Boys and Girls Club Party

By: Jessica Bush

October 23^rd was not an abnormal morning by any stretch of the imagination;

That was until the Boys and Girls Club arrived and there was a fiendish celebration.

There were tiny cats, a Jedi too,

A Jamaican Harry Potter (formerly Mr.Lou),

Frankenstein’s daughter, skeletons and witches who

Served graham crackers and served up a witchy brew.

These goblins and ghouls ran around,

their spooky laughter an uplifting sound.

In the graveyard there were goblin guts, cemetery mash,

And eyeballs and intestines to smash.

There was a castle guarded by a geisha who

Smiled and took these spooky kids pictures too.

The Cookie Monster helped decorate some devilishly delicious cookies

Much to the delight of the little ones’ tummies.

In the other room a gypsy let them win

By putting the tail on a spooky cat with merely a pin.

Slithering snakes were made with googly eyes and glittery glue,

Later to be used to hold a place in a book or two.

Right next to this serpentine station,

a table of creepy coloring creation.

There was a corn hole game

With a prize of petrifying pencils and freaky fangs.

Snow White and a Jedi sat in the back

Their balloon making skills they certainly did not lack.

From station to station these little ones were sent

Gathering candy and treats as they went.

They sparred with swords of balloon

Until the clock chimed noon.

Then the spell was broken and they had to go

And went out the door like ducks in a row.

The amazing volunteers stayed near

And helped gather and clear

By one the rooms were spotless and bare

As if the small goblins and monsters had never been there.

Freshmen View "First Day"

By Yerik Perez Serrano


I am writing a simple story about my first day of college ever simply due to the fact we all have a first day. We may all experience it differently, go to different classes, or do different things, but I write this in hopes that while you read, a smile on your face will form and it will bring you back to your first day of college.

It was the day before my first day of college and I felt I had conquered a huge hurdle. I had my bag packed with 30 lbs of school items that I would probably never use. I had printed out a map that I had put my own strange markings on. This map was my safety vest, for it’s how I would survive my first day. Along with those two dear possessions, I had also fought a two-headed hydra, known as the Alcohol Education and Financial Aid online courses, so that I could get to my classes. It was hard and lasted forever as I answered the same questions in thirty different renditions, but I slayed both of them and was granted entrance to the new found land of college. I went to sleep with my alarm ready to wake me up 3 hours before my first class.

I had shown up early to my classes, every single one of them. I didn’t show up twenty minutes before it began, but rather anywhere from 30-45 minutes early. My fear of going to the wrong class was of higher importance than looking like an idiot standing in front of a door for forty-five minutes. The good thing was that when I had shown up, there were other freshmen doing the freshman stumble and exchanging the same banter every single time.

“Hey.”

“Hello.”
“Is this the class for so and so?”
“Yes.”
“Phew, I made it.”

Navigation to these classes so I could experience this banter was another thing. I don’t know how I looked to other people when I was walking around with a map glued to my face, but I believe it was probably much more ridiculous than any tourist. I’d always try and deduce where I was but the three letter codes (that I believed were part of a secret language) would throw me off track and I’d become a deer in front of headlights. I had to go up to another college student and ask them where the building was. All they saw was a little kid with a wrinkled map shaking in his hand. The great part was that the experienced college students were able to point me to the building (which was right behind me).

The last thing to talk about is the classes themselves. I did not know what to expect when I entered the classes. Every single classroom I entered had some different layout that did not harbor the high school code of each room being an exact replica. I am taking these classes in rooms that range from a small broom closet type, where everyone is squeezed like sardines, to an auditorium type, where there are 200 other people staring at one man at the bottom.

My first day was pretty awkward as I tried to survive it, but when I look back at, I smile. It was fun to experience college when high school was always the same. I met people who were twice my age and were taking the same class as me. It felt as if I had walked 1000 miles since the campus was so big and I had no bike to make my way across. It felt like being in a small city because everyone seemed like the nice next door neighbor when you’d talk to them for advice or help. I can definitely say one thing; the first day of college was the intro to the rest of my life.

Summer Reading Contest Winner

The Honors College presents a summer reading assignment every year for the incoming freshmen. This year's book was Frankenstein by Mary Shelly. Congratulations to Dina Soliman for her winning essay!


