From college to country Amber Braaten discusses scoring an internship with Country Music Television (CMT) and the benefits of working hard at your internship.
Got Culture week at PBA PBA students were immersed in culture last week. In addition to flags around campus, students were treated to delicacies from different areas of the world, henna and much more.
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The Student Newspaper of Palm Beach Atlantic University Volume 8, Issue 18
www.readmybeacon.com
Monday, April 2, 2012
In the rhythm of God Up-in-coming artist Ethan Parker talks about growing up insecure about his voice, creating his first EP and putting full trust in God. Page 4
NEWS
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versity
www.readmybeacon.com Chris Hernandez
Managing Editor Chris.thebeacon@pba.edu
John Sizemore
Executive Editor John_Sizemore@pba.edu
Duane Meeks Publisher
Editorial Staff Cash W. Lambert
News Editor Cashwlambert@gmail.com
Kayla Viaud
Features Editor Kayla_Viaud@pba.edu
Joshua Reid
Sports Editor joshuareid1221@gmail.com
Christina Cernik Photo Editor christinacernik@gmail.com
Charlotte Rakestraw
Art Director Meghan Gilmore wynne.charlotte@gmail.com Meghan_Gilmore@pba.edu
Jenny Hendriksen
Web Editor John Sizemore jlhendriksen@gmail.com John_Sizemore@pba.edu
Weekly Staff Duane Meeks
Saudia Ali Becca Stripe Gina Cipolla No part of the Beacon may be reproduced without Tyann Mullen permission. The opinions expressed in the Beacon are not necessarily those of the Palm Beach Atlantic Faith University Warren administration, staff or faculty. Victoria Vartan Meghan Gilmore Greg Halmos Molly Black
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Nurseries on the beach Turtles are hatching early on Palm Beach County beaches, where curious beach-goers and artificial lights pose hazards for the hatchlings. By Tyann Mullen Staff Writer Turtle nesting season across the East Coast has begun, with a large number of hatchings in Palm Beach occurring early in the season. The climate has had a big impact on the turtles nesting. This is the reason that the turtle choose Florida beaches. “The water has been 10 degrees warmer so far this year which has resulted in nesting along the beaches as early as five weeks,” said Bill Miller, manager of the Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge and Nature Center. “Our warm weather year round attracts the turtles specifically to our beaches,” he said. “We hope to have many successful hatchings this year.” The nesting season begins in March and continues through October on the Atlantic coast. Florida’s most common nesting sea turtles include the loggerhead and leatherback. The loggerhead has become an endangered species while the leatherback remains threatened. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), approximately 150,000 pounds of eggs are laid on the East Coast during the season. During the summer months, there are approximately 50,000 sea turtles in Florida.
Tourists looking for the hatching turtles can have a detrimental effect. Eric Sutton, director of the Division of Habitat & Species Conservation at the FWC, says there are important precautions to take during the season. “We are always asking beach-goers to be careful and watch out for sea turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs,” said Sutton. “Many of the turtles don’t make it back to the water because of people’s lack of respect and knowledge of them.” Artificial lights from houses or flashlights are the biggest danger for the new turtles. “The babies know to head towards the brightest direction they see which should be the sky reflecting on the ocean,” said Sutton. “However, artificial lights can throw off the turtles and lead them away from the ocean causing them to not survive,” he said. The Hobe Sound Nature Center is a non-profit organization that offers tours and camps that aim to educate the public about the dangers during the nesting season as well as ways to prevent any stranded or injured turtles. “We are always thrilled to see the amount of young people that come out to learn more about the nesting season and how they can help keep the turtles coming back,” said Miller. “That’s our main goal. To keep them coming back.” Because of Palm Beach Atlantic University’s location, some have taken the responsibility to protect those creatures that are on the verge of extinction. Palm Beach Atlantic University sophomore Carly Campbell works at the DB Ecological center to help collect data of nests found along the beach. “We walk along the beach for about two miles and mark off any nests we come across with stakes,” said Campbell. “It’s important for everyone to leave the stakes alone because they let us keep track of the turtles.”
Biz student wins $10,000
Submissions: If you would like to submit a letter to the editor, a news tip, corrections, or contribute to the Beacon, email the managing editor: readmybeacon@gmail.com No part of the Beacon may be reproduced without permission. The opinions expressed in the Beacon are not necessarily those of the Palm Beach Atlantic University administration, staff or faculty.
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V
erse of the week:
The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. -1 John 2: 17 NIV
J.J. Prendamano, left, and Ray Titus, CEO of United Franchise Group, right, congratulate Jared StresenReuter, a senior majoring in marketing in Palm Beach Atlantic University’s Rinker School of Business, as the first recipient of a $10,000 prize in the J.J.’s Entrepreneurs business plan competition.
