The Sandspur 121 Issue 17

Volume 121 Issue 17 Thursday, February 26, 2015

Grant Cornwell named 15th President Following Thursday’s announcement, Cornwell addressed students, faculty, and staff at the rFLA launch. page 4

Page 2 • NEWS

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Established in 1894 with the following editorial:

EXECUTIVE STAFF David Matteson Editor-in-Chief Ali Perry Managing Editor

Marcela Oliveira Production Manager

CONTENT STAFF

Lauren Waymire Head Content Editor Alexandra Mariano Head Copy Editor Nolan Brewer Webmaster Marta Lazowik Georyana Santos Web Assistants Kate Barnekow Sabrina Kent Copy Editors Eric Hilton Raquel Leon Section Editor Micah Bradley Nicholas D’Alessandro Staff Writers Matt Boggs Production Assistant

Bloomington, Minnesota Aleppo, Syria

Pyongyang, North Korea

Raymondville, Texas

DESIGN DEPARTMENT Shaayann Khalid Brooke Preston Designers

BUSINESS & FACULTY Greg Golden

Interim General Manager of Student Media

Dr. Emily Russell Associate Professor of English Taylor McCormack Business Manager

PUBLIC RELATIONS Diana Drprich Multimedia Manager Jordan Cole Public Relations Intern Irina Ryabikina Multimedia Manager

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Cover Art By: Kayla Powers ‘17 Cover Photo By: Scott Cook

Compiled by Lauren Waymire Bloomington, Minnesota The Mall of America was directly threatened in a recent video from the Somali-based group al-Shabab that is linked to al-Qaeda. The militants threatened various western shopping centers in the United States and the United Kingdom, but they specifically named the major American shopping center as a target.

While the Mall is claiming that they know of no credible threats, the Department of Homeland security is urging people to be vigilant as they visit major shopping centers. Analysts in Washington have suggested that this threat is the result of the rivalry between extremist groups al-Qaeda and Islamic State, or ISIS.

Aleppo, Syria The United Nations Commission for Inquiry on Syria is possibly about to release the names of nearly 200 individuals they believe have perpetuated war crimes in the violence-ridden country. The announcement is meant to counter the rise in “atrocities” committed by various groups in Syria in the past several years as civil war has raged on. This goes against their previously stated policy of not revealing the identities of war criminals involved in the conflict. More than 220,000 people have been killed, and nine million Syrians have been displaced as a result of the four year civil conflict.

Raymondville, Texas A total of 2800 prisoners at a south Texas facility are being relocated after a riot left the prison uninhabitable. Inmates in the facility brandished pipes as weapons and set fire to the housing units. Tear gas and nonlethal force were utilized by correctional officers to bring the inmates under control. The prison held mostly low-security offenders and illegal immigrants. No staff members or contract workers were injured and neither of the outside two security fences was breached. A report released last year by the American Civil Liberties Union found that the inmates lived in “squalor” and “crowded living conditions.”

Pyongyang, North Korea Kim Jong-Un’s government has banned foreigners from participating in the annual marathon in the capital out of fears of the possible spread of Ebola.

An estimated 500 travelers were sent to come into the country with one tourism agency alone.

The communist nation also cancelled their annual Mass Games, a gymnastics festival, without providing an explanation. While there is little understanding as to why the country is concerned about the spread of the virus as no cases have thus been reported in Asia, North Korea’s healthcare system would be severely underprepared to handle any kind of outbreak should it occur.

Page 3 • OPINION

Thursday, February 26, 2015

American sexual taboo leads to extremes Sexual messages, both subliminal and explicit, surround our daily lives, yet it is considered a taboo subject. Lack of proper sex education can lead to irresponsible sexual behavior.

Kaitlyn Alkass Columnist You are a prude. Do not try to refute it. I do not care if you are a porn star and have sex for a living. Prude. So am I, for the record. We are the product of our surroundings, which have given us a pretty skewed perspective when it comes to thinking about sex. I mean, even ads for laundry detergent are saturated with subliminal messages. We began processing these images the second we were able to understand shapes and colors. Simultaneously, however, sex is considered a taboo subject that is off-limits and not meant to be talked about. Ever. It is avoided by parents, condemned by religion, and policed by political agendas. At what point will we address the elephant. I distinctly

remember a moment when I was about six years old at the grocery store and I saw a greased up celebrity in some netting smiling at me, urging me to learn about 69 positions that will make him go WILD. I almost cried.

Fast-forward 12 years later and I am a freshman in college in the exact same scenario. Well, not exactly the same. Everything was completely different except for the crying part. I had just ventured into one of my first sexual misadventures. It did not go well. Let us just say that I was not entirely unconvinced that sperm could not resurrect itself from the sheets and impregnate me—which, in hindsight, is a pretty great metaphor for my sex education growing up. Sex does not exist, but Christ did rise on the third day. Repress, repress, repress.

It was all about the chastity game until I was 18, at which point I was handed a few condoms and told to “be smart.” I was thrown from one extreme to the other. The mental imag-

and near prostitution. So, why is it presented to us this way? It is similar to why college students binge drink. Drinking responsibly is not taught; adolescents are instead told that it is entirely

We’re embarrassed to mention what we like or don’t like while feeling the tremendous pressure of knowing that nearly the entire campus is doing it.

ery I currently have is someone ripping off a habit to reveal red sequined nipple tassels. I think it fits.

Sex should not, and absolutely cannot, be categorized into a crude binary of abstinence

off-limits and the conversation is left at that. This is why when we finally acquired some cheap keg, we literally did a hand-stand and chugged till we woke up the next morning with a bad reputation.

It is the same with sex and col-

lege hook-ups. It is the first time you have a room to yourself and access to people just as curious and interested as you are. It is why one night stands happen. I am not saying they cannot be a good time, but they limit the possibility of intimacy and further understanding of your own sexuality. We have one night stands because we do not know how to talk about sex. We are embarrassed to mention what we like or do not like while feeling the tremendous pressure of knowing that nearly the entire campus is doing it. We are vulnerable, and that makes us more susceptible to making bad decisions and following along with the status quo in exchange for a sense of security. We need to start initiating conversations about sex at age appropriate levels to better our mental and physical health.

Mourning victims of hate crime The author reflects on his experience and shares his thoughts after attending a talk regarding Islamophobia and a vigil mourning three Muslim students in North Carolina.

Peter Ruiz

Writer

Rollins held a vigil on February 16 to honor the lives of three Muslim students murdered in Chapel Hill. These three students were Deah Shaddy Baraka, Yusor Abu-Salha, and Razan Abu-Salha. The gunman, Craig Hicks, was a caucasian atheist who shot the students execution style in an act of terror, hate, and violence. The Rollins College Center of Inclusion and Campus Involvement along with Reverend Shawn Garvey had planned an event, prior to the executions, to educate the campus about Islam and the misconceptions surrounding it. In light of this tragic event, they decided to add a vigil at the end of the educational event.

Imam Sykes, a convert to Islam, was invited to share his

knowledge. He has been a practicant of Islam for over 25 years.

