthropic from his parents.

“I think everyone should give back in some respect,” Tate said. “If you have financial ability, that’s fine. If you don’t, you can always volunteer your time, but it’s important to give back to the community to help people who are less fortunate, either financially or otherwise.”

FEATURES

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OH, THE PLACES TO GO!

Roots and Boots: Davie’s Orange Blossom Festival brings a town together

Bamford Sports Complex & Pine Island Park, 3801 S Pine Island Road, Davie, FL

By Marlee Card

COURTESY OF THE TOWN OF DAVIE

Families and residents of Davie attend the 2025 edition of the Orange Blossom Festival, where they celebrated Davie’s centennial.

From its agricultural beginnings to its cowboy-town identity, Davie is built on roots and cowboy boots.

Hosting a free, three-day community event, the 89th annual Orange Blossom Festival, celebrates the town’s Western culture and local traditions from Friday, Feb. 27 to Sunday, March 1. The festival, themed “Roots and Boots,” will take place at the Bamford Sports Complex, expecting a crowd of 20,000 visitors throughout the weekend.

From the parade and live music to vendors and professional rodeo events, most festival activities are free, making the event accessible to families and students throughout Broward County.

“Our goal is to provide free community, family friendly events for all to enjoy,” Jeff Pohlman, director of the Town of Davie’s Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts Department, said. “We want people to come out. We want people to have free family friendly events to enjoy on the weekend.”

Chad Pezoldt, Town of Davie’s assistant director of Parks, Recreation &

Cultural Arts Department, said what makes this festival different than others in South Florida is the wholesome family environment and sense of community that keeps people coming back.

“People have been coming to this event for years, and that’s what I’ve noticed the most about it,” Pezoldt said.

“People come out to be with family and friends and enjoy the day because there’s going to be a ton of wholesome, friendly activities for the whole family to enjoy.”

The festival kicks off Friday night with its signature concert, featuring Southern Blood, a Southern rock tribute band.

While not all attractions will be open yet, food trucks and the petting farm welcome early visitors.

“That Friday night is really about the kickoff concert. It sets the tone for the full weekend,” Pohlman said. “It’s a staple that’s always been part of the festival, whether downtown or here at the Bamford Sports Complex.”

Saturday begins with the 10 a.m. parade, featuring local groups, businesses, marching bands and town

services. The Orange Blossom Queen contest and historical farm displays are staples.

“Every year we host a parade that features local community groups, local businesses, always features a grand marshal, and obviously our public safety with police, fire and other town services highlighted in the parade,” Pohlman said.

Simone James, special events superintendent of the Town of Davie’s Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts Department, said the festival also emphasizes community performance.

“We’ve had Junkanoo from the Bahamas, Fushu Daiko Japanese drummers and the local jazz society,” she said.

“Every year we try to do things a little different, whether adding multicultural elements or highlighting local talent.”

For more than 20 years, a longstanding tent at the festival has been hosted by the Broward County Farm Bureau, where organizers focus on educating festival goers while offering a small green market.

“We get produce donated from local South Florida growers, and we have a little green market in there,” said Fred Segal, president of the Broward County Farm Bureau. “It gives people an opportunity to learn more about the agricultural history of the area and what’s currently happening with agriculture today.”

James said the local community’s involvement is what defines the festival’s atmosphere.

“That’s what makes it a town,” James said. “Their church group might be here.

Their dance group might be here. Their friends from school. Different groups bring their own fans, so you’ll see new people come in throughout the day.”

Pohlman said even in a town of 110,000 residents, the festival retains a hometown feel.

“The biggest thing is that they have fun,” Pohlman said. “They’re choosing to spend the day with us, and we want them to have a good time.”

PHOTO BY MARLEE CARD

Attendees walk dogs during the 36th annual VCA Walk for the Animals, at Las Olas Intracoastal Promenade Park in Fort Lauderdale.

Humane Society of Broward County hosts fundraising walk for animals

By Constanza Andujar The Humane Society of Broward County hosted its 36th annual VCA Walk for the Animals at the Las Olas Intracoastal Promenade Park on Saturday, Feb. 21.

“If you’re a dog lover, that’s the place to be because there’s little ones, there’s big ones, there’s in between ones, just about every breed you can imagine,” Linda Sanders, director of Volunteer Services at the Humane Society of

Broward County, said. “Some people don’t even come with a dog. They just come to support our shelter.”

The Humane Society of Broward County is a non-profit animal shelter with the mission of advocating for and improving the lives of animals by providing adoptions, community services and education. “[The walk] is our single biggest fundraiser. Today I think we’re going to come close to 600,000 dollars net that funds our operating budget,” Christopher Agostino, president and CEO of

HSBC, said. “Today is a great day to create community awareness on the work that the shelter does, as well as fund the mission of the organization.

640 volunteers support the shelter.

Among them is Christine Martin who has served as a shelter guide for more than a year. After retiring, she was eager to help animals, but initially felt nervous about volunteering.

“I thought I would want to take them all home, and I do,” she said. “You do feel sadness, and you do feel that tug sometimes, but once you come here

and you realize you’re helping the animals get adopted, you’re helping people find their forever pets, you get over the sadness.”

Scan the QR code for the full story:

February 26, 2026

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ARTS

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COURTESY OF ALONZO WILLIAMS

Students in the dance “A Series of Connected Events” rehearse at the 2025 ACDA Southeast Conference.

