the
VOLUME 14 | ISSUE 2
WWW.READMYBEACON.COM
MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016
Editor’s farewell, Page 2 | Commuters meet, Page 10 | Fan film, Page 11
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Monday, April 25, 2016
Editor’s Note Final thoughts of the year By Sierra Darville, Katie Forsythe “Win or lose, there are people who see me and are influenced,” said U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio at his 2016 presidential rally in West Palm Beach. Cover photo Ryan Arnst.
Spring 2016 DUANE MEEKS Dean of School of Communication and Media MICHAEL RAY SMITH Michaelray_Smith@pba.edu Adviser SIERRA DARVILLE Sierra_Darville@pba.edu Executive/Web Editor CELESTE BROWN News Editor SANDRA RODRIGUEZ Art Director RYAN ARNST Photo Editor KATIE FORSYTHE Broadcast Content Editor AMANDA HIGGINS Advertising Director Staff: Aaron Broghamer Cameron Codner Abby Didier Taylor Fry Kasimir Jackson Danielle Mendocha Amber Miller Josh Myers Keisha Oakley Tracy Peyton Kiana Snyder Jackie Streng Benjamin Wainer David Williams READMYBEACON.COM Mission Statement
The Beacon is an award-winning student publication of Palm Beach Atlantic University, West Palm Beach, Fla. Its mission is to highlight the campus while providing coverage of the community. The students participate in a journalism laboratory and write articles for class. While news of PBA remains a staple of the publication, coverage includes of the surrounding community, with attention to issues such as politics and law enforcement, business, arts and entertainment, religion and more The staff edits an online site called Readmybeacon.com and includes content not often found in the print edition. In 2015 and 2016 Evangelical Press Association awarded Readmybeacon. com a second-place award in national competition.
Editors
As
a freshman, the world seems big and scary. You never know exactly what you’re going to face. Even as a senior, things can still come as a surprise! A lot of interesting things have happened during our college careers. This year alone, PBA has accomplished so much and has even broken new ground in journalism. This year’s theme was “Press on to the goal,” and that is exactly what we did! For example, our women’s volleyball team won their first Regional Title against the number three seed Florida Sothern College. Way to go, Sailfish. We also welcomed the comebacks Seniors Katie Forsythe, left, and Sierra Darville reflect on the changes of PBA and their excitement of what the school has accomplished. Photo by Ryan Arnst of “Monday Night Live” and “PBA Tonight.” Both were great success this Communication and Media, students year was a busy yet productive year! year. were exposed to rare opportunities. Though we will be graduating shortly, Speaking of great success, we have One of them being the chance to attend we believe that our contribution to PBA been privileged to hear from several multiple presidential rallies and press is one that will be longlasting. succussful people like Pulitzer Prize conferences, which you can read about We also hope to encourage students winner Manny Garcia, presidential that are second-guessing themselves. speech writer and author Peggy Noonan later in this issue. The Beacon editors, yes us, wrote a Don’t be afraid to take chances because and mother of NFL quarterback Tim hard hitting investigative piece on the you will never know where they will Tebow, Pam Tebow. men’s activist group Return of Kings. lead you. And remember that diligence PBA also reached its own great success They had arranged to meet right here always pays off! by completing three million hours of in West Palm Beach on Clematis Street. Have a wonderful summer and an Workship, which included preparing Fortunately, the meeting was cancelled, even better next semester! And for 50,000 meals for hungry families in but we still decided to do a little digging all the seniors that are graduating, Palm Beach County! on them and what they stood for. CONGRATS! We finally did it! Now go And our very own men’s soccer coach We spoke to several Clematis out there and be successful; we believe Brian McMahon was named the Palm restaurant managers, police officers and in you! Beach County Commission Coach of students to catch their reactions. Remember “PRESS ON TO THE the Year. We can say with certainty that this GOAL!” In our very own School of
Student press places national competition Katie Forsythe
Broadcast Coordinator
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or the second year in a row, the Palm Beach Atlantic student publication web site “ReadMyBeacon.com” ranked second in the nation in the Evangelical Press Association’s collegiate news contest. Readmybeacon.com competes against much larger universities such as Wheaton College, Liberty University, University of Northwestern-St. Paul, Taylor University, Bethel University, Azusa University, California Baptist University and many others. Sierra Darville, Celeste Brown, Katie Forsythe, Jeremiah Sater, David Williams, Amanda Higgins, Ryan Arnst among others contributed to the successful online product during the 2015-2016 academic year. Darville, Brown and Forsythe are the editors for spring 2016 semester, with Darville leading both the print and
online products. “I am extraordinarily proud of the accomplishment of our journalism students for winning this national recognition,” said J. Duane Meeks, dean of the School of Communication and Media. “The future of the profession is clearly on digital platforms. It is gratifying to know that these aspiring journalists have proven their skills in that venue.” According director Lamar Keener, “The Evangelical Press Association is a professional association of Christian publications — magazines, newspapers and newsletters — and content-rich websites. EPA’s purpose is ‘to strengthen evangelical periodicals through inspiration, instruction, and networking,” he said adding that each year it hosts a spring contest for Christian periodicals and websites Don Piper and Michael Ray Smith, professors of journalism, advise the online and print publications. The advisers helped students with the U.S.
presidential primary coverage last month that gained West Palm Beach international attention. This spring semester has seen a sharpened focus on the digital news platform after reducing the print publication from five to two issues a semester, allowing the staff to channel their efforts into enhance web content. The Beacon staff continues to expand its efforts in a convergence from print to online to provide daily, timely and relevant content.
