Technology advances have made online classes possible for the academic world. As they become more and more popular, FGCU has begun offering additional online classes for an array of subjects.

However, there are questions as to whether students are obtaining the same quality of education through online classes. Can online classes really compare to traditional classes?

For Michael Cole, assistant professor of history, the answer is

yes. “In (my) particular class, they

can get the most out of this online,” Cole said.

He explains that in order to complete his online assignments, students have to read the text and study from the materials assigned in order to have a full grasp of the concept. The assigned materials and texts are all the students have to go on, as opposed to in-class lectures and discussions.

James Matiya, instructor of psychology, feels that one main difference with his online classes is how he connects to the students.

“Online classes are much different from face-to-face classes. For online classes, I use personal experiences and try to connect the textbook with (the student’s) personal experiences, where in the classroom, you make the connection between the textbook and the activities we do in class,” Matiya said.

The connection to the in-class experience and interacting with other people are the two main components that keep many students favoring traditional classes.

Michelle Medina, a sophomore majoring in accounting, has mixed

feelings about each type of class. However, she leans toward liking traditional classes better.

“Classes are easier when you can actually talk to the professor in person and be in class with other students,” she said.

One of Medina’s foremost issues with online courses is the professors. She feels that since professors cannot be seen face-to-face, they put up a mean front.

“(They are) intimidating and you feel like you can’t contact them or anything,” Medina said.

For many college students, working out is not easy due to overwhelming amounts of studying and the resulting lack of time.

However, there is a way to incorporate exercising into your class schedule. For those students who are sick of waiting around at shuttle stops just to be packed into a bus crammed with other students, there is a healthier way to get around campus.

FGCU students can rent bicycles to be used on campus as part of the Pedal Power program. These bikes can be spotted from a mile away due to their bright colors, and they can be rented at the Outdoor Pursuits Basecamp behind Alico Arena.

If the idea of getting some exercise before and after class is not enough, then the fact that these rentals are free with a student ID is perhaps one reason why they are so popular.

Steve Robinson, head of outdoor pursuits, says that the Pedal Power program has been in place since the beginning of the fall semester.

“UPD collects bikes that are left on campus and the ones that don’t get picked up get donated. We went and picked up some of the cleanest, nicest bikes we could find, fixed them up and replaced

some parts,” Robinson said. Robinson says that there

are only 10 bikes in the program now, but these bikes have been rented out consistently. There is currently not enough storage or a sufficient budget to incorporate additional bikes into the program, but Robinson says that they are looking to add more bikes soon.

Sophomore Nathaly Fields is one student who thinks the bike rental program is a great idea.

“I hate waiting for the bus, so I am always looking for an alternative way to get to class,” Fields said.

Like most people, Fields hates being squished onto a shuttle, but she also thinks that it is too hot to walk to class. She considers renting a bike to be an all-around

better way of getting to campus. Students can rent a bike

for seven days at a time, and upon registration students will be issued a Power Pedal card that allows them access to the program for a whole academic year.

While bike rentals are free, there is a $10 late fee applied for each day that the bike is not returned after its due date. Additionally, there is a $1 late fee per day for all the equipment, such as helmets, knee pads, or horns, that is not returned on time.

Students interested in renting a bicycle can call the Outdoor Pursuits Basecamp at (239) 590-1419 to check on bike availability.

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If you were to list your favorite things about FGCU, you might say something about having your own separate room in the dorms, the small class sizes, or the cute boy or girl you sit next to in biology. You probably would not have our clean public restrooms at the top of your list.

However, international student Lina Khegay says that she considers our sparkly toilets to be one of her favorite aspects of Florida Gulf Coast University. Well, that and our campus-wide Internet access. Khegay says that Internet is hard to come by in her home country of Uzbekistan.

Lina’s appreciation for things most of us take for granted here highlights the differences between the many cultures spanning the globe. It is these very differences that were celebrated this past Friday night at FGCU’s 15th annual International Reception.

This showcase of the University’s international initiatives is held every year as a formal welcoming of international students, scholars, and study abroad participants.

As FGCU continues to grow and evolve, so does its International Services department. Currently, there are 140 international students enrolled from approximately 45 different countries. To date, over 75 countries have been represented at FGCU.

Tuesday, Sept. 27, at 12:05 p.m.: A routine traffic stop resulted in more than a speeding citation. A vehicle search turned up trace amounts of THC, an empty Natural Light can and a full bottle of Bud Light. The report was turned over to the dean for further evaluation.

Tuesday, Sept. 27, at 1:52 p.m.: Two students were issued warnings on Lake Parkway East. Officers caught the students on their skateboards being pulled by a golf cart. The students were issued a warning for riding outside of a moving vehicle.

Tuesday, Sept. 27, at 10:41 p.m.: A drug search in Pelican Student

Housing turned over two glass bongs and a pipe to the UPD. Marijuana residue was found inside the paraphernalia, and the case has been turned over for further evaluation.

Friday, Sept. 30, at 6: 07 p.m.: UPD searched a unit in Palmetto Student Housing and found two glass pipes that had marijuana residue present. The officers also discovered another glass pipe and a grinder in the refrigerator. The grinder contained “leafy green substances” that later tested positive for THC. All items were confiscated for safe keeping.

Saturday, October 1, at 2:17 p.m.: Police were called to the parking lot near Egret Student Housing hall where a vehicle appeared to have been vandalized with eggs, ketchup and tampons thrown all over it. When UPD called, the owner of the vehicle did not answer the phone. A possible suspect was escorted to the police station for further evaluation.

Saturday, October 1, at 6:31 p.m.: A dog bleeding from the neck was found prowling around outside Alico Arena. Lee County Animal Control was notified, but before they could arrive, the owner of the dog arrived and picked it up.

The Police Beat is compiled by Eagle News staff from public logs available at the University Po-lice Department. Police Beat is not associated with the UPD. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.

POLICE BEAT

SERVICE LEARNING

BRIEFS

A2 NEWS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, OCT. 5 EDITOR: MEGAN HOOLIHAN NEWS!EAGLENEWS.ORG

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Abuse Counseling & Treatment (ACT): Join a flash mob and earn service-learning hours! No dance experience required. Call for practice dates. Dances are on Oct. 7, 8 and 22. Contact Marcie Kaveney at mkaveney@actabuse.com or call at 239-939-2553.

Riverwatch (Caloosahatchee River Citizens Association): Help is needed at the Nature Park on Oct. 8 for a park cleanup day. Contact Margaret England at mlelighthouse@embarqmail.com or call 863-674-0695.

Beauty from Ashes Outreach: Gift and care package assembly for survivors of commercialized sexual exploitation (CSE) and human sex trafficking on Oct. 8, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call 239-939-9218.

Eagle EXPO: Volunteer at the Open House on Oct. 15 from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (7 a.m. if you’re an early bird). There will be a wide variety of tasks. Please go to: https://itech.fgcu.edu/ES-secured/expo/volunteers.html to reserve your place as an Eagle Expo Volunteer.

CCMI: Help out at the fifth annual Becoming Cosmopolitan Lounge Party women’s event benefiting the hungry. Many volunteers are needed on Oct. 19 and for set up on Oct. 20. Ladies who are 21 or older can help during the event on the evening of Oct. 20. Contact Nancy Finch at nancyfinch1@gmail.com or call 239-822-7825.

The Rushman-Micah Angel Foundation: Assist author Karen H. Nathan, Ph.D., at a presentation titled “Dyslexia with Gifts and Talents.” Need eight volunteers. Set up book-signing table, greet guests and parking assistance. Contact Barbara Brown at rmaf32@yahoo.com or 239-216-2363.

FGCU Food Forest: Students needed to help with their botanical collection of edible species every Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. til mid-November. Sign up online at http://fgcufoodforest.weebly.com/service-learning.html.

Naples Botanical Garden: Horticulture gardening starts at 8 a.m. Monday through Friday and includes weeding, potting, moving plants, digging, raking, sweeping, clearing debris, etc. No shorts or tank tops and wear closed toe shoes. Bring water,

work gloves if you have them and wear sunscreen. We’re especially looking for groups of students on Fridays. No last minute requests. Give 4-5 lead time. If you commit, then can’t make it, give notice. Be on time. Email Sally Richardson at srichardson@naplesgarden.org.

Rutenberg Park Eco Living Center: Help orient visitors to Lee County’s wild places. After completing a free, three-session training program, guides are stationed at Conservation 20/20 preserves or beach parks and preserves in locations ranging from Pine Island to Lehigh Acres. Contact John Kiseda at kisedajb@lee-gov.com or call 239-432-2163.

Lee County Parks & Rec: Tons of opportunities at various locations. Must complete a background check. Visit http://www.leeparks.org/volunteers.

Heartland Gardens: Assist at their mini-farm on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Did you know that FGCU alums started this nonprofit? Contact Andrea at andrea@heartlandgardens.org or call 239-689-4249.

ECHO (Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization): ECHO is a nonprofit, inter-denominational Christian organization located on a demonstration farm in North Fort Myers. ECHO exists for one major reason: to help those working internationally with the poor be more effective, especially in the area of agriculture. To help, send an email to echo@echonet.org.

Florida Panther Festival: Opportunities to help plan and organize this exciting event with live music, demonstrations, and presentations. Event is on Oct. 28. Volunteers are needed to help with planning, event logistics, assist with facilitating speakers and on event day, lead educational activities, provide orientation to visitors, etc. Email floridapantherfestival@gmail.com or call 239-353-8442x 229 or x222. Visit the website www.FloridaPantherFestival.com for additional details.