By Alexandria Munroe Today, 14 students from NSU’s dance program will join dancers from across the southeast region for the 2026 American College Dance Association Southeast Conference in Gainesville, Ga. The conference includes four days of performances, classes and a formal concert where select pieces are adjudicated by professionals in the industry.

Elana Lanczi, director of dance and associate professor in the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts, said the dance program has attended the conference since 2012.

“As much dance as we get in South Florida, I think there’s a lot that we don’t get exposed to,” Lanczi said. “I really wanted to expose the students to a lot of different kinds of dance.”

Alonzo Williams, adjunct dance

professor in DCMA, said that the conference allows students to reflect on why they chose to pursue dance.

“We get so used to being within a world that seems to give you everything, so that when something unique does come, we give it the blind side,” Williams said. “ACDA is really about learning and growing and maturing from where you’re at in that moment and not taking that opportunity for granted.”

Williams said that attending the conference gives dance students access to opportunities that go beyond their local training.

“One of the biggest things that ACDA gives dancers is perspective,” Williams said. “When you’re able to see the world, you get to open up your brain to see other possibilities in life.”

This year, two performances from Dance Works, the fall dance concert, were selected to represent NSU in the formal concert. Williams’ piece,

“Severing Succession,” is one of the selected pieces. He said his piece explores themes of overwork, burnout and the negative affects it causes in modern work culture.

“It’s about the whole mindset of working up the corporate ladder,” Williams said. “But when we do that, we actually cripple ourselves and fall under the pressures.”

Williams said that watching the dancers grow into their roles has been his favorite part of preparing for the conference.

“When I see them take ownership throughout that process and anticipate what the day would look like, that’s definitely the best part,” Williams said.

“The piece is now also theirs.”

The second piece selected to represent NSU was choreographed by Justin Tran, senior marketing major. He said his piece, “I Used to Skip Rocks When I Was Younger,” explores the idea of growing up and the emotional weight

that comes from adulthood.

“It’s about the concept that when we’re younger we often like to grow up as fast as we can,” Tran said. “But as soon as we’re grown up, we wish we were younger.”

Tran said his spontaneous approach to this piece was inspired by conversations with choreographers he met at previous ACDA conferences.

“This was my first time choreographing on the spot,” he said. “Having the liberty of the dancers’ artistic choices as well as their patience is something I was really grateful for.”

Tran’s favorite part of attending the conference is seeing how other schools interpret and present their work, he said.

“It’s very inspiring to see the levels of dance coming through other institutions and everyone’s reactions to our dances,” Tran said. “Everyone’s coming here to showcase something, not to compete, and that’s really uplifting.”

February 26, 2026

10 Guests watch performances at the Mark Lindsay Duncan Arts Endowment reception on Feb.20.

FROM THE FRONT

DUNCAN ARTS ENDOWMENT RECEPTION

Photos by Madison Kasper Jason Gershman, chair of the Department of Mathematics, came to the reception to support the department.

“I worked with Mark Duncan for a number of years,” Gershman said. “I miss having him as a colleague.”

Aimee Zadak, adjunct professor in the College of Psychology, said Duncan made her daughters, Angelica and Alexandra, who they are today. She said Duncan met Angelica first, teaching her how to be confident when Angelica did an Improv Jam.

“Her whole body language changed, and she was happy,” Zadak said. “It was him mentoring her, training her and teaching her how improv worked.

That’s why I know she is the person she is today because of Mark.”

DCMA planned the reception’s celebration together with the 20th anniversary of NSU’s theatre program and the opening night of the department’s production, “Boeing Boeing.”

Dan Gelbmann, associate professor of technical theatre and design, said it

was great to be part of the theatre program for 17 years.

“Bill and I were the second theatre faculty hires,” Gelbmann said. “Mark was the first faculty member hired for all of the arts. He was an actor himself. He went into academia at the same time, and then he brought us all together to create the theatre program here.”

Gelbmann said Duncan was always good at making sure what the theatre program was producing was on track.

“I think that has steered me the best because of all the things that he did, his vision for the way that theater could interact in people’s lives both in the sciences and in the arts was fantastic,” he said.

Adams said the endowment will honor Duncan for years to come.

“What the endowment means for me is that his mother, his daughter and his son will always have something that they can refer to as, ‘Look at what he did’,” Adams said.

Jihong Adams-Park (left) and NSU alumnus Carlo Ricchi (right), associate lecturers of commercial music, play the piano.

From left: Antonella Lalinde, alumna, Luca Zayas, senior theatre major, and Noelia Olivero, senior theatre major, perform.

From left: Alexandra Zadak, alumna, and Angelica Zadak, alumna, emcee.

ARTS The cast of “Boeing Boeing” prepare for opening night at dress rehearsal.

“Boeing Boeing” lands at NSU Photos by Madison Kasper

By Alexandria Munroe On Feb. 20, the first show of “Boeing Boeing” opened to a sold-out house full of students, alumni and donors in the Black Box Theatre.

“Boeing Boeing” is a comedy set in Paris that follows Bernard, an American architect juggling relationships with three different flight attendants while trying to keep their schedules from overlapping.

Alex Alvarez, assistant professor of theatre in the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts and director of “Boeing Boeing,” said the show’s style of comedy created a unique learning experience for the cast to refine their character choices.

“There’s been more time for exploration,” Alvarez said. “If there’s a sort of instinct to do something, [we can] embolden it, make it larger, expand it.”

Alvarez said that working on a fastpaced comedy has allowed them to take creative risks and become more confident performers.

“A play like this requires them to forego their inner editor, make a choice and risk being embarrassed,” Alvarez said. “Seeing them navigate that is really interesting.”

