fgcu eagles' nest vol2_issue7

The Eagles NestHonors Quarterly Newsletter

Florida Gulf Coast University Volume 2 Issue 7Photo courtesy of Florida Gulf Coast University Library

Florida Gulf Coast University 1

A Look Back at Spring 2015Congratulations from Dr. Nicola Foote

As we wrap up the 2014-2015 AY, I want to congratulate all of our Honors students on one of the most successful years ever. We took in our largest class of Freshman students ever; had our most competitive internal admissions cycle; and are graduating a record class of 78 students.

This year has been one of spectacular and noteworthy successes at every level. Honors students have won nearly all of the university-wide prizes. A stunning 8 out of 10 Hall of Fame Honorees were Honors students: congratulations to Hannah Amundson, Romel Durandisse, Madeline Heath, Jason Hoop, Lucy Leban, Christie Mauretour, Jordan Nation and Emma Svensson. Excitingly, Honors students were named Student of the Year in two of our five colleges: congratulations to Ken Esquilin, Lutgert College of Business Student of the Year and to Lucy Leban, College of Arts and Sciences Student of the Year. Honors students won all of the major prizes at Community Engagement Day: congratulations to Lori Boegershausen, winner of the inaugural Community-Based Research Award; Lexi Siegle co-winner of the Exceptional Foundations of Civic Engagement Project; Sarah Davenport and Marshall Nathanson winner of the Phenomenal First Year Student Service-Learning Project; and to Ginger Allen and Lucy Leban, winner of the Best Overall Non-Course Service Project for their work with Amnesty International. Special congratulations to Emma Green, who was this years sole recipient of the Newman Civic Fellow award from President Bradshaw.>> Continued on Page 6

Student SpotlightKenneth Esquilin

Photo courtesy of FGCU Honors Program

the ways I learned them in the past, so I didnt really mind taking some courses over. To me it was kind of refreshing to do that.

Throughout his time at FGCU, Ken has had an admirable impact on the University. He credits his 2-year involvement with the Honors Program as the catalyst for his campus engagement. Furthermore, Ken has given back to the Honors Program by serving as an Honors Mentor. His eyes lit up when he described what a joy it has been to help younger students stay on course with their pursuits of academic excellence and to guide and show them that they can work things out on their own if they talk it out and problem solve.

It was his nomination for Undergraduate Student of the Year that made him realize all of the incredible things he has been part of at FGCU. This whole time has been rewarding for me, Ken said. One of his ideas from 2 years ago inspired a professors published work.>> Continued on Page 2

Inside this issue... Honors Letter Page 1 Congratulations from Dr. Nicola FooteStudent Spotlight Page 1 Kenneth EsquilinHonors Event Spotlight Page 2 Honors Bake-Off FGCU Hall of Fame Page 3/4 2015 Honors Inductees Graduate List Page 5Artist Spotlight Page 6 Heather Borrelli

Student of the Year Ken Esquilin has lead an inspiring life. From his beginnings in Germany, he served in the military for about 8 years and subsequently worked for the U.S. federal government. Several years after moving to Florida on the cusp of the millennium, Ken decided to go back to school. Im a bit older than most people here. It required a little updatingtechnology wise. Ken said with a smile. The ways people engage with each other nowadays is quite different from



May 2015 Honors Program Newsletter

Honors Event SpotlightHonors Bake-Off

This year the Honors Bake-Off was an immediate success. We had an extraordinary turn out with attendance of 161 students. Honors Students gathered from near and far to line up in hopes of being the first one to taste all of the desserts. There were 19 delicious entries that ranged from gooey cobbler to vegan smoothie pie.

Each entry brought a unique flavor to the event. There were all types of cookies, cupcakes, pies, bars, cobblers, and vegan choices. With stuffed mouths, students raved about the event and each of the entries.

After long and hard deliberation the judges announced the winners. Zyon Simmons won first place with both of his entries: the warm Peach Cobbler and Gooey Cake. Taylor Power was shocked and thrilled to have won second place with her family recipe for Banana Bread. She shared, I really just wanted to participate to share my familys banana bread recipe with my friends! We had about 20 frozen bananas in my dorm, so it seemed like the perfect thing to make for the bake-off. I certainly didnt expect my banana bread to win over other classic desserts.

Kate Moran won third place with her Apple Crumbcake. They were each rewarded for their placement with gift cards of varying amounts. All of the hard work that was put into this event really shown through and left this event with a delightful aftertaste in all of our mouths. The Honors Program has taken notice and will work to make this event or events similar to this an annual occurrence.

-Danielle Christy

Student Spotlight Continued from Page 1

Additionally, having learned French right here on campus from not having any previous knowledge of the language, he was able to take his newfound skill and give it back to the community. Ken paid-it-forward by presenting a puppet show at the campus daycare. He presented his program at Community Engagement Day last year and looks for ways to evolve that program in the future.