SCCF Marine Lab: Collect propagules, plant seedlings or propagules and paddle to restoration sites at Clam Bayou on Sanibel Island. Bring a kayak if you can. Propagules are available from May through November and are collected by volunteers and planted along the shoreline. Contact Eric Milbrandt at emilbran@sccf.org

or call 239-395-4617.

Easter Seals Florida: Can you commit 20 hours during the months of October and November? Students will be teamed to conduct two phases of market research polling (consumer and special needs target population). Conduct online research, compile data and present outcomes to Advisory Board. Hours and days flexible. Contact Debra Lynne at dlynne@fl.easterseals.com or 239-277-9818.

Harry Chapin Food Bank: Sort and pack food for the hungry. Maximum 15 people per shift. Work 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday (no afternoon shift on Friday or Saturday). You can even work a double-shift. Proper attire required: closed toe shoes (no sandals), jeans or shorts (shorts length must be at least to your finger tips) and no tank tops or bare midriff tops. Contact Bedzaida Bryen at bedzaidabryen@harrychapinfoodbank.org or 239-334-7001 x141.

Goodwill Industries: Be a mentor to at-risk youth in our communities. GoodGuides mentors 12-17 year olds in Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Hendry and Glades counties. Commit to one year of service mentoring for 4-6 hours per month. For more information, go to http://www.goodwillswfl.org/goodguides/.

YMCA of Lee County: Numerous opportunities to help the local youth. Call 239-275-9622.

The College Reach Out Program (CROP): Local middle and high school students are starting a chapter at Estero High School. There are 10 students who want to join the program but have limited English skills. Right now, they only speak Spanish. Need a mentor/translator to meet with students every Thursday from 1:45 to 3:45 p.m. Contact Susan Genson sgenson@fgcu.edu or 239-590-7836.

The Rushman-Micah Angel Foundation: Are you computer savvy and want to work from home? Help update the RMAF website and Facebook page. RMAF is taking a lead role in bringing awareness to bridging the gap of technology and education for the special needs community and their families. Contact Barbara Brown at rmaf32@yahoo.com or 239-216-

2363.

Special Equestrians: Do you have Tuesday or Thursday afternoons free? There are 75 special needs riders who rely on this nonprofit therapeutic horseback riding center and need committed volunteers. Contact Jan Fifer at 239-226-1221.

FGCU Department of Marine and Ecological Sciences: Need students throughout the semester to test their GIS exercises, help with the Franco Service Learning Workshop and more. Contact Dr. Marguerite Forest at mforest@fgcu.edu or call 239-590-7412.

The Mental Health Association of SWFL: Be a peer counselor. Peer counselors offer emotional support to caregivers who are experiencing stress. Friendships are made and the bonding is part of the healing process. Receive training and earn a peer counseling certificate. Meet weekly at a geographic location convenient to client and counselor. Call 239-261-5405.

Lee County Community Tennis Association: Volunteer opportunities every Tuesday beginning Oct. 11 for Special Olympics tennis at Rutenberg Park at 6 p.m. Contact Lyn Bruner at VolunteerCoordinator@lccta.com or 239-489-2378.

Special Kids Dance: Help a nonprofit organization that teaches ballet and Tae Kwon Do to children and young adults with special needs by giving them every opportunity as their typical peers, improving their health, fitness, coordination, self-confidence and social skills. Previous experience helpful but not required. Classes meet every Saturday, ballet at 10 a.m. and Tae Kwon Do at 11 a.m. Contact Alyson Lindsey at aslindsey@me.com or call 239-590-0085.

Richard Milburn Academy South: A new free, public charter high school in Bonita Springs has opportunities available for tutoring and mentoring during school hours Monday through Friday. Call Dr. Sandy Lepley, school counselor/administrator at 239-949-9049.

Information is provided by the Service Learning department. All opportunities are pre-approved. You can find more opportunities on Facebook at “FGCU Service Learning.”

Anna Haney-Withrow, instructor of English, explains that students in a traditional class learn that the instructor is the student’s advocate and cares about their education. Online, the students believe that the professor is just an obstacle that must be overcome.

Haney-Withrow teaches both online and traditional classes. She explains that online classes allow flexibility and encourage students to develop some personal professional skills. These skills reflect how they represent themselves, self-motivation, and accountability

online. “A lot of the experience, the

quality of the experience of an online class, is really up to the student,” she said.

Shanna Adkins, a sophomore majoring in biology, prefers traditional courses. “If you’re in a discussion-based class, you can discuss (the problem), argue about it, or give some type of opinion about it. I feel you can learn better that way rather than straight-forward reading from textbooks,” Adkins said.

Adkins admits that she cannot remember things that she had to memorize from the book for her online class, but she can remember examples and hands-on experience

from her traditional classes.Erica Martinez, a junior majoring

in English, shares Adkins’ view. “I don’t remember what I learned in the online class. I associate with experiences in traditional classes and can remember what I learned.”

Martinez explains that she did not like her experience with her online course because she felt like she could not get any help from the professor.

“If you want an authentic experience in college and you’re at a university, don’t take online classes. I’m paying my money to be here and be in a classroom,” Martinez said.

Nevertheless, some programs are only offered online.

“Our whole science program at the graduate and the undergraduate level are totally online. We were mandated by the state when the university opened that they’d be totally online programs,” said Joan Glacken, associate dean, chair, and associate professor for the College of Health Professions.

Glacken explains that although all of the courses for the College of Health Professions are taken online, the hands-on experience is not incorporated into the online classes. Instead, classes that integrate the hands-on experience are offered as hybrids, where the knowledge part of the course can be taught online and the hands-on clinical practice is

done in the clinical setting.Online courses force students

to be self-disciplined and self-motivated, but also allow students and professors more flexibility with their schedules. Traditional classes allow the student to have the face-to-face interaction with the professors and students in a classroom setting and instant discussion feedback.

No matter which is preferred, online classes will continue to play a significant part of the university’s curriculum.

“Online classes have a role,” Matiya said. “I think they’re good. I think sometimes the wrong people sign up for them.”

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This diversity was evident in the decor at the reception. The Student Union ballroom was transformed to resemble a United Nations summit, with flags from various nations adorning the walls. At the beginning of the reception, the room was filled with conversations being carried out in a variety of foreign languages. The conversation soon died down as speakers, including

university president Wilson Bradshaw, took to the podium.

The celebration of culture continued throughout the night, from Hong Kong student Shan Yeung’s piano performance of the Chinese composition “Sunflower” to the performance of a traditional Pakistani dance.

However, as the university welcomes the international students with open arms, it is often forgotten that international students are here are for the very same reason that American

students study abroad. As international student Cameron Gegg from Belize said, the outcome he desires most from his stay at FGCU is to experience something completely new.

“I’m not used to living in the States, so I want something new to experience and something cool,” Gegg said.

What is Gegg’s favorite part about FGCU so far?

“The environment,” Gegg said. “I like how the natural world of Florida is incorporated

into everything. It gives it a nice atmosphere.”

For South Korean student Hun Lee, exploring our culture is what he is looking forward to the most during his time at FGCU.

“I want to know the American culture more,” he said.

So far, FGCU has left him with a good first impression.

“The campus is so beautiful, and the students here are so friendly. They’re quite active. I love them,” Lee said.

A similar first impression

was made on Pakistani student Hadiqa Baig, who is majoring in economics.

“It’s lively, and I’ve made a lot of friends here,” Baig said.

Hadiqa also shares Lee’s desire to explore American culture. She is itching to visit the greatest bastion of American culture on this side of the Mississippi.

“I’m dying to go to Orlando for Disney World,” she said.

A4 NEWS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY OCT. 5 EDITOR: MEGAN HOOLIHAN NEWS!EAGLENEWS.ORG

Naples resident Janet G. Cohen has donated a $3 million legacy gift to enhance the university and enrich the college experience.

Cohen and her husband Harvey Cohen moved to Naples in the 1980s. Harvey Cohen died earlier this year.

In recognition of their generosity, President Wilson Bradshaw announced that the Student Union will be named the Harvey and Janet Cohen Center, or Cohen Center.

"The Cohens were impressed over the years as they watched FGCU's dynamic growth and development, and wanted to make a special gift to nurture and support our students," the email from Bradshaw read.

"These values were important elements in the Cohens' success, and they saw FGCU's Student Union as the place where students

congregate to learn from each other and develop enduring friendships."

During the past few years, their philanthropy has included gifts to NCH to assist in building North Collier Hospital; the Holocaust Museum and Education Center of Southwest Florida, and a student scholarship fund at FGCU.

After a long day of classes, the night finally arrives. For many students, that means going out to parties and bars with friends to have a good time and a beverage or two.

The concern of irresponsible abuse of alcohol on campus has led FGCU to pass regulations over the use of alcoholic beverages on campus that comply with federal and state laws along with local ordinances.

“If students read the handbook, they can find the rules and regulations for alcohol to avoid any trouble,” said university police Officer Mike Harbury.

UPD has said its main concern regarding the alcohol policy occurs when alcohol consumption leads to criminal activity on the FGCU premises.

According to the FGCU handbook, students must be 21 years old to possess, be served, buy or consume alcohol while on FGCU premises or at any university functions.

In the on-campus dorms, residents older than 21 are allowed to consume alcohol. When residents of legal drinking age share a dorm with residents younger than 21, the policy gets a little more specific.