A Thirst for Knowledge: A Monster Within Us?
By Dina Soliman

With the passing of each day, something new is discovered to benefit human society. While the search for knowledge results in good – medicine to cure illness and technology to make our quality of life better – it can also intrude into territory in which humans should not meddle, similar to Victor Frankenstein own search in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. While we are responsible for our actions, we are also responsible for our knowledge: the methods we take to learn, and the courses of action we take after gaining this new knowledge. For Frankenstein, his obsessive quest leads to his creation of a living being, and his abandonment of his creation leads to the death of his loved ones. As one of the basic components of human nature, obsession also has the potential to wreak havoc on our minds and bodies. As an obsession, beauty is truly within the eye of the beholder. Neither Frankenstein nor the other humans that encounter the monster can tolerate his appearance. Frankenstein’s hatred for his creation brings about the monster’s revenge, and his own obsessions – knowledge and beauty – blind him so much that he becomes ill with guilt for his lack of responsibility. Ultimately, the dangers of misused knowledge, yielding to obsessions, and abandoning one’s responsibilities for what one introduces into the world all contribute to the tragic ends of Frankenstein and his creation.

Just as our actions have consequences, the misuse of knowledge also has consequences. During Frankenstein’s search for knowledge, his desire for succeeding at his task hinders his judgment. As he recounts to Walton, “I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body… I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart” (67). Frankenstein takes a step into forbidden territory, and consequently, his horror and guilt increasingly overwhelm him as he learns of his creation’s vengeance. Despairingly warning Walton, Frankenstein says: “Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow” (60).

Despite the dangers of the quest of knowledge, the world as we know it continues to advance into the future. Despite public outcry against the nature of abortions for unwanted children, for instance, there are doctors who still perform the operation on pregnant mothers who find themselves unable to take care of their unborn child. The oil spill that occurred in recent months in the Gulf of Mexico, for instance, happened due to an oil drilling accident, and the toxic oil leaked into the ocean ecosystem, harming animals and the hearts and wallets of hundreds of people. Nonetheless, we use oil for gasoline and fuel, which are both essential for the mobile world in which we live. So, if knowledge is so dangerous, is ignorance really bliss? As Frankenstein seems to imply, should we remain content in learning what we are taught from our surroundings and other people, instead of venturing forth to learn the mysteries of the world for ourselves? And is the latter not the ultimate goal of Romanticism – to learn, on our own, unaided by cold science?

Furthermore, Frankenstein is also responsible for the being that he introduced into the world. Prior to the conclusion of his task, Frankenstein refers to what would be his creation as his “child;” (62) however, his actions later in the novel reflect completely opposite sentiments. Instead of taking responsibility for his creation, he abandons him, treats him harshly, and refuses to have anything to do with him. With his refusal to banish his creation’s feelings of loneliness and misery by creating a companion for him, Frankenstein fails to take responsibility for his creation’s actions, and seals his fate in the end of the novel.
Although man-made technology is not as vulnerable as living beings, are we not held accountable for the consequences that our technology produces? Despite Romanticism’s encouragement of mental “flights of fancy” to boost problem-solving, is there still a limit to the imagination? For instance, the scientists who design nuclear weapons capable of complete annihilation have powerful knowledge at their disposal, as well as huge responsibility for this knowledge. Are they insane for designing such devices, despite their unlimited imaginations?

Ultimately, Shelley’s Frankenstein seems to bring into question our tendency to desire ultimate perfection and success. Victor Frankenstein fails in his Romantic quest of creating a perfect human, showing that we must shoulder the responsibilities for the imperfections of our creations.

Works Cited
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. 3rd ed. New York: Random House, Inc., 1999.

Sustainability at USF: Creating Compost Bins

By: Anastasia Groshev

I have to say, I was a little skeptical at first about the idea of having a red worm compost bin in a kitchen, but this was only my first impression. Later, I discovered that, if done properly, a compost bin does not smell, does not impose any health hazards, and worms do not climb out. In fact, a compost bin is very easy to make and maintain, but at the same time helps the environment and is a source of very rich soil.

I arrived to a decision to start my own bin while working on a campaign to promote composting on the USF Tampa campus. It was formed when Susana Alvarado, Alan Guagliardo, Michelle Gersten, and I gathered information and launched an awareness campaign with the aim of educating the USF community about composting. We felt like we needed something that spoke loudly to students, so we decided to host an actual composting workshop. Guagliardo started a bin and took care of the compost worms for a few weeks.