We are used to seeing the media portray Jihad as some sort of “holy war,” but Imam Sykes clarified that there is no word referencing or inciting such actions in the Islamic holy book, the Quran. Islamic terrorists take verses from the Quran out of context and manipulate them to their advantage to justify their atrocious, violent actions. Sykes also said, “Islam does not allow us to bruise flesh.” This statement directly contradicts the media’s portrayal of the religion. We are constantly bombarded with rhetoric that erroneously paints Islam as violent religion at its core, but whoever has read the Quran can attest that that is untrue.

Holding back tears, Imam Sykes stated, “If I were to leave here tonight and have a psychological break and go kill some-

one, the first thing the media would mention is my religion.

The headlines would say ‘Radical Muslim Imam kills.’” The undeniable truth behind this statement is truly disheartening.

Media will continue to portray Muslims as terrorists, or black suspects as violent thugs.

However, they will excuse the actions of white suspects by coining them as disturbed loners with futures ahead. Their skin color or religion will most likely not be mentioned. In essence, the media says non-white or non-Christian subjects are representative of their communities while white or Christian suspects are not. Staggering statistics show that 87% of domestic terrorists in the United States are white, yet our media, our schools, and our society fails to address that. Americans equate Muslims to terrorism and vice

versa.

Hicks’ daughter said her father was an atheist with hateful views of religions, yet the media continues to paint this incident as a possible parking dispute rather than an act of terrorism.

What Hicks did, by definition, is an act of terrorism for his actions have instilled fear in the community and inspired more violence.

Since these three murders, a Mosque in Houston was burned down in an act of arson, and a young Somali Muslim man was murdered in Kansas City, Missouri. These acts are connected.

They are connected by the deep Islamophobia within our country and within our world.

As I listened to the discussion of Islam and participated in the vigil, I was overcome with sadness. I was sad because an Imam of Islam had to defend the humanity of his religion be-

The opinions on this page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sandspur, its staff or Rollins College.

fore we could mourn the loss of three individuals collectively. I was sad because out of a campus of a couple thousand, there were four students among the people at the vigil. Empathy and sympathy are paramount as to what it means to be human, and I do not often see empathy and sympathy from our greater campus community. It is of the utmost importance not only to care for those who seem familiar but even more important to care for those who are not familiar.

To quote Yusor Abu-Salha, “It doesn’t matter where you come from. There’s so many different people from so many different places, of different backgrounds and religions—but here, we’re all one.” The thing that saddens me the most though is the loss of Deah Shaddy Baraka, Yusor Abu-Salha, and Razan Abu-Salha. May they Rest In Power.

Page 4 • FEATURES

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Honors Program initiates changes Micah Bradley

Staff Writer

Olin 104 has earned the nickname “The Glass Classroom” because of the wall of glass panes that separates it from the rest of the library’s first floor. A sign on the door indicates that it is reserved as an Honors Program student lounge during certain hours on Thursday and Sundays. The Glass Classroom has wheeled tables and chairs, and the room is ready for board games, studying, or just hanging out. The only thing missing is the honors students.

“You guys need to kind of awkwardly and specifically decide to get together and say, ‘Hey, wanna study on Thursday?

Let’s go down in that space,’” said Dr. Emily Russell, Professor of English and Co-Director of the Honors Program. “As you start using it, then you’ll start to know that you can take for granted, ‘Oh, I could walk past that space and know people at any given time.’”

The lounge space in The Glass Classroom has only been available since the beginning

of this semester. Last semester, there were limited times, about once a month, that another room in Olin was reserved.

“I do not frequently use the honors lounge space because it is not open 24/7,” said Andrew Phillips ’18, an Honors student.

The addition of the lounge space is just one of several student requested changes the Rollins College Honors Degree Program is making this year.

Though everyone on campus has noticed the major changes to the general education system, the changes to the Honors Program affect fewer people and are harder to see. Since it is an invitation only program, there are only around 100 students in the entire Honors Program.

Though the program is changing to function similarly to the neighborhoods socially, the academic expectations will remain very different. Honors students are required to maintain high academic standards, take harder honors level classes, and write a thesis during their senior year. The honors program also comes with plenty of perks, including early registration for

classes and parking privileges.

“We want to help create an atmosphere where being part of the Honors Program becomes more than simply attending an extra class every semester or getting to register for class early,” said Hanna Cody ’16, Community Coordinator and member of the Honors Program.

One of the biggest complaints about the program was that students felt like there was not enough social engagement in the program, especially between students from different years, hence the attempt to make a lounge space accessible to only Honors students.

The other changes are a mix of the social and the academic.

Students went to St. Petersburg and Apopka on two successful Honors-only Immersions.

In St. Petersburg, students worked with Habitat for Humanity to build a house for a local family.

In Apopka, students spent time with farm workers as part of a gender and globalization class.

Two community coordinators have been hired to plan gatherings and events for students, similar to the structure of the

neighborhoods. Some of the potential upcoming events include lunches, speed dating, game nights, and seeing plays. If there is enough interest, the program could eventually even apply for the Honors Program to have Living and Learning Community housing, which would probably be a floor in a dorm designated for only Honors students.

The required classes have also been restructured so that the Honors students have to take approximately the same number of general education requirements as students in the new neighborhoods system.

“We wanted to streamline the Honors Program so that it’s similar in its structure to the rFLA [Rollins Foundation in the Liberal Arts] neighborhoods,” said Dr. Rachel Newcomb, Professor of Anthropology and Co-Director of the Honors Program.

Honors students will be done with general educations requirements when they take a capstone course at the junior level, instead of the old senior seminar; this class will involve a new component called “Your

Last Lecture.” Professors will come from different fields and give presentations on what they think is critical for students to know. Students will then work on developing their own lecture, helping to build presentation and public speaking skills. Having this class at the junior level will leave the honors students with all of senior year to work on their thesis. The restructuring allows the courses to be taken in a more flexible order than before which will allow students of different grade levels to take classes together.

“I’m excited to start creating an environment where there’s a mixing of the class years, both socially and academically,” said Julianna Dubendorff, Community Coordinator and Honors student.

Some of the changes, like the immersion programs and new courses, have been successful, but the Honors students still need to take initiative on some of the changes they asked for.

With enough interest, the usually empty lounge space could be filled with students having game nights and study sessions.

Custodian finds better life at Rollins Trai Doan, an immigrant from Vietnam, has been a loved member of the custodial staff for 14 years. His children have also joined the Rollins community as students.

Brooke Varney

Writer

From early morning to afternoon, it is common to hear the Holt Hall’s custodian before you see him. Whether it is the hum of the vacuum up the hallway, the squeaking wheels of his mop bucket, or the rustling of trash bags, residents automatically know that their building is a better place to live in.

A small man wearing his usual uniform comprised of a grey polo shirt, matching pants, and a perpetually kind smile, he greets everyone he passes with a “Hello, how are you?” Although they see him every day, it may be surprising to find out how little they know about Trai Doan.

Doan has worked at Rollins for almost 14 years. Now 66, he came to the United States in 1996 from Vietnam.

“I was a military officer of South Vietnam, and in April 1975 North Vietnam occupied South Vietnam and all the officers went

to prison,” he said. “They put me in prison for seven years, and then the US government sponsored my family to come to America in 1996.”