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Monday, April 25, 2016
Integration of new academic programs begin Additional courses to be offered next semester in multiple disciplines David Williams Staff Writer
School of Nursing
6-10 p.m. in eight-week sessions. With this program, Turner explains that working adults are given the opportunity to still earn the B.S. degree as an evening student. The final program addition is the Masters of Accountancy. Put in place for students with a Bachelor’s of the Science in accounting, this program was added in order for those students to receive their Certified Public Accountant and prepare them to pass the CPA exam. Once the program is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, it will be integrated into the School of Business. Turner expects to integrate the program as soon as Fall 2016.
In
January of 2015, the School of Ntursing began its graduate degree program. In May the first Master of Science and Nursing, Health Systems Leadership graduates will cross the stage. The first cohort will continute to the completion of a Doctorate in Nursing Practice in December 2017. According to Joanne Masella, dean of the School of Nursing, the school will continue to build on their program by incorporating online opportunities in the summer for undergraduates in the RN to BSN program. The Registered Nurse to Bachelor’s in Science and Nursing degree, is an online program that allows RNs the chance to take classes while working full-time, Masella said. She said that a student does not have to have a bachelor’s in nursing in order to become a RN. Individuals can become RNs after receiving a Associates of Science degree in Nursing. The RN to BSN program will only be available to working adults. “We have seen that there is a lot of need in the community for nurses to advance and get further degrees,” she said. “In order for hospitals to get ‘magnet’ (special) status, nurses need to have bachelor’s degrees,” she said. “We’re hoping that this program meets the needs of the community and also PBA because it allows us to expand.” She went on to say, “We are like a baby program growing to toddlerhood now, and starting to spread our wings a little. Our grads have been very successful with great test scores, passing their licensing exams on the first try.” PBA graduates score significantly higher on nursing exams than state and national averages, with scores ranging from 94 to 100 percent over the past ten years. “PBA graduates are loved because they know that our students make better employees,” Masella said. “Employers are always asking for PBA because they know they are hard workers with strong morals.”
Sports Broadcasting In the school of communication and media, Professor Don Piper leads a sports broadcasting program that is divided among journalism, film and TV/cinema majors. “In the field of broadcasting and journalism, sports has definitely
From left, Ray Titus, CEO of United Franchise Group; Kelly Smallridge, president and CEO of the Business Development Board; Bill Fleming, president of Palm Beach Atlantic University; and Jared Reuter, PBA alumnus and brand manager of VentureX, announced the Titus Franchising Center at Palm Beach Atlantic University. Photo courtesy of Palm Beach Atlantic University
become one of the most desirable jobs to have,” Piper said. The School of Communication and Media is adding a sport broadcasting major in fall 2017 that will give students practical experience in covering sporting events. Students are already involved in the coverage of PBA sporting events. This
The first addition is the revision of the Master in Business Administration program that integrates nine core courses, with three courses for each concentration. Turner said that earning a bachelor’s degree is popular among the daytime students, but generally they are exposed to the broad concepts of
PBA aims to make students more marketable by expanding several academic curriculums. year the sports broadcasting team covered men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and softball, volleyball and men’s and women’s soccer. Sports such as tennis, golf and cross country, will not be covered live but will have records of clips to create news packages. Piper said that he has been getting compliments for the outstanding quality of the games captured and placed on air. The sports broadcasting major will provide students an opportunity to develop the skillsets needed in order to excel in that field, Piper said.
Rinker School of Business In the Rinker School of Business, three academic programs were added to the program as well as one revised program.
business. The two concentrations will include Finances and Marketing. Second in the new program is the hospitality track and undergraduate management degree. “The hospitality track is very crucial for students to learn in the state of Florida because of the tourism, restaurants and resorts,” Turner said. “This hospitality track will be made up of four core classes that embody the concept of business hospitality, not only in the state of Florida, but anywhere.” Third is the Bachelors in Science and Business Administration. This program will not be available for the traditional day student, but instead for adults who have had a minimum of four years of work experience prior to attending college. The accelerated program classes will be held one night a week from
MacArthur School of Leadership The end of this academic year will mark the 20th year of the MacArthur School of Leadership. More than 450 students have graduated from this program. Many have moved to teach at various universities or become leaders of their own right, said Craig Domeck of the MacArthur School of Leadership. The School of Leadership has moved to add the following tracks and will move to incorporate these in the fall 2016 semester: Organizational Leadership, Non-profit Leadership and Corporate Leadership. Each track will be comprised of 12 courses and eight core classes. “Adding these tracks gives our students the opportunity to generate more of a focus on the various fields they decide to go into.” In the fall of 2017, Domeck says that the school will incorporate a leadership minor for traditional daytime undergraduates. “A number of students on this campus are doing student leadership but are not getting academic credit for it,” Domeck said. “We believe that this minor will be a significant step in making our students more desirable for future employers.” He said it could also create student leadership intern opportunities on campus. With the integration of various academic programs, Palm Beach Atlantic University continues to strive for academic excellence. The additions for these programs is only the beginning of how Provost Gene Fant is working to improve the academic experience of all students who attend PBA.