Jared Stresen-Reuter, a senior majoring in marketing in Palm Beach Atlantic University’s Rinker School of Business, is the first recipient of a $10,000 prize in the J.J.’s Entrepreneurs business plan competition. Stresen-Reuter’s winning is idea is for Toodol, a social media web site “that allows its users to post local events telling, explaining and even showing details about that event going on their area,” according to the business plan. The second-place recipient, freshman Jude Abeler, received $5,000 for Thoughtstream, described as “a structured new millennium journaling technique for today’s thinkers.” The judges named Tyler Koeller, a junior, as the runner-up for his plan for Around the World Bistro, a culturally rich restaurant. The United Franchise Group, a $500 million West Palm Beach franchise organization, partnered with the University to create J.J.’s Entrepreneurs, which includes a five-year minimum $75,000 commitment by UFG. It was developed to encourage and teach college students about the benefits of entrepreneurship and owning their own business. Ray Titus, the CEO of UFG, encouraged each of the winners to continue developing their plans and pursuing sources of funding for them. “This is what growing in the business world is all about,” Titus said. J.J. Prendamano, the program’s namesake, said that he enjoys mentoring students and invited the students to seek his advice and guidance. That meant a great deal to Stresen-Reuter, a resident of Naples, Fla. “The money is great, but the partnership with J.J. Prendamano and Ray Titus is worth everything,” he said. A panel of judges representing members of the business community as well as university faculty and administrators reviewed the plans and chose the winners. The judges were Titus, Predamano, Dale Hedrick, Jim Tatem, Mary Mills, PBA Interim President William M.B. Fleming Jr. and PBA Associate Professor of Business Dr. Ann Langlois. United Franchise Group is a $500-million franchising expert with 30 years of experience and 1,400 franchise locations in over 50 countries.
NEWS
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April 2, 2012 • Page 3
By Gina Cipolla for the Beacon
From bongo drums to maracas: Valerie Brands (right) tries food from a Middle East country, and Adrienne Ming and Andrea Preciado (above) practice their dance routine before stepping on stage.
Students bring global culture to PBA By Gina Cipola Staff Writer During the week of March 26 through 29, students representing the international student body at Palm Beach Atlantic University set up tables outside the Fraser Dining Hall with drinks, food, music and pictures to represent their home countries. The goal for Got Culture Week was to raise awareness of the diversity on campus and give international students an opportunity to share their culture with their American peers. Along with the set up outside, the dining hall supported the event by matching their food with the theme of the evening. Monday represented the Americas, Tuesday Caribbean, Wednesday Middle Eastern and Europe and lastly Thursday Asia and Africa. “This event has been going for seven years,” said Beth Chavez, assistant director for the center for campus connections. Each night a panel of judges walked from table to table, tasting and judging the presented food. On Monday night, North, Central and South American students set up tables alongside each other blasting tango music. George
Grimsley, from the dance studio Exclusively Argentine Tango, even offered professional tango lessons. The Brazil team was eager to talk to passing students. “We’re a very friendly culture,” said Yanni DaSilva, a team member. Brazil was not the only table ready to share about their culture. A member from the Costa Rica team said, “Something I would want to share about my culture is the beauty of the country; it’s so natural, and we love having different people come and experience it.” Members from the Mexico team encouraged their American peers to further their culturing experiences by looking at study abroad programs. “We want PBA students to be aware of the places you can visit in Mexico and the study abroad program,” said a team member. “It’s such a good opportunity because of our proximately with the U.S. Mexico has some of the best schools in Latin America. Besides the academic aspect we have amazing traditions, food, the culture is beautiful. It’s colorful and vibrant.” The following night the Caribbean culture gave its expression. The Cayman Islands booth strongly encouraged students to be more accepting of other cultures that may not be their own. This
echoed the voices of many other tables, stressing the importance of being a Christian in a diverse campus culture. Wednesday displayed tables from the Middle East and Europe. From fresh fruit to ice skating, Lebanon’s table was eager to share the benefits of visiting their country. Amanda Rapp, a member from the Sweden team, discussed Christianity in Sweden. “Even though Sweden is very populated less than 1 percent is involved in a church,” she said. Lastly, Thursday night provided culture from Asia and Africa. PBA played host to Taiko and African drummers. The drummers demonstrated both African style drumming along with Japanese style. Chavez encouraged students to continue to engage in other cultures by joining the International Student Association. “International Student Association is a group on campus where they will get to know fellow international students,” she said. “We have mentors for our new international students that come in during the fall. Usually we have at least 30 students who come in from around the world.” For more information, visit the Center for Campus Connections.
Visiting scholar discusses servant leadership The MacArthur School of Leadership held its third annual speaker series that included a lecture by Dr. Lea E. Williams, who spoke of overcoming obstacles.
