Last February, I set out on what I thought would be a fairly cut-and-dry endeavor: to advance the idea that Student Government (SG) is irrelevant. My attitude was that the vast majority of people involved in it are just a bunch of resum
Sorority gets charter
It’s official – Alpha Delta Pi [ADPi] received its charter last weekend to become the newest sorority chapter at UM.
“This provides the opportunity for a significant number of more women to go Greek and join the Greek community,” Callie Simon, Panhellenic president, said. “It provides another option for women who weren’t necessarily satisfied before-these are awesome women.”
ADPi was the first sorority ever in the U.S., created by six women at an all-girls college in Macon, Ga., in 1851. “We live for each other” is the motto which all ADPi women follow. They work with the Ronald McDonald House as their philanthropic cause.
The process of bringing ADPi to campus started last year, when the University made the decision to add a sorority to the University. The 20 national sororities currently not on campus were invited to apply for selection, out of which three were chosen to make presentations at UM. ADPi was ultimately selected to colonize on campus.
This fall, ADPi recruited after the formal recruitment period for all other sororities was over.
“They wanted to get a well rounded group of women with diverse interests,” Simon said. “They looked for potential in women.”
“There was just something about it, the whole new feeling they had,” Jackie Hessel, sophomore, said. “The motto was ‘Come home to ADPi.’ It was very inviting and really made me want to join a group of people who all felt the same way.”
Ninety-eight women-average chapter size at UM-were chosen for the new member period, during which they learned about all aspects of ADPi from its history to its structure.
“It’s pretty cool to be a founding member-I don’t know anyone else who’s done this before,” Hessel said. “It’s a good feeling.”
ADPi’s Black Diamond days-three days of initiation-officially began last Thursday. The new officer installation and campus reception were Friday evening, and 88 women, ranging from freshmen to seniors, were initiated in an all day ceremony Saturday. The chapter installation closed out the initiation weekend with a banquet at Hotel Sofitel, where friends, family, alumni and the entire international council of ADPi joined as the sorority received its new charter.
“It’s an awesome experience to have no standards behind us,” Jamie Fiorentino, sophomore, said. “There is no stereotype of a sorority yet, which leaves us in charge of determining our own standards.”
“I’m looking forward to strengthening my new friendships, working together with the Ronald McDonald House, and starting a whole new chapter and being the newest sorority on campus,” Hessel said.
This isn’t the first time ADPi has been on campus. The sorority received its original charter at UM in the 1950s and left campus in 1976. During the ceremony Saturday, the sorority received two charters-the original charter and the new charter, which contained the names of all 88 new members.
“The alumni are so excited to see that it’s back. There were founding members from the 1950s at the banquet,” Fiorentino said. “Just to see them all there, to see what they accomplished, we are just starting what they did so long ago.”
Megha Garg can be contacted at m.garg@umiami.edu.
Father and son are more than friends, they’re fraternity brothers
Growing up, Brian Shrader’s dad was his soccer coach, Cub Scout leader, and Odyssey of the Mind coach. When Brian joined the high school band, his father, Brian Shrader, Sr., helped out with the band equipment. Now that Brian’s graduating in December, his dad’s getting involved in a big way-he’s joining his fraternity.
“It was my last request I made as a graduating senior,” said Brian, who is Interfraternity Council president and Grand Master of Kappa Sigma fraternity. “The fraternity is a big part of college for me and my dad has always supported me it so it just made sense.”
Mr. Shrader spends time with the brothers every time he visits Brian, going to South Beach, Coconut Grove, hanging out with them at bars and even helping them build a float for parades.
When Brian sent his dad an email at his home office asking Mr. Shrader to write a letter explaining why someone would want to join a fraternity, Mr. Shrader had no idea that the letter would be for himself.
“Brian called me and asked me what I thought. He was like ‘no, it’s for you,’ and I said ‘What?!,'” Mr. Shrader said.
His letter, along with letters of recommendation and a unanimous vote from all the Kappa Sigma undergraduate brothers were sent to national headquarters for approval.
Mr. Shrader will be flying down from Maryland to be initiated on Thanksgiving.
“Now I’m studying for the test and ritual because I know they’ll drill me,” Mr. Shrader said. “I’m sure it’ll be a lot of fun – everything’s secret till you get there.”
For Brian, having his dad join Kappa Sigma is a way to get him involved in something that he says changed his entire college experience.