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Monday, April 25, 2016
Safety regulations: A growing concern for private institutions across the state, nation Taylor Fry
Staff Writer
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un safety security continues to be a major concern on college campuses. Not too long ago the Orlando Sentinel, said a 911 caller reported gunfire at the Cocoa campus of Eastern Florida State College. A mother reported her daughter was hiding in a closet because she had heard a gun shot. The campus went on lockdown along with other schools in the area. While the report was never confirmed, colleges have to take these threats seriously. Florida state law 790.06 states security officers of private institutions are not able to carry firearms, forcing campus such as Palm Beach Atlantic University to consider other options. Wayne Buchanan, director of the campus safety at PBA, said that although PBA campus safety officers do not carry guns, they do carry expandable batons, which is considered a impact weapon. They also carry OC spray, mace, and handcuffs. In addition to these items, campus safety officers go through a training program every two years. This training, which is through the state, is not
This photo shows the safety swtich on a handgun. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
required, but Buchanan wants his officers to be the best. A former Tampa Police Department officer, Buchanan served 13 years on the force. His officers went through training every two years. He said that if it is good enough for the police department, the training is good enough for PBA as well.
“Beintg fully prepared for every situation isn’t possible, all we can do is be ready,” he said. He went on to say that PBA has a great relationship with the West Palm Beach police department at 600 Banyan Blvd., 15 minutes away from the university. “I feel safe on this campus. Since I
have transferred here in there spring; there has not been a moment where I have felt unsafe in any way,” said sophomore Lizzie Frombach. Sophomore Taylor Lewis agrees. “I appreciate them and I feel very comfortable calling them if I need anything,” she said. “I feel like I can contact them if I needed to, but I would like to be more informed about their response time,” said freshman Alyssa Starkey. “I feel like they are always available to the students,” added freshman Sydney Marrero. The university developed an emergency preparedness plan in the case of an active shooter. Any student is able to log on to my.pba.edu go into departments, campus safety and read about what to do in the case of any emergency. If an emergency arises on campus, students can call campus security; however, the university encourages the students to call 911 if the situation is critical.
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Monday, April 25, 2016
The audience responded to U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio’s questions and statements with pride and affirmation. Photo by Ryan Arnst
Christian university takes on national politics Danielle Mendocha Staff Writer
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onald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Ben Carson and Marco Rubio dropped by the neighborhood not too long ago along with the national and international press. Providing news coverage were The New York Times, CNN, a Japanese TV network . . . and journalists from Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach. PBAU journalism students covered national politics for the campus press and the nearby Cox daily newspaper and continued to their portfolio credits along the way. “Student portfolios that include only parking and cafeteria woes aren’t the kind of content that typically impresses an employer,” noted PBAU journalism professor Michael Ray Smith. “The dean suggested that PBA’s journalism program get off campus and cover the news, and what better venue than the U.S. presidential race?” While Smith primarly advises The Beacon student newspaper, journalistturned-professor Don Piper primarly advises the online web site in addition to building the area’s first sports media program. So far, PBA’s off-campus strategy is a matter of blending campus news students can’t get anywhere else with news of the area that is of interest to this Christian, liberal-arts community. “Our program is deliberately focused on getting student journalists reporting off campus,” Smith said, adding that the 2,500-undergraduates student campus is uniquely situated just two miles from GOP frontrunner Trump’s lavish Mar-ALago country club where the billionaire holds frequent press conferences. “It helps students to get a realistic experience of working in news.” For instance, editors Sierra Darville and Celeste Brown worked at a recent Trump press conference, making videos that they immediately posted online and live-tweeted in the whirlwind of com-
peting reporters howling into network cameras. “It was a lot of fun just being able to work along side real reporters and producers,” said Darville who worked sideby-side with CBS 12 TV reporter Israel Balderas, a PBA adjunct journalism professor. “I received more experience in those few nights than I have in my entire college career, and it was great to have that feeling of accomplishment.” News editor Celeste Brown agrees, saying, “Live-ttweeting and working off campus is always surreal because I’ve dreamed about doing journalism for the past four years and I’m finally doing what I love in a way that actually impacts people.”
ing students descended on Palm Beach County Convention Center to interview more than 1,000 supporters restive to see former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton rally the vote hours before Florida’s Super Tuesday. Earlier in the week editors Darville and Brown camped out in PBA’s Rubin Arena to ask candidate Marco Rubio about his prayer life but before they could get to the make-shift green room, Secret Service agents shooed them away. Nonetheless, the two editors managed to live-tweet the evening action to the Palm Beach Post and Digital Editor Kristina Webb of the Palm Beach Post. Webb later wrote the students saying, “I wanted to send you a quick note of
‘Out in the professional field, there won’t be hundreds of students that I know and talk to everyday. Covering events off campus is more challenging, but something that is very useful at the undergraduate level.’ Brown spent time with the Tampa Bay Times and cut her editorial teeth in 2012. “The work I’ve had the opportunity to take part in is incredibly exciting and rewarding because these experiences not only make me a better journalist, but allow me to see how important the work of a journalist really is,” she said. On the same night just a few blocks from the School of Communication and Media building on Pembroke Place, a team of Advanced Reporting and Writ-
thanks . . . for your Twitter coverage last night. Everyone did a great job.” National politics isn’t the only offcampus coverage the Beacon student newspaper students and the Readmybeacon.com writers cover. Journalism students cover area businesses, events, particularly ministries and some government. This semester journalism students interviewed West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio, who highlighted city improvement projects and business openings on
fashionable Clematis Street and CityPlace. The students covered the opening of a Memorial Fountain dedication on the island of Palm Beach and met with writers. During the 2014-2015 academic year more than 20 writers talked to journalism students about the business of journalism today. In turn, students covered city commissioners, visited the police department and studied regional history at the Historical Society of Palm Beach County, but covering national politics has its appeal. “Out in the professional field, there won’t be hundreds of students that I know and talk to everyday,” said journalism student Peter Amirata, who covered a Trump press conference. “Covering events off campus is more challenging, but something that is very useful at the undergraduate level.” Multimedia editor Katie Forsythe agrees. “It’s a very high energy and exciting environment to witness political history being made right in front of your eyes,” said Forsythe. “For me, the funniest part was definitely seeing so many people who could not even vote or contribute to the political sphere in a very real way—non-citizens or people not of voting age—be so adamant about their candidate!” For journalist Aaron Broghamer, living the news in real time is novel. “You don’t have to wait for a reporter to tell you what’s happening because you are the reporter,” he said. The result: Some students find the immersion daunting; others such as bilingual journalist Normarie Naim find it exhilarating. A wife and mother of three, Naim is an intern at a Telemundo TV station in Orlando where she lives. She drives nearly three hours one way to take classes. “Live-tweeting is what we do at Telemundo,” she said. “Covering the Hilary Clinton rally was an amazing experience.”