Upon coming to America, Doan and his family moved to Apopka, and later to Orlando.

After being sick for two years, living on welfare, and later working fleeting miscellaneous jobs, he found Rollins and started working for the college.

“My wife worked here before,” he said. “She brought me the application for an available position, and I started working here May 17, 2001.” Doan has four children and a grandchild.

Two of his children currently attend Rollins, and his pride stems from them receiving the level of education that Rollins offers, something made possible by his employment as Holt Hall’s custodian.

“Trai is just one of the many that this can be said of, so it’s kind of humbling in many respects when you hear life experienc-

es, and how some of them have overcome tremendous obstacles that are hard for us to even imagine,” said Scott Bitikofer, Director of Facilities Management at Rollins.

Bitikofer has worked in facilities for the past 17 years, and is more than familiar with the management staff, to whom he refers as a “cast of characters.”

“You may look at this person and think, well, they’re a housekeeper, but that’s almost never the whole story. Most of the time it’s the kind of proverbial iceberg where most of the individual’s talent, character, and nature are below the surface,” he said.

Although there are exceptions, Bitikofer overall feels that the housekeeping staff at Rollins tends to be overlooked by many who cross paths with them on a regular basis.

He compares students’ trepidation towards interacting with some housekeeping staff to those who look away from a person with a disability. Through

the years he has observed how strangers react to his son, who has cerebral palsy, and how some are very comfortable while others may feel somewhat intimidated.

“I think that the situation is similar. With some of our housekeeping staff, there are sometimes language barriers, and I think that you want to be kind, but sometimes you don’t know how exactly,” he said.

Luis Villafuerte, Manager of Housekeeping Services, knows Doan and his family very well.

“Trai is a very humble, quiet, hardworking individual,” he said. Telephones that can be used to request maintenance are placed around campus, but Doan tends to go the extra mile.

Rather than making a phone call, he is seen making his way to the buildings to report issues in person and explain the what the problems are.

“He takes that time to really go through the steps to report deficiencies on campus, and not

just in areas of housekeeping, but in general,” said Villafuerte.

“I think that shows his commitment to the campus and to the students. He knows that in order for his children to do well, Rollins has to do well.”

Although in many cases the custodial staff at Rollins tends to be ignored, that is certainly not the case with Doan.

“Sometimes the assistant hall director collects money, and one time they had a party and they gave me a gift card, and sometimes [individual] students give them to me too,” he said. It is readily apparent from Trai’s smile, the softness of his voice, and his hand on heart, that he values the sincere admiration and appreciation for his work and character, as much as—if not more than—the money and gift cards with which they are expressed.

“I love my job, and I love Holt Hall,” he said. “Every year, some students love me, some students say, ‘Papa!’”

Page 5 • FEATURES

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Rollins names new president After a long search, the Board of Trustees elected Grant Cornwell as the 15th president of Rollins College.

Micah Bradley

Staff Writer

Last Thursday evening Rollins College announced that Grant Cornwell, the current president of The College of Wooster, will become our new president. The Board of Trustees officially elected him as the 15th college president that morning. A meeting was then held to introduce him to the faculty and allow them to ask questions.

“They made it very dramatic,” said Dr. Jennifer Cavenaugh.

“The door opened, and he and his wife walked through. He immediately pulled up a chair and sat down. It was clear he was somebody who wanted to engage in dialogue.”

The new president was officially introduced to the rest of the campus at the start of the rFLA launch at noon on Friday, February 20. Mills Lawn was filled with students, faculty, staff, and members of the community waiting for Cornwell to speak on stage. Before introducing him, several members

of the search committee spoke about the process and how they decided Cornwell was the best candidate. They also introduced his wife, Peg, who has college administrator experience and worked as a banker. Cornwell and his wife attended several of the launch events and the community dinner that evening.

“The fact that he’s married to a banker should be interesting. . . It seems like we’ve been having this trouble with A&S and CPS and right here, we’ve got them sort of married in a very real sense,” said Dr. Erik Kenyon, Professor of Philosophy and Religion.

Cornwell got a bachelor’s degree in biology and philosophy from St. Lawrence University, and he received a master’s and a doctoral degree in philosophy from The University of Chicago.

He then worked as a faculty member, Vice President, and Dean of Student Affairs at St. Lawrence. Most recently, Cornwell served as the President of The College of Wooster for eight

years.

“I think a lot of my scholarship has been about defining liberal education for the 21st century. . . I don’t just have a background in administration. This is what I think about. This is what I write about. This is what I live and breathe. And so I look forward to bringing those thoughts to Rollins,” said President-elect Cornwell, who has written and advocated for the liberal arts for many years.

Wooster is a private liberal arts college located in suburban Ohio; it has an undergraduate size slightly smaller than Rollins, with about 2000 students, and 171 full time faculty, compared to Rollins’ 211.

“I didn’t really mean to leave Wooster. It’s a great place. But I find the opportunities here, the possibilities for Rollins, so rich,” said Cornwell. “I think Rollins is so tuned as a college for the 21st century, because of where it’s located, and because of how it can actually draw a kind of diverse student body that would never have been possible at the other colleges where I worked.”

Though he does not have any changes specifically planned for next year, one idea Cornwell has is to open The Barker House, the president’s residence on campus, up to the community more.

He wants to have dinners and meetings with faculty, students, and staff in his house, something he did with success at Wooster.

Cornwell points to how he handled the budget at Wooster as an example of his experience balancing a college’s budget. According to a recent article on The Chronicle of Higher Education, Cornwell cut Wooster’s budget by 3% after listening to students, faculty, and staff’s ideas for small ways to save money instead of increasing class sizes or raising tuition.

“Every college has budget issues. . . I’m not the least bit nervous about them,” said Cornwell, regarding Rollins’ budget issues last year.

There were over 100 applicants for the position. An outside search consultant and a search committee made of faculty, staff, and students have worked since the summer to attract candidates

to Rollins. The search committee was unanimous in its decision to recommend Cornwell for the position.

“I honestly can’t believe we found someone so perfect. He not only met all of the criteria that we listed out, but he has the most phenomenal personality. He is definitely the type of person everybody wants to be around,” said Elise Ablin ’15, President of the Student Government Association and a member of the search committee.

Current Interim President McAllaster, the prior Dean at the Crummer Graduate School of Business, took the position after President Lewis Duncan stepped down in the summer of 2014. He will begin his postponed sabbatical shortly after Cornwell takes over the position on July 1st.

“He wrote the book on the liberal arts, and so he understands it, and I think he can bring us together,” said McAllaster, who refers to himself as president fourteen and a half. “Four colleges, together, is one Rollins, one faculty, one mission. I think that’s going to be his legacy.”

“

-Dr. Claire Strom

“

-Dr. Jill Jones

“

-Dr. Carol Lauer

“

-President McAllaster

The next few years are going to be rocky. We still have financial problems, although those are improving, and we are losing several key administrators. We must all pitch in and help President Cornwell lead us to a better, stronger place.

”

He has a nice way about him. I think he’s somebody who can probably help us mend some fences and help us work as one Rollins, one faculty.

”

I think next year will be an exciting one as President Grant meets with faculty, staff, and students and learns about our community. I believe his enthusiasm will infect us all.