“According to the Community Guidebook for students who reside in University Housing, the alcohol policy for a room/apartment

that is shared by someone over and under the age of 21 states the following: ‘It must be clear that the alcohol is being consumed and/or possessed only by the residents who are 21 years of age or older,’” said Ananda Pradip, resident judicial coordinator for housing and residence life.

Hence, residents who are 21 years of age or older may possess and consume alcohol anywhere in their apartment so long as it is clear that they are the only ones possessing or consuming.

“If our Housing staff goes into an apartment and there is one person of the legal drinking age and three underage persons with four beer bottles sitting in front of them, then we would most likely charge those students present with a violation of our alcohol policy,” Pradip said.

There are also specific policies for guests in on-campus housing.

“If a guest is 21 years of age or older and visits someone who is under the age of 21, said guest(s) may not possess and/or consume alcohol in that room or apartment,” Pradip said. “When a guest who is 21 years of age or older visits a resident who is also 21 years of age or older, they are more than welcome to consume alcohol except when someone who is under the age of 21 is present, even if the underage person is a roommate.”

Drinking games that

involve excessive consumption of alcohol such as beer pong are not allowed in the Housing Complex. Alcohol cannot be used as prizes or awards at any event, nor can alcohol be used in any competitions or contests.

Possession and consumption of alcohol in any outdoor areas including lobbies, community spaces, breezeways, the pool area, beach front, smoker stations, courtyards, elevators and parking lots is prohibited. Students may be asked to pour out contents of unmarked containers when a situation arises.

Violation of any of the rules and regulations will result in any of the following consequences: parental notification, restorative activities, counseling, disciplinary probation, removal from housing complex, suspension, loss of recognition in a student organization, or even expulsion.

“I agree with the housing policy because it complies with state and local laws regarding alcohol consumption,” said Jordan LaCrosse, a junior majoring in political science.

LaCrosse also said that responsible students who are the legal drinking age do not have a safe environment on campus to purchase alcoholic beverages, and she believes this is an issue.

“It would promote reasonable use and certain

policies would be much more enforced,” LaCrosse said.

Jose Diaz, a junior majoring in communications, does not drink and would prefer a dry campus.

“I think drinking is stupid. I think getting drunk is stupid. I think drunks are insecure people who are trying to find meaning in their life,” Diaz said.

Recently, University of Central Florida students have banded together in support of an alcohol emergency amnesty policy.

This policy would protect underage students who call 911 for an alcohol-related emergency from university-enforced punishment.

The goal is to encourage students to seek help in an alcohol-related emergency without being held back by fear of repercussions from the school.

Several universities have already adopted such policies, including Stetson University, Rollins College and the University of Florida, which passed its policy just last spring.

These policies relate to the increase in hospitalizations for alcohol overdoses. According to a study released last month by the National Institutes of Health, hospitalizations for alcohol overdoses among 18- to 24- year olds rose 25 percent from 1999 to 2008.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 5 EAGLE NEWS NEWS A5WWW.EAGLENEWS.ORG

Diversity continues to be a trend this school year as numbers increase across the country for Hispanic student enrollment, and FGCU is no exception.

“FGCU is becoming more and more diverse,” said Xue Qin Wang, assistant director of multicultural student services. “Students are finding common ground with each other and developing social bonds with one another.”

FGCU had 166 Hispanic students when it opened in August 1997. Now, FGCU has approximately 2,035 Hispanic students.

A study by the Pew Hispanic Center showed a 24 percent increase in the number of Hispanic students enrolled in the nation’s colleges in 2009 and 2010. For the first time, 1.8 million Hispanics on U.S. college campuses outnumbered 1.7 million African Americans as the largest minority.

According to Richard Fry, senior research associate for the Pew Hispanic Center, the rapid increase can be attributed to a mixture of population growth

and educational strides for the nation’s largest minority.

Southwest Florida has definitely seen the increase.

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that Collier County’s Hispanic population increased by 69 percent within the last decade. Lee County’s Hispanic population jumped by 170 percent.

Hispanics now make up 26 percent of Collier’s total population and 18.3 percent of Lee’s.

FGCU fully supports incorporating this diversity on campus.

“FGCU is committed to doing all we can to encourage and support a diverse campus community that reflects the multicultural nature of Southwest Florida,” said Susan Evans, university spokeswoman.

In order to help draw in Hispanic students, FGCU sends student ambassadors to low-income high schools in the area where Hispanics might not consider higher education an option.

In addition, Isaac Brundage, the director of community outreach, holds regular events to walk families through the

application process. Brundage will often take one-on-one time to assist families who need the additional help due to language barriers.

FGCU representatives also visit Immokalee High School twice a year with translators to give information to parents.

Multicultural Student Services plays a big part in promoting diversity within the college campus.

MSS is a student-orientated office that assists FGCU in the fulfillment of its mission by encouraging each person and cultural group to assertively affirm the unique richness of their heritage, ethnicity, identity and ability.

“MSS provides the support and services for education attainment,” Wang said. “We want students to be comfortable with themselves and learn from others as well.”

Two years ago, MSS started Frosh Mosh, a retreat to promote diversity, meet new friends, and ease the transition into college life.

“We show students where they can go if they need help,” Wang said. “As well as the resources

they need to be successful.”MSS chooses 30 freshmen to

participate in the retreat.“We mix the students based

on their race, gender and other things. There’s a good representation of the general student population,” Wang said.

Another outlet for helping Hispanic students incorporate themselves into the FGCU community is the Latin American Student Organization.

The mission of the LASO is to create awareness and promote Hispanic culture on campus. They also strive to help Hispanics and other minorities in the community.

Each year during Hispanic Heritage Month in October, LASO entices students with a block party, new and exciting foods to try, vendors, and a party featuring a DJ and Hispanic music.

MSS, the Multicultural Greek Council and Student Government are also taking part in the event.

The Taste of Culture will begin at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13 in the Student Plaza. It will conclude at 2 p.m.

“It’s something unique that promotes the individuality of a culture,” Wang said.

Calle 8, a block party, will begin at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14 at Eagles Landing. There will be a tiki hut with food, music and vendors from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Then, the fun starts with a party and a DJ. The party will conclude around 11 p.m.

Although Florida State University was sophomore Albert Claro’s first choice, he chose FGCU because he says it’s closer to home.

“They (FGCU) also had a pretty good program for my psychology major,”Claro said.

Claro is of Cuban descent and says he has not had any problems on campus.

“I do enjoy it,” Claro said. “I have a lot of friends here so I try to stay on campus as much as I can.”

Sergio Ovalle, a sophomore whose major is undeclared, says he chose to attend FGCU because it is cheaper and more convenient because he lives in Naples.

“FGCU is alright, but I would rather be at UCF or FSU,” Ovalle said.

“I just wanted to knock down my pre-requisites and move on in two years.”

A6 NEWS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, OCT. 5 EDITOR: MEGAN HOOLIHAN NEWS!EAGLENEWS.ORG

Flip over the couch. Look under the car seat. Break open the piggy bank — actually, do not do the last one, because you are probably going to need to save all the spare change you can get your hands on if you are a student.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Education released the official national student loan cohort default rate for the fiscal year of 2009, and things are not looking good for college students.

A cohort default rate is defined as the percentage of a school’s borrowers who enter repayment on certain federal student loans during a particular fiscal year and default by the end of the next fiscal year.

For the fiscal year of 2009, 8.8 percent of students defaulted on

their federal student loans. This is up from 7 percent of students in fiscal year 2008 and from 4.5 percent in fiscal year 2003.

These statistics indicate what many people already know: these are rough economic times.

Over a decade ago, only one-third of students had to borrow money in order to pay for tuition and other academic expenses. Now, that figure is up to two-thirds of students. Additionally, the average debt load upon graduation for students has increased from $12,000 to $24,000 during that same time frame.

FGCU is faring a little better than the nation on average. According to Brian Casey, associate director at the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, only 40 percent of FGCU students are taking out student loans to help pay for their education.

However, that figure is likely to go up.

“The overall cost of attending college has increased over the past decade, which has led to students taking on more student loan debt to help pay for college,” Casey said. “State education budgets have also decreased, resulting in larger out-of-pocket costs for parents and students.”

One example Casey gives is Florida’s Bright Futures Scholarship program. The award amounts have decreased year after year, while the academic requirements to qualify for the scholarship have increased.

What other factors are contributing to the increase in student debt? The financial hardships that families are experiencing as a result of the economic downturn are forcing students to turn to loans. On top

of that, a decrease in endowments and overall giving to colleges and universities has affected the amount in institutional grants and scholarships provided to students.

The federal government has taken numerous measures to cure the student debt epidemic, including increasing the Pell Grant amounts and implementing flexible loan repayment options for borrowers by basing their payments on income and family size.

However, Casey would like to see the government do more, particularly when it comes to policies encouraging young families to start saving for their children’s college early on.

“This could be in the form of tax breaks or matching funds similar to 401K retirement plans. Families that start saving when their children are infants have the

advantage of their savings growing over a longer period of time,” Casey said. “The reality is that students and families are going to be responsible for a larger percentage of college costs going forward and cannot rely solely on federal, state and institutional assistance.”

Casey also has some advice for students who are taking out loans.

“We stress to students to only borrow absolutely what they need and to not over-borrow. It is important that students understand what it means to take on debt and the consequences of not successfully repaying their loans post-graduation,” he said.