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Monday, April 25, 2016
Students responds to presidental elections Peter Amirata Contributer
Editors note: Peter Amirata is an active supporter of Trump.
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ith the 2016 presidential election in full swing, candidates are trying to gain support from new voters. The March 15 Florida primary proved to be a lock for Democrat Hillary Clinton with 64 percent of the vote and Republican Donald Trump with 45 percent of the vote. Florida will be a pivotal state in the general election, offering a precious 29 electoral votes to whichever candidate wins. For some, Republican Donald Trump is the candidate of choice. “Early on, I wasn’t really sure who I supported, but over the past few months I’ve grown to support Trump,” said junior marketing major and Trump advocate John Maenner. “Trump brings a new style to politics because he’s a successful businessman, not a career politician like the rest of the candidates.”
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock For others, Democrat Bernie Sanders is the best choice. “I believe that Bernie Sanders considers the voice of the people, rather than the voice of large corporations,” says junior popular music major Julian Montes. “I really like him over Hillary Clinton because the funding for his campaign is mostly from small donations and he is standing up to the major lobbyists supporting Clinton.” Front-runners Trump and Clinton spoke in Florida several times during the campaign. For example, on March 15 Clinton spoke at the Palm Beach Convention
Center across the street from campus to celebrate her Florida primary win. On the same day, Trump spoke at his Palm Beach Mar-A-Lago estate, where his campaign had several PBA Beacon writers present. PBA students share many different views on this year’s race. “I think voting is extremely important, but I just can’t find a single candidate that I align with,” said senior finance major Caleb Meyer. “There is no sign of bipartisan agreement from any candidate and they seem unwilling to work together, especially with the opposite
party.” Several political clubs on campus like College Republicans meet every other week to talk about relevant issues and promote political activism on campus. There have been groups of College Democrats on campus in the past, but the club has been inactive for four years, according to Student Government director of clubs and organizations Katie Forsythe. “It’s really typical for groups like that to only be active during big elections,” she said. A group of members from the College Republicans club have formed a Students for Trump group that also meets biweekly to discuss the presidential race and involvement. “We formed this group because we want more students tto become politically active and share their views no matter who they are supporting,” said Students for Trump president Ryan Teason. “We are growing in size by the day and I hope other groups form on campus because you can have a big impact as I’ve seen, especially through social media.”
Commentary
My day with the national press: Memorable Aaron Broghamer Staff Writer
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onald Trump may be the most talked about human on the face of the earth at this moment. Almost 24 hours a day, a media outlet covers his every move, word and breath. It looks as if Donald Trump is a lock for the GOP nomination. Whether you endorse his candidacy for the Republican nomination for U.S. president or not, he believes that he has revolutionized political campaigning with turnouts averaging upwards of 10,000 supporters at each stop. I went to one recently at his fabulous Mar-A-Lago estate just a couple of miles from campus and learned a lot about the expression, “Hurry up and wait.” Journalism major Ryan Teason set up the junket and cinema-TV major Brent Primus rounded out our trio as we hung out with the nation’s elite reporters including PBA’s own journalism professor and CBS TV anchor–Israel Balderas. We joined the media throng at 3 p.m. for a speech Trump was slated to make at 9:30 p.m. We waited and waited in a long line of media traffic creeping along A1A and crawled into the compound where Tito checked our names on his clipboard. Only Ryan was actually registered but we managed to look like scruffy stringers with world-weary eyes and Tito waved us through. A valet insisted on me backing up my 2015 Jetta and pulling it forward until it matched the rows of media vehicles, like sentries awaiting the order to attack. A blond reporter from Fort Myers’s
Left, Ryan Taeson, senior Cinema-Television. Middle, Aaron Broghamer, junior Communication. Right, Brent Primus, senior Cinema-Television.