We came up with the idea under the guidance of Dr.Wells, instructor of the Honors course IDH 3600: Applied Ethics on Global Sustainability, who explored the history and progression of sustainability in the classroom. In essence, sustainability is the “living green” philosophy that has redefined our perception of the color green. Now, the first thing that comes to mind when “green” is mentioned is recycling, fluorescent light bulbs, and reusable shopping bags … but really, all of this entails sustainability as a way of life.

Enlightened by the readings in the class and the valuable input of Dr. Wells, we were all ready to put our knowledge into practice. So we left the classroom in order to help our campus to become more sustainable. To find out more about the project, check out the video documentary and join the vision - compost!

Match Day: As Told by USF Medical Student, Trey Penton

Courtesy of Penton's blog, The Culprit Life

Okay, so the thing about Match Day is that what you perceive it to be and what it really is are two different things. At least for me.

Here are the facts: 4th year medical students gather with family and friends and the staff of the medical college to open envelopes one by one that will tell them where they are going to spend the next three, five, or six years of their lives. Many have an idea of where they will be going; many don’t. Here is a place where hopes and dreams and visions of the future are either realized, moderately diminished or completely crushed. For over 100 medical students. In front of hundreds of other people.

Sounds like a great set up for an episode of some primetime basic cable drama right?

Wrong.

While all those things above are true, in reality, Match Day is less like an epic televised mini-series and more like a big family barbeque with chicken wings, beer, a lot of infants being carried around, and the occasional rowdy uncle. The dramatically broad spectrum of emotion being felt is not overtly apparent to the casual observer. The fantastic, anxiety driven adventure you expect to find is in fact hidden in the hearts and minds of the students around which the event is centered and perhaps in those of their spouses and close family. On the surface it remains chicken wings and beer.

This is not to diminish the magnitude of the event or its effect on the participants in any way. It is simply an observation. A recognition of the disconnect between expectations and actual atmospheric conditions.

There is no song and dance at Match Day. The show, the only show, is comprised of our associate dean of student affairs calling out names, students coming down, opening envelopes and announcing what city and program they are headed to. Then everyone claps. It’s straight forward really.

The uniqueness of the event lies in its emotional peculiarity. Each student that opens an envelope is opening themselves up to the entire audience (which, thanks to live internet streaming, included people from all over the world). Whether they get exactly what they wanted, their very last choice or something in between, it all comes out in their face and tone of voice when they read that piece of paper. And everyone knows right then and there if you will be charging forward with your lifelong dream in the way (and place) you thought or whether you’ll spend the next five years of your existence in a city you never even wanted to visit. The day before, I pondered to myself, and out loud to my friends in the communications department, if this was the right way to do things. Should we really be placing people in a public arena when such a life changing piece of information is revealed to them? Especially when the content of that information is mostly a result of how well they performed in their primary focus (medical school) over the past four years. In what other profession is this done in? What right do we have to be spectators in a moment where someone could either emerge triumphant as after a tremendous battle or burn like Joan of Arc at the stake of their own calling?

This internal conflict I foresaw myself having on the day before was put mostly to rest by the associate dean’s simple disclosure at the start of the event that some students had opted to find out about their residency privately. So they are not forced to discover their fate in this public manner. They have a choice. But there is peer pressure. What will your fellow classmates think if you decide to open your envelope privately? Will that choice be made out of shame? Out of fear of possible embarrassment? Out of the feeling that you just weren’t good enough to get to where you wanted or needed to go?

I don’t know.
I am only in my first year.
But my guess is that a lot of these things come into play; that there is something much deeper to appreciate about this event then what is seen on the surface.

I’m not saying I agree or disagree with how match day works; I’m just saying it is something that should provoke conversation and a more profound examination of the emotional state of medical students. So I guess in that context, Match Day is a very good thing.

My thanks and my heart goes out to the dozens of students, triumphant and disappointed, who, for a moment in time, allowed me and hundreds of others to be the spectators in their Coliseum.

Community, Art Harmonize at Coffeehouse Night

By: Theresa Woods

It is not often enough, it seems, that campus variety events deliver all of the talent, entertainment and, well, variety that they promise. Usually they fall short with lackluster acts or performances that all seem to be the same. The Honors College’s Coffeehouses night certainly did not conform to that stereotype.

