If you go to FAU, chances are you have seen a girl using a guide stick to make her way around campus. Her name is Annmarie Bedard, a junior at FAU. Bedard was born 17 weeks premature and diagnosed with retinopathy at 2 months causing complete blindness in her left eye. Although doctors had little hope for her when she was born, she is now a self-sufficient student that requires very little help.
If you weren't already impressed you can read more about Bedard and her struggles at the Universty Press Online and their article title "Success Beyond Sight."
Feb 28, 2010
FAU Musician Releases New Single "Go"
According to Dheft's website, he is a solo artist who expresses his own vibe through instruments, including piano, viola and guitar. Dheft began singing at an early age. "Coming from a family of musicians it was a very easy transition from initial speech to melodic vocals," said Dheft.
Dheft has performed in clubs all over South Florida, including Miami, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach. He has also performed in locations like Tennessee, Naples, and Key West.
You can keep up with Dheft's music at these sites:
- Facebook: Search Dheft
- Official Website
- MySpace
FAU on MTV
The popular TV network MTV recently came to FAU. It wasn't to feature FAU, but FAU sophomore and business major Kristy Myer. Myer was on a show called "Is she Really Going Out With Him?" The show was inspired by the popular website "Hot Chicks with Douchebags."
According to MTV, "the show aims to tear down the mystery behind pop culture's unexplainable phenomenon: beautiful and innocent who fall for overly tanned, self-absorbed douchebags."
Kristy started on this show with boyfriend Vinny Nocera and a cast of mutual friends. Nocera was titled a "Gamecock" because he seems to have a fixation with with being like a peacock.
Myer spent the episode arguing with Nocera over the common relationship problem, his friends. Myer told me that she had a great time filming the show. "Having cameras follow us around was fun and it was really cool to see ourselves on TV," said Myer.
Her episode aired once in January and is set to air again on Mar. 1, at 6 p.m, on MTV.
To check-out the full episode click here.
According to MTV, "the show aims to tear down the mystery behind pop culture's unexplainable phenomenon: beautiful and innocent who fall for overly tanned, self-absorbed douchebags."
Kristy started on this show with boyfriend Vinny Nocera and a cast of mutual friends. Nocera was titled a "Gamecock" because he seems to have a fixation with with being like a peacock.
Myer spent the episode arguing with Nocera over the common relationship problem, his friends. Myer told me that she had a great time filming the show. "Having cameras follow us around was fun and it was really cool to see ourselves on TV," said Myer.
Her episode aired once in January and is set to air again on Mar. 1, at 6 p.m, on MTV.
To check-out the full episode click here.
FAU Tennis Player Find Succes on YouTube
A popular trend in the collegiate sport world is to post YouTube videos of yourself demonstrating your talent. But what sets this athlete apart from the rest is that she has been given a scholarship to play tennis at FAU.
Dominique Wimmer is a sophomore from Guntramsdorf, Austria, and started playing when she was around 6. Wimmer has won a number of International Championships, but that wasn't enough for coaches in the United States. Wimmer said, "Coaches search for videos there, and all the coaches I spoke with wanted to see a video, so I posted them on YouTube instead of sending in a hard copy."
Wimmer said she has really enjoyed this experience and considers this a great opportunity. "We don't have a University system in Europe, with athletic scholarships, like the U.S." Wimmer finds Florida to be the perfect place to play tennis and even finds her classes interesting.
To watch videos of Wimmer, click here.
FAU goes Old School: Ballroom Dancing
FAU is full of many clubs that most students don't know about, but FAU senior Amanda Aandalen still managed to find a club that was perfect for her. Aandalen is the current president of the FAU Ballroom Dance Club. This club was founded in the Fall of 2006 by Jennifer Gonzalez and Kira Hays with dedicated support from sponsors Pat and Sharon Talerico. This a social and artistic student organization that works with the Department of Theater and Dance. The club currently has about 20 members and hold practices twice a week.
Aandalen got involved with the club after attending its Valentine's Day fundraiser and shortly after became the President of the club. Aandalen recently worked to put together the Polish Club Fundraiser.
The event was on Feb. 20, and raised about $400 after expenses. Aandalen said, "The event was for the club's costumes and other various expenses. We have sponsors, but we don't like asking them for money."
You can learn more about the club and its events by e-mailing Amanda Aandalen or visiting their website.
Feb 27, 2010
FAU Singer: Jennifer Lauren
As I promised, I will be bringing you students at FAU who are doing interesting things. Jennifer Lauren is one of those people. Lauren is a junior at FAU and the creator and performer of her very own YouTube channel.
Lauren is a self-taught singer and guitar player that honed in her skills after moving to New York City for a summer internship and moving in with a roommate who also had her own channel. Lauren says she has been singing since she can remember, but only picked up the guitar this past summer by watching YouTube tutorials.
Lauren has over 30 videos, 1,544 subscribers, and 21,364 channel views. Most of Lauren's videos are cover songs, but some answer viewers' questions and others are easy tutorials so viewers can learn songs, too. Lauren said, "This has been a dream come true for me. I never would have imagined I would get so many subscribers. Hopefully, I can eventually get a recording contract!"