WINK TV news parked next to us and distracted the valet long enough for us to grab our equipment and head for the ballroom. Then we waited. We tried to pass the time taking each other’s photos with smart phones but mostly we waited. The staff thought it was in everyone’s best interest to provide cookies as the only snack while the bomb squad searched the entire premises. In addition to coffee, the cookies ran the gamut from dark chocolate to nutty ones and the plain type. Plenty official napkins embossed with a club seal and the name, “The Mar-a-ago Club” in italics could be had. During those hours, we tried to shoot some documentary-type videos. The security detail included a combination
of the Mar-A-Lago regulars along with the Secret Service, every bit as NavySeal tough looking as you can imagine. They didn’t interfere with our work with most locations shot but other locations, not so much. “No pictures of the swimming pool!” “You can’t shoot the tops of the trees!” At 6:30 p.m., we were allowed into the white and gold ballroom with just 90 chairs and we snagged three of them. Then we waited, again. And waited. And waited. After three short hours Trump and his posse arrived. We were surrounded by every major media outlet MSNBC, CNN, CBS, just to name a few, but we can now say PBA Beacon reporters hang with the networks, and we sat by Eliot Kleinberg, a Palm Beach Post reporter. When Donald Trump walked into
the room, he brought an electric wave with him. Those who support thim and those who loath him could all feel it and this quality is the main reason we eagerly waited six hours in a confined space with only Mar-A-Lago cookies for comfort. Trump’s main theme of the night, following his March 1 Super Tuesday victory, was unification. It seemed as if the first few questions from the media were planned, so Trump could get off and running during his question-and-answer session. All I know is the networks were trying to bully Israel Balderas’s CBS 12 out of their sweet camera angle, but he prevailed. As the time passed, the main speaker inhaled all the air in the compact room and went in full Donald mode–swinging insults from U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and even media members who apparently asked the wrong questions. We tried to ask a question but Trump, on a mission, ignored us. At one point, he scolded a reporter standing right in front of me and it seemed as if he was screaming right at me. It was a situation I’m glad I wasn’t in. The press conference proved to be a stressful event, one that many reporters have to endure on a regular basis. However, as a first-time reporter at a national press conference and a college student–it was an experience that you can’t put a price on and one this journalism student will remember for a lifetime. Did I mention the long wait?
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Monday, April 25, 2016
Fundraising campaign supports athletics and academics Tracy Peyton Staff Writer
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here does your tuition go? Academics or athletics? According to the Office of Development at Palm Beach Atlantic, no breakdown exists on how much money is spent by each program area, but they are confident that the university is using its budget in the most effective way possible. PBA’s 2015-2016 expense budget is $73,388,215; 77 percent of the revenue used to cover these expenses comes from tuition and fees, 18 percent from additional programs such as housing and meal plans and five percent from private gifts and grants. Vice President for Development Vicki Pugh said the Board of Trustees at PBA has several committees that look at institutional needs and help the Development Office prioritize the school’s needs. Trustees are organizing to revise the campus master plan, which involves new construction over the next ten years. According to PBA’s website, the latest fundraising campaign, “The Time is Now Campaign,” is part of a strategic plan to assist PBA in achieving its vision to fund urgent needs including Phase III of the Rinker Athletic Campus, tEndowed Scholarships and Academic Program Expansion/Enhancement. The campaign’s initial goal was to raise $18 million in gifts and pledges from trustees, faculty and staff, alumni friends and foundations. Recently the campaign was extended two years and $9 million was added to the budget; about $18 million has been
Palm Beach Atlantic University works to fund both athletics and academics. Image by Ryan Arnst
raised so far. According to Pugh, “All money used to construct new buildings is raised through outside sources; no tuition dollars are used for capital projects. The majority is raised through donations of generous individuals, foundations and corporate donors who appreciate the faith-based perspective PBA holds.” The Rinker Sports Center, a building which will be added to the Rinker Athletic Campus by the end of summer 2017, is a requirement of the Sunshine State Conference for PBA’s provisional status. Pugh said The Sports Center is one of PBA Development Office’s top priorities. The building will be used for athletic
training and will contain locker rooms for PBA athletes as well as visiting teams, along with some coaches’ offices. “Athletics do a lot for a school: help us raise community and school: and spirit, allows us national recognition, and even can entice more interest in our school from prospective students and potential donors,” said Student Body Vice President Laura Humphrey. In the future, the development office plans to improve the campus by constructing new buildings. New fundraising programs will be built around what is needed most at PBA. Freshman business marketing major and member of the women’s golf team Emily Valentine suggests that in the
future, funding should go toward “new cafeteria food options, replacement of desks in classrooms, renovations for dorms, added parking on campus and new athletic vans.” Valentine went on to praise the Warren Library and believes money was allocated efficiently by addressing the need of students to have a better place to study. “We are very good stewards of our resources,” Pugh said. “No one gets neglected and there is no program that is over-funded,” said Pugh. “We will take everything we can and we always need more because we see opportunities for growth.”
Palm Beach Atlantic athletics embrace a stellar year Tracy Peyton Staff Writer
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ports programs are thriving. Just ask Palm Beach Atlantic University Director of Athletics Carolyn Stone. Stone regards the men and women’s golf programs as having made the greatest leaps this year. Stone also praised the teams for being nationally ranked. The softball team is doing well while the baseball team has been struggling, mostly due to injuries, she said. Softball has the most wins of the spring sports thus far with 28-15 record. The women are sitting on the cusp of possibly making regionals. Among the semester’s highlights was when the baseball team had walk-off winning runs, of which she witnessed three this season. “When we kicked off the baseball season against Lynn University at Roger Dean Stadium, we won that, so that was exciting,” Stone said. Of the graduating student athletes at
PBA, Stone regarded Amber Johnson and Theresa Butler as being worthy of recognition. Members of the softball team Johnson and Butler have carried 4.0 grade point averages throughout college, as well as being assets to their team. Student Athlete Council President and member of the baseball team Phil DiLandro also will be graduating. Stone referred to DiLandro as a tremendous example of what a Sailfish student athlete should be. The men and women’s golf teams, coached by Craig Watson, have experienced continuous upward progress throughout the season. “We look forward to the level of performance and intensity of our players to become better at all facets of their game,” Watson said. “We will see the progress of these players continue to go upward as their scores go downward.” According to Watson, individual finishes by men’s golf team members Ben Murray, David Liu, David Jizdny and this writer a women’s golf team member, are notable. The women’s team had a second-place team finish, which earned them a crystal trophy; the men’s team placed third, fourth and fifth in three
PBA women’s softball team celebrates the dedication of new home turf, Simpson Field. Photo courtesy of Sailfish Athletics
different tournaments. “Any program at just three years old would be happy to experience what we just have,” Watson said. Sophomore sports broadcasting major and member of the women’s tennis team Dezi Bowman feels that her team has progressed from last year. “Matches have been more consistent; we keep improving every match and we are fighting longer,” Bowman said. According to Bowman, the women’s tennis team’s biggest win took place during their spring break trip to California, where they took on many different tennis teams including University of California
San Diego, winning the match 5-4. The team’s record is 8-7, which Bowman referred to as a struggle because of the amount of matches played against higher ranked teams. The men’s tennis team is in for dramatic roster changes in the fall, as four of the team’s top players, Asti Adams, Fernando Arroyo, Nicholas Battistini and Nicolas Uryson, will graduate. The team’s overall record is 10-5. As the Sailfish look to wrap up this year in athletics, all eyes are on the softball and men’s tennis teams who, according to Stone, are on track to make an appearance at regionals.