“If they can make sacrifices now to limit the amount of debt they take on, it will benefit them tremendously as it relates to their financial future,” Casey said.

Between Facebook, Twitter and blogs, students are plugged into social media whether they are at home, in school or anywhere else. Now, the problem may be that students are plugged in so much that they are not actually socializing.

“Face-to-face is messy; it takes time and requires a response,” said Maria Roca, program leader of the Department of Communication and Philosophy. “Technology allows us to not have to deal with the feelings of the other.”

The idea that face-to-face communication is being replaced

is supported by the findings of the second annual World Technology Report recently released by Cisco Systems, Inc.

The report, which surveyed 1,400 college students between the ages of 18 and 23 and another 1,400 young professionals under the age of 30 from around the world, showed that more than half of this age group cited that their mobile device is “the most important technology in their lives.”

The study included participants from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, India, Germany, Spain, France, China, Italy, Russia, Japan, Australia, Mexico and Brazil.

Forty percent of the college-age participants stated that the

Internet is more important than dating or going out with friends.

“Technology was used when you couldn’t see someone face-to-face. Now, face-to-face is being used when we can’t get to someone through technology,” Roca said.

The relationship between technology and the 18-to-30 age group may be even more severe than initially suspected. One out of every three students and young professionals said that they considered the Internet to be just as necessary to survival as food, water and shelter.

Elizabeth Dunhill, a junior majoring in elementary education, disagrees. She does not think the pull toward social media is all that compelling.

“Depending on the amount of homework and other things I need to get done, I would probably estimate that I spend around an hour or hour and a half a day (on Facebook),” Dunhill said.

ZDNet, a business technology news website published by CBS Interactive, recently published the results of the report in an article by Rachel King. In King’s article, Joel Conover, Cisco’s director of product marketing, implies that online social networking could be the new mindset of this generation.

Conover warns companies not to eliminate the possibility of having Facebook and other social media entities accessible during work hours because a company would be “essentially limiting their

choices.”Charles Stanisce, a sophomore

majoring in human performance, disagrees with Conover. He says that if a job was offered to him that did not allow social media access during work, it would not be a deal-breaker.

“Social media to me isn’t life or death. I could always go on it at a later time. I don’t live through social media,” he said.

Not all of the findings of the World Technology Report have been revealed yet. The second and third parts of the Cisco survey are due out in November and December.

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Arts Lifestylewww.eaglenews.org

&

Playing live shows in smoky bars,

recording demo tapes, and traveling the country to make it all happen brings a nostalgic feeling about rock ’n’ roll.

For local band Them Hamilton Boys, this is part of their daily life as they work on their first album, which is to be recorded later this year in Nashville.

“We are going to be spending a week during Christmas break recording in Nashville and plan on spending a week out of every month after going back up,” said Nick Hamilton, a senior majoring in criminal justice.

For Nick and his bandmates, this is a dream come true that they have been striving toward for the past few years.

Nick sings and plays rhythm guitar for the band and has been playing with good friend and drummer Doug Meier since his freshman year of high school.

Two years ago, Doug and Nick recruited Hayden Hamilton, Nick’s younger brother, to play lead guitar and handle some of the singing as well. Hayden is currently a freshman at FGCU and majoring in health science.

The final touches of their current lineup came when they added bass player Bryan Flores eight months ago. Ever since, the band has been playing shows all over the Naples and Fort Myers area trying to build up a fan base and show everyone a good time.

The band has been playing a number of shows in the area for the past year, frequenting the Breaktime Pub and Stan’s

Idle Hour, and soon will be adding a local bar called The Sandy Parrot to the list.

Them Hamilton Boys call their sound “a fine blend between country and rock” and references Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Charlie Daniels, David Allen Coe, and Rush as influences. The band has also been recording original songs and cover songs that can be found on their Facebook page and on YouTube.

“Christians, Drunks and Drug Runners” is an original, southern rock-style song written about the early Naples lifestyle. Currently, the band has been recording and working on new music at Happy Time Entertainment, a local recording studio in Naples.

Over the past few months, Them Hamilton Boys have recently finished a couple more original songs for their first

album, which include “Big H,” which they describe as “a college anthem song,” and “Hold On,” “a sappy love song.”

Happy Time Entertainment has recorded material from Gregg Allman in the past and Them Hamilton Boys are working with people that have been in the business for a long time. “Our recording engineer has worked with AC/DC and the Marshall Tucker Band during tours,” Them Hamilton Boys said. Working with people that have been around some of the greats certainly can’t hurt the young band.

If you want to hear some of their live performances or find out more about the band, check them out at Facebook.com/Hamilton boys, follow them on Twitter, or search Them Hamilton Boys on YouTube.

Fear strikes out with comic ‘The Walking Dead’

“The Walking Dead” doesn’t refer to the zombies.

Zombie questions: Is there any sort of fandom quite as casual, fast or shambling, virus, space radiation, or an unexplained cause? Do you need to be bitten or do you turn no matter how you die?

These are a few of the many debates on minutiae that rage on in the zombie community. The popular series from the independent Image Comics (makers of Spawn), “The Walking Dead,” takes a very classic view of the zombie mythos.

The book was originally conceived as an adaptation of the public domain classic “Night of the Living Dead,” but soon turned into its own monster.

Writer Robert Kirkman’s series has found enough critical acclaim to be turned into a highly-praised television series on AMC, but the different forms of the story

have taken different paths, so that each medium has some to offer fans of the other.

The comic “The Walking Dead” follows the exploits of Rick, a deputy who awakens from a coma to discover the world has, for all intents and purposes, ended. Rick heads south to reunite with his wife and son, and then joins up with a group of survivors and becomes their de facto leader.

From there, the book chronicles the trials and tribulations of the group, as well as Rick’s relationship with his young son, Carl. Romero-zombie purists will find a lot to love, but that goes without saying, considering most of them have already read the series.

However, there are a few reasons the book entices so many people who have never picked up a comic in their lives. Probably the most jarring is the fact that it utterly destroys many preconceived notions about the medium.

Those who think comics are all about

alien orphans and super soldiers are about to have their eyes opened. The first story arc has a standard horror movie feel, but things such as sex, violence and emotions quickly ramp up as society further breaks down.

This leads into the second draw for non-comic fans: the characters and realism. The longer “The Walking Dead” continues, the less it focuses on zombies.

They’re treated as a force of nature, the way we have to deal with hurricanes while living in Florida. The book uses the apocalypse as a backdrop, drawing parallels to the Holocaust and Katrina, and allowing the writer to examine themes of hope, pride, power/leadership and the like.

“The Walking Dead” brings the zombies, but it also brings a lot of heart. At its core, the book looks at life after a major disaster, and the highs and lows of humanity that follow.

B2 A/L EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, OCT. 5 EDITOR: KAYLA STIRZEL ENTERTAINMENT!EAGLENEWS.ORG

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Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.

1. “Dolphin Tale” $14 million

2. “Moneyball” $12 million

3. ”The Lion King in 3D” $10.6 million

4. “Courageous“ $9 million

5. “50/50” $8.6 million

These figures are courtesy of boxofficemojo.com.

Search “Husky Dog Talking- ‘I love you’”

Top 5 Movies of the

Weekend

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1. “Monster” by Paramore2. “Careful” by Paramore3. “Your own love” by VersaE-merge4. “Playing God” by Paramore5. “Long Distance Call” by Par-amore

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Brandy HydeCommunity healthSophomore

We sit in class day after day, hours on end. With each Power Point comes another certainty that carpal tunnel is in all of our futures.

The notes we take serve as study guides and, in turn, make our way to A’s and B’s. College couldn’t exist without our handwritten notebooks or endless documents on Word.

The time and energy spent on our notes, however, are useless by the end of the semester.

Once a course is passed, we empty our Documents folder, cringing as we delete hours worth of work. But, what if students could get paid selling their notes?

The CRN mass emails are deleted more often than not and the notes to bulletin boards in the library are rarely looked at.

Moolaguides.com offers an end to all of that.

This student-created website offers the opportunity to sell your notes online to other students.

Created at Florida State University by Thomas Brady, Alex Wolniewitz and David Russell, what started as a project for an entrepreneurship class turned into what is now Moolaguides.

“David came up with the idea roughly and I sort of revolutionized the idea,” said Thomas Brady, a junior at FSU majoring in entrepreneurship and international affairs.

“Last year the university gave us money to start the business and so we paid the university back and got all of the rights to Moolaguides,” Brady said.

The website has grown since the idea spawned last year. In the past two weeks, they’ve sold more than 600 study guides. Last semester, spring 2011, they sold more than 3,800.

The diversity has also increased; study guides are available for 80 different classes.

While it’s growing, it’s still only prevalent at Florida State University, but the website is quickly spreading.

“This year (we) hope to be at every major university in Florida, expand to the Northeast, and then hopefully nationwide,” Brady said.

It’s a feat not difficult to realize; all that’s needed is a study guide and exposure.

The users are increasing daily. “We average about 70 to 80 new users a day,” Brady said about a growing number adding to the current number of registered users, 1,017.

“It’s too good not to use. You’re

literally getting paid to study,” Brady said. “I spend six hours making a study guide and make $300 out of it.”

The object of Moolaguides is not only to help students make money selling their study guides, but also to encourage focus on studies. “We hope to promote better studying and better grades,” Brady said.

