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Inside Eckerd: The Latest News
April 3, 2014
It has been a few months since the last issue of Inside Eckerd and what a busy time it has been. From the annual Environmental Film Festival in February to the successful Alumni Weekend in March and a service-focused Spring Break, our students, alumni, faculty and staff were making a difference and putting Eckerd on the map.
Visit the Inside Eckerd archives page to read past issues or invite a friend to join the mailing list. Help us grow our Inside Eckerd audience by sharing this email with your friends and family "outside Eckerd." Enjoy!
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Presidential Events Series wraps up as planning begins for next year
The 2013-2014 Presidential Events Series, The Human Experience: An Odyssey, wraps up this month with a provocative panel discussion about Florida farm workers. "Modern Day Slavery in Florida's Fields?" will feature former farm workers and labor activists discussing pesticide exposure, immigration status, low wages and workplace conditions. The event will be held Wednesday, April 16, at 7 p.m. in Miller Auditorium.
Planning is now underway for the 2014-15 Presidential Events Series, which will be based on the theme "Between Worlds: Immigration, Identity and Globalization." The theme is inspired by the Eckerd College summer reading selection, Enrique's Journey, by Sonia Nazario. The book tells the true story of a 17-year-old boy who travels from his home in Honduras to the U.S. to be reunited with his mother.
The Presidential Events Series, a subset of the College Program Series, emphasizes the philosophy that Eckerd's faculty imparts to first-year students: "Think critically about the world around you and your place in this world." All events are open to the public.
Each semester, Eckerd freshmen and Sophomores must attend at least four events in the College Program Series. It is designed to enhance the intellectual, religious and cultural life of the College community by bringing well-known scholars, artists, scientists and distinguished individuals to campus.
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Marine science class goes to sea
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Professor David Hastings shows students how to gather water samples aboard the RV Bellows.
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Students in Marine Science and Chemistry Professor David Hastings' Chemical and Physical Oceanography course recently got some hands-on experience researching water quality in Tampa Bay aboard the 71-ft. Research Vessel Bellows, operated by the Florida Institute of Oceanography. As The Tampa Tribune reported, the students "drew water out of Tampa Bay from the mouth of the Alafia River to the Sunshine Skyway, securing samples in the onboard laboratory while taking sediment from the sea floor and examining a cross-section of aquatic life brought to the surface."
"You sit in a classroom and you learn about all this stuff, but then to actually be out here and do all the different tests, see what all the equipment is about, and actually work with people who do this for a living, it makes you think, 'Maybe this is what I could do after I get a degree,'" Kristina Petraites, a senior majoring in marine science, told the Tribune. "That's what I like about it - It makes you feel like you're really a part of the scientific community."
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Improv group invited to Chicago Fest
 | | Another Man's Trash will perform at the Chicago Improv Festival. |
The Eckerd College student improv group Another Man's Trash has been selected to perform at the prestigious Chicago Improv Festival on Friday, April 4. It is one of only two college improv groups among the more than 200 performing during the festival, the largest improv festival in the world. The troupe will perform at the Playground Theater at 9 p.m. Another Man's Trash, founded in 2008, is comprised of 11 students and performs monthly to sold-out audiences at Eckerd's Miller Auditorium. . The group was chosen for the festival based on a video recording of its December performance. Read more. Tampa Bay Times story | Tampabay.com video |
Traffic light installed in wake of fatality
 | | A new traffic light enhances safety along 54th Avenue South at the campus entrance. |
The campus entrance finally has a traffic signal, two years after one of its key advocates, long-time ASPEC member Bob Shepherd, was killed in a crash at the intersection along with a passenger, Frances "Blackie" Sparzani. "We have upwards of 4,500 staff, faculty and visitors who do try to leave here," Bill McKenna, Eckerd's director of planning, development and construction, told Bay News 9. "So there is a rush hour off of the campus."
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Eckerd professor featured on 20/20
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Psychology Professor and Associate Dean Marjorie Sanfilippo discusses kids and guns on 20/20.
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Fifteen years ago, in the wake of the Columbine shootings and six other similar school tragedies, Marjorie Sanfilippo, Ph.D., a child psychologist, was asked by ABC 20/20 with Diane Sawyer to recreate her research about children's behaviors around firearms for a show on the topic. Fifteen years and 61 more school shootings later, 20/20 producers asked Sanfilippo, now associate dean of faculty and professor of psychology at Eckerd College, to show a new generation of adult viewers what happens when children have access to firearms. Hidden-camera footage is used extensively to capture children's behaviors when they discover firearms in backpacks at school and in their homes. ABC Action News | Watch the full episode | U.S. News & World Report
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Hundreds return for Alumni Weekend
 | President Donald Eastman speaks during Alumni
Weekend. |
From Pitchers with Professors to a celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Founding Class, Alumni Weekend was a huge success. More than 600 alumni and guests attended. One of the highlights was the induction of members of the Founding Class of 1964 into the new Golden Triton Society, the first of what is planned to be an annual event. The Founding Class made history with Eckerd's largest reunion gift ever: More than $500,000 for scholarships! All the alumni and guests had fun, with a picnic at South Beach, an art show at Cobb Gallery and a dance at GO Pavilion. | View a gallery of photos from Alumni Weekend.
