FAU University Press

Join the University Press this Friday at 2:00 PM in Room 214 of the Student Union as they welcome Sun Sentinel reporters Abigail Hasebroock and Shira Moolten.

Come hear from young journalists actively working in the field about their experience and journey.

RSVP for the event at the link in our bio.

“[The] U.S.A. is a land of opportunities,” said Jaya Sai Adithya, an Indian graduate student in the computer and information sciences department.

Florida Atlantic University is home to over 1,900 international students this fall semester, and more than 50% of this population is Indian students, according to Kelly Roy, the director of International Enrollment Services.

Indian students apply to FAU for various reasons, including affordable tuition, high-quality academic programs and inclusivity.

To read more, visit upressonline.com or visit the link in our bio.
✏️ : Sephora Charles
📸 : Ravan Thopri

Elections for Florida Atlantic University’s Student Government (SG) legislation are underway Tuesday, Sept. 24 and Wednesday, Sept. 25. However, this year looks a little different for the Boca House of Representatives.

Instead of electing 50 undergraduate or graduate students from any college on the Boca campus, SG is now designating 30 of these seats for students representing each of the 10 colleges within the university. The remaining 20 seats remain available for students from any college, according to Benjamin Cohen, SG’s chief financial officer.

With this new change, Cohen says there will hopefully be increased overall student involvement in SG.

“In my opinion, it’s the most significant structural change that Student Government has made in over 15 years,” he wrote in an email to the UP.

To read more, visit upressonline.com or click the link in our bio.
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📸 : Student Government Elections’ Facebook.

“We want people to know that GLAM isn’t just about makeup,” said Amanda Doimeadios, GLAM’s vice president and FAU communications and digital marketing major. “It’s about creating a space where people can come together, feel good about themselves, and support each other.”

Since its founding in 2019, the “Graciously Leaving A Mark” (GLAM) club at Florida Atlantic University has aimed to empower students through beauty.

From makeup and skincare to hair and nails, GLAM offers hands-on events and workshops that boost confidence and help members embrace their authentic selves. GLAM welcomes all FAU students, whether they are a beauty beginner or an aspiring industry pro.

To read more, visit upressonline.com or click the link in our bio.
✏️ : Zoe Dahan
📸 : Zoe Dahan

The UP is looking for a dedicated student with experience in InDesign or Photoshop to be their Head Designer for the fall semester.

Come join the editorial staff in a PAID position and gain experience in creating and designing the next UP print issue(s) from scratch, as well as other things like social media managing, content creation and more.

If interested, DM us or send us your resume + portfolio via email [email protected].

Vice President Kamala Harris is narrowly leading former President Donald Trump in the race to the White House 50% to 45%, according to a new national poll from Florida Atlantic University’s Political Communication and Public Opinion Research (PolCom) Lab and Mainstreet Research USA.

The conclusions from this poll in particular were drawn from 820 registered voters across the U.S. in a 24-hour window from Sept. 16 to 17, according to university spokesperson Joshua Glanzer’s press release..

The poll also found that 54% of voters predicted Harris would win the United States presidential election over Trump’s 46%.

However, as FAU political science alumnus Joao Brandao points out, “Polls can say one thing, and how elections turn out is a whole different thing.”

To read more, visit upressonline.com or click the link in our bio.
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📸: iStock

On Wednesday, Florida Atlantic University’s Student Government hosted the Governor’s Address, featuring newly appointed Boca Raton Campus Governor Raymond Adderly. During the event, Adderly revealed the SG cabinet’s accomplishments and outlined his upcoming plans for the campus.

“It’s with the same level of gratitude, eagerness and servitude that I submit to you this Governor’s Address,” Adderly said.

He spoke about a wide array of topics, including parking and housing availability, sexual assault awareness, food insecurity, campus recreation improvements and club athletics fees.

To read more, visit upressonline.com or click the link in our bio.
✏️ : Sephora Charles
📸 : Sephora Charles

Constitution Day is held annually to commemorate the signing of the United States Constitution in 1787. As per tradition, educational institutions across the country are required to organize events to reflect on the Constitution’s significance.