“I got more out of it than I could possibly put into it,” Brian said. “And I’ll finally be able to explain to him that it’s more than just a drinking club.”
Being part of a fraternity will be a new experience for Mr. Shrader, since he never went to college. He said that what impressed him the most about the brothers is their support of one another and how they manage to have a good time and still focus on school.
“I was not mature enough at that age. Back in the late ’70s I was a war protestor. It was confusing times,” Mr. Shrader said. “The Vietnam War had the country divided, but at the same time, if they pulled up your number, you went.”
Brian and his dad have always had an open and trusting relationship. They spend much of their time going to concerts, drinking a couple beers at a bar and occasionally smoking cigars, which is a ritual when Mr. Shrader visits Brian in Miami.
“You’d think there’d be a big generation gap, but we understand each other,” Mr. Shrader said. “Plus, I’m going to be a brother with my son.”
This summer, both will be heading to Las Vegas for Grand Conclave 2005, a two-day national meeting for all Kappa Sigma members, and then staying a couple more days to use the time as a vacation.
Natalia Maldonado can be reached at n.maldonado@umiami.edu.
News Briefs
UM School of Nursing appoints new Senior Associate Dean
Nilda Peragallo, Dean of the School of Nursing, recently announced the appointment of Denise Korniewicz, D.N.Sc., RN, FAAN, as the Senior Associate Dean, Associate Dean for research and Director of the doctoral program. Korniewicz will oversee the research of doctoral students and faculty members, assisting in securing funding to continue their research. As director for the doctoral program, Korniewicz aims at moving the program in a new direction, providing students with research projects in hospital and community settings throughout the state of Florida. Her clinical specialties included critical care, trauma, emerging infections and infectious diseases.
Korniewicz is nationally recognized for her research in infectious diseases and barrier protection. She was a professor at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. and the University of Maryland in Baltimore. Being Captain in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, she was one of the first nurse practitioners in the military. Currently, Korniewicz is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and a member of the American Association of Nursing Science, the Association for Practitioners in Infection Control and the American Nurses Association, among others. She also is involved with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Ga., and The White House Focus Group on Infection Control. Korniewicz is currently serving as an expert consultant for the American Nurses Association in Washington, D.C.
Korniewicz obtained her Doctor of Nursing Science degree from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and earned a Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Infection Prevention from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md.
Seinfeld donates ‘puffy shirt’ to Smithsonian Museum
(U-WIRE) WASHINGTON – The Smithsonian Museum of American History acquired its first “joke” Thursday night as comedian Jerry Seinfeld made a lasting contribution.
The comedian presented the museum with his famed puffy shirt and script from the “puffy shirt” episode, which aired during the show’s fifth season. In the episode, Seinfeld agrees to wear the shirt when he appears on The Today Show, but only after nagging from Kramer’s low-talker girlfriend.
“This is the most embarrassing moment in the history of the Smithsonian. This has got to be a new low for them and I couldn’t be prouder to have my named plastered all over it,” Seinfeld said at the dedication ceremony.
Seinfeld said that the museum’s philosophy goes against what he stands for because he generally throws everything away.
The Smithsonian’s pop culture collection has more than 6,000 objects from theatre, film and television. The puffy shirt will sit on display next to Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz and Jim Henson’s Kermit the Frog puppet.
The dedication ceremony was followed by a reception that featured items from popular “Seinfeld” establishments including Ray’s Pizza and the Soup Nazi. Also available were black and white cookies, Kramer’s rice pudding, corned beef and turkey club sandwiches, egg cream, Junior Mints and Milk Duds.
Etc.
Submit your ideas for the UMTV mascot’s name. He’s here and he’s new but what should we call him? Send replies to namethemascot@hotmail.com.
Former Apprentice star comes home
It’s been a while since she’s heard Donald Trump’s infamous phrase, “You’re fired!” but Katrina Campins, 2001 UM alum, has still remained in the limelight. Campins, a Miami native who graduated in the top 10 in the business school with a 4.0 GPA and a B.B.A. in international finance and marketing, spoke to UM students Thursday about her experience on season one of The Apprentice and of her current life.
Though she was one of the final six of 16 contestants on the hit reality show, which offers the finalist of a series of business challenges the position of an apprenticeship in one of Donald Trump’s organizations, she is in the top three percent of realtors nationwide. How she got there is an awe-inspiring story in itself.
Campins earned her Florida real estate license when she was 18 years old.