Sebastian Baena, junior theatre major, played Bernard in the show. He remembered seeing “Boeing Boeing” performed at the Florida State Thespian Festival while he was in high school and said that joining the NSU production was a full-circle moment.

“I swear that was the hardest I’ve ever laughed,” Baena said. “So when I found out that NSU is doing ‘Boeing Boeing,’ I jumped outta my seat like a rocket.”

Baena said that stepping into the role challenged him to play a character whose morals and choices went against his own.

“You gotta set aside the judgment for that character and just get in their head,” Baena said. “It’s the complete opposite of me, and I love exploring every little bit.”

Alvarez said that the most rewarding part of the show was watching the students break out of their comfort zones.

“To see them have confidence

and agency as artists feels like growth,” Alvarez said. “I’ve seen them all grow in ways that makes a professor really proud.”

The opening night coincided with the annual reception for the Mark Lindsay Duncan Legacy Endowment for the Arts and the 20th anniversary of NSU’s theatre program, bringing together alumni, donors and current students for a celebration of Duncan’s influence on the program’s history.

Mark Duncan was a part of a previous production of “Boeing Boeing,” hosted by The Promethean Theatre in the Black Box Theatre in 2012. Alvarez said that the shared opening night made the production feel deeply connected to the program’s origins.

“It’s like a labor of love and it’s a continuation of the celebration,” Alvarez said. “Hopefully it brings laughs, delight and people celebrate the program and celebrate what Mark built.”

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February 26, 2026

12

COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES ANIMATION

Caleb McLaughlin as Will in “GOAT.”

MOVIE REVIEW

‘GOAT’ review: Stephen Curry’s latest slam dunk

By Bryce Johnson For the past few months, whenever I visited the movie theater, kids and families were laughing the most when a trailer for “GOAT” played. Hearing them have a good time made me happy, and there were plenty of laughs in store when I went to see the full movie.

Directed by Tyree Dillihay and produced by Stephen Curry, ”GOAT” follows Will Harris, a young goat played

by Caleb McLaughlin. In a world like “Zootopia” where animals talk and drive cars, Will dreams of playing roarball, an extreme sport similar to basketball, but it can get dangerous with huge animals pushing each other around. The environment can also crack and break apart during the games, literally raising the stakes.

Even though Will is small, he’s determined to show everyone he has

what it takes to play ball. Alongside McLaughlin, the film stars Curry, Aaron Pierre, Jennifer Hudson, Patton Oswalt and David Harbour.

When it comes to the animation itself, Sony continues to be one of the greatest of all time. “GOAT” looks similar to other Sony movies such as “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” and “KPop Demon Hunters.” It looks like a stylized, active painting, like the artists are drawing each frame in real time. I’d say the movie is worth the price of admission on that alone.

One of my favorite characters in the movie is Jett Fillmore, played

by Gabrielle Union. Jett is a professional roarball player whom Will has idolized since he was little. Often in kids’ movies, you can already tell the story that’s coming with a character

like Jett. However, without giving too many details, I was pleasantly surprised with the direction her character went, and she was probably more interesting than Will for me.

Unfortunately, other aspects of the story feel formulaic, including parts that are rushed and unsatisfying.

The humor at times also feels very modern, including memes and dialogue that could become dated sooner rather than later. Other than that, I have no complaints.

“GOAT” is full of humor and heart that’s well worth your time. Some may think it’s odd at first glance, but I’ve seen stranger things than McLaughlin and Harbour work together on the big screen. The film was released on Feb. 13 and is now playing in theaters nationwide.

MUSIC

RAYE was always this good.

We just weren’t listening.

By Marlee Card Here is a long overdue conversation about RAYE, a 28-year-old British woman who deserves more love than she gets.

Flawlessly blending R&B, pop and funk sounds with songwriting that encompasses the struggles of what many women and young girls go through. The singer, songwriter and producer, RAYE, has quietly become one of the most vital voices in contemporary music.

Born Rachel Agatha Keen, you might recognize her from her 2022 hit single, “Escapism”—with more than 1 billion streams on Spotify alone—but if you look further into her discography, you’ll notice that she’s far more than a viral moment. Possessing a powerful voice that reminds me of a modern Amy Winehouse and

a songwriting ability that channels pain and honesty into something deeply relatable.

Winning the 2026 Grammy Award for the Harry Belafonte Best Song for Social Change for her song “Ice Cream Man” is a testament to what her lyrics signify. She writes about heartbreak, addiction, self worth or the complexities of womanhood, with powerful vocals and intentional production. Taking a listen through her album “My 21st Century Blues,” many of these motifs are reflected throughout the project, creating a raw and emotional body of work that feels deeply personal. In truth, it is deeply personal for her. After splitting from her label Polydor Records, who held her back from releasing a full album, this album became her first full length

release under her own terms.

Since that release, she hasn’t just become a stronger musician, but a more captivating performer as well.

Her career-defining 2023 show at London’s Royal Albert Hall featured soulful and dramatic orchestral arrangements of her biggest songs.

The sold-out performance carved her spot in the music industry, proving her as a rising jazz-pop vocalist with a seriously powerful stage presence. This past holiday season, she was seen at Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball alongside Ed Sheeran, Kylie Minogue and others.

And now, her most recent songs, like “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” have spent more than 18 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. Speaking of Amy Winehouse, one of her latest

tracks was a collaboration with Mark Ronson, who famously worked with Winehouse, making it feel like the perfect full-circle moment. Her Tiny Desk performance alone proved to me everything I needed to see from her, effortless scat vocals, impressive range, emotional control and an edged attitude reminiscent of Winehouse’s presence.