This year, FAU’s Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters invited Emily Bazelon, staff writer for The New York Times Magazine and Katie Phang, host of The Katie Phang Show on MSNBC, to discuss the relevance of the Constitution in today’s political climate and how society might interpret it in the future.

According to the Constitution Center, Originalism is a legal theory that interprets the Constitution by understanding the meaning it had when it was originally written and adopted, relying on sources like dictionaries, legal documents and public debates from that time. On the other hand, living constitutionalism views the Constitution as a ‘living, breathing’ document, adaptable to society’s changes.

“In ‘Dobbs’ the Court relied on a historical interpretation of the Constitution to argue that abortion rights weren’t rooted in American legal tradition,” Bazelon explained. “The problem is, they’re cherry-picking history. There’s a lot of evidence that abortion wasn’t criminalized until after quickening, which didn’t happen until the mid-19th century.”

To read more, visit upressonline.com or click the link in our bio.
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Program Board hosted “Afrobeats Dance and Dine,” an event focused on celebrating African culture with music, a dance workshop and a variety of food. Afrobeat music played through the speakers as a group of about 20-30 students started trickling into the Student Union Grand Palm Room at 6:30 p.m. The dance instruction began about 15 minutes later.

There was food representative of multiple cultures, including rice and beans, empanadas, chicken kebabs and tostones, which are squashed fried plantains. Groups of students dined at tables draped in black tablecloths with patterned fabrics crossing the middle. Program Board also handed out goodie bags filled with African candy, bracelets and a Program Board event schedule.

“Originally we were going to do different Caribbean countries, but we just centralized it all on one thing, because, honestly, we’re all from Africa in some different way,” said Thaysha Stephen, the associate director of Program Board who pitched the event.

To read a recap of the event and hear from some of the participants, visit upressonline.com

🖊️: .delcastillo
📸: .delcastillo

“This exhibition reveals some of our more unusual and fragile holdings, which are usually kept in restricted storage due to their delicate nature,” said Theresa Velarde, a senior anthropology major and collaborator with three FAU galleries in a Sept. 16 email to the UP.

Florida Atlantic University’s Ritter Art Gallery staff hosted a “closing reception” on Sept. 12, to commemorate the students’ work by having them personally hang the labels they created alongside the art pieces for the first time. They offered refreshments and charcuterie for guests from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m., drawing a mix of students, faculty and Boca Raton community members.

To read more, visit upressonline.com or click the link in our bio.
✏️ : .eblant
📸 : .eblant

Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach recently gifted Florida Atlantic University $2.6 million to expand and renovate its building on its Boca Raton campus. 

According to Lauren Oback, the assistant director of Hillel, the renovation will begin in early 2025 and is expected to finish by the start of the fall 2025 semester. 

Oback explained that the renovation was a decision made to house their growing population as they outgrew their current space.

“Plans for the new space include a modernized area to study, learn, socialize [and] host events including large Shabbat dinners,” said Oback in an email to the University Press on Sept. 13.

She added that they will include a secured main entrance and an outdoor covered seating area.

To read more, visit upressonline.com or click the link in our bio.
✏️: Juliana Simon
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Last night, the Florida Atlantic University Owls (1-2) took home their first win of the season against long-time rivals the Florida International University Panthers (1-2) 38-20. With the win, the Don Shula Bowl trophy stays in Boca Raton, making FAU seven-time back-to-back Shula Bowl champions.

The unofficial MVP of the Shula Bowl was FAU running back Zuberi Mobley, who scored three touchdowns in the first half and had 134 yards on 20 carries for an average of 6.7 yards a carry.

“Excited to get the win. Excited to get the win in the Shula Bowl. Excited to get the win for our team” FAU head coach Tom Herman said in the post-game press conference. “To go through the frustration of the first couple of weeks knowing we didn’t play up to our standard for most of those games… I was so proud of our guys for responding… I don’t know if we could have withstood that first quarter just two weeks ago but we did.”