The mood of the evening was set by the soft lighting that gave the cavernous classroom an intimate feel. A sign hung behind the stage area welcoming students to the event. Artwork was displayed along several tables, and as students entered they were immediately drawn to imaginative scenes of desserts, fruit, and the Beatles, with the black and white pieces of Jessica Maservey garnering special attention.
      
Over the course of the evening, around a hundred students were treated to all different kinds of music from instrumental classical pieces performed by Janine Kiray and Talia Quartetti, to Taylor Swift’s “Today Was A Fairytale” sung by JenniferThai, Kristin Pearce & Kyle Goodrich. Susana Alvarado-Tricoche brought an international influence to the evening with the Abraham Velazquez song “Amandote.” Jamie Hodes performed twice -- once solo with “Miserable At Best,” originally fro Mayday Parade and again with Brandon Oakes with Death Cab for Cutie’s “I Will Follow You Into the Dark.”
      
Some students, however, chose to share their own words. Catherine Lim surprised many with the beautiful and honest lyrics to her original song “Melt,” and DeDe Khan performed the only poem of the evening, her own “I Want You Back” that ended with the powerful message that “ignorance will always be bliss.” Homer Alibutode and Jose Manzo performed their own song “Reaching Into The Dark,” and Kristen Pearce performed her untitled song that was so well-written and well-played that she left many in the audience wondering where it had come from.
      
Several performers brought so much charisma and undeniable stage presence to the event that the audience couldn’t help but give back. William Crowley and Kyle Goodrich had onlookers clapping in time with “Secret Agent Man,” and one of the final performers, Trey, had many singing along as he danced and played both the guitar and the harmonica. Standout performers Izzy Morejon and Matt Roberts, who sang and played guitar respectively, amazed the audience with their version of the Cat Stevens song “Don’t Be Shy” before improvising a blues song and taking suggestions from the audience.
      
All in all, the event was a well-orchestrated success, and there was a tangible sense of community amongst the students as they cheered on their classmates and caught up with their friends. If there was anything at all to be learned from the evening, it was that Honors Students aren’t just brilliant in the classroom – they’re talented too!

Another Success with The Boys and Girls Club

By: Sarah Monson

On February 13, Marshall Center Ballroom C was filled with 33 eager children from the Boys and Girls Club waiting to celebrate Valentine's Day. In an event hosted by the Volunteer Council, 13 students took time out of their Saturday to treat the children to a day of games and fun with activities like Twister, beanbag tossing, balloon animals, dancing, cookie decorating, and cards to keep them smiling.

This event brought back old faces from last semester's Boys and Girls Club Halloween party. Certain children even recognized volunteers from the Halloween event and shared their excitement with the students they remembered.

"More kids are getting involved," Janine Kiray, co-chair of Volunteer Council said. "We're building relationships with them."

Monique Konstantinovic, the other Volunteer Council co-chair, shared similar enthusiasm that Kiray did. The pair has already reserved a room for the Halloween Party in October.



Left: Boys and Girls Club members dancing/Right: A volunteer helps make balloon animals

New Semester, New Meeting Times for Council

Hello everyone, and welcome to a new semester of Honors Council. As the new president of the Honors College Student Council, I want to update everyone on when and where our meetings will be from here on out. Please come see what we're about and get involved with improving USF's community of Honors students!

Our first general meeting will be Monday, January 25th at 4:30pm in the Marshall Center in room 3704. The other committee times have been set as follows:

General Meeting: Mondays @ 4:30 in MSC 3704
Events Committee: Mondays @ 2pm in Honors Lounge
Student Development Committee: Wednedays @ 1pm in Magnolia Lounge
Advertising Committee: Wednesdays @ 3pm in SVC 1037
Volunteer Committee: Thursdays @ 12:45pm in Honors Lounge

If you have any questions feel free to contact me, or find us on
Facebook, Twitter, or the Honors Student Council website.



We're looking forward to a great new semester!
Sarah Brady
slbrady@mail.usf.edu

Through the Glasses of Waldo

By: Anton Dapcic


The Honors Scavenger Hunt began in a flurry of commotion in Juniper Poplar, as the teams received their instructions. I, dressed as Waldo, was seated in the corner, receiving strange looks from most of the crowd. These teams of four or five students were given a list of tasks to complete to claim their prize. After two hours, the group with the most tasks completed wins! Proof was recorded on either a digital camera or camera phone, and the evidence was presented to the judges at the end.