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Spring Break a time for volunteering
 | | Working with Haitian immigrants in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. |
More than 100 Eckerd College students spent Spring Break trying to make the world a better place by volunteering at far-flung sports around the globe. As The Tampa Tribune reported, Eckerd students participated in everything from Buddhist monasticism in California to post-winter restoration in Iceland. Chris Higgins, an international relations senior, led a trip to the rain forest of Ecuador instead of the more traditional Spring Break partying. "Those things are easily accomplished in Florida on any random Thursday night," he told the Tribune. "When you're given this time off, it's a chance to do something worthwhile and a chance to make memories instead of losing them." View a gallery of Spring Break service trip photos.
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Paul Posillico, Jimmy Rivera and Alec Ogg are from three distinctly different hometowns and have academic interests related in only the liberal arts sense. So of course when they arrived at Eckerd College, as roommates from New York, Chicago and Memphis, they formed a fast friendship. Their Eckerd experience is likely shared by other alumni yet is so uniquely Eckerd it's unlikely to happen at many other colleges. After four years as roommates, Paul, Jimmy and Alec decided to move to Hollywood, California after graduation in 2012. What these young men have been doing since Commencement 2012 is quite impressive. Find out what they are up to now.
 Audrey Copeland, '07, environmental studies and anthropology graduate, is business development manager at EnerNOC, a cleantech company. "I help organizations achieve greater resource productivity (food waste/energy) utilizing technology," she says. "Basically I get to sell solutions that make the world a better place!" It all started here. "Eckerd College encourages students to be life long learners who take risks with confidence," she says. "This perspective is invaluable in one's career and in life." Read more about how her time at Eckerd influenced her career path.
When Samantha Hilton was asked if she would meet with her scholarship donor, she immediately said yes and asked who it was. The answer floored her: It was
Dr. Ashley Hill of Orlando, the doctor who delivered her into this world 18 years ago. A 1986 Eckerd graduate, Dr. Hill is executive medical director at Loch Haven OB/GYN Group in Orlando. The news was as surprising to him as it was to Samantha. He looks back on his time at Eckerd with great pride. Read more about Dr. Hill.
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Only at Eckerd Set sail with Eckerd (from your desk)
Sailing is a favorite activity at Eckerd College. Students, faculty and staff can take the boats out for fun and our Sailing teams are always competitive. Students Spencer Yaffe '17 shot this time-lapse video and Sarah Richardson '15 edited it. Learn more about the Eckerd Waterfront and the Sailing teams. Go Tritons!  Sustainability efforts include solar power The latest Eckerd College sustainability project is tucked away on the roof of the Environmental Studies and Behavioral Sciences buildings. It is Eckerd's first foray into solar power. With 216 panels, the 50-kilowatt system has already saved the College nearly $3,000 in electrical costs since it went live in late October. The $150,000 project recently qualified for an $80,000 rebate under Duke Energy's SunSense program, cutting Eckerd's upfront costs by more than half. The system is expected to pay for itself in eight to 10 years. Read more about this and other sustainability projects. 28th Annual Marine Yard Sale draws hundreds Hundreds of bargain hunters turned out for the 28th Annual Marine Yard Sale on March 22. Thousands of items were donated by businesses and individuals.Nearly $40,000 was raised the day of the sale, plus another $10,000 in boat sales before and after. Students and Waterfront staff spent months preparing for the event, which raises money for Eckerd College Search and Rescue, a volunteer student group unique to Eckerd that assists boaters of Tampa Bay. Students are trained in rescue, safety, seamanship, firefighting, navigation and medical response. Read more about EC-SAR. Events@Eckerd All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise stated. April 8: Caliban's Heirs: Caribbean Writers and Shakespeare's The Tempest 7:30 p.m., Fox Hall. Literature Professor Jared Stark explores how modern Caribbean writers adopt Caliban, Prospero's slave in Shakespeare's "The Tempest," and transform him into a figure of resistance and freedom. Part of the College Program Series. Sponsored by the Center for Spiritual Life. April 9-13, 16 & 17: "The Tempest"  Written by William Shakespeare and directed by Cynthia Totten. Exiled magician Prospero conjures a storm that shipwrecks enemies on a remote island. Romantic lovers, mystical spirits, strange island creatures, drunken buffoons and magical events collide in Shakespeare's final play, a luminous comedy that explores revenge, justice and forgiveness. All shows 8 p.m. except 2 p.m. on April 13, Beninger Theater. Admission: $10 general public; $5 Eckerd College Community; $1 Eckerd students with ID. April 10: Dine and Discuss Event: Stories of Women's Leadership and Empowerment 6:15 p.m., Triton Room. An intergenerational roundtable of women from ASPEC, the faculty, and our residential and PEL students will discuss their personal stories of courage, empowerment and leadership in the professional and personal spheres of life. Reservations are required. Call the Women's Resource Center, 727-864-8276, by April 7 to reserve your place. April 10: Cannabis Conversations: Science and Law of Medical Marijuana 7 p.m., Fox Hall. The Eckerd College Chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy sponsor a discussion of medical marijuana. Featuring presentations by Eckerd Assistant Professor of Biology Greg Gerdeman, Ph.D., an expert on the science of medical marijuana, and Jodi James, an expert on the legal questions surrounding the issue. They will also participate in a moderated Q&A panel discussion with Ben Pollara, campaign director of United for Care. April 11: Festival of Cultures 5 p.m., Slater's Woods: A celebration of cultures that represents the diversity of Eckerd's student body as well as students' interests in other parts of the globe. Sponsored by the International Students Services and International Student Association. This year's theme will be "Performing arts in my country." Part of the College Program Series.