Monday, April 25, 2016
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Female students outnumber male students nearly 3 to 1 David Williams Staff Writer
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emale students outnumbered males students, nearly three to one.That’s according to Dean of Students Kevin Abel. For daytime-undergraduate students at Palm Beach Atlantic University, the gender ratio stands at 65 percent female and 35 percent male and has remained steady for many years, said Abel. This finding is true across the nation. According to a study by the National Center for Education Statistics, in the fall of 2013, female students made up 56 percent of total undergraduate enrollment at 9.8 million and male students made up 44 percent at 7.7 million nationally. Enrollment for both groups has increased between the years of 1990 and 2013, with a majority of these increases occurring between 2000 to 2010, when male enrollment increased by 36 percent and female enrollment increased by 39 percent. However, both female and male enrollments were lower–4 percent and 2 percent–in 2013 opposed to 2010. According to the NCES, between 2013 and 2024, female enrollment is projected to increase by 15 percent–from 9.8 million to 11.3 million students–and male enrollment is projected to increase by 9 percent–from 7.7 million to 8.3 million students. “When it comes to the ratio on PBA campus, it is clear to everyone that the female populace outnumbers the males, but honestly, it seems to me that in this generation, women are definitely
Sophomore Daniel Turner and junior Kim Ellis, back row, and front row, senior Jordyn Strahm, left, and junior Lauren Holcomb display a typical representation of the PBA male-to-female ratio. Photo by Ryan Arnst
considered for job positions in the same respect as men are,” said sophomore psychology major Briana McDaniel. “So, I am confident that in whatever career I pursue, being a woman does not automatically eliminate me from the equation.” Even though more women are attending college than men, the value of a male or female earning a degree does not increase or decrease. “We are in a time where knowledge and information is critical regardless of gender,” Abel said. “Considering that men have dominated the executive work force for centuries, society has converged the mindset of what can be achieved through hard work and perseverance,” Abel said. “Women have typically been an
underrepresented group in most industries, other than the typical ones like nursing, teaching, secretarial work, not really executive positions,” said director of career development Kimberly Ladd. “Interestingly, what it’s done is helped organizations get that balance in check because there are more women applying, therefore, more women are being hired, which is balancing the ratio within organizations.” Circumstances play a significant role in the creation of this changing landscape. “About six years following the economic downturn in October 2008, men had to work and support families…there really wasn’t an option to get into debt,” Ladd said. She went on to explain that many men who were responsible for the household
and well-being of their families early make the decision not to go to school. Ladd believes that because more women are climbing the ladder in the executive positions today, they will be likely to recruit or influence other women who desire to venture beyond the norms of what a woman would typically choose in their career path. However, a lack of men in the workforce will create more demand for men to lead and manage various organizations or projects. “Any organization is better, when both genders are being represented equally so that a company can have both perspectives–therefore, making it appeal to the opposite sex,” said Ladd.
Beyond the books: What does a degree really mean for students? Katie Forsythe
Broadcast Coordinator
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ollege is a tool used to teach students how to be job-ready in their field, but how much does that diploma actually do? Coursework and textbooks may provide holistic knowledge of terms, history and principles of a certain field of study, but for many, the value of their education is beyond the books. For many graduates, learning to learn is the most crucial lesson in college. “The most valuable thing I learned at PBA is to learn on my own,” said 2015 graduate James Hall, a journalism major. Hall works full time teaching yearbook and journalism classes to middle school students at First Baptist Christian School in Stuart. Although 95% of PBA students are employed full time or are seeking further education six months after graduation, PBA’s Director of Career Development Kimberly Ladd found, “It is consistently seen that those who are employed in their field soon after graduation are those who were intentional about seeking experiences outside academia.” Ladd, who has two master’s degrees, is pursuing a doctorate in higher educa-
tion, and emphasized the importance of seeking opportunities and to be intentional about out-of-the classroom experiences, not only in ways like internships, but through relationships, networking, team building and creating a deep well of resources for a person to draw from once he or she graduates. Laura Humphrey is a senior theatre major, student body vice president and president of the Theatre Honor society, Alpha Psi Omega. Humphrey said the value of her education was something she had to create for herself by plugging herself in to various parts of campus life. “If I only focused just what my major taught me, I would feel very unprepared,” Humphrey said. “Since I chose to become involved in many aspects of PBA’s culture, I have gained so much experience as well as confidence in many other skills I have that are not directly related to my major. Learning what skills I have outside of performance has taught me how to be versatile, proble-solve, and be relational, and those are the things that make me confident that, even if it would not be in my designated field, I could be pretty much guaranteed a job somewhere after graduation.”