One thing that Moolaguides prides itself in is that it’s easy to use; just a few steps and you’ll be on your way to earning cash for your notes or dishing out the dollars and skipping the note-taking process.

If you’d like to sell your notes, you need only choose your price, upload your notes, and fill out the form; then it’s up for grabs.

You will be notified by e-mail when your notes are bought and then you simply cash out the 80 percent profit.

If you’d like to buy notes, it’s even simpler. Select your university, the class, and scroll through to find which notes best suit your needs.

Each note that’s offered comes with the seller’s GPA, the seller’s rating, note previews and price.

The website had rapid growth last semester with 6,000 to 7,000 views a day and hundreds of study guides sold the week of finals.

Being strictly student-based, Moolaguides allows sellers to list their own price. Despite the freedom, most of them are as cheap as $7. “The average price range is $9 to $10. I was surprised but the study guides at $15 a piece sold very well,” Brady said.

The average user last semester made an average of $108 on one study guide. “They’re studying while they create it,” said Brady, who also has used the website. “I made over $600. My brother made $300.”

“We do get a lot of questions over the legality of the website. As long as the content is your content, then everything is completely fine,” Brady said. “Everything on the website is extremely safe.

“We pride ourselves in the simplicity and the functionality of the website. We’re here for the students. We know the grind; we want our users to succeed. We’d rather have them focus on studies than focus on whether or not they can pay the rent next month.” Brady said. “We want to be a constant presence on campus for the student body and a crucial part of every campus in Florida.”

Thomas Brady is only a junior but would love Moolaguides to continue to be a part of his life. “I’d want it to be my job if I’m able. It’d be a blessing.”

On days where you feel down, do you feel like there is no help for the problems you may be having, or no one to listen to help you deal with issues entirely on your own?

Well, there are people who care. To Write Love on Her Arms, a nonprofit organization designed to promote awareness and prevention of suicide, depression, and self injury, now has a university chapter here at FGCU.

Formerly known as To Write Love on Eagle’s Wings, this group has done more than many know.

“I chose FGCU because of To Write Love on Eagle’s Wings,” said Melissa Dorff, a sophomore majoring in communication. “When I became a member of the official U Chapter, I realized it was something I wanted to do with the rest of my life.”

Dorff has since changed

her major from education to communication so she can become involved in public relations and be a spokesperson for the group.

Nationally known, this group has a story that most people wouldn’t normally read about.

The story behind it starts with a girl named Renee, who was deemed a great risk by her treatment center and sent away because they couldn’t do anything for her.

Renee was at the point of no return, with drugs and alcohol filling up her entire being. But with friends and some inspiration, she was able to start living her life again.

The result was To Write Love on Her Arms, founded by Jamie Tworkowski. To Write Love On Her Arms has a website and chapters set up nationwide. Any profits they make go directly back to rehabilitation for others and to concerts and events dedicated to bringing awareness to depression and suicide.

The group here has done several events, including Free Hugs Day and Lucky Me Lucky You speed chat, both being small but powerful.

They truly believe that with hope and faith, sobriety and getting

help is possible, which makes them an incredibly inspirational group. “I relapsed in November of last year,” Dorff said. “If it hadn’t been for the U chapter, I probably wouldn’t have made it.”

If you want to get involved, either by joining here at FGCU or supporting the national group, you can. To Write Love on Her Arms holds their meetings every other Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in Academic

Building 3. The website is www.twloha.

com, and you can buy shirts and other products at stores such as Hot Topic or Zumies. If you struggle with depression, suicidal thoughts, or anything involving self injury, remember you can always find hope and help here, with no judgment. There will always be better days, just like there are now for Renee.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 5 EAGLE NEWS A/L B3WWW.EAGLENEWS.ORG

Working out is necessary to stay fit and healthy, and it is always important to keep challenging your muscles. Creativity is a big part of working out; coming up with different exercises for the same muscle will challenge your body when adapting to new movements. Some people like to work one muscle a day, while others like to mix it up and exercise more than one.

Whatever your case is, it is important to switch up exercises every two to three weeks so your body doesn’t get used to the workouts. There are a few important things to be cautious of before and during working out.

Always stretch and warm up before you work out, and — most importantly — afterwards so you

avoid the day-after soreness. You should be comfortable with the amount of weight you use. If you don’t work out frequently, start with five- to eight-pound weights.

Remember, even if it feels too light on the first rep, you will repeat the movement several times so it will eventually get harder. If your goal is to build muscles, do fewer reps with heavier weights.

If you desire to tone or maintain muscles, do more reps with lighter weights. It’s recommended to do three sets of at least 12 repetitions. You can build your way up to four sets of 20 reps.

Always keep your back straight and chest open when working biceps. Focus on keeping the upper arm still while moving the forearms. It’s better to do fewer reps correctly than hurting yourself by doing it wrong.

Stand on the back of an incline bench, hold a weight in one hand and rest it across the bench with your palms up, press chest against the top part of the incline. While holding the upper arm stationary, curl the weights upward, only moving forearms.

Sit down on a flat bench with legs spread, knees bent and feet on the floor. Hold the weight in between legs. Place the back of upper arm on the top of inner right thigh. Hold upper arm stationary, and curl the weights forward at shoulder level. Caution: Avoid swinging motions.

Stand up straight while holding a curl bar with palms up; keep elbows close to your torso. Upper arm should remain still while you curl the weights forward until the bar is at shoulder level.

Adjust and position weights on each side at a height higher than shoulders.Stand in the middle and grab handles with palms facing up. Arms should be fully extended and parallel to the floor. Slowly squeeze biceps on each side until forearms and biceps touch. Caution: Keep body stationary.

Grasp resistance bands’ handles and step one foot in the middle of the band with palms facing up. Curl the handles upwards keeping the tension on the biceps.

Chances are “50/50” that you’ll cry.Malignant neoplasm, The Big C, cancer

— can you make fun of it? Conventional wisdom says “No.” Seth

Rogen, on the other hand, says, “Hey, I already made fun of unplanned pregnancy, so why not?”

That brings us to the present, where we have “50/50.” Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who is in his mid-20s, is diagnosed with spinal cancer. His friend Kyle (Seth Rogen) tries to help him make the best of the situation.

Meanwhile, Adam starts to have complicated feelings for his therapist (Anna Kendrick).

Let’s talk about mood whiplash: the film has a lot of it. Everything’s funny. You have Rogen’s vulgarity one minute, then horrifying nervous breakdown the next.

One curious thing about the movie is the fact that no one brings up God, the possibility of an afterlife, or even reincarnation.

Atheists might scoff at such “ridiculous” things being in an adult movie, and it doesn’t really affect the narrative, but you’d think that someone might bring it up, considering the gravity

of the situation. After all, the one thing that devout

atheists and believers have in common is the fact that they won’t shut up about their thoughts on a higher power.

Again, it’s really just a minor point, and only pops into your head after the movies over.

Rogen conveys most of the humor, but Gordon-Levitt has his funny moments outside of his heavy drama scenes.

This raises an interesting idea that is toyed with in the movie, but never fully explored: comedy as expression of grief. Depression, anger and even numbness are all traditionally accepted ways of dealing

with a stressful or grave situation. Try to laugh it off, though, and people

are baffled, if not offended, by your “poor taste.”

“50/50” is a moving, realistic look at how cancer affects the person who has it and everyone around them. The characters are all sympathetic, even the antagonists, even if you disagree with their actions.

Finally, depending on your past experiences with the portrayed affliction or death in general, it might be a bit of a tearjerker, in addition to a laugh-out-loud comedy.

OpinionB4 www.eaglenews.org

EDITORIAL

The phrase “Drink Drank Drunk” is about as familiar to a college student as the late-night rush to finish a paper you had three weeks to work on. Alcohol and college are inseparable; they are fused at the core of the culture. That’s the consensus, at least—and FGCU policy reflects that.

Consequences for on-campus alcohol incidents rarely result in arrests. Instead, many students are turned over to judicial affairs and avoid the real-world repercussions of engaging in illegal consumption of alcohol.

Eagle News agrees with the campus’ policy. College provides an unbound sense of freedom for many students who have never had such freedom before and it can’t

always be managed responsibly.Students should not face the harsh

consequences of law enforcement due to a lapse in judgment. New environments are always stressful and people will always trip up a few times.

But repeat offenders should face harsher punishment. Making a mistake once or even twice is fine, but past that it shows the person isn’t learning from his or her mistakes.

We agree that it’s not responsible to slap on heavy punishments for first-time offenders, but when first time turns into third and fourth times, it’s clear that the more severe actions should be invoked to send a clearer message.

Opinions expressed are those of the Eagle News board of editors.

EN

On my way downstairs in Biscayne one evening my friends and I came upon a boy lying face up on a bench beside the elevator.

His eyes were closed and his hand was placed upon his forehead in such a way that reminded me of a terrible actor expressing anguish.

“Are you okay?” I asked the boy.“I’m great. I feel terrible but I’m

good. I’m wasted. I’m sick. I’m good,” the boy slurred in reply.

I looked at him skeptically and went on my way.

I was sitting in my dorm a few hours later and rumors about vomiting, an ambulance, and UPD involvement started popping up on Facebook.

A text from a friend on the floor where the commotion was occurring confirmed my theory: It was the same delusional boy I’d met earlier in the night.

What happened to that boy? Did he get kicked out of housing? Out of the school?

Did he have to spend time in jail, alone and scared, looking out of a barred window asking, “Why God, why?”