”

I love the new president. I think he is the complete package. He’s an academic, he’s a leader, he’s a fundraiser. I think he truly will take us to the new level

”

Page 6 • FEATURES

Thursday, February 26, 2015 Ariana Simpson

sidewalk art contest volleyball free throw contest improv contest

of the

Writer

The day had finally come for freshmen students to take part in the Rollins Foundations in the Liberal Arts (rFLA) competitive events launch. Outside, in front of the flagpole, there was a plethora of tables full of free food, various mini-giveaways, and an assortment of shirts for the competitors.

It was a cool day with lots of sunshine, and the stage on Mills was set perfectly for the Neighborhood Idol, set to showcase the musical talents of various Rollins freshmen. There was an hour’s worth of varied talent and the crowd cheered the students’ great pride for their respective neighborhoods and the skills of those onstage. One professor evaluated the performances as both stunning and surprising and remarked that she was delighted about the turnout in support of her students.

Not too long after the Neighborhood Idol, a non-competitive event took place on the lawn of Bush, right across the crosswalk.

A large number of neighborhood participants took a break from a week of classes and the competitive atmosphere to focus on their ‘upward dogs’ and more advanced yoga positions—all under the same beautiful sunshine on the stage of Mills Lawn.

Beyond the center of campus in the Bush Auditorium, Trivia Crack was led by an assortment of Neighborhood Coordinators and Dr. Boles. Before the action, vigor, and excitement common in trivia, there was an initial elimination round. Consisting of four students, the teams are based off of the neighborhoods that the students are in. They had about 87 questions to answer in 30 minutes. The teams had no preparation for the rounds; they had to use common knowledge to answer the trivia questions, essentially like any other trivia

game. The pre-te with seven team the least amount was eliminated— maining teams to the two sem competing based ings as the top th three. Participati Sadeh ’18, of My vels, remarked t competition wa this is the type o open to a lot of p “Your major ca your background er, and everyone ent experiences, everyone can co type of way. So t this is a really have for the laun Although th of question ’cate most of the que on popular cu ins, to which the relate contextua explained that h

Page 7 • FEATURES

est round started ms—the ones with t of right answers —and the six removed forward mi-final rounds, d on their rankhree and bottom ing student Sam ysteries and Marthat this specific as fun. “I think of activity that is people,” he said. an be whatever, d can be whateve has had differ, [which means] ontribute in some that’s why I think good activity to nch fair.” here was a range egories’ or types, estions centered ulture and Rolle students could ally. Sadeh also he enjoyed work-

ing with his team and that their great strategy helped to propel them in the final round: better to skip one question and get it wrong and get five than to miss five and get one right.

Cyrus Bonyadi ’18, also of Mysteries and Marvels, discussed some aspects of the Robot Games that also took place in Bush, in which students had a Lego building and programming competition; a TrashBot had to be programmed, capable of being maneuvered through a course. Drones were also built and flown. Bonyatti also humorously remarked how the President’s drone came pretty close to his face.

The Poetry Slam had a great turnout and students from all around campus, besides freshmen, came together as an intimate group in Dave’s Downunder to read original poetry and recite works of favorite renowned poets, including Walt Whitman and Shel Silver-

Thursday, February 26, 2015 stein. There were laughs and a chorus of snaps and clapping as each reader interpreted works in a moving way, and shared more humorous ones. Faculty and staff also participated. The atmosphere was full of positive energy and, like the yoga event, it was noncompetitive.

The Sidewalk Chalk competition showcased the visual artistic abilities of the students. The winner’s best work applied the theme around their neighborhood to their art.

The athletic aspects in the Alfond Sports Center consisted of volleyball, and less active free throw contest. At the Fred Stone Theatre, students learned firsthand from the Rollins Improv Players the ins and outs of improvisation before they put on a show themselves for the Neighborhood Tag . All in all, the event brought together a large group of the Rollins community and allowed for a great launch to the new curriculum.

neighborhood idol yoga robot games poetry slam trivia crack

Page 8 • FEATURES

Thursday, February 26, 2015

New majors approved for Holt Undergraduate programs in Healthcare Management and Public Policy and Political Economy will begin at the Holt School in the upcoming semesters.

Danielle Del Pico

Staff Writer

2015 has brought to Rollins new programs that will not only diversify our students, but also enrich our faculty, educational, and campus life. An undergraduate program in Healthcare Management and an interdisciplinary program for Public Policy and Political Economy has begun its broad curriculum this year. In Fall 2015 the new Master of Health Services Administration (MHSA) and the new Master of Arts in Applied Behavioral Analysis and Clinical Science programs (MAABACS) will be introduced. Here at Rollins, students have the privilege of an outstanding faculty, and these programs prove no different.

Dr. Chet Evans, a medical educator and physician executive for more than 25 years, began his work at Rollins in the summer of 2014, bringing his expertise in executive administration and health program development to the role of Executive Director of the Rollins Center for Health Innovation (CHI). CHI is integral in bringing innovative presentations to the Rollins community and the general public: “Speakers and panelists of distinguished members of the healthcare community come to speak on various topics of current interest,” says Dr. Evans.

“This popular format allows the audience the opportunity to interact with the panel and ask questions.”

Professor of Political Science at Rollins for 25 years Dr. Donald Davison, along with members of the Economics department, articulated the appeal for an interdisciplinary program in public policy in years past. Working closely with Dr. Phil Kozel from the Economics Department, the new major was introduced this Spring 2015 semester. What does the major Public Policy and Political Economy entail exactly?

Dr. Davison reflects: “The major in Public Policy and Political Economy examines how politics and economics intersect to produce public policies. The focus is upon solving practical problems such as funding education, reducing poverty, expanding health care, or relieving urban congestion. Students also will be exposed to the theoretical approaches used in economics and political science as tools to study and solve these current dilemmas in society. Further, students in public policy are well prepared for careers in law, business, and the financial services industries.”

How does the college approve new majors? The main reason is to broaden the choices that students have when considering their educational endeavors. The process is not as simple as most might believe; the major has to be reviewed by the Academic Affairs Committee of the faculty governance system, where the faculty Executive Committee then evaluates it.

Once approved, the proposition

is deliberated and debated by the full faculty. Dr. Evans reflects on starting the Healthcare Management program: “Just prior to my arrival here last summer, the Holt School had begun the development of a Healthcare Management (HCM) undergraduate major. This was being developed in response to a professional marketing and needs assessment contracted by Holt that involved not just the local community, but Holt School students and alums who had indicated that health programs strongly founded in liberal arts should be an integral part of Holt School offerings. A new Department of Health Professions was established in the College of Professional Studies to house the new programs and faculty.

At the graduate level, three new programs were identified for development and those were public health, health services administration, and applied behavioral analysis. The Center for Health Innovation then went into high gear and amazingly we were able to develop all three and get them through all the approval processes and submitted to the regional accrediting agency before the 2014 Christmas break. Fall of 2015 is the launch date for the new Master of Health Services Administration (MHSA) and the new Master of Arts in Applied Behavioral Analysis and Clinical Science programs (MAABACS).