“I eat and breathe real estate. It’s who I am,” she said. “I wanted to make my dreams a reality by helping others with their dreams, owning a home. Passion breeds success. I knew that if I wanted to be trained in realty, I would have to do it on my own.”
While she was in college, the firm of Wimbish-Riteway Realtors recruited her. At age 20, she became the youngest member in their Winners Circle. She then joined the Jeanne Baker Realty, quickly becoming the company’s top producer in her first year.
She was a hard worker from the start. A dedicated student in college, she slept an average of three hours a night. She spent her other time working and studying.
“I remember reading chapters five times each. My teachers would say, ‘Katrina, three times is more than enough,'” Campins said. “But I was obsessed. I’d strive for the A+, even though I knew an A would be just the same.”
Her obsession and passion for what she does have gotten her where she is today. She admires her mother the most.
“I am a first generation American. My mother has taught me so much: integrity, loyalty, when to speak my mind,” Campins said. “She used to always tell me, ‘by my deeds will I be known.'”
In 2002, Campins filmed season one of The Apprentice. Although Campins says that being on the show was the best thing to happen to her career, she initially thought it was “a big mistake.”
“I had worked so hard to get to where I am,” she said.
However, it was “an opportunity to learn from one of the biggest real estate moguls in the country.”
Not only has Campins gained a unique education from her experience, such as the sheer importance of branding herself in everything she does, she has made some close friends, including “The Donald.”
“He’s phenomenal. He has an unforeseen sense of humor,” Campins said of Trump. “And by the way, his hair is real.”
Among her television appearances on ESPN and CNBC, Campins currently hosts an informative South Florida real estate show called Step Inside with Katrina Campins.
She is also the owner of The Campins Company, a boutique real estate brokerage firm that caters to the luxury residential market and represents developers through its marketing and sales of high-end residential developments.
After watching an episode of season two of The Apprentice with UM students, she said, “I think Jen M. will win just because Donald Trump is mesmerized by her.”
UM may see more of the Campins’ soon. Katrina’s younger sister, Camille, may attend UM next fall.
Shalu Patel can be contacted at s.patel16@umiami.edu.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Bill Rancic
Having won last season’s game, Rancic is currently overseeing the construction of the new Trump Tower in Chicago. He is involved in meeting with the construction crews, architects and sales teams.
Kwame Jackson
Jackson has started a holding company called Legacy Holdings LLC, pursuing various entrepreneurial projects in the Real Estate Development, TV/Film Production and Retail Apparel arenas.
Katrina Campins Campins is the owner of The Campins Company, a boutique real estate brokerage firm that caters to the luxury residential market. Campins continues to appear on television in her role as a weekly correspondent for ESPN and as a regular guest on CNBC.
Calendar
TODAY
Beginning a new tradition, ‘Cane Records is hosting Open Mic Night from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Storm Surge Caf
Be Their Guest
You never get too old for fairytales. That may be the lesson every audience member leaves with after watching the new-to-South-Florida musical version of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.
The non-profit Actors’ Playhouse bought the rights to Disney’s theater adaptation of its movie and then cast, directed, and made everything from the storybook set to the elaborate costumes in Coral Gables for its 10th anniversary season. The show, which still runs on Broadway, will be on for seven weeks at the Miracle Theatre.
Movie fans will be glad to know that the musical remains faithful to the 1991 Oscar-nominated film – down to such memorable enchanted household characters like Cogsworth (Terrell Hardcastle), Mrs. Potts (Lourelene Snedeker) and Lumiere (Bill Perlach) that sing and dance on “Be Our Guest” – only straying so far as to add a handful of new musical numbers. Theater fans will find that high-caliber musical theater performances are but a short drive from campus away.
With the possible exception of Lumiere’s off-and-on French accent, the strong acting throughout the musical often adds depth to stereotypical cartoon characters. Actor Tally Sessions portrays the pain of the Beast as he evolves from growling and hunching over on all fours to speaking eloquently and standing upright, even though in the beginning of the first act it’s frustrating not to see much of his face or costume, and his echoing voice and roars can get a bit too wild.
One of the best performances is given by the charismatic Lefou (David Perez-Ribada),Gaston’s sycophantic sidekick, who steals the show with his humorous slapstick and impressive dancing and singing abilities (at one point, he belts out singing while lying down). The arm-flexing, Elvis-like Gaston (Robert Rokicki) also provides repeated comic relief with his dead-on portrayal of the sexist, egocentric antagonist that vies for the heart of the sweet, eager Belle (Gwen Hollander).