With each release, she continues to challenge the expectations that were once imposed on her by records label and blends R&B grooves with infectious pop hooks and powerful Jazz vocals. Coming on March 27 is her highly anticipated second album, “THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE,” with a 17-track project that will further cement her place in the music industry.

ARTS

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Students view the first floor gallery space at the opening of the 15th Senior Showcase Art Exhibition “Create. Connect. Disrupt.” on Feb.12.

Art + Design students “Create. Connect.

Disrupt.” with the 15th senior art exhibition Photos by Marlee Card

By Alexandria Munroe The Art + Design program opened its largest senior exhibition in program history, showcasing work from 24 graduating seniors. The 15th senior art exhibition, “Create. Connect. Disrupt,” was created entirely by students as a part of their senior capstone class.

Kandy G. Lopez-Moreno, associate professor of Art + Design, was the faculty adviser for the exhibition. She said the exhibition reflects the Art + Design program’s emphasis on developing strong portfolios across a range of disciplines.

“I think that quality outweighs quantity, and having really good work is more important than having a lot of work,” Lopez-Moreno said. “They’ve figured out what they want to say with their work.”

Sophia Dakkuri, senior Art + Design major, served as the assistant director for the exhibition. She said her role taught her how to manage communication among a large group of students and guide the different teams of the exhibition.

“It helped me understand a bit more what curating a gallery is, and now I know what the inside details are when making an exhibition,” Dakkuri said. “There’s so much that goes into it.”

She said the theme represents how students use art to communicate with

audiences and with one another.

“As artists we are constantly creating conversations with the public and with society,” Dakkuri said. “And I think connection is about bringing people together through art and creating conversations.”

Sofia Menco, senior Art + Design major, said collaboration was a central part of producing the exhibition, especially given the size of the graduating class.

“It really took a lot of talking to each other, building teams and working together to create it,” Menco said.

“I’m not only connecting with my peers in the exhibition, but I’m also connecting with myself and what my beliefs are.”

Menco said her artwork connects to the exhibition’s theme by showcasing her Colombian heritage and personal faith.

“I want to show not only my roots but also my faith,” she said. “It’s something that represents a lot of my work and how I have grown as an artist and as a person.”

Lopez-Moreno said watching students reach this stage of their artistic development has been the most meaningful part of the exhibition process.

“I’ve seen them become very frustrated,” she said. “But even through the frustration, I’ve seen them conquer that emotion and really get to the heart of what it is that they’re making and why they’re making it.”

Paul Baldauf, professor in the Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, attends the 15th senior art exhibition “Create. Connect. Disrupt.”

Family and friends view the work of Nicole Gomez, senior Art + Design major, during the exhibition opening.

February 26, 2026

14

NSU physician leads heart-health initiative with campus walking path

By Samiksha Chemukula Madison Doughty, junior public health major, uses the American Heart Association walking path to meet her wellness goals and enjoy the outdoor environment at NSU. The AHA walking path surrounds the NSU Softball Stadium.

“Fitness is a huge part of my life, and I have seen the importance of taking care of your body. I work out every day at the gym, and walking on the path after my workouts and classes has been very accessible and enjoyable,” Doughty said.

Dr. Farzanna Haffizulla, an internal medicine physician, board president of the American Heart Association of South Florida and professor

in the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, ties her campus leadership to community prevention by helping create a path that is not just a campus feature, but part of a larger health equity mission.

“The walking path was really inspired by making a healthy choice an easy choice,” Haffizulla said. “We wanted to create something visible, accessible and welcoming that invites movement into everyday campus life.”

As February marks American Heart Month, the walking path serves as a reminder that heart health extends beyond a single month of awareness and begins long before disease develops.

“During college, you are setting the foundation for your own long-term cardiovascular health,” Haffizulla said. “A lot of students may think they are too young

to worry about heart disease, but cardiovascular disease begins decades before symptoms appear.”

High stress, irregular sleep, poor nutrition and limited physical activity are common among college students and are well-established risk factors for long-term cardiovascular and metabolic disease, Haffizulla said.

“Between classes, studying and clinicals, I find it really easy to forget to eat well or get enough sleep,” Douglas Witczak, junior nursing student, said. “I don’t realize how much that catches up to me until I start feeling constantly exhausted or run down.”

The walking path was designed to remove barriers that often prevent students from being physically active.

Rather than requiring gym memberships, equipment or structured workouts, the path encourages simple, consistent movement, Haffizulla said.

“You don’t need any special equipment. You literally just take some steps forward,” Haffizulla said. “The American Heart Association recommends about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, and this path makes it easier for students to work toward that in a realistic, sustainable way.”

Beyond physical health, walking also plays a role in supporting mental well-being, Haffizulla said “Regular walking will help lower your blood pressure, improve your cholesterol, regulate your blood sugars and reduce inflammation. But it will also improve mental clarity, enhance sleep, and reduce anxiety,” Haffizulla said. “Every step you take on that path reinforces the message that heart health is not just a medical issue. It’s a community priority. It’s a lifestyle.”

PHOTO BY SAMIKSHA CHEMUKULA

From left: Gousikaa Suresh, sophomore neuroscience major; Angela Ephrem, sophomore neuroscience major; and Sarika Kolla, sophomore biology major, walk along the American Heart Association walking path.

