The Eagles Nest

Honors Quarterly Newsletter

Florida Gulf Coast University

A Look Back at Spring 2015

Congratulations from Dr. Nicola Foote

s 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

Photo courtesy of FGCU Honors Program

Volume 2 Issue 7

Photo courtesy of Florida Gulf Coast University Library

Student Spotlight
Kenneth Esquilin

tudent 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 updating
technology wise. Ken said with a smile.
The ways people engage with each
Photo courtesy of FGCU
other nowadays is quite different from
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 Foote
Student Spotlight
Page 1
Kenneth Esquilin
Honors Event Spotlight
Page 2
Honors Bake-Off
FGCU Hall of Fame
Page 3/4
2015 Honors Inductees
Graduate List
Page 5
Artist Spotlight Page 6
Heather Borrelli

Florida Gulf Coast University

May 2015 Honors Program Newsletter

Honors Event Spotlight

Honors Bake-Off

his 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

Spring 2015
Honors Award
Recipients
Leadership
Lori Boegershausen
Madeline Heath
Emma Svensson
Michael Tolvo
Romel Durandisse
Global Citizenship
Vanessa L. Fernandez
Talissa Soto
Emmalyn Green
Service and Community
Engagement
Emmalyn Green
Jason Hoop
Madeline Heath
Academic/Professional
Daniel Franco
Lori Boegershausen
Romel Durandisse
Bettina Botha
Meagan Jenkins

Student Spotlight

Photo by Danielle Christy

Continued from Page 1

dditionally, 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
Photo by Emma Green
meet success in the business world.
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

Building the Honors Community

Jessica Baker
Emmalyn Green
James Till
Lori Boegershausen
Sustainability and Environmental
Justice
Tia Rowe
Marshall Nathanson
Lori Boegershausen
Personal Excellence
Elizabeth Means
Toria Kwan
Emma Svensson
Lori Boegershausen
Emmalyn Green
Outstanding First- Year
Montana Knight
Marshall Nathanson
Richard Cassell

Florida Gulf Coast University

May 2015 Honors Program Newsletter

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Florida Gulf Coast University

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.

Jason Hoop
A professor once told me, If you dont wake up every morning with the intent to learn something 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.
Photo courtesy of Jason
Hoop

Madeline Heath

Photo courtesy of
Madeline Heath

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.

Jordan Nation
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.

Photo courtesy of Jordan

Nation

Hannah Amundson
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.

Photo courtesy of Hannah

Amundson

Florida Gulf Coast University

May 2015 Honors Program Newsletter

2015 Hall of Fame Inductees

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!

Christie Mauretour
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.
Photo courtesy of Christie
Mauretour

Romel Durandisse

Photo courtesy of Romel

Durandisse

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.

Emma Svensson
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.
Photo courtesy of Emma
Svensson

Lucy Leban
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.
Photo courtesy of Lucy
Leban

Florida Gulf Coast University

May 2015 Honors Program Newsletter

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Spring 2015

Spring 2015
Honors Graduates

Spring 2015
Honors Graduates

Ginger Allen
Hailey Amundson
Hannah Amundson
James Beans
Marco Bianchi
Bethany Bohall
Bettina Botha
Brandi Botsch
Kathryn Brewer
Heath Callahan
Allyson Clancy
Andrew Cusumano
Stevie Defelice
Megan Deremiah
Kaley Dietrich
Romel Durandisse
Chris Eckman
Daniella Escobar
Kenneth Esquilin
Alexandr Feldman
Vanessa Fernandez
Drew Flowerday
Krystle Fred
Marshall Goodwin
Todd Grieb
Mallory Hansell
Chelsey Hanson
Jeffrey Harvey
Madeline Heath
Tiara Hester
Trisha Hitchings
Jason Hoop
Emilie Houston
Kelly Howard
Kerilyn Hyer
Kacey Jackson-Davis
Rose-El Dynn Jean-Jacques
Wesley Johnson
Bret Kaiser
Jeri-Nichole Kendall

Toria Kwan
Lucy Leban
Dianna Loescher
Emily Malinosky
Christie Mauretour
Megan McDevitt
Emily Menendez
Galli Meyer
Katelyn Moran
Nicholas Morozov
Lauren Moss
Lauren Mueller
Jordan Nation
Sarah Norris
Corinne Olsen
Christian Padgett
Melissa Paniagua
Lauren Paul
Andre Phelps
James Porco
Alexandra Puscas
Emery Ramaswami
Nowele Rechka
Alyssa Reidy
Christopher Rohling
Tia Rowe
Nicholas Saracione
Samantha Scholpp
Jessel Serrano
Talissa Soto
Amanda Strauss
Emma Svensson
Eduardo Tavel
Taylor Thalacker
Kelly Ussia
Jonathan Voss
Etienne Wasson
Tyler Wilson
Amanda Yazejian

Photo courtesy of FGCU

Photo courtesy of FGCU

FGCU
Honors Prgram

Photo courtesy of FGCU

Photo courtesy of FGCU Honors Program

Florida Gulf Coast University

May 2015 Honors Program Newsletter

Artist Spotlight
Heather Borrelli

Photo by Danielle Christy

irst-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

A Look Back at Spring 2015

Continued from Page 1

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

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