Lefou and Gaston contribute in large part to one of the show’s best musical numbers, “Gaston,” where en eye-pleasing use of levels, acrobatics and a Stomp-like rhythm with beer jugs create an energetic scene. A weaker number, however, is “Human Again,” where the household characters somewhat crowd the stage.
The live orchestra, special effects and (if somewhat dark at times) lighting, together with some adult jokes (“The perfect pair, rather like my thighs!” exclaims Gaston) and appealing chemistry among cast members, make up for an enjoyable theater outing. Disney’s Beauty and the Beast will leave you smiling, and the tunes will be playing over in your head long after you’ve left Miracle Mile.
Patricia Mazzei can be contacted at p.mazzei@umiami.edu.
MOVIE REVIEW Finding Neverland combines entertainment with quality storytelling
One of the most difficult tasks for biographical filmmakers to accomplish has always been documenting the life of a writer. Writing is such a personal activity that showing it on film would usually bore audiences to death, unless heavy-handed techniques like voiceovers and flashbacks are used.
Finding Neverland manages to avoid these negatives while showing the life of Peter Pan author J.M. Barrie, played with subdued honesty by the usually wild Johnny Depp. Barrie’s life is an especially interesting one, allowing for the film to focus less on the actual writing and more on how he got the ideas for his masterpiece.
Barrie was a fairly well known playwright in London, but his recent work lacked motivation until he met a single mother and her four children in a park where he often wrote his plays. He started spending his days playing with the children, creating stories to tell them and encouraging them to think of stories as well.
As his relationship with the boys grew stronger, his own marriage started to fall apart. Barrie’s wife understood that he was at his happiest when he was with the boys, not with her, and eventually left him. He spent even more time with the family, but at least in the movie, never got into a romantic relationship with the mother (Titanic’s Kate Winslet), making his bond with the children even more unique.
Barrie acts as more of a best friend character to the children than he does a father. The main connection they have is through imagination. Barrie teaches them to use their imagination, which can place them in any story he tells or any game they play. Through his time with them, he learns to better use his own imagination, which is what ultimately results in Peter Pan.
The film does a great job of showing how Barrie’s relationship with the four kids led to his writing Peter Pan. Depp portrays Barrie as a likeable enough guy, but he is somewhat cold and removed until the kids teach him what’s important again. He especially bonds with the youngest child, Peter, for whom he names his play.
The children in Peter Pan don’t want to grow up, a direct reflection on Barrie himself, who wishes he were a kid again. Each of the children develops his own personality throughout the film, and all four are excellently cast in their roles. Depp is good as always, and the often-overlooked Winslet could earn a fourth Oscar nomination for her supporting role.
Finding Neverland is a rare literary period piece that can be emotional without being overly dramatic. Kids will enjoy the playful parts and the focus on imagination, while adults will like the depth of the characters and the heartfelt emotion. Overall, Finding Neverland manages to combine entertainment with quality storytelling, just like J.M. Barrie did.
Shawn Wines can be contacted at s.wines@umiami.edu.
CD REVIEW
After nearly two years of taking a break from stardom, Skindred has finally released its first album on Lava Records equipped with hard-hitting guitar rifts and unique lyrics. A combination of fused hard rock and reggae, Babylon is paving the band a road for stardom and leading the way for many other Rastafarian metal bands.
Formerly from the United Kingdom, Skindred consists of four gifted artists who each bring a distinct style to the band. Founded by head vocalist Benji Webbe and bassist Daniel Pugsley, the two leading men are building up for the growth of a fresh explosive genre. After two years of writing and producing Babylon, they are ready for whatever comes their way. With a blend of reggae and punk, the CD’s entire tone is clearly unpredictable with edgy lyrics.
Babylon will undoubtedly be considered one of the most impressive rock releases this year. With 16 stunning tracks, Skindred has improved on all past efforts and delivered a set of captivating songs. The highlights are numerous: “Set It Off” serves as the opener with incredible sub-bass booms and an amazing chorus, while “The Fear” is more subtle and serves as a remake of The Clash’s “London Calling.” What makes this album like no other is that it consists of an introduction and three interludes.
Fusing two different music types such as metal and reggae is an arduous task. However, Skindred makes it look easy. Make sure to look out for Babylon in the record store nearest to you.