HEALTH UPDATE

Flu cases surge nationwide amid ‘Super Flu’ concerns

By Madison Kasper Flu season usually lasts from October to May and peaks December through February. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been at least 23 million illnesses, 300,000 hospitalizations and 19,000 deaths from the flu so far this season as of Feb. 2. As a part of Mako Media Health Update, Aarti Raja, professor in biology, discusses the rise in flu cases this year.

from the last few viruses that have been around. And people are calling it the super flu because there are more people who are getting sick with the virus and not even necessarily worse symptoms, but they’re just many more people who are coming down with it.

Q: It’s flu season and a lot of people are referring to it as super flu. Why is that?

A: It has to do with the strain of the virus that’s floating around. If there is a virus that kind of shows up and the vaccine was designed against a slightly different strain than the virus that’s currently floating around is going to likely not be effective or affected by, the vaccine.

A: In reality, what it is, is it’s just a new, not even an entirely new strain of the virus. It’s a subvariant. So it’s one type of virus that’s shown up that seems to have a lot of mutations or changes

Q: What factors make certain flu seasons more severe than others?

Q: How can someone differentiate the flu, Covid and RSV since some symptoms do overlap?

A: Almost all of them are respiratory tract viruses, which basically mean they all cause problems in the human respiratory tract. Therefore, the symptoms tend to be very similar. The one thing that makes flu very different is this very sudden onset of fever. The other big difference is that you go through these chills, so you get this fever, but then you also go through these moments of just feeling very cold.

Q: What should someone do if they’re diagnosed with the flu?

A: The best thing they can do is keep themselves away from other people,

especially other vulnerable people.

Don’t put yourself in a scenario where you may be coming in contact with a whole lot of other people. So staying home, staying indoors, keeping yourself hydrated as best as you can and also still maintaining that hygiene, washing your hands often. If you absolutely cannot stay at home, then at least ensure that you put a mask on.

Q: Any last thoughts?

A: As always with the flu, we do have vaccines. We do have protective mechanisms in place. So if you can get vaccinated, do it. It helps you, and it also helps the people around you.

SCIENCE AND HEALTH

15

Young adults are relying on melatonin to sleep

By Daniel Lopez Javier Salinas, sophomore business major, relies on easy access to melatonin to maintain a regular sleep schedule.

“It is a habit that has become part of my nighttime routine,” Salinas said. “During the semester and after the semester ends, when I go home, I always make sure to have access to melatonin gummies. Both my body and my mind know, it prepares me for bed even before the effects kick in.”

A 2024 study published by the National Library of Medicine conducted from March to June 2023, assessed the self-medicated use of melatonin among college students.

The study showed 58% of college students now use melatonin,

compared to 7% in previous years.

Out of the 58%, at least 22% use melatonin for sleep on a daily basis.

Jaime Tartar, professor and chair for the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, said melatonin is meant to regulate the circadian rhythm, an internal 24-hour cycle that dictate physical, mental and behavioral changes in the body.

“The problem is melatonin doesn’t actually put you to sleep.

And a lot of people think it does.

So if you look at the peer-reviewed literature, you give somebody melatonin, you give somebody a placebo, the latency to fall asleep isn’t that much different,” Tartar said.

“Where melatonin really shines would be if you travel to Europe, and you want to go to bed a little earlier than you normally would.”

Instead of relying only on melatonin, Tartar advised young people

to stop using their devices before going to bed.

“The thing you have to do to go to sleep is you have got to calm your nervous system down. And people are unwilling to do that, they’d rather take melatonin or whatever they think is gonna help them go to sleep,” Tartar said.

According to a 2023 study published in Nutraceuticals World, young adult bodies only require a small amount of melatonin to function properly. The study assessed common dosage and effects of melatonin in young adults. It concluded that even 0.1 - 0.3 mg of melatonin is enough to regulate melatonin levels in young adult bodies. Higher doses result in 40 to 130 times more melatonin than the body needs.

Devyn Freestone, senior criminal justice major, who has taken

melatonin from a young age, said she recognizes the consequences of overtaking melatonin.

“I started taking melatonin when I was about 15,” she said. “I have built some sort of tolerance.

The consequence for that is that I require more to actually affect the way my body reacts to it.”

Other side effects include mood changes, headaches, dizziness and hormone disruption in early puberty.

After years of taking melatonin, Salinas thinks people should be mindful of their daily consumption.

“People who also take melatonin on a regular basis have trouble falling asleep when they’re not taking the gummies, we should be more careful and inform ourselves of the pros and cons,” Salinas said.

February 26, 2026

16

NSU baseball emphasizes team chemistry with new faces Photos by Madison Kasper

Players on the baseball team cheer for teammate at bat in the dugout against Coker on Feb. 7.

By Madison Kasper The NSU baseball team starts the 2026 season 5-5 with only 12 returning players and 22 new players. It finished the 2025 season 26-22, ending its season right before the playoffs. Having missed the playoffs for the past three seasons, the team’s biggest goal is to put themselves in a position to go for a national championship said Adrian Morales, head baseball coach.

“I think that the goal is to get 30 wins and hopefully get us into the playoffs where we can hopefully make a run and compete for a national championship,” Morales said.

When recruiting, Morales said they look for players that would fit their culture.

“I never want to bring a kid in who doesn’t really fit our culture or our

environment. So, by the time they come in, I know their personality, I know their background. It’s their culture by the time they get here,” Morales said.

Roylan Quevedo, senior sports management major, said the most important thing for them is team chemistry.

“Without team chemistry the team falls apart, and you have people fighting and this and that. But with the team we have this year, we can make a run for it with the chemistry we have now,” Quevedo said.