Beginning their journey, these courageous students endeavored to complete a multitude of tasks all around our USF campus. Some tasks, such as finding a book at a library, were relatively simple. Some activities were more strenuous, requiring students to stage a fake wedding or create a six person pyramid. However, some special events needed extra effort. As I was skating around campus, I was the target of a 120-person game of hide and seek. Their job was to find me, while my job was to be as elusive as possible. Capturing Waldo was worth a significant amount of points - and the goal of each and every group.

Nearing the completion of the event, teams began sprinting all over campus. It was a close race! Time was called, and students retreated to our starting location. Points were tallied, and winners were announced. Prizes included gift cards to several restaurants, and the notoriety that they were the winners of our First Annual Honors Scavenger Hunt!

A Reflection on Volunteering with the Boys and Girls Club

By: Jamie Hodes

When I was growing up, my father always said that you keep what you have by giving it away. I never understood the meaning in this seemingly contradictory statement—how could I keep something of material worth if I physically gave it to someone else? Wouldn’t I be left with nothing?

Fast forward to 2009, the year I began my freshman year in the Honors College at USF. I joined the Honors Council because I thought it would be fun to meet other people who had similar values as myself. Plus, I’d be able to help people and make a difference both in my school and in my community. I attended the general meetings regularly every Monday and it was there that I learned of an upcoming Halloween volunteer event with the Boys and Girls Club of Tampa.

In a nutshell, the Boys and Girls Club provides care for kids who otherwise would be left on the streets or without any adult supervision. It offers a safe environment and gives kids a sense of belonging that they might not otherwise experience. I did not know what to expect on the day of the actual event, but since it involved working with kids, there was no way I was letting it slide by without me!

After signing my name on the list, I began receiving e-mails about upcoming dates to prepare for the event. The volunteer council leaders finalized the budget along with the schedule of activities that would take place on Halloween. It was a bit hectic through e-mails at first because so many people wanted to volunteer and there was only enough room for about 30 volunteers. Although not everyone who signed up was able to volunteer, I was overjoyed by the number of people who were so willing and energetic to give some of their time to make a difference.

In preparation for the event, all the volunteers met in the Honors Lounge on the Wednesday before Halloween. This was where goody-bags for the kids were made, as well as room decorations and props for the skit. We also signed up for the different activity stations.

On the day of the event, everyone arrived wearing costumes to set-up before the kids arrived. All the chairs had to be stacked, the tables moved to their proper station, the stage decorated for the skit, and balloons scattered everywhere. By the time all 25 kids walked in the door, the room had been completely transformed!

Anticipation, excitement, and happiness colored the faces of every single child as they walked through the door. Activity stations included a football toss, door hanger decorating, mummy wrap, pumpkin coloring, and tons of dancing. Who knew kids could break it down like that? I was in charge of the football toss (which happened to be the most popular station). I found it so rewarding to see how happy the children were when they scored. Every child made it in at least once. At one point, one of the boys even said to the other, “Be careful, you don’t want to hit the lady!” That was so cute and it made my day.

A costume contest and an improvised skit on how to safely trick-or-treat spanned the rest of the Halloween festivities. First place for the girls went to a cute girl dressed as Tinker bell; for the boys, a muscular Superman stole the show.

Overall, it was a very rewarding experience. By the time 2:00 came around and the event came to a close, a chorus of “I don’t wanna leave!” could be heard all around the room. It felt so good to know that the kids had an excellent time while also taking away a valuable lesson about trick-or-treating and safety. Even though this event did not raise $10,000 to help cure cancer, it was still an act of giving—and even small steps make quite a difference.

My dad always says that you keep what you have by giving it away. As a young girl, the meaning of that phrase completely evaded me. After volunteering, however, I realized that the truest, most fulfilling aspects in life come from valuing relationships between other human beings. Material possessions come and go, but one’s spirit—well, that’s with them everywhere, all the time, and for life! Through volunteering, valuing relationships between other human beings, and being selfless, you strengthen and make joyous the one certain thing you will always have in life—yourself.