Keith Preciados can be contacted at k.preciados@umiami.edu.
EXCESS
AN eR-like turn for rocker
Front man for rock band Van Halen has decided he wants to help-people, we mean. David Lee Roth has been riding with a New York City ambulance crew as training to become a paramedic.
kudos to bob dylan
Bob Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone” was named by Rolling Stone magazine as the greatest rock song ever.
les olympiques?
Olympic buzz is being created once again as the final cities are fighting for the spot for the 2012 Olympics. Competing cities include New York, Paris, Madrid, London and Moscow. As of now, Paris is considered the favorite.
WVUM TOP TEN
WVUM 90.5 FM, the voice of the University of Miami since 1968 has been expanding since it’s five-member start. Promoting “independent music for independent thinkers,” these are WVUM’s top picks.
1. Arcade Fire – Funeral
2. Japan 4 Sale – Volume 4
3. Devandra Banhart – Nino Rojo
4. Saturday looks good to me – Every Night
5. Castanets – Cathedral
6. Tom Waits – Real Gone
7. Mosquitoes – Sunshine Barato
8. Savath and Savalas – Manana
9. Wovenhands – Consider the Birds
10. Otto Von Schirach – Global Speaker Fisting
THE MATCHUP UM vs Wake Forest
| Brock Berlin has gone from goat to team MVP in half of the season. Berlin has thrown 17 touchdowns on the season and hasn’t thrown an interception in the last three games. Thankfully! | QUARTERBACK – UM | The Demon Deacons have two quarterbacks that can start. Cory Randolph is the usual starter but an injured toe cleared the path for red-shirt freshman Ben Mauk. Both quarterbacks have the ability to run but they only have five TDs combined this year. |
| Frank Gore blew up like everyone thought he would last week. Running for 195 yards against one of the best run-defenses in the country was impressive but now Gore needs to show he can perform week-in and week-out at that level. | RUNNING BACK – Wake Forest | Chris Barclay is the leading rusher in the ACC with 850 yards and he could shred UM’s defense if they revert back to their arm-tackling ways. Red-shirt freshman Micah Andrews averages just 32.7 yard-per-game but he has six TDs. |
| This unit has performed well as a whole this season, but the rumor is that it had a large helping of buttered popcorn during the pre-game movie. It dropped seven passes, the most egregious of which was a Lance Leggett sure touchdown. | OFFENSIVE LINE – Even | This unit only returned two starters from last season but Jim Grobe’s teams always run well. Wake leads the ACC in rushing and center Blake Lingruen, the only senior on the line, is a big reason why. |
| D-tackle Orien Harris finally came out of hibernation to make some plays in the past couple of games. Many thought the 300-pounder would be a top NFL prospect at this point but he has disappeared at times this season. | DEFENSIVE LINE – UM | Matt Robinson is only a red-shirt frosh but the defensive end leads the Demon Deacon defense with eight tackles for a loss. This is a young line that has had three freshmen starting at times this season. No player on the line has more than two sacks. |
| Romeo Davis and Jon Beason, two freshmen, have answered the call with Tavares Gooden injured and Leon Williams underperforming. The linebacker corps has a bright future with so many young players already contributing. Williams may return to the MLB position with McIntosh injured. | LINEBACKERS – Wake Forest | Jonathan Abbate has garnered ACC Freshman of the Week honors three times this season and he leads the team in tackles from the middle linebacker position. Two other starters in this group could miss the game because of shoulder injuries. |
| Devin Hester took over injured All-American Antrel Rolle’s cornerback spot and played extremely well. Greg Threat quietly leads the team in tackles and is tied for interceptions with Hester. | SECONDARY – Even | Wake Forest has two playmakers in its secondary with senior cornerbacks Eric King and Marcus McGruder. King was All-ACC last season and McGruder has returned all three of his interceptions for touchdowns. |
| Hey, anyone remember Roscoe Parrish? He used to return punts before Devin Hester came along. Well he’s back and he returned one for a touchdown against Virginia. Meanwhile kicker Jon Peattie has put an ad in the newspaper for his lost confidence. | SPECIAL TEAMS – UM | Punter Ryan Plackemeier is the ACC’s best and he has taken over field goal duties since regular kicker Matt Wisnosky tore his ACL. Plackemeier may be one of the few college punters good enough to successfully kick away from Parrish and Hester. |