By Christina Cernik for the Beacon
Servant leadership: Dr. Lea E. Williams spoke to the crowd on subjects of leadership and a commitment to social issues.
student Carter McMasters. “I liked what she said about not paying back somebody who has helped you in the past, but to help someone else in the future will be paying that initial person back.” Williams discussed the strong role played by faith in leadership journeys of these women and their commitment to causes of social justice and equal rights. “She’s a good resource of course with a lot of helpful information and has a wealth of knowledge,” said undergraduate student Tara Ewing. “I liked By Becca Stripe everything she said about being a servant leader, knowing your purpose, finding Staff Writer your purpose, and marrying it. It helped me look at the bigger picture of where I’m at now and what I can contribute a little bit more to what I’m doing.” On March 29 the Palm Beach Atlantic University Alumni Association held its “I think it was a wonderful seminar and very appreciated because a lot of the third annual Catherine T. MacArthur School of Leadership Speaker Series. things she said kind of personally touched me,” said Ewing. The free event took place in the DeSantis Family Chapel and was open to both “I look out and see all of the wonderful students who are here, and I know the school’s students and the public. as nontraditional students, you have many challenges,” said Williams. “You have “As I survey the agenda of activities of this evening, two words lead to mind and obstacles that you overcome to get this very important piece of paper and to get I think that those two words can be laced throughout the various presentations an undergraduate or graduate degree.” and remarks,” said PBA President Bill Fleming to the Williams has pursued African American and audience. “Those two words are faith and leadership.” women’s studies from numerous vantage points. “I think it’s always instructive to Alumni Association President Shaun Castillo She worked at the United Negro College Fund presented the MacArthur School of Leadership hear about other people who have for 11 years early in her career, concluding as vice Alumna Award to Ivette Hernandez Miranda. overcome some of those challenges president of educational services, and is former The recipient graduated from the MacArthur founding executive director of the National School of Leadership in 1997 in the organizational so that you know that you’re not African-American Women’s Leadership Institute, management program. alone” - Williams Inc. Dr. Jim Laub, the dean of the MacArthur School “I think it’s always instructive to hear about of Leadership, presented the very first Jerms McGraw other people who have overcome some of those Second Chance Scholarship to Stefanie Tucker, a soon challenges so that you know that you’re not alone,” said Williams. to be PBA graduate. As an independent scholar, she is the author of Servants of the People: The “We’re in the process of developing the foundation of funding for this 1960’s Legacy of African American Leadership, which was published in 1996. scholarship,” said Laub. “So far we’ve been able to raise the initial amount Palgrave-Macmillan published a second edition in 2009. She also has authored required to begin to give the scholarship, but it’s in a pretty small level.” more than two dozen articles on education, often minority-themed. Laub explained how the school would like to start giving the scholarship to a The last half hour of the event was opened up for a question and answer number of students for each of the three semesters. session with the audience, where there were several questions asked of Williams. The MacArthur School of Leadership had the honor of having Dr. Lea E. “At any given opportunity I’m guaranteed to learn something,” said ministry Williams speak on the topic “Race, Gender and Leadership.” leadership student Nicole Rice. “However, Dr. Williams spoke to my spirit Williams shared with the audience about the lives of a select group of women because going into ministry leadership it is vital that I have something to be in of color who exemplified the principles of servant leadership as defined by touch with, someone or something that I can relate to.” Robert K. Greenleaf and as seen in the traditions of communities of color that Williams presently serves as associate vice chancellor for academic affairs/ predate Greenleaf. institutional planning, assessment and research at North Carolina Agricultural & “Servant leadership is a big thing that I’m most passionate about,” said grad Technical State University.
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FEAT
Parker’s ‘Be By Chris Hernandez Managing Editor
E
than Parker, along with the members of his band, showcased the sounds of his first self-titled EP during chapel services last Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday as well as during a concert at First Baptist Church of West Palm Beach. Parker played his shows with a humble confidence, cracking jokes with attendees and tossing free copies of his EP all the while putting Christ at the forefront of his set. For Parker, the confidence displayed on stage hasn’t always been second nature. It’s been a process.
Finding his voice
Photo By Christina Cernik for the Beacon
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Parker grew up around music. His mom was a piano teacher, so they were always playing music in the house. When he was four, he began his formal training in piano. As he grew up, drums, guitar and ukulele became part of his repertoire. Growing up in Memphis, Tenn. Parker was drawn to the sounds of blues, folk and country music, in particular blues. He attributes much of his sound today to his upbringing. When he was 14, his family moved to Florida. There, the sounds of the beach began to impact Parker. When Parker was 16, he received a word from a woman in his congregation. She told him that he should lead worship. Though he was musically gifted, Parker had been self-conscious of his vocal ability. She told him something that day that stuck with him. She told him that she would pray for an anointing on his voice. Weeks later, his youth band leader fell ill. The responsibility to lead worship fell on him. The experience was not the greatest for Parker. Though he wasn’t looking for feedback from worship, it was disheartening to hear people say that his set was awful. Discouraged at first, he was encouraged by members of his church to continue. As he continued to lead worship, he heard his sound improve. At 17, Parker was asked by his father, who is the pastor of his home church, to lead worship on selected days, one of them being Good Friday service. Parker sees that as the time he had to step up and grow up. A year later, a conversation with his dad pushed Parker to consider music as a career. “My dad told me
TURES
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April 2, 2012 • Page 5
Be Still’ impacts many ‘Ethan, I’m praying that you will write songs that the world will sing to the Lord,’” Parker says. “And that has become my motivation as far as where I want to go with my music.”