Morales said the guys on the team this season are hardworking, and since most of them are younger, he can build them up better.

“It’s just guys who are hungry, who you don’t have to tell to work hard.

It’s been a good group to be around and that’s always fun when you go to the field and the guys are already out there working on their own or working with our assistant coaches.

They’re self-motivated,” Morales said.

Quevedo said Morales is the best coach he has had and always encourages the team to have fun while focusing on t h e fine

details.

“Just do the little things, right.

Like waking up in the morning and doing your bed, that’s what he says leads to success in baseball,” Quevedo said. “So, we do that every morning. We do everything, every small thing that you can imagine we do to lead to success.”

For the team, the support of the NSU community helps the players play their best games.

“It’s almost like you elevate your game,” Morales said. “I think the more fans, the more student-athletes get elevated and filled with energy and, kind of want to play better.”

Quevedo said the expectations for the season are to have fun while playing.

“Just enjoy the game since it’s a little kid’s game at the end of the day. So just wake up and do the things right and just have fun,” Quevedo said.

To keep up with the baseball team follow @nsu_baseball on Instagram and X

Roylan Quevedo, senior sports management major, swings at a pitch against Coker on Feb. 7.

SPORTS

17

FROM THE FRONT

Jonathan Carter coaches to carry forward father’s legacy Photos by Madison Kasper

Jonathan Carter, head men’s and women’s cross country & track and field coach, coaches Pearl Bixler, freshman marine biology major, and Arianna Bittner, sophomore nursing major, during practice at Joseph C. Carter Park on Feb. 17.

By Isabella Fernandez de Cueto Jonathan Carter, head men’s and women’s cross country & track and field coach at NSU, gets emotional whenever he enters Joseph C. Carter Park to practice with his team. The park is named after his dad, who worked in the City of Fort Lauderdale and Broward County parks departments for more than 40 years, and passed away in 2007.

“I shed a tear every now and then, knowing that this was his vision,” Jonathan Carter said. “By bringing a community through athletics, through academics, whatever it may be, it was his vision and I feel good that I’m able to fulfill his vision and continue his legacy.”

Joseph C. Carter came to Fort Lauderdale in 1953, after attending Florida Normal and Industrial Institute in St. Augustine for four years, now named Florida Memorial University located in Miami Gardens and serving in the U.S. Army for four years.

He started working as a director for the Fort Lauderdale Parks and Recreation Department.

“In the ‘50s and ‘60s when Blacks weren’t allowed places and could not go to the beach, he proposed to the city at that time that they build a park

in the Black neighborhood where Blacks can go and be able to have fellowship, family gatherings and things like that, and they were able to build the park,” Jonathan Carter said.

The park, located at 1450 W Sunrise Blvd., was originally named Sunland Park. Although it had existed prior to Carter’s arrival, Sunland Park was poorly maintained, had little to no facilities and was under-utilized by the community. He helped transform the park by creating recreational programs, and as Carter’s initiatives drew more and more people to the park, the park began to expand and add amenities including a swimming pool, baseball fields and basketball courts. He replicated the recreational programs in the other smaller parks in the area, hiring college students and single mothers to help run them, Jonathan Carter said.

In Carter’s first year, he also started t h e David Deal Play Day, an annual event

where children compete in various sports and activities that is still held to this day. Despite his success and renown in the northwest Fort Lauderdale community, Joseph C. Carter’s motivation was selfless, his son said.

“He wasn’t doing this to have his name up in lights, he wasn’t doing it to be the most popular person, he was doing it to bring a community together and keep families together,” Jonathan Carter said.

It was renamed Joseph C. Carter Park in 1994 after a vote by the Fort Lauderdale City Commission. Former U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings was an advocate for this name change.

“We decided to pursue the renaming of the park to Carter Park because of its historical significance and because it was right in the onset of integration throughout the country,” said Arthur W. Kennedy, retired chief of staff for Hastings.

Kennedy had ties to both Carter and the park prior to 1994, as he worked as a Recreation Leader for the City of Fort Lauderdale Parks under Carter in the late 1960s.

“This park gave us a focal point where we could go for activities,

meet for issues that were important to the community, that was always accessible to us and it was the largest one, where we held large activities in the community,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy also developed a personal connection and relationship with Carter and his family.

“We were both on the trustee board of our church together, and I had the opportunity to coach his children as they came to Dillard High School,” Kennedy said. “He was demanding, truthful, a hard worker and understanding.”

As an athlete, Jonathan Carter was a six-time NCAA Division I All-American at Florida State. Carter said he began coaching at the age of 16 and has since coached cross country and track at the high school and collegiate levels. In 2024 he became the first coach in NSU women’s cross country program history to win SSC Coach of the Year after leading the women’s cross-country team to its first conference championship in program history. Carter has carried the lessons he learned from his father through his athletic and coaching journey.

“He taught me to prioritize, assume your responsibilities and have structure, as well as commitment and just not to be selfish,” Carter said. “His legacy is mainly just being able to help and bring people together as one.”

Shaelyn Taylor, freshman marine biology major, jumps a hurdle during practice at Joseph C. Carter Park on Feb. 17.

February 26, 2026

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NSU rowing set to begin its season with two new coaches

By Isabelle Moreno NSU women’s rowing enters the upcoming season under new leadership, with Autumn Ayala stepping into the head coaching role and Laura Webster as the assistant coach.

Ayala served as an assistant coach with the program last year and said her familiarity with the team helped ease the transition into her new role.

