The V-Squared Show: Starring Victoria Vartan

‘The V-Squared Show: Starring Victoria Vartan’ is a student-made production by Victoria Vartan, shot using only an iTouch 4.

A Day in the Life of Sonia Sandaljian

Victoria Vartan documents what it is like in A Day in the Life of Sonia Sandaljian. Avid Media Composer was used to edit this video.

Boat Show gives boost to local businesses

The 30th annual Palm Beach International Boat Show where super-yachts and yachts are actually helping local businesses. Entire video shot on iTouch 4.

Volunteering After Graduation

Victoria Vartan interviews Director of Workship, Kate Magro, and several students about volunteering after graduation. Video shot only using iTouch 4.

History behind Watergate

PBA professors share their memories and impressions from the Watergate era. (From left: Dr. Gary Poe, Dr. Jack Calhoun, and Dr. Peggy VanArman) (Photo taken by: Victoria Vartan)

Nixon was not the only one who was affected by the Watergate scandal. So, what was Watergate and what were the events that led Nixon to resigning as president?

The History Department held an “I Remember” event where about twenty Palm Beach Atlantic University students heard Drs. Poe, VanArman, and Calhoun share their memories and impressions from Watergate.

“He was worried about winning,” Calhoun said.

Calhoun believes that Nixon did not have to do anything and that he was just paranoid.

“People were shocked when he made his, ‘I am not a crook’ speech,” Poe said. “But I think the people were glad to move on and start with a clean slate.”

Poe said Watergate sticks out in people’s minds. Calhoun said Watergate made us a lot more cynical towards politicians.

“Nixon was seen as the conservative Christian at the time,” Poe said. “He was kind of the standard evangelical person.”

Calhoun said that before Watergate, Nixon was known as “Tricky Dicky.”

“In later years, Nixon tried to purchase an apartment on Park Avenue in New York City,” Calhoun said. “The residents all voted no. While in California, he had a famous quip to the press saying not to bash around anymore.”

Nixon never admitted he did anything wrong till the bitter end, Poe said.

What can the Welcome Desk do for you?

Joshua Conner helps students by answering questions they may have, as well as rent lockers and borrow board games.

Ever wonder what the attendant at the Welcome Desk in the Student Center does? I caught up with Joshua Conner to answer some questions.

VV: How would you describe the Welcome Desk?

JC: “The Welcome Desk in the Lassiter Student Center is a liaison between the SAIL office and clubs and organizations.”

You may borrow any game (above) and if you are a commuter, you will be able to rent a locker for a day (bottom).

VV: What are some things you do at the Welcome Desk in the Student Center?

JC: “I help students who want to use the TV, games, puzzles, organizations and club posters, and other miscellaneous things.”

VV: What do you, as an individual, do at the Welcome Desk?

JC: “I do a lot of student activity co-directing things. I prepare any aspect of student things in marketing, logistics, and programming.”

What was it like to escape from behind the Berlin Wall?

Dora Lange speaks with students at Palm Beach Atlantic University about escaping from behind the Iron Curtain.

Do you know what it was like to escape from behind the Berlin Wall?

Today, the History Department held an “I Remember” event where about thirty Palm Beach Atlantic University students heard from Dora Lange, who was “raised in Nazi Germany and then lived in East Germany.”

Lange spoke to the students in English, while mixing some German words in as well, about what the experience was like to escape.

“My mother told me to stay until my brother returned from the war prison,” Lange said. “In October 1950, I decided to go to West Germany.”

Lange escaped across the Iron Curtain under gunfire at night to West Germany, while leaving her relatives behind in East Germany.

“As a young person, you always dream of the future,” Lange said. “I didn’t give up on that dream.”

Clifford Christians

Victoria Vartan interviews Dr. Stephanie Bennett and Professor Donald Piper, who produced a documentary this past summer.

New recruits add international presence

Diversity proves to be no adversity for men’s soccer team

A less known fact about Palm Beach Atlantic University’s men’s soccer team is that more than 10 different countries are represented, including Scotland, Italy, France and Brazil.