Senior Laura Humphrey, left, freshman Kaitlyn Moore and senior Evan Berlanti represent Student Government during the biannual Club Rush event. Photo courtesy of SGA
For some, it was their intentional experiences outside the classroom that pushed them to see other career possibilities and explore other options. Student Activities, Involvement and Leadership director and assistant director Bob Lutz and Kristin Knudsen both share that in their undergraduate education they pursued primary education even before receiving a degree. It was their experience in student teaching that made them realize that teaching was not the career they would excel. Both went on to pursue additional education in different fields independent from their undergraduate education. “I had a dream job when I was 20, and that changed a lot in ten years, just by the experiences and opportunities you
have between now and then,” said Lutz. “You can have a dream job for when you’re 30 that shouldn’t necessarily mean it has to be the same dream job when you’re 50.” College may provide much academic depth to knowledge in your given area of study, but without experience, intentional growth in developing and understanding your own personal skills, a degree isn’t much more than a certificate of endurance and proof you can crank out papers and test well. “The stutdents that have done exceedingly well aren’t always those with the highest GPA; they’re the ones who made the best of their whole college experience far beyond what any academic program could offer,” Ladd said.
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Monday, April 25, 2016
Palm Beach Atlantic University commuters connect with each other for weekly nights of devotions and worship Sierra Darville
Executive/Web Editor
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challenge several college students face is connecting with their peers. This observation is especially true for commuter students. Palm Beach Atlantic University has around 2,500 students, with about 1,100 commuters, according to Senior Admissions Counselor Bethany Donth. PBA offers several opportunities that promote connection between students. However, participation can be limited to those who are not always on campus. “Being a commuter can be incredibly isolating,” says Student Government spiritual life and philanthropy coordinator Megan Freeman. “It’s harder to get involved with student life since so many community-building opportunities come from the dorms.” A junior communication major, Freeman says that SGA and campus ministries work with commuter students who want the chance to connect with their peers. The idea was made to create commuter Bible studies like those of the dorms on campus. The only difference is that each
dorm has a Discipleship Assistant that is selected by Residence Life. For those wanting to be involved in a commuter Bible study, Freeman says that SGA provides all the tools for outreaching and advertising. Lassiter Student Center home to a commuter’s area. Now, commuters have the opportunity to meet and discuss God’s Word in their own groups on or off campus. “These studies allow students to build community with their neighbors so that they aren’t having to commute back and forth to school in order to build relationships with other PBA students,” Freeman says. Commuter Bible studies are organized into three groups: men, women and coed. Most groups meet on a selected day at least once a week, though meetings sometimes vary. Anyone can join a group or start one if they desire. “In order to become a Bible study leader, you just have to be willing to start,” Freeman says. “We help elevate those who already have a desire to lead
Freeman works to provide communters with opportunities to connect off campus. Photo courtesy of Megan Freeman
and help them get connected to other students looking for that off-campus community.” This desire has prompted several students to get more involved in the PBA community. Freshman psychology major Rebecca Arreaga says it isn’t hard to become a leader. When she read an email about starting a group, she jumped at the opportunity. “I thought to myself, why not open up my home for other commuters to meet and read the Bible together,” Arreaga says. Now, Arreaga meets in the Lake Worth area every other Thursday at 7:30 p.m. with men and women. Men’s study group leader and senior ministry major Brandon Marlow appreciates the opportunity to meet and talk with students of different backgrounds. “The guys come from just about every background,” Marlow says. “We have pastor’s kids, athletes, new believers and non-believers.” Marlow’s group meets in Palm Beach Gardens every Sunday at 8 p.m., but Bible study isn’t the only activity on their agenda. “We meet weekly on Sunday nights, but we also do a once-a-month outing like worship night, movie night, basketball and ultimate Frisbee.” Marlow hopes that the men in
his group will become more devout believers tand continue to reach out to other believers. Senior public relations major Katrina Dawe began working with SGA and campus ministries to make leading her own group a reality as well. She hosts her group at Jefferson Place apartment complex every Tuesday at 7 p.m. “God had already put a desire in me to start [a group] because I felt that I was lacking community being off campus,” Dawe says. “I believe that to be a Bible study leader, you simply need to be obedient as the Lord leads.” Dawe encourages the women of her group to start living by the verse Micah 6:8, “To do justice, love kindness and to walk humbly with God.” Even with changing topics and the sharing of testimonies, the central theme of each group is to join around the Word of God and to build community with other believers, according to Freeman. “Community is found around us,” Freeman says. “Sometimes we just have to take a step of faith and put ourselves out there.”
For students interested in attending or creating their own commuter Bible study, contact Megan Freeman, megan_ freeman@pba.edu, or Daniel Judge, daniel_judge@pba.edu.
‘These studies allow students to build community with their neighbors so that they aren’t having to commute back and forth to school in order to build relationships with other PBA students.’