Creating an EP
After spending his first few years at another university, Parker came to PBA. Parker grasped at every opportunity he had to perform. Armed with many songs, he wanted to get them out there. Parker had met Jeanmarc Alexandre, who plays drums in his band, during jam sessions after church services at First Baptist of West Palm Beach. Excited over the music being produced during these sessions, Alexandre introduced Parker to Pierre Aristil. Aristil had a home studio and grew curious about the unique talent that Alexandre was pitching to him. One day, Parker attended the studio and played “Rhythm in My Chest” for Aristil. Impressed, Aristil began to record with Parker that day. Parker recorded through “Rhythm in My Chest” in just one take. From there, a partnership was formed between Parker and Aristil. Aristil became the producer of Parker’s first EP as well as Parker’s bass player in his band. During the process of recording the EP, Parker experienced a few growing pains as an artist. One in particular was performing with the band Shane and Shane. During his set, there were sound problems, but Parker pushed through the set. His sound and style caught the attention of the band he opened for. The members of Shane and Shane invited him to record in their studio in Texas. Though a great opportunity, he saw the door God had opened with Aristil. The process of recording the EP started April 2011. He edited the project with Aristil last fall, mixing and mastering the material in October and November. By January, after a look was established for the record, he released his first five-track EP.
“Be Still”
One of the stand-out records on the album and its first single is “Be Still,” a song based off of Psalm 46:10 that says “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted amongst the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Though inspired by the word, the concept came to Parker in an unlikely place. One of his good friends got a tattoo that said “Be Still” in Hebrew. She told him she got it
because she needed the reminder in her life. Parker needed the reminder too. At that time, he was going through some relationship problems and he knew he needed to give that over to God. The song took him a half an hour to write. From the first initial writing to the final product, he had added banjos and a mandolin to the piece, creating a unique sound to the piece. Last fall, he was approached by senior film student Michael Carey to produce a video for one of his songs. “Be Still” stood out to them because of the possible story lines the two could explore in the process. To Parker, it is a song that speaks to people going through anything. The video was sent to a woman who attended Parker’s home church. Her son was diagnosed with a disease that she didn’t know was going to be treatable or terminal. With her husband out of town, she spent day and days with her child in the hospital. She played the video over and over again. Not losing hope in the Lord, elders from Parker’s church began praying over her son. The mom felt that God was in control that moment. After days of prayer, the doctors told the woman that her son’s disease was treatable. A day later, the boy was completely clean from the disease. This woman’s story was one of many that Parker has heard regarding the impact from “Be Still.” But Parker can’t take full credit for anything. “It’s not my message. It is totally God’s scripture. I can’t get prideful or puffed up over it,” he says. “It’s a message we all need. We are all going to be going through something. There are moments when we want to take control, but God tells us he can do it better than we can.”
Not about the fame
With his first EP released, a few concerts under his belt and the summer approaching, Parker is not setting his eyes too far into the future. He is currently in the works on a Spanish version of his EP. With hopes of being signed within the next year, he is focusing on where God has him now and that’s PBA. “It’s not about me becoming famous; it’s about us as a school and the opportunity we have to impact the world,” Parker says. “You guys are more than just a fan base. You guys are the tool that God is going to use to get this music out to the world.”
Networking provides benefits By Saudia Ali Staff Writer Throughout your college experience, you should always have networking on your brain because you never know when an opportunity can arise. Networking is taking advantage of every opportunity to make connections that will aid you as you pursue a career. It is cultivating people who can be helpful to you professionally, especially in finding employment or moving to a higher position. There are vast amounts of networking opportunities available to every student here on the Palm Beach Atlantic University campus. “There are countless benefits you can receive from networking in college,” said Sara Nicastro, assistant director of Career Development. “It can help you clarify your career goals. Beyond that, when you are ready to search for a job, your networking connections will help you discover great job opportunities pertaining to your major.” To get started in networking, you can visit the Career Development Office, can talk with faculty and attend campus events, especially when there is a guest speaker that relates to your major, Nicastro said. “Networking is vital for college students due to the fact that, unfortunately, these days it is not about what you know, but who you know,” she said. When deciding whom to network with, it is always best to start with faculty in your major. You can also start
off networking with your parents or even anyone you know at your church who could be involved with your area of study. It is best for students to commence networking as soon as possible, like now. As you start networking always remember to keep in contact with the individuals you network with. No one wants to feel used, so keep them updated about your life including your classes, and work experience. For PBA alum Cheyanne Lent becoming engaged in networking was all about being active with campus events and activities. “I got super involved while at PBA,” said Lent. Lent worked at the Student Success Center, was a coordinator for Student Activities and was a part of the Impact Leadership Team. “All of these activities led me to acquire various connections,” Lent said. Lent is two years post-graduation and there are still people she met while at PBA that she reaches out to for personal or professional help. Collin Martoia, a business management major and entrepreneurship minor at PBA, has networked with different types of people at PBA including students of different majors and different interests. “Networking in college is the only way to go and it has benefitted me extensively,” said Martoia who recently started his own small business. “Just meeting one or two of the right people can unite you to numerous others.”