Probably not.UPD is very lenient with punishment

regarding underage drinking. In our student handbook (which

I’m sure has been vigorously studied by every FGCU student down to the last period), one of the punishments for this act can be as light as parental notification.

According to state law, a person caught under the age of 21 possessing alcohol should receive a fine of up to $500 or a 60-day stint in prison.

For some students a call home to mom and dad may be more terrifying then the thought of two months in prison; however, I’d say the majority would risk a night out partying if the only thing on their record was their parents’ disapproval.

“If stricter laws were enforced, then there would probably be less drinking on campus. I know that most kids aren’t afraid of a call home, and it wouldn’t stop them from drinking,” said Erica Schiraldi, a freshman who hasn’t declared a major.

I understand that college is the time to make mistakes and to learn from them, but how can we learn from them if the punishment is not matching up to the crime?

Although I don’t think that prison time is necessarily the answer, I do think that a stricter UPD would decrease the amount of incidents on campus.

Incidents, for example, involving immature freshmen trying to assert their independence by getting their stomach pumped the first month of school.

Jessie is a freshman who doesn’t know what to major in. She loves reading, good music and writing, especially writing in the third person.

The Republican Party and its

supporters showed their true colors during each of the last three nationally televised Republican and Tea Party debates.

The parties, known for their pro-life stance and conservative, Christian values, drew harsh criticism this week from President Barack Obama over their lack of support of all military personnel, including those service members who happen to be gay.

But that’s just the latest in a string of bad behavior from debate goers who have received silent a f f i r m a t i o n from the GOP p re s i d e n t i a l

candidates. During the debate on Sept. 7,

the crowd erupted in cheers at the mention of Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s record of 234 executions since he took office in 2000 — an average nearing 20 executions per year and a number that has grown since the debate.

When Ron Paul was posed a series of questions about government health care versus personal responsibility during the Sept. 12 debate, several members of the audience cheered and someone yelled out “yeah!” in response to a question about allowing a hypothetical sick man without insurance to die.

Later in the debate, the same crowd offered boos when Paul rejected the notion of blaming “the entire Muslim world” for the actions that led to and continue to feed the wars in the Middle East.

Most recently, Stephen Hill, a United States soldier currently serving in Iraq who also happens to be gay, asked a question via video feed during the Sept. 22 debate.

His question concerned the repeal of the controversial policy “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which was officially repealed two days prior.

He wanted to know if the candidates would work to reverse the repeal.

Before former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum could answer, the crowd booed and jeered. Santorum, who claimed not to have heard the response of the crowd, went on to

answer the question without mention of the inappropriate response.

What has American society become? Will we allow ourselves to be defined as a nation of contradiction and hypocrisy?

What does it say about us when those who tout pro-life ideals not only approve of, but also get audibly excited about state executions?

Have we become so hardened and uncaring that we should not only let the uninsured die but cheer them along as they go?

Are we supposed to blindly hate others based upon nothing but their religion?

Do we support some but not all of our military personnel?

These are some tough questions. Unfortunately, the presidential

candidates at the last three debates have perpetuated acceptance of a distorted system of values by not standing up to audience members.

People cheering death: It’s deplorable and the audience members involved should be ashamed of themselves.

Booing a U.S. soldier because he’s gay: It’s disheartening. Our service members put their lives on the line for our freedom. They don’t just fight for Democrats. They don’t just fight for Republicans and Tea Party supporters. They fight for every single person within the American border.

They fight so that those on death row, the sick, the healthy, the unemployed, the middle-class and the rich can all enjoy the rights bestowed on us by the Constitution of the United States.

They make no distinction, so why do some believe it is appropriate to selectively support our service members based upon their sexual orientation?

Wake up, America, because it’s not appropriate at all.

Note to readers: In an interview on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, GOP candidate Herman Cain said that he should have defended Stephen Hill when the audience booed.

Jenny is a junior majoring in environmental engineering. She loves the Boston Red Sox, riding roller coasters, writing poetry and watching science fiction programs.

Bullying is a universal issue that

needs to end. Bullying is an every day occurrence that is completely unnecessary in today’s world. Children deserve to live in a world where other children don’t judge them for any reason.

For example, Michael Tulipano is a 12-year-old boy who is speech impaired and developmentally delayed. He attended Manatee Elementary School in Naples where he was constantly bullied for his learning disabilities.

It’s a perfect example of an unacceptable occurrence in elementary schools. Michael’s disability does not take anything from him, but other kids tore him apart for it.

It simply boils down to Michael having a disability and his classmates not having one. His peers bullied him because he wasn’t a “regular” kid like them.

Why does he have to be singled out for something that doesn’t affect his character at all?

Bullying is a form of punishment. When bullies single out someone, they are punishing that person for just being his or herself.

But what’s the reason for singling out someone just because that person is being who he or she is?

Catherine Bradshaw, a developmental psychologist who studies bullying at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, said people

bully because bullying provides them with a sense of power.

If a person bullies to gain power, does that mean they feel powerless? Are they bullying a person because they feel that person has taken their power away?

Bullies want to pull their core group closer and take someone out of the group,” Bradshaw said. The person who is forced to leave the group is the victim.

Bradshaw’s statement applies to Michael and anyone else who has been bullied.

Think about a time when you or someone you know was bullied. How did you or they feel? It creates a feeling of isolation that makes you think no one is on your side. Your self-esteem is greatly affected.

Some students have or haven’t been bullied and they think it’s wrong. A registered student organization called Bully Me Not is dedicated to educating people about bullying through student experiences and guest speakers.

Whether you’ve been bullied or not, it’s never OK. As a community, we need to stand together and take action against bullying.

Rashai is a sophomore majoring in communication. She loves laying on the beach at night, looking at the stars. She is an avid reader and writer who hopes to one day share her words with others. Rashai would like to be a broadcast or print journalist to support her passion for writing and weakness for ice cream.

WEDNESDAY, OCT 5 EAGLE NEWS OPINION B5EDITOR: ANDREW FRIEDGEN OPINION!EAGLENEWS.ORG

There’s a reason why People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

( P E T A ) aren’t in it to treat people ethically, too: they have zero ability to judge when their m a r k e t i n g goes too far.

T h e animal rights activist group has a long history of insulting marketing strategies, including comparing meat consumption to the Holocaust (nice).

And vice president Mary Beth Sweetland campaigned against using animals for testing, even though she’s a diabetic and is kept alive by insulin that was developed thanks to animal testing.

Her response?“I have no qualms about it ...

I’m not going to take the chance of killing myself by not taking insulin. I don’t see myself as a hypocrite. I need my life to fight for the rights of animals,” she said, presumably

then donning a fur coat and adding, “I need my warmth to fight for the right of animals, but damn everyone else.”

Now PETA is hitting close to home and creating a marketing campaign out of a shark-attack victim that nearly lost his leg.

Charles Wickersham was attacked by a shark off Anna Maria Island and needed 800 stitches to mend the injuries to his thigh.

“Payback is hell” reads the ad created as a result of the incident. A human leg hangs out of a shark’s mouth and the organization proclaims “Go Vegan.”

To add insult to injury, the organization plans to start a billboard and bench advertising campaign in places near the

island.Their press release states “The

most dangerous predator of all is the one holding the fishing rod or standing at the ‘all you can eat’ seafood buffet.”

Sometimes you read news and the only acceptable reaction is jaw-dropping disbelief. This is one of those kind of reports.

The idea of animal rights is commendable when kept in moderation. Concepts such as “adopt pets, don’t buy them,” and larger, sweeping issues such as humane animal farming are the progressive ideals that fit in with a modern focus.

And it’s true: Shark populations have been severely affected. The “International Action Plan for

Sharks” states that more than 100 of 400 shark species are being exploited by industry and many of these species’ long-term survival chances are dismal.

But PETA has shown time and time again to have no grip on what’s acceptable and what’s not.

The damage of this campaign is two-fold: there’s the obvious spitting in the face of Wickersham, but there’s also the unraveling of efforts to teach that sharks aren’t fish bent on murdering humanity.

Now we’re told that sharks are on some sort of irrational, vengeance-fueled killing spree.

My experience with PETA has always been passive. They show up at many of the concerts I go to and get petition signatures from

people in line who don’t really know what they’re signing.

This marketing campaign is an insult to Wickersham’s dignity and brings PETA to an even lower level than before. It’s amazing that 1.2-plus million people “like” this organization on Facebook.

At the 2007 Warped Tour, I saw a man buy a hot dog and eat it in front of the PETA tent. For anyone who wants to protest PETA’s current campaign, I have a similar solution inspired

by that man: combine a Burger King Whopper with KFC’s Double Down.

We’ll call our new sandwich “The Slaughterhouse” and we can tag PETA in Facebook photos of us eating it.

OK, that’s a bit antagonistic. But next time you want to support an animal rights organization, think of human rights first and pick one other than PETA.

Andrew is a sophomore majoring in journalism. He enjoys exploring the concepts of cynicism and optimism side by side. He is also a big fan of new wave/synthpop music.

Austerity. This word has plagued the news

media as of late and while a person can infer its meaning from the context, what does it actually mean?

The Random House dictionary reads that it is “an austere quality, severity of manner, life, etc.;

sternness.” I n

the most s i m p l i s t i c terms it means severe self-denial.

Currently around the globe, many local, state,

and federal governments seek to impose austerity measures in the wake of the financial crisis and the modern day depression.

They deprive their constituents of services to save money, services that have been deemed unnecessary by bureaucrats who make good salaries, have health benefits and live in affluent neighborhoods.