Faculty members have been hired for both programs, and within a few weeks of this writ-

ing, prospective students will be able to attend info-sessions and apply to these programs though Holt. Due to logistical and several other reasons, the Master of Public Health (MPH) program will not offer its first class until the Fall of 2016. All of these programs have been designed in a way that they may be accredited by their various professional accrediting agencies as soon as possible. In addition, these programs will be delivered in executive style so that students can continue to work full time and attend blended learning classes Friday evening and Saturdays every other week. Graduates of the Holt Healthcare Management undergraduate program will be able to slide directly into these professional programs, providing a continuum of education to students who would otherwise have to leave Rollins to acquire these degrees.”

What could these new programs mean for the overall ambience of the campus and diversity of the school? Dr. Davison reflects upon this notion while considering the Public Policy Major: “Although we hope current students will find the major attractive, we envision that international students, such as students from Jindal University (India), might find a home in the major. Jindal offers a graduate program in this field. Furthermore, we hope the major might lead business students and communications students to consider a second major. The quantita-

tive and big data skills taught in this program are highly sought by employers particularly high tech businesses. Public relations experts often are expected to address the complexity of the types of practical programs we study and solve. The ability to understand and explain these issues is critical for many PR personnel representing governments and industry.”

In addition, Dr. Evans reflects on the impact the new Healthcare Management major will have on the Rollins College community: “The programmatic nature of the Holt School lends to a very diverse and multicultural student body, that is more reflective of the Central Florida region. It is folks who are out in the workforce and now that they are stable, want to get or finish that undergrad college degree. It may be that successful two year college student who wants to get their baccalaureate, or it may be that doctor or nurse who wants to further their knowledge or move to an administrative position in public health or health administration by acquiring an MPH or an MHSA. Holt students are reflective of the diversity of the community around us, and the campus is naturally better for that multicultural presence.”

Overall, these new and exciting opportunities join the already implented areas of study here at Rollins and promise success for the community in the present and the future.

Ash Wednesday service draws students Micah Bradley

Staff Writer

“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return,” was murmured over and over again on Wednesday as around 100 students, faculty, staff, and community members were marked with ash crosses on their foreheads. Reverend Shawn Garvey and Father Jose Rodrigues presided over the multi-faith lunchtime service in Knowles Chapel.

Though many people associate Ash Wednesday with Catholicism, many other denominations take part in the tradition.

On Wednesday, people of many

different Christian faiths, including Catholics, Episcopalians, Lutherans, and Congregationalists gathered in the chapel. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the forty days leading up to Easter, known as the season of Lent. The holiday promotes repentance, reflection, and contemplation.

“It’s the beginning of a time of introspection and meditation that leads up, on the church calendar, to the 40 days prior to Easter—really sort of hearkening back to that original story of when Jesus went out into the dessert, before he began his ministry, to pray and to discern what God was calling him to do,” said

Shawn Garvey, Reverend at First Congregational Church of Winter Park and the Interim Dean of the Chapel.

The service was short, only lasting thirty minutes, including scripture readings, hymns, a sermon, and then the traditional marking of the cross in ash by the priests on the many attendants’ foreheads.

“This was phenomenal. We printed 75 bulletins, and I think we used all of them,” said Garvey.

During Lent, many Christians choose to partake in a fast, during which they can give up something. Some of the most popular things to give up are

chocolates, smoking, alcohol, candy, red meat, junk food, soda, TV, and Netflix.

“

Though many people associate Ash Wednesday with Catholicism, many other denominations take part in the tradition.

“Life doesn’t always give

people the things they would like. So when we give something up it kind of makes us one with those people who have nothing or less. . . Really all we need is sustenance, and everything else is extra and a blessing,” said Father Jose Rodriguez, a local priest and leader of Rollins’ Canterbury Club.

Other events coming up for the Lenten season are dialogues with Christian organizations, such as Canterbury Club’s “Theology on Tap” event, when they plan to discuss Lent. There also will be a Good Friday service at 12:15 p.m.. Easter is on April 5 this year, and there will be a sunrise service by the lake.

Page 9 • FEATURES

Thursday, February 26, 2015

SGA President Ablin discusses time at Rollins SGA President Elise Albin ’15 shares her thoughts about serving on the presidential search committee, sisterhood, and even female comedians.

David Matteson

Editor-in-chief

In addition to her role as Student Government Association President, Elise Ablin ’15 served as the student voice for the College of Arts and Sciences throughout the entirety of the presidential search, which began following President Lewis Duncan’s announcement to step down last summer.

Her busy schedule leaves Elise with rarely a moment to spare. Luckily on Sunday, Feb. 22, I had the opportunity to sit down with this student leader to discuss everything from her role and experience on the search committee to life as a Kappa Delta.

David Matteson: What was your reaction when you first found out that as part of your term as SGA president you would be serving on the presidential search committee? How do you even begin to prepare for such a huge endeavor?

Elise Ablin: At first I was very surprised that President Duncan was even stepping down because I received no prior warning or advanced notice. Then, I received a phone call from Allen Keen, who served as the chair of the search committee, asking if I would like to take part. I felt very honored to be included as a student.

I was also extremely surprised at how complex the process was. We were working over the summer to find the search firm, to right when we got back [to school], to figure out what exactly what we were looking for in the new president—characteristics, personality attributes that were best suited for our community. I think that the depth of the process was the most surprising to me. . . It’s very extensive.

DM: In addition to serving on the presidential search committee, you are currently SGA president, a Kappa Delta, and a full-time student. With all of this responsibility, how do you find the time to blow off steam?

What exactly do you do to relax?

EA: Well, honestly, last semester I didn’t do much outside of those things. This semester, I have been working out consistently, which has been awesome

and I feel great. I’ve started relaxing more on weekends, just being outside.

Last semester was really a grind though. That was probably the hardest I have worked in my time here. But all of the commitments I have made I thoroughly enjoy, and I am so glad to be apart of them, that to me it’s worth the effort I am putting in.

Especially with student government and the search committee, I have really learned how to prioritize all of those tasks—it didn’t involve that much sleeping, but I’m very happy that this semester I have a little less on my plate.

DM: So, do you have any tips for prioritizing?

EA: I really love the Outlook Calendar. It’s a really good way to stay organized; I live by my online calendar and by my task list. I have a pretty good sense of how long certain tasks should take me, so now mapping out my day has gotten lot easier.

(Laughing) As for advice, I don’t know because it has taken me a really long time just figure that out.

DM: How has the experience through SGA affected your professional goals and aspirations? Should we be planning to see your name on the US ballot in the future?

EA: I don’t know (Laughs). I don’t know how it has affected my professional aspirations, but it has definitely made me appreciate my Rollins experience so much more. I now feel so committed and passionate; really, I feel a lot of ownership over the success of the school and the students here. Committing myself to SGA has really made me see the value in a Rollins education, and how unique our experience here is.

Especially when I was going through job interviews—that really set me apart. I was interviewing over the summer for positions at the bank I was working at. Out of 150 interns, I was selected to interview among 20. Many had far more technical skills than me—accounting, finance, knowledge of the case studies—but when it came to articulating their school experiences, they had really only participated in their majors. So the Rollins experience, being able to say that I lead

student government and I am in a sorority, and I have done all of these things, which not only contributed to my academic growth, but also my personal confidence and my ability to work with other people. . . It’s a whole skill set that many are missing out on.