Notching the first win of the season after an 0-2 start, Herman said the team will soak in the win but be looking forward to the next game as soon as possible. “We’re gonna celebrate the hell out of this… but I think we all know that the competition level is going to increase as we continue our season and we’ve got to continue to increase our level of play in order to accomplish the things we want to accomplish”.

Next week, FAU will take on the University of Connecticut Huskies on the road at 7:00 P.M. on Sept. 14. The game can be streamed through the CBS Sports Network.

To read the full recap, visit upressonline.com
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📸 : .jasmine

Exactly 23 years ago today, two hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center buildings in Manhattan, NY and the Pentagon near Washington, D.C., taking the lives of 2,977 people.

Today, multiple Florida Atlantic University organizations such as Students Supporting Israel, Phi Delta Theta and Turning Point USA at FAU (TPUSA) united to host a memorial ceremony—to commemorate the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

Nick Coyte, student president of TPUSA, noted how attacks divided the country, which is part of why students hosted this event to show unity. 

“We need to unify, and that’s a huge reason why we’re here in front of our American flag, to unify under one nation that should be indivisible, right?” said Coyte.

He added that the memorial is also to honor local law enforcement and servicemen.

To read more, visit upressonline.com or click the link in our bio.
✏️: Reese Handley
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On Monday, Florida Atlantic University’s Faculty Senate met for its first meeting of the fall semester to discuss the presidential search, general education and textbook updates.

The Faculty Senate is a governing body that works with the general education policies of the college including curriculum, degree programs, etc. Senate members had discussions about the agenda of the meeting and also approved a music minor for undergraduate students.

To read more, visit upressonline.com or click the link in our bio.
✏️ : Juanita Olarte
📸 : Juanita Olarte

Monday marked the last of 16 listening sessions for Florida Atlantic University’s new presidential search, where the FAU community across all three campuses got the chance to share their desires for the next university president.

Faculty and staff have dominated attendance, sharing their concerns about political interference in the search itself. Meanwhile, graduate students have emphasized a need for more housing, as FAU prioritizes freshmen and sophomores over upperclassmen and graduate students.

“It’s tough out here for graduate students, housing-wise,” said Sydney Worrall, who is pursuing a master’s degree in anthropology and works on campus as a peer academic coach with FAU’s ACCESS program.

To read more, visit upressonline.com or click the link in our bio.
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XCX shared in a recent TikTok video that a “brat” is a “girl who is a little messy and likes to party and maybe says some dumb things sometimes. Who feels herself but maybe also has a breakdown. But kind of like, parties through it, is very honest, very blunt.”

The summer season stamped 2024 as a golden year for music, from the bright green electronic-pop record, Charli XCX’s “Brat” to Sabrina Carpenter’s laid-back pop beat, “Espresso.”

“Brat” is defined by its messy and seemingly pungently rebellious style. In an interview with Jake Shane, host of the podcast “Therapuss with Jake Shane,” XCX describes brat as “b****y and very direct; a little confrontational.”

To read more, visit the upressonline.com or click the link in bio.
✏️ : and Gabriela Quintero
📸 : Collage by Gabriela Quintero, Album Covers Courtesy of Apple Music

“This has to be one of the best events I’ve ever gone to. The energy was so amazing,” said Escarly Hernandez, a front-row attendee and sophomore biological sciences major.

Florida Atlantic University’s Program Board hosted its 16th annual “Bonfire Music Fest” on Sept. 6 with a performance by NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal., also known as DJ Diesel.

This year, the Bonfire event returned to an outdoor setting at the Student Union outdoor stage. The two previous events were held indoors, inside the Barry Kaye Auditorium. Program Board Director Laura Arbo said the board wanted to “switch up the vibe” and bring in an Electronic Dance Music (EDM) DJ.

To read more, visit upressonline.com or click the link in our bio.
✏️ : Liam Burke
📸 : and

In the second listening session of  Florida Atlantic University’s new Presidential Search, the search committee laid clear priorities: talent retention, housing concerns, low wages and protecting academic freedom.

The damaged relationship between administration, faculty and staff caused concerns about academic freedom, said sociology professor Phillip Hough.