April 23: Earthfest
Noon, Hough Quad. Celebrate Earth Day with local environmental organizations that share what they do and and how you can be involved. Enjoy a locally grown snack, tie-dye a shirt and bring home a seedling to grow! (Please bring your own material to tie-dye; rain location inside Fox Hall). Part of the College Program Series. Sponsored by Earth Society.
April 24: Oxfam America Hunger Banquet
6 p.m., Fox Hall. Life isn't fair - and neither is this: The place where you sit and the meal that you eat are determined by the luck of the draw. Just as in real life some of us are born into relative prosperity and others into poverty. Hunger is about power. Its roots lie in inequalities in access to resources. The results are illiteracy, poverty, war and the inability of families to grow or buy food. Few experiences bring to life these inequalities more powerfully than an Oxfam America Hunger Banquet event.
April 24: Express Your Talents: Mayhem Poets
7 p.m., Fox Hall. The Mayhem Poets, comprised of three people, is comparable to the Simpsons meeting Malcolm X at a Notorious BIG concert. This group will MC a talent show while performing their own poems to show how to start an artistic career. Part of the College Program Series. Sponsored by ECOS VPAA.
May 1-4: Senior Theatre Company Presents: Reefer Madness!
Reefer Madness! The Play! is a campy satire of old-fashioned drug propaganda. Part of the College Program Series. 8 p.m., Bininger Theater, May 4 at 2 p.m.
May 5-9: Exhibit: Eckerd Review Published Works
10:30 a.m., Cobb Gallery. Experience visual art published in the 2014 Eckerd Review literary journal --some of the best paintings, sketches, photography and more created by the Eckerd community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, and ASPEC and OLLI members.
May 5: Eckerd Review reception and readings 5:30 p.m., Cobb Gallery. Celebrate the works of writers and artists of the Eckerd community featured in the 2014 Eckerd Review. The reception begins at 5:30 p.m., introductions and readings at 6 p.m. Pick up your free journal and enjoy readings, snacks and cool art! (That's last year's cover. The new cover will be revealed during the reception!)
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Go Tritons!  Calling all fans! Come cheer on your Tritons at these upcoming HOME games and matches! All dates and times are subject to change. Visit the Athletics website for more information. Friday, April 4 3 p.m., Women's Tennis vs. University of Tampa 7 p.m., Women's Softball vs. Saint Leo University Saturday, April 5 11 a.m., Men's Tennis vs. Saint Leo University 11 a.m., Women's Tennis vs. Saint Leo University 1 p.m., Women's Softball vs. Saint Leo University Tuesday, April 8 3 p.m., Men's Tennis vs. Rollins College 5 p.m., Women's Softball vs. Southeastern U. Wednesday, April 9 6 p.m., Men's Baseball vs. Webber International U. Friday, April 11 6 p.m., Men's Baseball vs. University of Tampa
Saturday, April 12
Noon, Men's Baseball vs. University of Tampa 2 p.m., Women's Softball vs. Palm Beach Atlantic U. Thursday, April 17 5 p.m., Women's Softball vs. Barry University
Friday, April 18
11 a.m., Women's Softball vs. Barry University 7 p.m., Men's Baseball vs. Palm Beach Atlantic U.
Saturday, April 19
Noon, Men's Baseball vs. Palm Beach Atlantic University
Tuesday, April 22
5 p.m. Women's Softball vs. Webber International U.
Thursday, May 1
6 p.m., Men's Baseball vs. Florida Southern College
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Tell us what's happening Do you have an idea for a news item, announcement or fun fact? Contact us (the Office of Marketing and Communications), and it may be featured in an upcoming issue. Don't forget, we're here to help. Check out our website - it's chock-full of resources just for you!
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