DM: So, here’s the dreaded question for all seniors: What exactly are your plans after graduation?

EA: (Laughing) I got the job!

So, I am working for BMO Harris Bank in Chicago, and I am joining their commercial analyst development program.

DM: You’re from Illinois right?

EA: Yes, so I am going to be moving home, which is the dreaded part of that after graduation question. (Laughing) I’ll be there until I am forcibly removed or driven crazy!

DM: So you’ll be living with your parents? Do you have a good relationship with them?

EA: Yes, I do! (Laughing) They’re funny.

DM: (Laughing) They’re funny?

EA: Yeah! (Laughing) They’re funny.

DM: That’s great. Okay, so who are your role models?

EA: I really love female comedians, like Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Basically, all of the women on SNL because I think what they do is so admirable. They’re in this business that is historically mostly men, still is. But they are so confident in themselves that they can go crazy in front of millions and millions of viewers.

And it’s hysterical. They are all so smart, quick-witted, and fast to the punch. I really think that they are phenomenal.

DM: So, I want to switch gears and talk about the experience of the presidential search committee; as a confident woman, you’re on this committee that is comprised of mostly men. What was that experience like for you? Was it ever uncomfortable?

EA: Actually, it was never a problem. What my original concern going into the process was my age and experience. This whole committee was made up of these incredibly talented, extraordinarily successful individuals who have just made incred-

ible lives for themselves. I was really nervous going in that my input wouldn’t be as valuable because I am so young.

But I found that to be completely untrue. The search committee members were so interested in what the students had to say. It was such an incredible experience for me because I think as students, we often get lost in this Rollins culture where you really don’t have to interact with faculty that much or staff that much if you don’t want to.

But they really make an effort to put students first, and that was so incredibly apparent to me on this committee. They really value our input.

Also, part of the search process was not only finding a person that is the best fit for Rollins, but it was also a marketing effort on our part to try and sell the school to these candidates. Our final four candidates were all sitting presidents, so they have incredible jobs that they don’t need to leave. Every time I talked about Rollins to these candidates, it made me love the school even more—I was so supported, engaged, and it made me feel part of a group. I felt like more than just a student; I was a community member.

One thing I will say is that as a woman, I was very conscious of keeping a diverse pool of applicants. The committee was very conscious of that. We wanted to make sure that we weren’t just looking at the candidates people “thought” we should have.

I mean there are certain expectations: this person should have a doctorate degree, should have been a faculty member, and should have been a provost.

There’s a very traditional lineup of what a president’s background should look like. And when we were looking at the applicant pool, we were definitely looking for someone with a nontraditional background. So we looked at a lot of candidates.

DM: What would you say to other young women who are looking to succeed in male dominated institutions like business and politics?

EA: I think confidence is the key. At least when I was young, girls weren’t expected to do well in math. It was always, “That’s

okay, girl’s aren’t supposed to be good at math.” Or, we never were expected to run the mile, because we were girls, and girls don’t sweat. My parents tried so hard to steer me away from those gender based stereotypes.

My most formative years were at an all-girls’ boarding school. It was a very interesting environment because there was no competition over guys. Nothing there was traditional. When we were in school, we were committed to school. I think I learned there that women are totally capable of anything, and the true deciding factor is whether you think you can or not.

DM: So wrapping up, I want to briefly talk about sorority life. You’re a member of Kappa Delta; how has the Greek experience impacted your view here at Rollins?

EA: Sisterhood to me means unconditional support. I think it is tough at Rollins your first semester. I think the key to succeeding here is finding a group or an organization that allows you to connect to more than just some friends. Once you feel immersed in something, that’s when you really start enjoying yourself here. Because the community is so small, I think it is crucial to be involved in something, I mean anything really.

It was really helpful finding a group of women who I knew were always going to be there for me. I think the peek of my happiness was when I nervously returned from abroad—I had been immersed in a different culture and I hadn’t seen my friends for a semester. But when I came back to Rollins, it was like I had never left. My friends and sorority immediately embraced me—they were including me right back in the sisterhood, like nothing had changed. It was nice to come back and feel so loved.

I hope that I helped make the school better for someone—I made someone’s experience better. I think that’s all we try to do with SGA, that’s our only goal: to make the school as best as we possibly can for the students who are here. I have had such an incredible experience. So, if I have made Rollins better for just one more person, then I will leave happy.

Page 10 • FEATURES

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Quidditch keeps aiming high Despite the small number of members, the Rollins Quidditch team has tried to improve their status. Captain Stephen Nettles ’15 envisions more victories for the determined team.

Brian Barnett

Writer

Laughter and the sound of clattering PVC pipes fill the air on Mills Lawn last Friday afternoon, as the crisp spring air blows gently past. The Rollins College Quidditch Team sprawls around a pile of disassembled goal hoops, taking inventory and assembling equipment.

This week they are all relaxed, enjoying each other’s company as they discuss upcoming practices and share stories about past tournaments. The group is physically diverse, from tall to petite and from broad to scrawny. Usually, they would all smell strongly of grass and sweat by this point, but with only five members at practice, President Amy Sullivan ’15 decided to dedicate the day to moving all the equipment out of their vehicles into more permanent storage.

A mundane task for people who play a sport out of a fantasy novel, but the team attacks the task with gusto. Admittedly, they get distracted by the occa-

sional mock fencing battle, and they cannot resist tossing the quaffle around for a little while, but that is to be expected from such a tight-knit, fun-loving team. This is the legacy of Rollins Quidditch; it has always been a friendly, enjoyable club.

Quidditch is a full-contact team sport played on a small oval field with three goal posts on both sides. Each team has 21 players of whom seven are on the field at any given time.

Each team consists of three chasers, two beaters, one keeper, and one seeker. There are five balls in a Quidditch match: one quaffle, used by the chasers like a basketball to try and score on one of the three hoops, which are defended by the keepers; three bludgers, used by the beaters to knock opponents out of play temporarily; and one snitch, in a sac tied to the shorts of a referee known as the snitch runner. The seekers sole job is to catch the snitch; its capture ends the game and awards 30 points to the team who caught it. Each score with the quaffle is worth 10 points.

Official tournaments are held by United States Quidditch (USQ) and follow a strict set of guidelines written in the USQ rulebook, which is published every year before the beginning of the season. The USQ provides certified referees as well as equipment and space for the matches. The Quidditch season begins in the fall and stretches until the end of spring. The Rollins team was first formed in 2011, lost its official status in 2012, and regained status in 2013.

Quidditch has struggled to survive on Rollins campus, where both a small student body and the strong social stigma associated with the sport make it difficult to retain players.

In 2012, when both Sullivan and current captain Stephen Nettles ’15 joined, the team was in shambles. After a successful first year, the leadership of the team all graduated or moved away, and only a few rising sophomores were left to fill the gap.

With just three members on the executive board and practices of three or four people every week,

the Quidditch club looked ready to sink.