“I got to learn the culture of the team as an assistant coach and build the relationships with the athletes that I have currently,” Ayala said. “So I wasn’t stepping into it blind.”

As a former collegiate rower at Old Dominion University in Virginia, Ayala said being head coach is her dream job and that her athletic background has shaped her coaching approach.

“I’ve always been excited about coaching, so I’m in

my dream job,” she said. “I actually started rowing as a freshman and I think that experience showed me that anyone can row and that carries into how I coach.”

Since taking over, Ayala’s main priority has been rebuilding the program’s culture. She says she encourages her athletes to be good teammates as well as good players.

“Right now we’re working on cohesion,” Ayala said. “All the athletes are coming from different backgrounds, so when we come to practice, I want them to be one team as opposed to individuals.”

Assistant coach Laura Webster, a former collegiate rower at the University of Connecticut, has been working closely with rowers of all experience levels.

“For the newer ones, walk-ons or, you know,

freshmen, there’s definitely the element of nailing the basics down and just, you know, a lot of technical work,” Webster said. “And then some of the older ones that are more experienced, it’s just fine tuning.”

Webster said the team has shown progress during preseason training, particularly during ergometer sessions and technical work on the water.

“I’m seeing some of the girls achieving numbers that I think surprised them on the erg,” she said. “So for certain workouts, we want them to hit certain splits and hit personal records if we do erg tests and things like that. I think with every practice, most of the girls are growing confidence in their fitness because they’re able to see progress.”

Beyond results and winning, Ayala said

success this season will be measured by athlete development and retention.

“I would like to see a lot of returners,” she said. “And I would like to see that the athletes are excited for the following season and that they felt like they did good at the end. You know, losing and winning, they still are proud of what they put out there.”

The Sharks will open their season Saturday, Feb. 28 at the Rollins Invitational and are scheduled to compete through March and April, until the Sunshine State Conference Championship on April 24.

and James placed second in the 4x400 meter relay.

(-21/351/359/354). The Sharks were led by Ivan Ponsdomenech (-10/68/70/68), who finished in third place individually, and Bruno Marques (-8/69/71/68), who finished in sixth place individually.

COURTESY OF NSU ATHLETICS

From left: Autumn Ayala, head rowing coach, and Laura Webster, assistant rowing coach.

Sports Shorts

By Isabella Fernandez de Cueto

Baseball, Feb. 22 The baseball team defeated Barry 15-4 in the last game of the series. Roylan Quevedo had five RBIs and a home run, Jorge DeGoti and Dakota Jones each scored a home run and Nick Manning pitched six strikeouts.

Women’s tennis, Feb. 20-22 The No. 2 women’s tennis team went 1-2 at the ITA DII Women’s Indoor Championships. It defeated Catawba 4-2 in the First Round, in which Priscila Janikian and Jana Boegner won their doubles match and Kristyna Hranacova, Amina Sagadiyeva, Chloe Henderson and Noemie Dadoun won their singles matches. They fell to West Florida 4-3 in the Semifinals in which Hranacova, Katja Markus and Sagadiyeva won their singles matches, and fell 4-3 to West Alabama in the thirdplace match, in which Hranacova and Markus, and Dadoun and Henderson won their doubles matches and Hranacova and Henderson won their singles matches.

Softball, Feb. 21 The softball team split a doubleheader against Barry, winning the first game 6-0 and losing the second game 5-3. Game 1 saw four RBIs and a home run from Gianna Russo and five strikeouts thrown by pitcher Avery Desner, while Game 2 had another home run from Russo, two RBIs and a home run from Ana Richiez and five strikeouts from pitcher Gracelyn Wallace.

Men’s basketball, Feb. 21 The No. 1 men’s basketball team

earned its 98th straight home win after beating Saint Leo 103-70 on Senior Day. Five Sharks scored double-digit points as Dallas Graziani recorded 24 points and nine assists, and Bennett Kayser had 16 points and nine rebounds.

Women’s basketball, Feb. 21 The No. 9 women’s basketball team beat Saint Leo 81-68 on Senior Day. Six Sharks scored double-digit points, with Taydra Simpson leading the way with 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Markayla Holland adding 14 points and nine rebounds.

Baseball, Feb. 21 The baseball team lost 9-6 to Barry in the series’ second match. Ty Torti had 3 RBIs, Manny Ramirez Jr. hit a home run, and pitcher Christopher Perez threw seven strikeouts.

Men’s track, Feb. 21 The men’s track team opened its season at the University of Tampa Spartans Open. Chaz Chambers finished first in the 400 meters; Philip DiMarco, Dimitri Kates, Joseph Pinheiro and Julian Granville placed second in the 4x100 meter relay; and Granville, Federico Meneses, Andres Agudelo and DiMarco placed first in the 4x400 meter relay.

Women’s track, Feb. 21 The women’s track team opened its season at the University of Tampa Spartans Open. Bella Butler finished first in the 800 meters, Sativa James first in the 200 meters, Jillian Thorning placed second in the 5000 meters and Aaliyah Jordan, Jasmine Davies, Butler

Baseball, Feb. 20 The baseball team lost 2-0 to Barry in its first conference game of the season. Pitcher Federico Zapata threw nine strikeouts.

Softball, Feb. 20 The softball team fell 7-6 to Barry in its first conference game of the season.

Christina D’Agostino had two RBIs, and pitcher Gracelyn Wallace had six strikeouts.