PBA student lands intership at CMT By Gina Cipolla Staff Writer
Photo By Christina Cernik for the Beacon
Hard work pays off: Senior Amber Braaten poses with her nametags from her internship at CMT. “Your internship will help you with your future career; you need to impress these people. Don’t go half way,”she says.
internship. “The advice I would give to other students would be dream big! It’s cheesy but ‘Aim for the moon, even if you miss you will still land among the stars.’ Work as hard as you For many students an internship is a crucial way to transi- can,” says Braaten. tion from college to career. With the current state of the economy, many experts say Amber Braaten, a senior at Palm Beach Atlantic University, that internships are essential to put you ahead of other appliexplains how her long search for internships paid off when cants. The position allows you to build a relationship with the she was offered company and make a name for yourself a shot at the big while you are still learning. time. It all started An internship also allows you to deterHow to find an internship? with applications to mine whether you enjoy the company as various internships, much as you had originally thought. Does looking to break Register on college central, upload a your future job require you to be behind into the business. a desk or are you interacting with the cuscurrent resume, and search the site tomers? It is a good opportunity to see After applying to several smaller how a business runs and which positions for internship opportunities internships around may be open in the future her home in Texas, Braaten’s encouragement towards inBraaten chose to go Attend career fair and present your- ternships is echoed by CNN and Careerout on a limb and “Besides getting a foot in the self professionally to future em- Builder.com, apply for a national door with a potential employer and lookployers internship with ing good on a résumé, internships have CMT (Country other advantages: The opportunity to ‘test Music Television). drive’ a career chances to network, estabTalk to faculty and career develop- lishing relationships with mentors, possible Braaten calls it a “God thing” that ment staff about employer contacts college credit or certification, an introducshe was selected tion to the field’s culture and etiquette, acover the other eager cumulating new skills, gaining a ‘real world’ 200 applicants. perspective on an occupation.” “The interview process was as such: send in the application These steps must happen before success in the workplace. and all that is required with it, each department at CMT calls After all the time and effort put into college, it only makes their top 10-15 interns for a phone interview and they decide sense to continue to go after every opportunity. from there,” says Braaten. Internships are often mutually beneficial. A company that Braaten’s internship allowed her to have hands-on experi- invests time training its interns is looking to see the product ence with the entertainment business and begin the critical of this training at the end of the internship. How well you stage of networking. flourish during an internship directly connects you to what “I did everything from research, help with guests (who your opportunities may be once it is over. were generally celebrities) and by the end a little script writ“Your internship will help you with your future career; ing, which was so cool,” Braaten says of her internship with you need to impress these people. Don’t go half way,” says CMT’s “Top 20” and “Music and a Movie.” Braaten. “I generally worked 9-6 and then when we had award “My internship was huge for launching my career in the shows and special concerts I would volunteer to work week- fact that I was blessed to make contacts who are still now ends.” helping me to try and get a job,” says Braaten. “The people She demonstrated dedication to the company and willing- I impressed this summer put their name on the line to help ness to go above and beyond, things that employers notice. me.” Braaten is not short of advice for students considering an
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OPINION
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Letters to the Editor
Talking the Talk
Photo Courtesy of Youtube
A Christian response to Kony 2012 In response to an editorial piece entitled “Kony 2012: sharing is caring?,” a PBA student discusses the next step for Christians. By Juan Jose Cavallo
“M
ake Kony Famous!” was the resounding cry of the microblogging newsfeed in recent weeks due to a video that non-profit organization Invisible Children came out with. Many have said the cause is noble, good, just; the list goes on. However, the hype has died out: many have seen the video and ceased posting. As Christians, what should we make of this? How do we reconcile our order to look after the cause of orphans and widows (Jas 1:26-27) with the fact that this organization seems to fulfill that? The starting point in our logic needs to be the realization that this is deeper than what it has been made. It is not merely a temporal issue having to only do with evil done to the bodies of 30,000 children and even more who were victimized around them. There is a spiritual significance presented in scripture that is not being addressed in the culture. This is found in 2 Corinthians 10:1-6. “Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! I ask that when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete” (2Cor 10:1-6, NASV). Notice the “we do not war according to the flesh.” This means that as Christians we should not just be concerned with someone’s need of freedom in the temporal sense of personal liberty. “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.” This means that though we are human beings living in 2012, where there is a very real issue in Africa involving abused children, our method of war is not simply demanding that an international coalition go and liberate these precious lives. We need to address the “fortresses” that are “those ideas and actions raised against the knowledge of God”, and our plan needs to revolve around taking “them captive to the obedience of Christ.” A plan like that needs to stem from a realization of the spiritual significance of the problem. Draw a stick figure. Now draw a circle around that stick figure so that the figure is inside of the circle. Things people do to each other should control everything outside that circle, leaving the inside of the circle untouched because that is the place only God has a right to go (the inmost being detailed in Psalm 139:1-18). When children are tortured through the shame which comes with prostitution or by being forced to kill their parents, the person doing this is attempting to penetrate the circle and go to a place that only God has the right to go. That person is taking away not only their dignity, but their soul. That is the true tragedy with 30,000 children being treated this way: 30,000 souls that have been defiled in such a way that only God can fix it. 30,000 souls which someone tried to destroy. 30,000 souls that need a savior to come and heal them. So let us demand the coalition to begin the emancipation process. Let us, in the meantime, train an army of counselors ready to go and destroy spiritual strongholds and complete the emancipation process. Let us raise funds to send these people. Overall though, let us not forget the essential thing: this is a spiritual battle, not merely a temporal one.