By studying Management and Human Resources at FGCU, Ken has been able to see that it is truly a process. Last year, he was offered the opportunity to open a caf for Living Waters Community Church. Having never before started a business from ground zero, with nothing to benchmark from, the caf is now up, thriving, and tracking in the black the first 6 months of operation. The skill set Ken earned from his studies at FGCU have enabled him to directly apply his knowledge and meet success in the business world.

Photo by Emma Green

Photo by Danielle Christy

Spring 2015Honors Award

RecipientsLeadershipLori BoegershausenMadeline HeathEmma SvenssonMichael TolvoRomel Durandisse

Global Citizenship Vanessa L. FernandezTalissa SotoEmmalyn Green

Service and Community Engagement Emmalyn GreenJason HoopMadeline Heath

Academic/Professional Daniel Franco Lori BoegershausenRomel DurandisseBettina BothaMeagan Jenkins

Building the Honors Community Jessica BakerEmmalyn GreenJames TillLori Boegershausen

Sustainability and Environmental Justice Tia RoweMarshall NathansonLori Boegershausen

Personal Excellence Elizabeth MeansToria KwanEmma SvenssonLori BoegershausenEmmalyn Green

Outstanding First- Year Montana KnightMarshall NathansonRichard Cassell

Ken will graduate this spring with a degree in Management (with a concentration in Human Resources) and a minor in French. In the future, he plans to incorporate social and environmental responsibility into his business ventures.

Kens last piece of advice for his fellow Eagles to remember that More important than academic excellence and your involvement is the spirit you take with you.

-Cassandra Ellis



Florida Gulf Coast University Congratulations!

The Florida Gulf Coast University Hall of Fame is the highest recognition given to student leaders at FGCU. The Hall of Fame is reserved for those students who have demonstrated superior leadership, integrity, and achievement through their leadership activities, service, scholarship, and academic excellence while members of the Florida Gulf Coast University community.

Photo courtesy of Jason Hoop

Photo courtesy of Madeline Heath

Photo courtesy of Jordan Nation

Photo courtesy of Hannah Amundson

Jason Hoop

Madeline Heath

Jordan Nation

Hannah Amundson

A professor once told me, If you dont wake up every morning with the intent to learn some-thing new, what is the point of getting out of bed? That statement hit home to me and since hearing it I have strived to make a commitment to learning something new every day whether it be educational or just for fun. In doing so, Honors has served as a medium for which I have been able to utilize as a tool to encourage and push me to learn more and to make the most out of my collegiate experience.

I came to FGCU my junior year of college as a community college transfer student and received a full-tuition scholarship for being an All-Florida Academic Team recipient in community college through my Phi Theta Kappa chapter (International Honor Society). I wanted to become involved

right away because that is how I meet people and make connections. Honors has specifically contributed to my success by encouraging me to take risks and move out of my comfort zone in

order to become successful and stand out among the crowd. I would not have made connections with people such as Dean Wohlpart without the opportunities that the Honors program offers to

high achieving students.

I believe being an Orientation Leader was the biggest piece of my college puzzle that led me to where I am. Everything I learned about leadership I learned from orientation. The skills

I developed as an OL helped me to accomplish everything I have done, including being accepted into the honors program.

I would say that in my time at FGCU, what has led me to being where I am today is by trying new things and staying focused on school. Honors has contributed to my success by enabling me to be surrounded by a community of students and faculty who are extremely

motivated, incredibly interesting, and who support each others efforts and successes.



2015 Hall of Fame Inductees

Photo courtesy of Christie Mauretour

Photo courtesy of Romel Durandisse

Photo courtesy of Emma Svensson

Photo courtesy of Lucy Leban

Christie Mauretour

Romel Durandisse

Emma Svensson

Lucy Leban

Being a college student and living so far away from home has taught me great time man-agement skills, how to prioritize things in life, and most of all how to make wise decisions.

Being part of Florida Gulf Coast University international student program gave me the confidence and the tools needed to integrate my new community. Being part of the Honors

Program has helped me develop strong leadership skills and gave me multiple opportunities to strengthen my mathematical skills by doing Honors contracts in my math classes.

I believe my involvement on the campus of FGCU has had a tremendous influence on my induction into the FGCU Hall of Fame. Throughout my college experience, I have taken

on numerous leadership positions and worked on several projects with different faculties that facilitate my qualification as an inductee. Being in the Honors program has allowed me to improve my communication and writing skills by taking classes that are outside of my mathematics degree requirements. In addition, completing the Honors requirements

opened my eyes about innovative ways that I can apply the knowledge that I have acquired in class. This application of knowledge helped me to solve the real life problems that I have

encountered.

It is always difficult pointing out what specifically brings us to where we are in life; there are so many factors at play. However, the Honors Program has definitely helped me gain experience and learn things I have used on the road to becoming who I am today. In the Program, I have had the opportunity to network with students that have accomplished some amazing things, whether it being published in a journal or completing amazing

service learning projects. These people have inspired me in the pursuit of becoming a more committed and motivated student, scholar, athlete, and friend.