Men’s basketball, Feb. 18 The No. 1 men’s basketball team defeated Embry-Riddle 98-92 on the road. Ross Reeves scored 28 points, and Dallas Graziani recorded 23 points and seven assists, which broke the program record for career assists.

Women’s basketball, Feb. 18 The No. 9 women’s basketball team lost 91-80 against No. 17 Embry-Riddle on the road. Kaliyah Morales, Taydra Simpson and Hailey Chiles each had 17 points.

Baseball, Feb. 17 The baseball team fell 8-2 in a non-conference matchup against Palm Beach Atlantic. Dakota Jones and Jorge DeGoti each had one RBI, and pitchers Carlos Colunga and Antonio Turco-Rivas each threw five strikeouts.

Men’s golf, Feb. 16-17 The No. 17 men’s golf team placed third at the Saint Leo Invitational

Women’s tennis, Feb. 16 The No. 2 women’s tennis team beat No. 20 Lynn 4-3 in its first conference match of the season. Kristyna Hranacova and Katja Markus, and Jana Boegner and Priscila Jankian won their doubles matches, while Boegner, Chloe Henderson and Noemie Dadoun won their singles matches.

Men’s swim, Feb. 11-15 The men’s swim team finished second at the SSC Championships. Gavin Lindley finished second in the 100-yard freestyle, Roland Nagy finished second in the 200-yard backstroke and Eason Cormack finished third in the 1650yard freestyle.

Women’s swim, Feb. 11-15 The women’s swim team finished second at the SSC Championships. It won 11 individual events. Kristina Orban placed first in the 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly and 50-yard freestyle, for which she set a new meet record, which earned her Female Swimmer of the Meet honors.

Orban, Zsofia Kurdi, Maxine Egner and Maya Esparza set a national record for the second time this season in the 200yard freestyle relay, their first being in the 400-yard freestyle relay on Jan. 23.

EVENTS CALENDAR MARCH MONDAY

9

Sharks On The Rise 9 a.m. - Carl DeSantis Outside Courtyard Pie-A-Phi 11 a.m. - Shark Circle Ronald McDonald House Donation Drive Noon - The NSU Health Library Hallway

I’m Every Woman: Women’s History Through a Global Lens Noon - Flight Deck Backyard

MONDAY

23

Joy-Kit Event For Joe-DiMaggio Patients 6:30 p.m. - DeSantis Building, Room 2057

WEDNESDAY

WEDNESDAY

11

Ronald McDonald House Donation Drive Noon - The NSU Health Library Hallway

25

Tuba Skinny 7:30 p.m. - Rose & Alfred Miniaci

Performing Arts Center

17th Juried Student Art Exhibition 5 p.m. - Don Taft University Center, Gallery 217

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

13

Shark Pride Friday: Boogie by the Bay! Noon - Don Taft University Center Spine Pi Day Celebration Noon - Parker Building, Room 204 CeCe Teneal’s Divas of Soul 8 p.m. - Rose & Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center

MONDAY

16

Lucky Clover Fundraiser Noon - Don Taft University Center Spine

26

Women’s History Month Screening with Wyrd Book club 5:30 p.m. - Mailman-Hollywood Auditorium

FRIDAY

27

The Scottish American Society of South Florida

S.E.

FL

CELTIC

TUESDAY

17 WEDNESDAY

18

St. Patrick’s Day Clay Pot Painting Event 12:30 p.m. - Carl DeSantis Building, Room 1054

19

The Reel Movie Night: A House of Dynamite 6 p.m. - Mailman-Hollywood Auditorium

20

2026 - 12:00pm - 10:00PM

Seven

Nations

Clovers

Revenge Gaelica

Highland

Spread Cream Cheese Not Hate Noon - Don Taft University Center Spine

FESTIVAL

Live Music Featuring

Clans

Dancing

Dancing

Scottish

Fo o d

Row

Ve n d o r s

&

FRIDAY

MUSIC

th

March 28

Ceilidh

THURSDAY

SCOTTISH

More

Shark Pride Friday: The Shark Atelier Noon - Don Taft University Center Spine Shark Talent Showcase: INFERNO 7:30 p.m. - Don Taft University Center - Performance Theatre Suzy Bogguss 8 p.m. - Rose & Alfred Miniaci

Performing Arts Center

Bergeron Rodeo Grounds 4201 SW 65th Way, Davie, FL

www.sassf.org

#sofloscots

| February 26, 2026

20

MATH CORNER Please send your answer (no need to send any additional scratch work or justification) to Dr. Jason Gershman, chair of the Department of Mathematics, at jgershma@nova.edu no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25. The correct answer to this question will appear in the next issue of The Current in the winter semester.

All members of the NSU community are invited to submit their answer and participate. Every member of the NSU community who submits at least one answer during the 2025-2026 school year will be invited to attend a celebration in April as part of Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month.

A 12-hour digital clock reads from 12:00 to 11:59 (for example, noon to one minute before midnight). No seconds are shown. Each time has hours from 1 to 12, and minutes from 00 to 59. A palindrome time is a time which reads the same backwards and forwards, such as 11:11 or 12:21. What is the least (positive) difference, in minutes, between two palindrome times? (Note: 1:10 is not a palindrome, since it would be written 1:10 and not 01:10, but 5:05 would be a palindrome.)

Answer to the question from the last issue: 2.4 (2 and 2/5) hours

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ROWING LEGACY MELATONIN RAYE GOAT

CONFERENCE COMMUNITY SURGEON HISTORY CONCERN

BLOSSOM UNION BOEING HEART SOFTBALL

OMIC

SPRING SNEEZON

BY LILA TARICCO