In response to last week’s missions edition, associate librarian Anthony Verdesca, Jr. raises the question about the role of language in short term missions trips. By Anthony Verdesca, Jr.
I
’m always a little taken aback this time of year when our students head off to, and return from, their mission trips during the spring break. Taken aback because I find that, through no fault of their own, the students I talk to don’t have as much as a smattering of the language of the countries they visit. And a smattering matters, especially if one wants to communicate something important. There’s no getting around it: you have to get up close and personal in order to talk to someone about a personal Lord and Savior. So why have the students go through all the effort and the expense, the paperwork and the vaccinations, if they can’t communicate with people in their native language, thereby laying the foundation for a personal relationship and the strong likelihood for life-long friendships? I can’t help but be a little amused when I observe how our monolingual students embrace multiculturalism. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry when I see our students selling T-shirts and cupcakes, washing cars or directly soliciting funds to finance their mission trips while I observe the negligible enrollment in PBA’s foreign language programs and when we live in an area that’s
“white unto harvest” with Latin American and Caribbean groceries and cafes. It’s not that I’m annoyed with the students; it’s more that I’m confounded by what could be taken as a like a lack of sensitivity on the part of an institution that would encourage its students to “go unto all the world” without seeing to it that the students are fully-equipped to enter that world. I mean, without that smattering, mile-wide smiles and hardy hugs remain as two-dimensional as a billboard. In today’s global economy, I can think of no better way to instill a spirit of global cooperation, brotherhood and solidarity than by learning a language. And here in West Palm, PBA is positioned to shake a little salt, to lead by example, for we’re blessed in that, of all the great cities of America, it’s said of Miami and no other American city, that it’s the gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean. Through that gateway some have come to cook and clean on our campus though they speak little or no English. The other day one of these workers told me that he was taken off guard when I greeted him upon my first meeting him. “Why?” I asked, perplexed. “Because,” he told me, “nobody here (other than his supervisor) speaks to us.” Consider these new “neighbors”
Graphic by Charlotte Rakestraw for the Beacon
working on our campus as you consider our more distant neighbors in the countries that students visit on mission trips. Members of the PBA community can meaningfully demonstrate their concern, if not their love, for all these their neighbors by making a good faith effort to learn their language, even if only conversationally. They do this by investing a semester or two to learn the basics of grammar and vocabulary. And the return on investment? Better than any letter grade can ever be! Why? Because learning a language is not just academic: It’s an acknowledgement of the non-Englishspeaking person’s existence. That acknowledgment goes a long way in seeing the Dominican—the Samaritan—as our neighbor, making us, in turn, more humane and yes, more educated. How can our students share their faith with that neighbor if they can’t share that neighbor’s table? How can they have fellowship if they can’t speak with the other fellow? I can only hope that the best lesson our PBA students will come away with from their mission experience is the experience of having come face to face with the language barrier; that barrier that would frustrate the full and free expression of their as yet tender mercies. Immersed in another culture, in a faraway land, the table is turned and they had the experience, perhaps for the first time, of being a foreigner, an “alien.” And that becomes a teachable moment like no other.
Page 7 • April 2, 2012
SPORTS
readmybeacon.com • The Beacon
Bottenfield hired as new coach for Sailfish baseball Bottenfield had served as associate coach since August By Michael Brown Contributing Writer Palm Beach Atlantic University Interim President Bill Fleming and Director of Athletics Carolyn Stone announced on Thursday March 29 the appointment of Kent Bottenfield as its next head baseball coach. Hired in August to serve as the associate head coach to Major League Baseball Hall-of-Famer Gary Carter, Bottenfield has assumed the top leadership role of the baseball program this season with the prolonged illness of Carter and his eventual passing. Carter was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer in May of 2011 and following a nearly nine-month battle involving intense medical treatments, he died on Feb. 16, 2012. A former teammate of Carter’s when the two played together for the Montreal Expos, Bottenfield had the unique privilege of pitching to Carter as his catcher in what would be Carter’s final Major League game on Sept. 27, 1992. Bottenfield would go on to pitch nine seasons in the Major Leagues including an All-Star appearance in 1999 as a member of the St. Louis
Cardinals. His experience as a pitcher at the highest level will prove to be beneficial in aiding the Sailfish pitching staff and managing the day-to-day operations of the PBA baseball program. Adding a second All-Star to the PBA baseball coaching staff with Bottenfield’s initial hire continues to point to the bright future of the program moving forward according to President Fleming. “Coach Bottenfield is a man of great integrity, humility and baseball knowledge,” Fleming said. “He will carry on the legacy of Hall of Fame Coach Gary Carter and mold our baseball players into men of faith with a strong competitive spirit. Kent’s roots go deep into this community.” “We welcome this All-Star person and former MLB player as our head baseball coach.” Initially taking the position at PBA to work alongside his friend and former teammate, Bottenfield appears primed and ready to take on his newest challenge. “Coming on the heels of a very tough time for the program, I feel honored that the university has placed their trust in me to carry on the great work that Coach Carter was doing with the program,” Bottenfield said. “It will continue to be important
for our current players to understand that you can be a strong man of faith and be an exceptional student-athlete at the same time,” Bottenfield said. Carter remained involved with the program throughout the fall as Bottenfield began to run the day-to-day operations of the program during its offseason. Opening night for the Sailfish team came on Feb. 2, 2012 when Carter made his last public appearance as he spoke to his team before the game and received a standing ovation from the crowd on hand at Roger Dean Stadium. The Sailfish would go on to win in dramatic fashion with a walk-off single in the ninth inning against Palm Beach County rival, Lynn University by a score of 3-2. The appointment of Bottenfield as head coach of the Palm Beach Atlantic program is just the latest challenge for the former Major Leaguer. After pitching in the professional ranks for 16 seasons, Bottenfield moved on to a new career as a recording artist where he would release two albums in the genre of Christian contemporary music. Bottenfield is married to his wife, Pamela, a 1991 Palm Beach Atlantic graduate and a Palm Beach Gardens native. The couple has three children, including Emma, Eli and Lucy.