“A lot of dictates are coming down–political dictates from the Board of Governors [BOG] that are antithetical to what we’ve been trying to do at the university,” said Hough. “One [thing] like promote diversity, equity, and inclusion has been a really important and core value of what we’ve been trying to do.”

To read more, visit upressonline.com or click the link in our bio.
✏️: .delcastillo
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The New Era Barbershop on Florida Atlantic University’s Boca Raton campus has served as “the poor man’s country club” for students on campus, according to shop owner Angel Santana.

“When you think about the country club feel, it’s a membership. It’s people that get together and talk about politics, sports or anything,” said Santana. “The barbershop, to me, gives us the opportunity just to talk.”

The barbershop is located in the heart of campus, right across the Breezeway food court, and has served as a convenient location for students to fit a haircut into an already hectic schedule.

The environment that Santana and the barbers of the shop have fostered on FAU’s campus goes deeper than providing a physical service.

“I consider Angel like a second dad, He gives advice through the roof,” said Devyn Alyce, senior at FAU who frequently hangs out in the barbershop.

Jaylen Wright, a junior from Cape Coral, Fla., shared a similar sentiment, saying that the barbers in the shop are the type of people you can talk to after having a “really rough day.”

“Since [the barbers] are a little bit older than the people that walk in there, they kind of feel like an older brother figure in a way,” Wright says.

To read more visit, upressonline.com or click the link in our bio.
✏️ : .delcastillo
📸 : .delcastillo

The New Era Barbershop on Florida Atlantic University’s Boca Raton campus has served as “the poor man’s country club” for students on campus, according to shop owner Angel Santana.

“When you think about the country club feel, it’s a membership. It’s people that get together and talk about politics, sports or anything,” said Santana. “The barbershop, to me, gives us the opportunity just to talk.”

The barbershop is located in the heart of campus, right across the Breezeway food court, and has served as a convenient location for students to fit a haircut into an already hectic schedule.

The environment that Santana and the barbers of the shop have fostered on FAU’s campus goes deeper than providing a physical service.

“I consider Angel like a second dad, He gives advice through the roof,” said Devyn Alyce, senior at FAU who frequently hangs out in the barbershop.

Jaylen Wright, a junior from Cape Coral, Fla., shared a similar sentiment, saying that the barbers in the shop are the type of people you can talk to after having a “really rough day.”

“Since [the barbers] are a little bit older than the people that walk in there, they kind of feel like an older brother figure in a way,” Wright says.

To read more, visit upressonline.com or click the link in our bio.
✏️ : .delcastillo
📸 : .delcastillo

The Florida Atlantic University Bridge Program sends civil engineering students to Eswatini, a country in Southeast Africa, annually to construct cable-suspended footbridges that connect the local communities to essential services. 

This year, five engineering students led the team: Alejandra Vega, project manager; Tyler Owen, assistant project manager; Claudia Diaz, safety manager; Andrew Gates, design manager; and Evan Cabrer, construction manager. 

“This gives hope to the community since they want to open a new school on one of the sides of the river,” said Gates. “[The] biggest problem in America [is] we don’t realize how convenient it is… they can cross the river at this point, but there was no alternative before.”

To read more, visit upressonline.com or click the link in our bio.
✏️: Reese Handley
📸: Andrew Gates

“Modeling is a form of art that focuses just on you as a person,” Alaria Chandleur said. “I felt that it was something I didn’t have to do as a team, something I could just do on my own.”

Growing up stylish never mattered to Chandleur, a model and current Palm Beach State College junior transferring to FAU in the fall of 2025. From living in Trinidad and Tobago to moving to Delray Beach, Fla., the clothes she wore and posing for the camera were at the back of her mind. But after discovering her passion for modeling, it was a dream inseparable from her own identity.

However, Chandleur’s entrance into the modeling world was not easy, as she juggled school and two jobs.

To read more, visit upressonline.com or click the link in our bio.
✏️ : Gabriela Quintero
📸 : Courtesy of Alaria Chandleur