In the case of Greece and her citizens, the government has decided

to change taxation protocols, impose a number of public sector, spending and benefit cuts and privatize state- owned utilities.

This is what has the Greek people protesting. They are screaming and walking off jobs because they believe that the government is being unrealistic in its attempt to remain solvent and keep the Euro Zone stable.

Until 2011, people in Greece could retire with full pensions as early as 50.

In an effort to save the country money, they increased the standard retirement age to 65 and did away with the early retirement possibility.

They also instituted a whole host of new taxes, including ones on property owners that have people scrambling to pay while others flat out refuse to help.

Also, wage earners used to enjoy a tax-free earnings limit of 12,000 euros, but that was lowered to 8,000 euros in an attempt to recover revenue that has gone uncollected.

The key to tax collection, however, is wages paid out.

Greece has decided to slash the income of public sector employees by as much as 15 percent and will only be filling half of the jobs left

by workers retiring out of the workforce, therefore reducing paid wages.

But, those who are leaving the workforce and looking to the Greek social security program will find that those benefits have been reduced and if they haven’t worked for 40 plus years they won’t receive them all.

The government decided that they should suffer with the people and they reduced spending in key areas such as education, closing almost 2,000 schools.

It has terminated temporary public sector employees and sold off major percentages of port authorities, financial institutions, the electric company and the telephone company.

Next year the water company, airports and transportation systems are going up on the block.

So it’s possible, in order to prevent the destabilization of the European Union and, by proxy, the global economy, Greece has decided to let its people shoulder the burden and sell off infrastructure to the highest bidder.

Austere indeed. The people, on the other hand,

disagree. They have spent the past

weeks walking off of their jobs, showing the government how important they are and withholding taxes the state says it desperately needs.

How long before the government sees that in the grand scheme of things they need the laborers?

How long before our own nation realizes that no money can be made to fix the floundering economy with no employed work force?

Politicians can stand in front of groups of individuals talking about creating jobs and fixing the defunct systems we have, but it will only happen one working class taxpayer at a time.

When the CEO of America’s favorite soft drink gets on the nightly news and says China is open for business and America makes it harder to thrive, then we have a problem.

A country built on the dream that anyone can start a company and that small business is the life blood sure hasn’t shown it in a great many years.

The conglomerates flourish and the mom and pops fold. It’s a sad day when you can’t change doctors because every one of them in a 50- mile radius is owned by the same

medical group. How long before we follow in

Greece’s footsteps? Before we sacrifice everything

that made us great to pay the bills instead of cracking down on the tax codes to recapture funds that should be in national coffers?

How long before we cut standards in education and social programs to the point that we most resemble the conditions from the Cold War USSR that spurned that country’s drive for democracy?

What does it take to couple our great technological advancements with ideals of the past to help put America back to work like she wants to be?

I wonder about these questions and often times sadly, I think another Great Depression is just what we need as motivation, but enough austerity measures could be levied so that those days, I’m afraid, will be long forgotten.

Mandie is a junior majoring in secondary social science education. She is married with two children and serves on the Board of Directors of C.A.R.E.S. Suicide Prevention.

With a new school year comes new opportunity for the FGCU Hockey Club. Despite finishing last year ranked fifth in the Division II National American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) rankings and No. 1 in the South region, hockey club captain Mike Lendino says his team is not satisfied.

“Every year has been disappointing so far because we expect to win a national championship,” said Lendino, an FGCU graduate who is entering his sixth year of affiliation with the club.

For the second consecutive year, FGCU will be hosting the ACHA Division II National Championships at its home rink, Germain Arena.

When asked if there were any games the team was looking forward to, Lendino said, without hesitation, “March 14-17, the National Tournament, when the best 16 teams in the country come down.”

The team has been blessed with continuity this offseason as every member of last year’s squad has rejoined the team, along with two newcomers, Kent State graduate transfer Josh Martin and New York freshman Kevin Zipkin.

Popularity among FGCU students is higher than ever, as almost 85 prospective players came to the open tryouts held last month.

Some players to watch include several graduating seniors, defensemen Ryan Kovesdy and Kevin Mixon as well as center Lendino and up-and-coming junior Nick Allega (#7).

The Eagles have continuity on the ice as well as off it, with coach Bob Brinkworth returning for a

10th year of coaching the Division II squad.

“Coach Brinkworth has been in the organization since 2002 and has had a huge part in building the team to the level it is now,” said Allega, a defenseman. “All the players look at him with respect and try to get better as a player and, most importantly, as a team, through his

coaching.” The Eagles’ 2011-12 season is

littered with games against tough Division I opponents in hopes of preparing them for the National Tournament.

FGCU will face Maryland, Eastern Michigan and Missouri among the big-name schools.

They kicked off the year Sept. 17

with a preseason game against the Junior Blades along with two pairs of games against the University of Temple and the University of Iowa, both Division I schools.

All have been convincing wins, with FGCU outscoring its opponents 37-14, most recently a 10-4 drubbing of Iowa on Saturday.

FGCU takes to the road this

weekend for an ACHA Showcase event in Missouri before returning home Oct. 14 to begin a long string of home games every Friday and Saturday at Germain Arena in the rink adjacent to the recreational rink.

All games are played at 6 p.m. (Division III squad) and 8:30 p.m. (Division II).

SportsB6 www.eaglenews.org

When the Florida Gulf Coast University wresting club hits the mats this year, they will have one of the greatest college wrestlers of all time on the sidelines.

Pat Milkovich, a two-time NCAA champion, has agreed to coach the club team this season.

Milkovich won his two national championships at Michigan State in 1972 and ’74. He joined the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2000.

The four-time All-American comes from a family of wrestling greats. According to wrestlingusa.com, his father, Mike Milkovich, is one of the top 10 greatest wrestling coaches ever.

His brother, Tom, also won a national title at Michigan State, and was a head coach at Auburn.

A former assistant at his alma mater, Milkovich moved to Fort

Myers in 2003, but remained p a s s i o n a t e a b o u t wrestling. He was originally unaware of the program at FGCU.

“I was helping South Fort Myers

High School, but I was looking for a place to land,” Milkovich said. “The college level is so much different because you can’t convince these guys to quit. I see myself in these kids. They want to work hard and wrestle. I am glad to have the chance to give back.”

Getting down to work is what these guys are all about.

Without a proper place to practice or equipment to use, the club had fallen on bad times. That changed this summer.

“We were kind of stuck,” said FGCU wrestler Kenny Hird. “This year we are stepping up. There is a team effort, and we have a new facility. Everybody is pitching in.”

The players and the university have combined to spend about $10,000 this year on new equipment. The team also has a new home. They train at the Lion’s Den gym, just a few minutes off campus.

With the recent addition of Milkovich, the wrestlers are excited about their prospects.

“He’s the reason I know we will be national champions,” Hird said. “I am looking forward to living the dream. I know myself and others always wanted to wrestle in college. Having a place to compete means something.”

Younger guys such as freshman James Dellecove might not have had a chance before the big changes.

Dellecove has been wrestling since he was 5, but came to FGCU

because he likes the campus and it was close to home.

“I wasn’t considering wrestling, but after getting together with friends we decided it was really taking off here,” he said. “Our goal is to make a big name for ourselves and go to the NCAA.”

FGCU competes in the National Collegiate Wrestling Association along with other big programs in the South, including schools in the Southeastern Conference.

Because of Title IV issues, which deals with gender equality in sports, many bigger schools lost funding in the 1980s and decided to never return. It is a competitive league, and Milkovich is looking forward to the challenge.

He is passionate about the sport he loves, but more than anything he wants to impart the lessons he’s learned in life onto the young men he is coaching. He is also aware of what’s going on at FGCU.

“This is a fine university to be affiliated with,” Milkovich said. “It’s a great sports program. I want to see FGCU win at everything. It’s not always about winning, though, it’s about the lessons you learn, who you become. Someday that ‘no quit’ will pay off for these kids.”

Using words such as discipline, commitment and integrity, Milkovich is confident about the next phase of his career.

“Once you get involved with a group of people you’re family,” Milkovich said. “I think it’s a great opportunity here at FGCU. We will see where it goes.”

FGCU opens up with a preseason match at the University of Florida this weekend.

Students interested in joining can contact the club through the Campus Recreation website.

Milkovich

C.J. Weber, FGCU’s new men’s tennis coach, already has instilled a no-nonsense approach with his team just three and a half weeks into his tenure.

Even though the actual season will not start until the spring, the team has competed and done well in tournaments such as the Florida State Men’s Tennis Tournament and the Seminole Invitational.

Sophomore Dean Tsamas led the Eagles at the Seminole Invite last weekend, going 2-1 in singles play. Freshman Tianyu Bao reached the quarterfinals of the singles B draw.

Weber, whose previous jobs include stints at his alma mater Eastern Illinois and the University of Miami, is eager for the season to begin.

“I was curious about the coaching job here at FGCU,” Weber said. “I was not sure if I wanted to leave Miami, but I was very curious about the position, and it’s a growing atmosphere. It made me very excited to be a part of something very unique.”

Weber takes over a team that returns six players from last season’s 3-18 (1-9 A-Sun) group.

With that said, Weber likes what he sees from his players early on.

“I am enjoying working with the guys a lot,” Weber said. “They want to get better and they have a real desire to improve their game, which makes my job a lot easier.”

Weber makes it a point that the season will be no picnic for his players.