Photo courtesy of Michael Brown for the Beacon
Right man for the job: After seven months serving as associate coach, Kent Bottenfield was officially named the new head coach for Palm Beach Atlantic University’s baseball program on March 29. Since taking over for Gary Carter, Bottenfield has guided the Sailfish to a 13-11 record.
Women’s tennis earn national top-25 ranking It’s the first time in the program’s history it’s ranked in top-25 By Joshua Reid Sports Editor Recently the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) released its national women’s tennis rankings with the Palm Beach Atlantic University women’s tennis squad earning a No. 22 national ranking. With wins under their belt against previous top-25 teams like Florida Tech and Flagler College, the Sailfish have put together some great success in the first half of their season schedule. Now ranked seventh in the NCAA South Region, the Fish have reached a program high in both the regional and national rankings for women’s tennis. “Personally, being nationally ranked is a great accomplishment,” freshman Veena Vasquez said. “It was definitely a team effort throughout the season to be where we are now in the standings.” “When the season first started, I believed that we had a solid team for the year and that we had the potential to be at the top of the rankings,” Vasquez said. “We were very young team that was willing to work hard everyday.” In addition to climbing the top25 rankings, the Sailfish hope to go back to nationals for a third consecutive year, except this time with a different result. “The women’s team fell short the last two years, but this year we have the potential to win it all,” said head coach Chi Ly.
Courtesy of Lori Richards for the Beacon
Match point: Junior Natalia Trotter earned a win at number one singles against Florida Southern College on March 20
In 2010 Ly led the team to the NCAA South Regional tournament for the first time in its program’s history. The Sailfish also made history in not only making the tournament but earning a first-round win over Delta State University, becoming the first PBA team to register a NCAA postseason victory. Ly credits the team’s success so far to the unique combination of two juniors, three sophomores, and four freshmen. Ly feels that having two players with experience in the national tournament the past two years will be beneficial in the postseason. “We have a lot more depth than
year’s past,” Ly said. “We’ve known all along we can compete. The opportunity has been there for us and players are finally stepping out and performing to their level.” According to junior Natalia Trotter, players are sacrificing their positions for the best of the team. “Players are understanding their roles, and that’s been a big tribute to our success,” Trotter said. “That’s where our strength is.” “We’ve been very unified as a team and everyone’s been content at their positions, which has been a big reason for our success,” Trotter said. “Although everyone wants to play at number one, the players are con-
tent to whatever coach wants them to do,” Trotter said. The team has continued its success throughout the season despite three players battling the injury bug for majority of the season. “Everyone’s been able to step up when we’ve needed them to,” Ly said. “Last year we only had six players, so everyone was constantly playing match after match.” “This year we have nine players (three alternates) so we have extra depth and it’s less demanding on our regular players,” Ly said. Last two seasons, the national championship match has between teams from the South Region, which,
according to Ly, is quite arguably the strongest region in the country in tennis. “The first half of the season we’ve upset teams that were ranked ahead of us such as Florida Tech and Flagler College,” Ly said. “We still have remaining games against teams ranked nationally, both ahead and behind us.” Currently the Sailfish’s record stands at 11-3, with losses coming against perennial powers Saint Leo University (17th ranked), Lynn University (3rd ranked), and Florida Southern College(12th ranked). The Sailfish have seven games remaining, four of which are against teams currently ranked, including rival Rollins College (10th), St. Edwards (33rd), Nova Southeastern (26th) and Northwood (21st). “These games will determine if we deserve to be ranked and if we have what it takes to achieve our goal for nationals” Ly said. “Rollins was a game we wanted to win most,” Vasquez said. “It is one of our last home games. Since we lost to them last year, that makes us want to beat them even more, especially the fact they’re a rival.” The squad played against Rollins on March 30 and against Northwood on April 1. The Sailfish close the second half of the regular season with road matches against Nova Southeastern (April 5), Clark Atlanta University (April 7), the University of West Georgia (April 9) and Fort Valley State University, also on April 9. To find out the results of this past weekend’s games as well as everything Sailfish tennis, go to pbasailfish.com.