The team did not compete in any events hosted by the USQ that year and practices rarely drew enough students to run drills. Despite this, both students fell in love with the sport. “Not many sports require you to make cuts like a basketball player, have the tactical mind of a soccer player, and hit like a hockey or rugby player,” said Nettles.

Sullivan was also drawn to the full contact nature of the sport. Although she knew almost nothing about the game outside of the book series when she came to Rollins, she quickly fell in love with both the nerdy roots and the rough nature of the sport.

This year the team has competed in almost every official tournament in the state. They even challenged the sixth ranked team in the nation at this year’s state championship. They made it to the semi-finals of that tournament, and believe that they can take first at regionals.“We could have won either of our games against them with barely

half a roster. So with a full squad, why shouldn’t we be able to take regionals?” says Sullivan.

The difference is in the competitive spirit of the team leadership. When Sullivan and Nettles stepped into leadership, they both decided that they were going to qualify for World Cup in their first year, and they did.

Nettles asserts that the change in attitude from the leadership drew in a more dedicated and physical team. Leonard Ufer ’17 said that there has been a solid core of players since he joined the team at the beginning of his freshman year. Since then they have gained some players and lost some, but the same core has remained and grown in experience.

Last year, they barely qualified for World Cup. But Sullivan says qualifying is not enough this year, she wants to win regionals and go on to several successful games at World Cup. It is a bold goal for a team from a school as small as Rollins, but given their mediocre rise over the past two years, it is not a fantasy.

Mentors support Fern Creek students Celia Clark

Writer

For the past three years, Fern Creek Elementary student Kelin has looked forward to Steve Booker’s weekly visits.

Each visit is different: sometimes Booker and Kelin review reading and math, or they play basketball with his classmates, or they just sit and talk. Whatever the activity, Booker understands the importance of his role as mentor. He views the time with Kelin as one of the most important things he does; this is why he goes to Fern Creek every week, but that will change soon, when Fern Creek closes in 2017, and with it, the mentorship program with Rollins.

Booker’s commitment to mentoring started before the program began in 2002. His compassion for helping others dates back 20 years, when he was a foster parent in Indiana. Today he translates that passion into his role at Rollins by making certain that a college education is

accessible to every student. He views the opportunity to reach students at a young age as the perfect time to lay a foundation for academic goals.

“It’s a no-brainer for me. Education equals choices for kids.

By connecting with children at the elementary school level, I can help them understand the value of education and how it translates into more opportunities as they go from middle school to high school and college,” said Booker.

Rollins student Sally McGuren ‘17 is a mentor to fifth-grader Aidan. She began mentoring at Fern Creek during her freshman year of college and is determined to maintain her relationship with Aidan as he moves into middle school.

“I think it would be counterproductive for me to up and leave after a few semesters. It would be confusing and he would lose that trust that is formed. My main role is to make sure that he knows he can get through the hard stuff and come out on top,”

said McGuren.

When she attended a public school and faced challenging family issues she “needed someone to guide me and listen to me,” she said. “I just needed to be heard, and so does Aidan.”

Sally picked Aidan from the list of students because she knew she could help him deal with the death of his mother after having helped her close friend in a similar situation.

Her relationship with Aidan reflects what Fern Creek Executive Director Holly Vanture sees in all her volunteers: “a care and love for elementary students.”

Vanture’s responsibilities include oversight of the mentoring program and mentor training.

The Fern Creek mentoring program, serving 8 to 12 students per day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., is part of the Fern Creek Elementary School Foundation, established in 2008 by the aid of community donations.

The foundation is the only one of its kind in the Orange County Public School system

and has proved to be a model worth replicating.

One of the most important things mentors convey to students is that an adult can become their friend and that college is accessible.

“For low-income students, going to college means owning the wardrobe,” said Vanture.

“When they come in contact with a mentor in jeans and a T-shirt, they realize that college students are just like them and suddenly college is a real possibility.” Following the closing of Fern Creek in 2017, two new K-8 schools will open—one in Baldwin Park and the other in Parramore.

Vanture supports keeping students in small nurturing environments, especially during the middle school years. She believes that Parramore students, who are currently bused to Fern Creek, will thrive attending school closer to home.

“At least 10-15% of the elementary students form strong bonds with their mentors, and of that group, only 10% of those

relationships continue in the current middle school model. I’m excited that the new kindergarten through eighth grade model will allow our students to spend their middle-school years in a smaller well-known environment,” said Vanture.

Her goal over the next two years is to facilitate the transition of her community volunteers from Fern Creek to the new locations. McGuren does not consider the closing of Fern Creek in 2017 an obstacle for future mentoring opportunities; instead, she believes the bigger issue is recruiting more of her peers to meet the community’s need and continue the volunteer work.

“So many kids would greatly appreciate a mentor. I’m lucky to have him. I love kids. I love helping; it makes me feel good about myself,” McGuran said.

Time may be running out for Fern Creek, but there still is time for Rollins students to make a difference in the lives of elementary school students by becoming mentors.

Page 11 • ARTS & ENTERTAINMNET

Chris Sarafian

Columnist

Staff Writer

Netflix is a household name.

When they started Instant Internet Streaming in 2008, the idea seemed foreign. No one knew how much the industry would boom over the years. Within the past few years Amazon has jumped on, adding their own instant streaming system, Amazon Instant. Currently, Netflix is said to have 50 million subscribers worldwide. Now, with the influx of new shows and products coming from the two services, the frontier of online streaming seems to be blossoming more than ever.

On January 11, the Netflix YouTube account posted a one-minute teaser for Season three of their hit drama House of Cards. It currently has over four million views.

When the second season of the show was put online Valentine’s Day of last year, half a million people watched the whole season within the first weekend of release.

Season three of the show goes online on February 27. Sea-

son three of their other hit show Orange is the New Black should be released some time in the beginning of summer. In March, they are releasing the first season of a new show called Bloodlines.

In April, they are releasing the first in a series of shows tied into the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Daredevil.

On the other side of the Internet, Amazon Instant Streaming has just dropped the first season of their new crime drama, Bosch. Alongside their highly acclaimed drama Transparent, Amazon is showing that they too have a stake in the Instant frontier. Transparent, in fact, won Best Comedy or Musical at the Golden Globes, and lead actor Jeffrey Tambor won Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical at the same awards.

In the competition, however, Netflix is certainly winning. In 2013, they received 14 nominations at the Emmys. In 2014, they received 31. All told, they have won 10 Emmys. Kevin Spacey took home Best Male Actor in a Drama at both the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild Awards for his role

as Francis Underwood in House of Cards.

In recent polls, a large reason for the decrease in attendance at the cinema is due to ticket prices. This has a clear correlation to streaming. If you can get any movie you want plus all of your favorite shows for only $8.99, why pay $10.50 for just one movie? On top of all of this, Netflix has recently announced that they will begin producing their own original movies alongside their original shows and documentaries. Their first is said to be a sequel to the famous martial arts film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

What does this mean for movies? For one thing, companies cannot release their movies to Netflix, so you must see the movie in theatres or buy them on DVD if you want to see them all.

Netflix still picks up on important trends, such as adding The Interview to streaming as soon as they were able to. It is a tough competition. Do not be surprised if one day soon you see a Netflix produced film up on the Best Picture nominees list for the Academy Awards.