“I can expect a lot of hard work, a lot of blood, sweat and tears from my players, and I will get the most out of them,” Weber

said. One strategy that Weber has shown

since he took over is utilizing one-on-one work with his players.

“You have to give every player individual attention because each player’s game is a little different,” Weber said.

Senior Matthew Rock is looking ahead to the season.

“We’ve been working on a lot of singles strategy and we’ve had a number of wins,”

Rock said.” “It’s been a pretty encouraging start. Personally, I’ve done well in the early tournaments, but I definitely have room for improvement. Coach (Weber) is working on serves, which I need to improve upon, as well as finishing out points.”

Rock has a lot of respect for his new coach and he looks forward to FGCU’s first NCAA tournament-eligible season.

“Coach (Weber) has done great and he’s really helping our conditioning,” Rock

said. “He’s really focused on our games (individually) and he’s really focused on things that we need to improve on.

“We’re NCAA Tournament-eligible now, so we really want to get to the tournament for FGCU.”

FGCU’s next tournament will be the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Regional in Athens, Ga., on Oct. 20.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 5 EAGLE NEWS SPORTS B7EDITOR: JOSH SIEGEL SPORTS!EAGLENEWS.ORG

New coach Weber likes what he sees so far

The FGCU men’s basketball team will hold an hour-long walk-on tryout at 5 p.m. Oct. 13 in Alico Arena.

Potential walk-ons must have played high school basketball to participate in the tryout.

There is no guarantee that any walk-ons will make the team.

Those interested in trying out and attaining the required tryout materials should contact Joey Cantens, FGCU men’s basketball’s director of basketball operations, at jcantens@fgcu.edu.

The FGCU men’s basketball team, led by first-year coach Andy Enfield, currently has 13 players.

Seven players return from last season’s 10-20 (7-13 A-Sun) squad.

Post-season eligible for the first time, FGCU opens its 2011 season with an exhibition against Saint Leo on Nov. 5 at Alico Arena.

FGCU volleyball’s win against Stetson on Oct. 1 was more than just a sloppy four-set victory.

“We were sloppy, we were high error, played a little tight, we made uncharacteristic hitting errors and serving errors,” FGCU coach Dave Nichols said.

With that victory the girls surpassed their win total from last year and matched their wins in conference play from a year ago.

By starting off 3-0 in conference play, the girls are tied for first in the Atlantic Sun.

A big part of their win was thanks to freshman Jill Hopper, who contributed a career-high 24 kills in the victory.

“We’re really pleased with the production from our new players,” Nichols said.

Those 24 kills rank second in FGCU history for number of kills in a four-set match.

Hopper is also making a splash among A-Sun statistic leaders as she ranks in the top 10 in four categories.

She’s ninth in hitting percentage, eighth in kills per set, second in service aces per set and seventh in points per set. She ranks as the first freshman in three of those four categories.

Some more highlights: in 13 of 15 games this year, Hopper has double digit kills including 10 straight. Additionally, in three tournaments this year, she has been named to all-conference teams.

Hopper shares some of the credit with her teammates.

“I can’t do anything by myself,” Hopper said. “I can’t do anything without a good pass, a good set and of course I have to do the same when I’m in the back row. All I want to do is contribute to my teammates and my team.”

All of these great stats aren’t going unnoticed.

On Sept. 19, Hopper was named the A-Sun Player of the Week.

It was her first career player- of-the-week honors and it was all due to her play in the Penn State Tournament.

She had at least 10 kills in each of the three matches they played that weekend where the team went 2-1, with the only loss coming to then No. 5 Penn State.

FGCU now heads north to face conference foes Mercer and Kennesaw State this weekend before coming home for a three-game home stand.

“We’re not exceeding our expectations (starting 3-0 in A-Sun play),” Hopper said. “We come into every game expecting to do well. It felt good to get these three out of the way, but it’s a long way to go.”

Sportswww.eaglenews.org

The FGCU women’s soccer team recently beat conference opponent Stetson University last Saturday by a score of 1-0, led by a defensive unit that was able to step up and score the game winning goal.

FGCU (7-3-2, 2-0-1 A-Sun) redshirt senior defender Kat Hunter headed in the game-winning goal off a corner kick from junior midfielder Brittany Burt, a sequence that shows the Eagles’ defense is not afraid to move forward and attack when they have the opportunity.

Eagles’ coach Jim Blankenship was very pleased with his defense taking charge.

“It was good,” Blankenship said. “We work on it almost every day (corner kicks). It’s paid off. We’ve scored a couple times on corner kicks. Kat (Hunter) and Ashley (Ciesielczyk), they have a different mentality. They’re both ball hunters. She (Kat Hunter) was outstanding that game, and got rewarded for her efforts with a really good goal.”

Part of the reason that the Eagles’ defenders are able to do well on the attack is because they have had experience playing on the offensive side of the ball.

Ciesielczyk, a redshirt junior defender who leads FGCU in assists and is tied for the team lead in points, started 13 games at midfield last season.

Because she has played offense before (she also had 61 career goals in high school), she is able to attack on defense.

“I can understand the runs more up top, and can feed off of what the runs are going to be,” Ciesielczyk said. “Hopefully, I can see what they’re seeing (her

teammates) and be able to play the ball to where I know they’re going to be running. Being used to attacking also is a strength, coming out of the back instead of just up top.”

Junior Jennifer Crittenberger, another FGCU defender, also had offensive playing experience at Cardinal Gibbons High School before coming to FGCU.

In her first two years at Cardinal Gibbons, she played forward, before moving to defense her second two years.

She even won the Sun-Sentinel & Miami Herald Offensive Player of the Year in her freshman high school season.

Having defenders such as Hunter, Ciesielczyk, KC Correllus, and Crittenberger who can move the ball forward is a big part of FGCU’s attack.

“It helps because it makes us a bit more complete as a team,” Blankenship said. “Part of what we do is try to attack in numbers. It’s important to get a lot of people forward, and in a good rhythm, and creating chances. The last game (vs. Stetson) we were relentless. We put them (Stetson) under a tremendous amount of pressure.”

Hunter, who has nine shots and a goal this season, concurred with Blankenship.

“It’s (the defense) someone else on the attack, and I think it kind of throws teams off,” Hunter said. “Because a lot of times only their (the opposing teams) outside backs will attack. KC (Correllus) goes up a lot. I kind of will dribble up and then distribute. I just think it’s an advantage for us that we have defenders that can attack as well.”

FGCU’s next two games will be on the road: against Mercer on Friday and at Kennesaw State on Sunday, where the Eagles will be looking to move up from their fourth place standing in conference.

While most 7-year-old girls in America find themselves immersed in a world of Barbie dolls and sidewalk chalk, Emma Svensson was submerged in a swimming pool in Sweden.

What began as a hobby ended up being the foundation for Svensson’s collegiate career.

In a late signing, Svensson signed a national letter of intent to swim at FGCU late last month.

Svensson, who holds the national record in Sweden for the 50-meter backstroke and was ranked the No. 9 recruit in the country for the class of 2011, becomes the most highly touted recruit in FGCU swimming and diving history.

FGCU coach Neal Studd is

elated with Svensson’s agreement to become an Eagle.

“I’ve had a lot of success with Swedish swimmers in the past,” Studd said. “We scouted her (Svensson) out from results. She was the right age and swam in the right events we were looking for.”

Studd’s connection to Sweden runs deep.

Former All-Conference swimmer and conference champion Viktoria Hyddmark, a Sweden native, swam for FGCU until her graduation last year.

Studd’s team manager, Dan Jimar, is from Sweden as well.

These connections to Sweden made Svensson gravitate toward FGCU over other offers.

A simple email from Studd to Svensson began the recruiting process.

Studd asked Svensson if she

would ever consider swimming for FGCU, and, according to Studd, “I wouldn’t say there was that much convincing. This (FGCU) is a great place to be a swimmer.”

Upon making her decision to attend FGCU, Svensson was approached with many inquiries about her choice.

“Some people were wondering why I chose FGCU,” Svensson said. “I think this fits me more than any other school. How big or how good a school is isn’t the only thing that’s important to me. It’s more about what a team can do. I wanted to go where I thought it was best to go. Not going where (others) considered to be ‘the best.’”

Svensson moved to America on Aug. 15 after only coming to the country once for a recruiting trip.

One thing Svensson says struck her as different about the U.S.

is how “open” and “welcoming” Americans are compared to the closed, reserved nature of people back home.

As a record holder and top- ranked recruit, one would think Svensson might feel pressure.

She says differently. “I don’t think too much about

it (expectations),” Svensson said. “It’s fun (setting a national record), but you always have something you can be better at.”

One swimming adjustment Svensson has been forced to make is creating a new sense of setting “time goals” for herself in terms of yards verses the meter time goals she’s used to back home.

“I don’t want to set too high of goals the first season, but instead just swim as fast as I can,” Svensson said.

Svensson has nothing negative

to say about her experience at FGCU thus far.

She loves everything, including the people, her coaches and teammates, as well as the climate.

According to Studd, Svensson has meshed with the team and adapted very well so far.

“She may be one of the nicest kids I’ve ever coached,” Studd said.

Though Svensson’s signing is obviously a big deal, Studd tries not to single her out in training.

“I have very high expectations for all of the girls,” Studd said. “The expectation is to come everyday, work hard, and improve.

“While she is a little special, we want her to be a part of the team by not really separating (her) in any way.”