You can visit Jennifer Lauren on:
FAU Intern Displays Art at Hible Museum
If you haven't heard of Michael Metzner, you are about to. Metzner is a sophomore at FAU's Honors College in Jupiter and also an intern for the Scripps Research Institute, Department of Metabolism and Aging. According to the TC Palm, Metzner's photographs were the featured attraction at an exhibition at the Hibel Museum of Art (at FAU in Jupiter).
The exhibition opened on Feb. 25 and is titled "Perceptions of Beauty: An Artistic Photographic Expression of Antique Fans." According to Metzner, "the exhibit looks at how society has a flawed sense of what beauty is and how we do not appreciate the beauty that is found in our everyday lives."
This is Metzner's first solo exhibit, but he hopes it won't be his last. "I think that this project is the best work I have done thus far, but I think the best is yet to come," said Metzner.
Metzner has always had a passion for the arts. "I got my first camera in 2007. I love capturing moments where I can see the true personality of my subject. My goal is to capture the details, not only in the people's personalities, but in all the objects that I photograph," said Metzner.
He is double-majoring in biochemistry and the visual arts. Metzner told me that he believes photography is a great form of stress relief and will take advantage of any doors it opens, but his career goal is to become a pediatric surgeon.
FAU Mascot: Owlsley Burrows
As some of you may know, FAU has had its fair share of ups and downs when it comes to finding the perfect mascot. First it was a big-beaked, half-yellow, half-blue mascot that only seemed to resemble an owl.
Then FAU unveiled a slightly better version that seemed to barely resemble a mascot. It was a man in a football uniform with wings over his arms and a giant angry owl head.
FAU finally got it right when it picked the Owlsley Burrows of today. But did you ever wonder who is behind all that school spirit? According to FAU, that information is highly classified. Fortunately, I was able to sit down with the man under the suit.
The current mascot is quite an entertainer. This dancing machine said he got his start when a few FAU cheerleaders saw him dancing. The student behind the mask said, "A few friends of mine knew I could dance and suggested to the cheer coaches that they check me out. They saw me dance and offered me the job on the spot."
After being the mascot for only a year, he went to compete in a nationwide competition against hundreds of other mascots in Tennessee. Owlsley's skills were put to the test against other school mascots who had been doing it for three or more years. "The competition tested creativity, humor, enthusiasm, as well few others. I was rated superior in all categories and even placed third overall."
Compliments of FAU Owl TV, here is a blooper reel of Owlsley giving a campus tour.
According to FAU here are some facts about Owl Spirit:
- Colors: Red and Blue
- Mascot: Burrowing Owl (fun fact)
- Alma Mater
- Fight Song
- Shula Bowl: Traditional football game played every season against rival team, FIU.
- Spirit Group: The prOWLers (football) and the Dirty Birds (basketball)
FAU Hoops for Haiti Charity Game: Celebrities Give Back
While Haiti may not be in the news as much as it was a month ago, FAU Student Government President Tiffany Weimar knew that she had to find some way to help. Weimar decided to plan an event to benefit the victims of the Haiti earthquake, by working with Lynn University students and the Konbit Kreyold, to put on "Hoops for Haiti".
"Hoops for Haiti" was a benefit basketball game that featured the renowned Harlem Ambassadors vs. a team of celebrities from South Florida. Some of these celebrities included: Santonio Holmes, Cris Carter, Evan Cohen from Channel 5 Sports and ESPN 760, as well as some FAU and Lynn faculty and student government members.
The event was free, but donations were gladly accepted. Weimar said, "We were hoping to recieve donations of canned goods, water, hygiene products, and even monetary donations. Our goal was to raise $12,000 or 12,000 pounds of food." The official total isn't available yet, but Weimar could not have been happier with the turnout.
Here are a few videos taken at "Hoops for Haiti" from FAU Owl Access and UP TV 4 FAU.
For more information on the event, try these links:
Feb 3, 2010
FAU Owlettes Playing Football
Burke decided to start this club after hearing that other schools also have teams outside of intramurals. "I played on my sorority's team, but we just had intramural games, I wanted to play with girls who were better than me. I wanted to take it to the next level," said Burke.
The club played in their first tournament at the University of North Florida this last fall and have also been invited to also play in the University of Florida "Swamp Bowl"
Flag Football Tournament. The club had try-outs on Jan. 23 and 15 girls show up, one in particular being deaf. "Its a club, so everyone gets to make it," said Burke.
The teams Facebook page says that they are "dedicated to the promotion of flag football for women throughout FAU and their goal is to advance opportunities for equality on the fields by taking a leadership role in administering game play, through education, and training of the game."
Burke told me that "It was really nice to be the creator of something that was the start of a tradition. Other teams have been around for over 15 years and this is the first year. It is just really exciting to be involved in something that allows women to do something that is typically dominated by men."
The team has practice every Saturday and offensive practice on Thursdays. If you are interested in joining the team contact Jannean Burke here.
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