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Who says you can’t transition from disco sticks to Irving Berlin? One of the most surprising performances at this year’s Grammy’s came courtesy of Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga.

Yes, that Tony Bennett. Yes, that Lady Gaga. Singing the title track of their Grammy winning collaborative jazz album Cheek to Cheek, the duo successfully wooed the audience and earned a standing ovation.

Although positively received, the performance induced its fair share of viewer confusion.

The same pop star behind the infamous meat dress singing a jazz standard with an 88-year-old?

Well, stranger things have happened. And, in the case of Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett, this strangeness works exceptionally well.

When word spread that Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett were releasing a jazz album together, blog sites, critics, and fans expressed their concerns regarding the potential “creepiness” of the project. More so, the cynical masses of critics insisted that the collaboration signaled the collapse of Gaga’s career, her failure out of pop star relevance, and an early retirement in the form of lounge singer music.

Not surprisingly, these negative predictions failed to register true. Gaga and Tony make for an irresistibly adorable combination, and their relationship reads perfectly plutonic, even familial, which translates as a heartwarming grandpa-granddaughter chemistry. With Gaga dancing around the stage like a movie star from the Golden Age, and Tony beaming and tapping his feet to the music, they become difficult to disapprove

of—their friendship and their artistry shines bright enough to overshadow and debunk critics and defective speculation.

A swan song, Cheek to Cheek is not. The album has managed to launch Lady Gaga further than ARTPOP, her previous pop-album, ever did. While ARTPOP was well received by fans and critics, and debuted at number one on the Billboard charts, the record failed to hold up in comparison to Gaga’s past works. It spawned a few moderate hits, but, for the most part, it primarily thrived among Gaga’s fan community rather than on the radio waves.

Gaga’s Cheek to Cheek has brought about a newfound public appreciation for Gaga.

Following her Grammy performance with Mr. Bennett, the Oscars immediately booked her to perform at this year’s show. That same week, she brought down the house at Stevie Wonder’s tribute concert, performing a stellar version of “I Wish.”

Cheek to Cheek has made it clear that Lady Gaga is more than just the typical pop star.

Behind the outfits, there is an electrifying voice, one that is able to adapt to a multitude of genres, including standards, jazz, and rock. While Gaga’s Little Monsters (the moniker for her fans) have acknowledged her versatility for years, the public masses are catching on as well.

So, what’s next for Gaga? Well, to top of her month of success, Lady Gaga said yes to her boyfriend Taylor Kinney when he popped the question with a heart shaped diamond ring on Valentine’s Day. With a Grammy, an upcoming Oscar performance, and a new ring on her finger, everything is certainly coming up roses for a woman whose talent deserves every single petal.

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Page 12 8 • •FEATURES ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Thursday, Thursday,February January 27, 26, 2015

Gourmet fries grace the Farmer’s Market

Marcela Oliveira

Production Manager The smell of french fries and basil is the first sign that indicate TheFryBar is nearby. Located at the heart of Winter Park Farmer’s Market and across from a colorful flower stand, the popular venue can be spotted from afar because of its winding line of customers.

Besides the traditional kettle corn and lemonade that constantly lure the customers, the curious public can also enjoy the gourmet fries every Saturday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

TheFryBar is a popular choice among the diverse public of the market. The customers, ranging from Rollins students to older Winter Park residents, wait patiently in line to have a taste of the fries and their homemade sauces. They can choose between two flavors, and for six dollars they can get a portion of the

striking looking fries. Served in a white box with shaved cheese and two sauces, the treat looks unlike any conventional fastfood chips.

Owner Michael Scivally said TheFryBar was originally conceived by his son Christopher, a chef in New Orleans who started TheFryBar after Katrina.

“There weren’t many jobs, and he wanted something to do, so he started doing TheFryBar at different festivals and that sort of thing all over New Orleans,” Scivally said. After his son started the business, Scivally opened his own fries’ venue at the market, which has been active for the past four years.

Their signature fries—the rosemary, garlic, and parmesan fries—are served every Saturday and do very well with the customers. They frequently vary the flavors to make new combinations. Other toppings can also be added, such as eggs and bacon,

for an additional dollar. “I make everything myself, and all the sauces and the toppings,” Scivally said. “We cook the bacon right there and then cut it to put on top of the fries. We crack the shells, cook the eggs right there, and put them on top.”

Scivally is assisted by his wife Vange, short for Evangeline, and his friend Keith Constantine. Scvially believes they still have room to grow with the small enterprise. “I’m trying to get my son to come here and we would really like to open a store front, but continue to do our market,” he said. Although the fries would be the signature dish, Scivally envisions his store with additional options.

TheFryBar is a favorite with Rollins students such as Alexandra Philco ’17. “My favorite food here is the gourmet fries. I love how they taste with the different spices and sauces,” Philco said. She ordered the Greek fries

that were on the menu that day.

“They are delicious again. The homemade ketchup has a tinge of spice that is delicious,” she said.

The problem is the line. “The long line is annoying but I’m patient,” said Philco. The rest of the customers seem to agree the wait is worth it.

The customers are also not the only ones who enjoy the experience. Scivally serves the fries with a smile. Excited about his business, he affirmed, “I wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t fun.”

More information about TheFryBar can be found on their Facebook page, TheFryBarWP, or by phone at (407) 310-5453.

Stellar lineup heads AURA festival The annual festival event AURA returns for Spring Break 2015, sporting an excellent lineup and venue.

Jonny Scoblionko Columnist Greetings, music fans! In case you are not aware, it is almost AURA season! Now in its sixth year, AURA has established itself as one of Florida premier festivals. What began as a grassroots-style event has evolved into an experience the likes of which is virtually unmatchable.

With a stellar lineup from top to bottom, fantastic activi-

ties, and a breathtaking venue, AURA is sure to be a fantastic event from start to finish. In case you are still on the fence about attending, here are few reasons why AURA 2015 is a must: 1. The Headliners (duh!)— The Disco Biscuits. moe. Break Science Live Band. . . BOOM! The AURA team really went all out, booking some of the most premier names in the festival circuit.

2. Suwannee Music Park— There really is no description

necessary here. If you have been to the magical woods, you already know. If you have not, then you have all the more reason to get up there and find out for yourself!

3. Thursday Pre-Party—For those looking to start raging a day early, Ghost Owl, Dopapod, and Kung Fu will be hosting an extra funky dance party on Thursday night. This is a great excuse to arrive early, secure a prime camping spot, and spend

the weekend living it up.

4. Yoga and Healing Workshops—AURA’s extensive yoga and healing program has grown each year and is now regarded as one of the best. Classes are scheduled throughout the day and provide a fantastic way to bliss out on a beautiful Suwannee afternoon.

5. Live Art/On-site Gallery—Known as the staples of the event, the incredible art program features over 20 live artists

as well as numerous live installations. The art gallery also allows attendees to immerse themselves in the work of the artists they see working all weekend.

Bridging the gap between music event and transformational festival, AURA has cultivated an expressive utopia in the woods. Building off years of success, AURA VI will surely be nothing short of amazing; certainly the ultimate way to close out Spring Break 2015.