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Monday, April 25, 2016
PBA students create original ‘Star Wars’ film for national competition Sierra Darville
had me learn that early on in my film making career.” Executive/Web Editor Despite the long hours of auditions and the hard work in the prealm Beach Atlantic University production, production and poststudents recently rallied together production stages, the team always made to create what they called the sure to keep God at the center of their ultimate fan film. work. PBA cinema television students Austin “Austin had me looking up verses for Parenti and Philip Kalicharan came each day of production that fit the theme up with the idea to create an original throughout the day,” Menjivar said. “I adaptation of the “Star Wars” saga, “Heir thought that was really great because it of the Unknown World.” was good to start the day off with prayer The two sophomores teamed up with and thanking God for bringing us all freshman Christian social ministry Students shoot original “Star Wars” film in PBA’s Pembroke TV studio. Students together to do this.” major Katlyn Menjivar and PBA alumni can view it Wednesday at the student cinema showcase. Photo by MaryBeth KasselEveryone on set noticed what prayer and Resident Director Taylor Symthe for man and scripture could do to change the the project. lightsaber battle to be the only elements learned was that he needed other people atmosphere of the production. What sparked the idea was a “People just show up and get moving,” in their film. to make things happen. competitiovn posted on the “Star Wars” Parenti said. “The day is over before you “We wanted to have characters who “I thought I could do it by myself,” Instagram page for a five-minute fan even know it, and you don’t remember could be explored,” Kalicharan said. Smythe said. “I had a vision of how I film. Parenti and Kalicharan jumped at it,” he said. “But to coat every day “We needed a character-driven piece wanted it to play out since the idea of the opportunity. in something spiritual makes every to raise more curiosity,” Parenti said. the story started with me, but I could “How funny would it be if we did individual day distinct.” The story is family oriented, focusing not have done it by myself.” this?” Parenti said to Kalicharan before The crew believed that their film was on a father and daughter during the “Everyone has their own idea of the start of the production. serious and professional. Their goal is midst of the Empire’s takeover. how each character should look like,” “Austin knows more about ‘Star Wars’ to encourage more students to make Although they had the vision, Menjivar said. “It was difficult at first to than anyone,” Kalicharan said. similar projects. Kalicharan and his partners worried it make Taylor’s vision come alive.” The two soon began planning and “This could be our future,” Parenti might not happen exactly the way they Parenti agreed with Smythe and bringing on more students to the wanted it to. Menjivar, saying that his biggest obstacle said. “But I’m okay if this is forgotten project. Every detail of the project “I thought there was no way we could was the wrestle for control as director on because of what I’ve learned personally was organized, written and filmed and how much fun it’s been. I got what I pull this off just as college students,” the set with this project. completely by students. wanted out of this film already.” Kalicharan said. “We were all really “When you have an idea, it’s your Parenti was named director of the The crew and cast submitted their nervous, but Taylor locked himself in his baby,” Parenti said. “But ‘Star Wars’ film, while Kalicharan took on the role finished work for judging in late room for God knows how long and just isn’t mine, this project isn’t mine. It’s a of director of photography, Menjivar as April, with the five-minute version made all of this possible.” community project, and when you turn assistant producer and Smythe as art to the “Star Wars” competition. They Even though production budgets your child loose, you get the beauty of will release the full eight-minute director. and costs were major concerns for the looking at your creation take form in a version during the student cinema From the start of pre-production, group, they also struggled dealing with way that you could have never imagined. showcase Wednesday at Muvico in Parenti and Kalicharan both agreed other things. I learned how to take a step back and CityPlace. that they did not want one minute of For Smythe, the greatest challenge he how to ask questions. I’m glad God rough exposition and four minutes of a
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Palm Beach Atlantic University revamps camera system Celeste Brown News Editor
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our face may now be seen on the big screen televisions in the Campus Safety office. By Spring 2017 the third phase of overhauling campus cameras is expected to be complete with at least 250 digital cameras. “Having cameras serves a dual purpose,” said Director of Campus Safety Wayne Buchanan. “First, it can serve to be a deterrent. The second purpose, however, is for video evidence should something happen that needs investigation.” The project includes a series of phases with approximately 200 cameras replaced so far, according to Auxiliary Services Director Rowena DunnMckenzie. “Each phase has a specific budget,” Dunn-Mckenzie said. Campus Information Systems began camera installation in January. Installation requires removing old cameras, hanging new ones, rewiring and running cable, hanging monitors and working out technical issues.
Campus Sa`fety monitors all camera feeds 24 hours per day. Photo by Ryan Arnst
Buchanan said several incidents of theft have beetn addressed since January in ways that would have been impossible via the analog camera system. Last month Campus Safety responded to a possible theft in the bookstore and because of the camera’s ability to record 360 degrees, the person was apprehended and any questions about the incident were clarified. The phased approach ensures that proper permits are acquired and the process runs according to budget. Every building in every phase requires permits from the city of West Palm Beach so every phase requires city inspection before it can be officially declared complete.
Dunn-Mckenzie said that while inspections are being completed the cameras are functional. According to CIS, there will be four phases total. The first two are completed and recording the campus for use by Campus Safety. Buchanan said several incidents of theft have been addressed since January in ways that would have been impossible via the analog camera system. Dunn-Mckenzie said the new cameras are running and everything is operable. Phases one and two consisted of replacing cameras in residence halls, in addition to focusing on PBA’s main West Palm Beach campus.
The Orlando campus is scheduled to be completed in May. All PBA campuses use the same vendor so all recordings can be accessed by security in West Palm. Phase three will begin July 1 and finish by the end of the upcoming fiscal year. CIS anticipates replacing cameras at Fern Street Theatre and at the Wellington campus. Cameras will be added to the Rinker Athletic Complex, Human Resources, Coastal Towers and Information Village, where the PBA Card office is located. CIS said once the project is complete, there will be at least 250 existing and improved cameras. Most studetns are unaware of the project including sophomore film major MaryBeth Kasselman. She said she didn’t know that there were so many cameras on campus. She often doesn’t notice their presence. The video will be watched live by security officers and the feed will also be accessible through a cell phone application if the need arises. “[The project] will be ongoing until we can have the campus as covered as we can,” Dunn-Mckenzie said.