I was able to study abroad, participate in an internship in Washington, D.C., and conduct research through the National Science Foundation. Through each of these experiences,

Honors was instrumental. Dr. Kelly and Dr. Foote were a tremendous asset for me because they encouraged me to seek out extra-curricular opportunities. Further, the Honors Program pushes students to excel beyond academics, by providing support for students who wish to strengthen their experience in the five pillars of Honors, each of which each of which bears

much similarity with the Hall of Fame criteria.

This year eight of the10 students chosen for the Hall of Fame were Honors students. If you would like to read more about these students, visit the Honors Blog under News!



Ginger AllenHailey AmundsonHannah AmundsonJames BeansMarco BianchiBethany BohallBettina BothaBrandi BotschKathryn BrewerHeath CallahanAllyson ClancyAndrew CusumanoStevie DefeliceMegan DeremiahKaley DietrichRomel DurandisseChris EckmanDaniella EscobarKenneth EsquilinAlexandr FeldmanVanessa FernandezDrew FlowerdayKrystle FredMarshall GoodwinTodd GriebMallory HansellChelsey HansonJeffrey HarveyMadeline HeathTiara HesterTrisha HitchingsJason HoopEmilie HoustonKelly HowardKerilyn HyerKacey Jackson-DavisRose-El Dynn Jean-JacquesWesley JohnsonBret KaiserJeri-Nichole Kendall

Congratulations!

Spring 2015Spring 2015

Honors GraduatesSpring 2015

Honors Graduates

Toria Kwan Lucy Leban Dianna LoescherEmily MalinoskyChristie MauretourMegan McDevittEmily MenendezGalli MeyerKatelyn MoranNicholas MorozovLauren MossLauren MuellerJordan NationSarah NorrisCorinne OlsenChristian PadgettMelissa PaniaguaLauren PaulAndre PhelpsJames PorcoAlexandra PuscasEmery RamaswamiNowele RechkaAlyssa ReidyChristopher RohlingTia RoweNicholas SaracioneSamantha ScholppJessel SerranoTalissa SotoAmanda StraussEmma SvenssonEduardo TavelTaylor ThalackerKelly UssiaJonathan VossEtienne WassonTyler WilsonAmanda Yazejian

FGCUHonors Prgram


Photo courtesy of FGCU





Artist SpotlightHeather Borrelli

Photo by Danielle Christy

First-Year year Music Major, Heather Borrelli, has discovered an innovative way to put her love of music to use by helping war veterans get back on their feet through a new program at FGCU called Musical Therapy. Simply put, musical therapy is a way to create activities for those with disabilities through the beats of a song.

For instance, Heather says that one way this process is used is by having someone with a walking disability walk to the beat of the music that gradually speeds up to improve their strength. Heather first heard of this practice through her high school vocal teacher who mentioned that this process was also used to help those with speech impediments overcome their difficulties through singing.

She became aware of FGCUs involvement with this field while taking Recital Attendance, a mandatory class for all music majors, and was immediately interested.

The aspect that I am most interested is helping people overcome difficulties with speech through music and singing, says Borrelli. As someone who has been surrounded by music her entire life, whether it be chorus or piano, Heather is looking forward to the opportunity to use this love of music as a way to help those with disabilities overcome challenges.

-Olivia Sanders

Share your stories and photos!Interested in writing or taking pictures for The Eagles Nest? Do you know someone who has an interesting story that deserves to be told? Contact us at [email protected]. The Eagles Nest is looking for students interested in design, photography, writing and social media!

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Honors students also won regional and national prizes. Shane Nieves was awarded a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates in Integrative Biology of Social Behaviors at the University of Michigan. Lori Boegershausen won the Phi Alpha Theta Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Paper at the Phi Alpha Theta Florida Regional Conference.

Multiple Honors students published articles in peer-reviewed journals: Julia Reed-Betts in The Journal of Analytic Chemistry; Daniel Franco in The Journal of Power Sources; Maddie Heath and Lucy Leban in Aquila: The FGCU Journal of Undergraduate Research, and Christie Mauretour in Discrete Applied Mathematics.

Honors students showed themselves to be engaged global citizens and studied abroad in Sweden, Scotland, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Austria, England and Croatia.

Graduating students have been accepted into MA and PhD programs at Harvard University, the University of Oxford, the University of Chicago, the University of Aberdeen, Georgetown University, Cornell University, the University of Florida, Florida State University and the University of South Florida. Students entering the workforce are taking up careers in local non-profit organizations, major engineering firms, and the United States Army. I couldnt be more proud of them and am looking forward to hearing about their future accomplishments as FGCU Honors Alumni.

It has been a true honor to work with you all this year, and congratulations on your outstanding accomplishments.

Dr. Nicola Foote Intertim Honors Director

Blog: blogs.fgcu.edu/honors

A Look Back at Spring 2015Continued from Page 1

fgcu eagles' nest vol2_issue7

Documents

honors students

honors letter page

honors mentor

year ken esquilin

year involvement

younger students

artist spotlight page

special congratulations