Honors Class a Boon to Deeper Thinking

By: Jenna Cummings

On a day by day basis, do you pay attention to just how much consumption surrounds you? How has it affected you? How has it affected others?

Dr. Shawn Bingham builds the course Consumer Culture around concepts such as these. One of the main topics discussed in this class is George Ritzer’s theory of the “McDonaldization” of society. Throughout the semester, this “McDonaldization,” as well as the overall idea of consumption, is applied to a broad range of topics including family life, nature, health, love, sex, and individualism. From this application, students learn not only about advertising, commercialization, mass production, and the market, but about the social and psychological effects of this consumer culture.

Perhaps due to this, students are benefiting from this class in a way that lets them apply what they learn to their everyday experiences. One of the class assignments was a consumption chronicle paper in which each student was required to keep either a time log on how they used their time for two weeks, or a consumption log on how they spent their money over the course two weeks.

"The consumption chronicle paper made me realize just how ridiculous my spending is. I should probably cut back on it," said student Megan Bridges.

Overall, it seems that this Social/Behavioral Science Honors course has really hit home for students by providing them not only with Honors credits, but time for introspection on the culture they are surrounded by.

Picture by Ashley Martinez

Free Food with a Side of Education Abroad

By: Ashley Martinez

On October 17th, the Global Living Learning Community hosted Tapas Night. Prior to the event, many eagerly anticipated what types of discussions would transpire during the night, but only one thing was certain: a promise for free food, which was thoroughly fulfilled. Upon entering a classroom in Juniper Poplar Hall, students were greeted by a table full of international dishes from plantains to yucca, to guava pastries, hummus and sushi. International students and Honors students alike stuffed their faces with home-style food they could only wish was served in the dining halls. Amidst all of the stuffed cheeks and bellies, Lisa Booth, also known as the mother of the Global Living Learning Community, ushered the students into the classroom.

The aura of the room was very relaxed as a representative from the International Affairs Department discussed the study abroad opportunities for the 2010 Summer and Spring semesters. Some of the more enticing awards discussed were scholarships specifically for study abroad are available for Honors students. Due to an agreement with other universities participating in “student swaps,” USF students are able to study abroad for the same tuition they'd pay in Florida.

Following discussion of study abroad opportunities was a chance to hear about the experiences students had studying abroad and are currently experiencing here at USF. Leonardo Cirigliano from Venezuela discussed his decision to travel to the United States and pursue his four-year degree here at USF. Cirigliano described life in Venezuela as more restricting, explaining that here in the United States it is safe for him to roam around outside, whereas in Venezuela, due to a high crime rate, he would be more restricted to staying indoors, at school or at the mall.

Chandrakanth Saravanan, a resident of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, also discussed his decision to pursue a four-year degree at USF, explaining that the Middle East does not have many universities, so it is essential to study abroad. Saravanan specifically chose USF because his father works and travels frequently from Dubai to the nearby Orlando.

Jacksonville native Linda Rogers also spoke about her experiences through Rotary International, having the opportunity to study abroad in Turkey for the summer and in India for an entire year. Rogers encouraged students to seize the opportunities they have at studying abroad.

“Traveling is what I want to do with my entire life,” Rogers said.

Monstars Win Annual Dodgeball Competition

By: Brian GoffOn September 23, over 90 players on 18 teams competed to be crowned dodgeball champions, but only one team walked away victorious. The top two teams each won a gift card to Chili's, but that wasn’t the top prize. These teams were playing for glory, for the right to call themselves number one.

The tournament, hosted by the Honors College Student Council, began at 5:30 p.m. The tournament was split into three beginning brackets of six, with each team playing three different opponents from their brackets. Points were assigned to the winning team based on how many of their players remained standing in the end. The two teams with the top two points would then move on to the next bracket. The next bracket of six teams, called the Winners Bracket, would each play three games with the top two teams moving on to the final four. The other two teams from the final four would come from the Consolation Bracket, which was created so that all teams stood an equal chance at reaching the final four.

It was clear from the beginning that there were two teams fated to meet each other in the final match: Balls of Fire and Monstars. Both teams swept through their initial brackets with intense focus on their court, so they had no knowledge of how the teams in other brackets were doing. They swiftly and handily destroyed all challengers such as Dodgeballs to the Face, Unpeggables, and Atkins 4 Fat Kids.