SPORTS
Page 8 • April 2, 2012
readmybeacon.com • The Beacon
Sailfish Weekly Report
Baseball, softball go 0-5 in week of sports By Joshua Reid Sports Editor
Photo by Joshua Reid for the Beacon
Growing stronger and stronger: Senior Alycia Britton has been a main reason to get the women’s lacrosse program to where it is now.
Ending on a high note Senior Alycia Britton hopes lacrosse progam continues to excel after her graduation By Joshua Reid Sports Editor Growing up in New Jersey, senior Alycia Britton kept busy by picking up the sport of lacrosse. When she came to Palm Beach Atlantic University she wanted to help create a team where other lacrosse players could share their love for the game. “I started playing lacrosse eight years ago during my freshman year in high school,” Britton said. “When I came to PBA my freshman year I went to the Greene Complex the very first day of school to start a team up,” Britton said. Three years later, the program is at its highest level yet. “It’s been a lot of progressive growth,” Britton said. “After getting the team started and a coach my freshman year, sophomore year we were able to play a few games here and there, but only against high school teams.” “It wasn’t until my junior year where the team joined the South Women’s Lacrosse League,” Britton said. Although the team has played against top Division 1 programs
Sailfish Sports Schedule
April 2 to April 8
such as Florida Atlantic, Miami, USF, and Stetson University, most of the students at PBA do not know such a team exist. That’s something Britton hopes will change for good once she graduates. “Each year the bar has been raised higher and higher as far as growth wise, dedication level, and interest from other students,” Britton said. “My goal before I leave is to just help this program continue to develop.” “A lot of players are returning next season and they will have leadership roles within the team. I’ll still be helping out with the team coaching wise next season as well,” Britton said. According to Britton and fellow senior Katie Butler, this season has been by far the most successful in the program’s young history. “Our highlight this season was beating FAU 14-10 and didn’t use any subs, as it was the first time we’ve ever beaten them and they’re our biggest rival,” Butler said. “The team has been absolutely amazing, as it is about half freshman and a handful of the girls never picked up a lacrosse stick before,” Butler said. “This season has been really great as far as traveling and having home games to get school spirit and to be more recognized with other schools as well,” Britton said. The Sailfish closed the season this
past weekend with a tournament where they played Florida Gulf Coast University, FAU, and the University of Miami. Their record was 2-2 going into the tournament. “The phrase ‘there is no I in team’ is definitely evident with the girls,” Butler said. “Even if our girls have the perfect shot to score, she’ll pass to someone and give them the opportunity to score.” “I have been so blessed to be a part of the team, as they have become my family down here,” Butler said. “We want to be a light to the teams that we play against and for our school to respect us as a team,” Britton said. “God’s hand has certainly been a huge part of the growth and blessings that our team has experienced. PBA women’s lacrosse is here and the only way to go is up.”
The past week for Sailfish athletics was a down week, as all teams suffered defeats in their respected games. On March 27 the baseball team took on 12th ranked St. Thomas University. Despite the valiant effort, the Fish fell 9-14. Senior Travis Murray had the most productive night, going 5-6 while scoring two runs and batting in a run. The team took their then 13-11 record to Saint Leo, Fla. on March 30 to take on Saint Leo University in a double header. The Palm Beach Atlantic University softball team dropped a pair of games on March 27 at the hands of Nova Southeastern University as it was defeated 1-2 in 10 innings in game one followed by another 1-2
loss in game two. Junior Mary Pippin allowed only five hits with one walk and nine strikeouts in the loss as her record fell to 12-8 on the season. In game two senior Chris Donovan allowed two runs on eight hits with one walk and two strikeouts in two innings of work as her record fell to 4-2 on the season. The following night, the Sailfish returned home on Wednesday evening to take on Barry University. PBA would struggle in the early stages of each game as it was shut out in game one 0-8 and again in game two 0-6, managing a total of just six hits combined in both games. After having four games in two consecutive nights, the Sailfish took their 21-18 record to Lakeland on March 31 to take on Florida Southern College. To find out the results of all the games, visit pbasailfish.com
Junior Mary Pippin allowed only five hits with one walk and nine strikeouts in the loss as her record fell to 12-8 on the season
About Alycia Britton - Double major in psychology and communication - Served as member of Steering Committee -Intern for Impact Leadership Team -Served as a peer mentor fall 2011
Photos courtesy of Michael Brown for the Beacon
Senior Travis Murray had the most productive night, going 5-6 while scoring two runs and batting in a run.
Softball
Baseball
Women’s Tennis
Men’s Tennis
4/2, 5 p.m., Home Nova Southeastern University
4/3, 3 p.m. @ Northwood University 4/6, 6 p.m., Home Florida Southern College
4/5, 3 p.m. @ Nova Southeastern 4/7, 9 a.m. @ Clark Atlantic
4/7, 9 a.m., @ Morehouse College