Both Monstars and Balls of Fire advanced to the Winners Bracket undefeated and ready to take on a new caliber of opponents. As fate would have it, these two great teams avoided playing each other in the Winners Bracket. As a result of this, both teams again easily demolished their competition and advanced through this round unscathed and undefeated again.

The Final Four rolled around and the crowd was anxious to see the two teams face off, but this time rules got in the way of their match. The two winning teams would each play a team from the Consolation Bracket to determine the players in the final match. Balls of Fire and Monstars would have to wait one more round to face off, and to ultimately decide who would claim the title.

Unfortunately, the match between Balls of Fire and Monstars never happened. Balls of Fire lost due to a technicality, running out of time, to a team from the Consolation Bracket. The Monstars went on to win their match and to easily defeat their competition in the final match. In a stunning display of might, the final match was over within seconds of it starting. Clearly, they deserved to be called champions.

The Monstars were led by team captain Ben Gillie who was joined by Brittany Berta, Meghan Wilhelmsen, Megan Lamb, Richie Ball, Rob Boelke, and Nick Stack.


Left: Team Monstars / Right: Team Pantalones Calientes. Photos by Kayla Richmond.

Even if you weren't able to register, come out to see your friends play for prizes!

When it Rains, it Pours

By: Roy Elias
The Fall Picnic had a higher turn out of Honors Students than any previous picnic. Upon arrival to Riverfront Park, it was raining ... and then it started pouring. This weather was not an obstacle to fun however, as a friendly yet competitive touch football game that separates the men from the boys was played in the inopportune weather. When the rain began to let up there was excellent food, volleyball, and canoeing. It seemed that everybody was enjoying something about the picnic whether it was socializing with friends, eating, or just having fun with the activities. Fall Picnic was a fun way to spend a couple hours on Sunday, and a testament to the fact that a little rain never hurt anyone.




Aside from the obvious weather problems, the picnic was a lot of fun. It was cool to hang out with the administrators of the honors college outside of the classroom. - Sean Carr

The picnic went really well, even though it rained I definitely enjoyed my cheeseburger, courtesy of Dean Silverman. That man has a way with a grill. - A.J. Jones

LLC's Board Game Night

Here are a few pictures of Board Game Night taken by Pulse photographer Joseph Michalsky. Promoting the Living Learning Community, Game Night brought a group of Honors students together to unwind and have fun on a Wednesday night.

Honors Convocation Marks Start of New Year

By: Ashley Martinez

On building to the Marshall Center, treated like royalty as they were welcomed by the chant of trumpeters as they walked through the doors. Ascending the stairs September 4, a flock of nearly 350 Honors students strolled from the Administration and making their way to Room 2703 for the Honors Convocation, an inauguration of sorts for the entering Honors class. On stage were the Honors College faculty, wearing full robes that resembled outfits from Harry Potter.

Dean Silverman took the podium and congratulated the entering Honors students, taking note of the great achievement of USF having the largest Honors College in the state. Dr. Naomi Yavneh followed, emphasizing the approximately $380 million of research funds raised at USF. Yavneh encouraged the class to take advantage of such plentiful resources, emphasizing that research is not necessarily black and white, yet assumes the vibrant pastels of creativity. Finding a place for everyone is possible, whether that place would be be studying Dance, French Studies or stem cell research.

Dr. Kleine prevented any possibility of wavering attention by declaring the “elitist” motto: “We breed better Bulls.” Dr. Kliene further supported the statements by encouraging the students to separate themselves from the rest of the USF population by becoming less conformist, attending more events, receiving more scholarships, networking far more, and achieving more than the rest; overall, to break away from the herd.

“Only dead fish go with the bull, a better bull is a fish that makes waves,” Kleine said.

Following Kleine was Scholarship Advisor Linda Lucas, alerting the fresh mass of Honors Students of the several scholarships available to them. Next up was Honors Advisor Reginald Lucien, encouraging others of the great Honors courses with the perks of the possibility of traveling abroad. The assembly concluded with the students being awarded the first half of their graduation medallions, their sash, a symbol of inspiration to graduate with their Honors in the future.

Pictures from top: Honors students climb the stairs to attend convocation./Students face each other to participate in the ceremonial exchange of sashes. Pictures by Ashley Martinez.