“The team chemistry has been great so far this season,” said head soccer coach Brian McMahon. “The game of soccer is a global game, so there is a basic understanding and respect of all diversities among the team.”

Twenty-two new players were added to the men’s soccer team this year, which McMahon said created much excitement for the program. Seventeen of these players are from countries outside of the United States.

“The team has developed a strong bond since the beginning of the fall semester,” said junior fullback Branden Langenberg. “With 11 different nationalities on the team, our team has bonded quite well through what we call ‘FFF’.”

FFF stands for Forced Family Fun. This event is where the team gathers to grow closer through a variety of activities.

Langenberg added that the new players have coped well with the school and the team.

“We as a team plan on continuing to grow closer to one another off the field in order to increase our play on the field and maintain that cohesiveness,” Langenberg said.

Brazil native freshman forward Gabriel Saroli said he heard about PBA from one of McMahon’s former players.

Saroli said he trained during the summer and dedicated himself during the preseason.

“I have been playing soccer for about 16 years, since I was 2 years old,” said Saroli. “My individual goal is to able to start a game as soon as I become eligible.”

However, McMahon believes that these goals and training are a learning process.

“Coach McMahon has done a great job bringing the team together with such a high number of new players,” Langenberg said. “His methods of getting the team together off the field have really impacted the team’s cohesiveness positively.”

The ethic diversities have not affected the team as it has started the season 6-2-3.

“It is a very good and united team,” said Saroli. “Soon people will know us for winning the first NCAA national championship.”

The Mythology of Batman

Dr. Alex Wainer presented the history and mythology of Batman to Palm Beach Atlantic University students. (Photo credit: Laura Carrell)

What gives Batman his staying power? For scholar Alex Wainer, it’s Batman’s mythic qualities.

Nearly 30 students and faculty gathered in the rotunda of Palm Beach Atlantic University’s Warren Library recently to hear about the 75-year history and prominence of Batman.

An Associate Professor of Communication and Media Studies at Palm Beach Atlantic University, Wainer recently published, Soul of the Dark Knight: Batman as Mythic Figure in Comics and Film. The book showcases how the comics medium created Batman as a mythic character that has become a powerful symbol for many people today.

“Batman has seeped further and further into our consciousness,” Wainer said. “He has resonated with many readers.”

Dr. Wainer started researching and writing the book in the 90’s while he attended Regent University, Virginia Beach.

During the event, Wainer discussed how the character transformed from 2D to be a realistic medium effectively.

“The character of Batman is mythic,” Wainer said. “He functions as a powerful narrative that has significance to many people.”

Wainer gave a history of Batman starting with the invention of the Batman cartoons in 1939 to The Dark Knight Returns.

Wainer talked about how Batman has a social meaning and how Batman changed during the different eras.

“In the 60s, Batman was cool,” Wainer said. “But during the post-9/11 era, Batman began fighting terror or displacing terror.”

Wainer also discussed the decline and rise of Batman. “In the 1940s, Batman began in movies starring B-actors, and having a bright light on Batman,” Wainer said. “In the 1950s, ABC aired a color television series, which used bright, primary colors, and similar costumes to those in the cartoon.”

In 1989, Tim Burton made a Batman that had ”a certain moodiness” to it. “They used cinematographic aspects along with abstract music to bring mythic.”

In 1997, Joel Schumacher’s “Batman” included Robin, along with a costume change that had “nipples on the Batman suit,” causing a freeze in the Batman franchise.

However, Batman rose again eight years later in 2005 with Christopher Nolan.

“Nolan used the grounded reality relative to earlier films and added a psychological realism to it,” Wainer said. “He was creating a legend by perpetrating it with cool stuff such as technology.”

So what about Superman asked one member of the audience.

“Superman is simple and shows truth and justice in the American way,” Wainer answered. “You can do anything and what challenge is there other than Kryptonite? Batman and Superman are mythic in different ways.”

“I found this event very intriguing,” said senior Kent Berame, of the event. “It’s interesting to see how Batman began and how it changed during the years into what it is today.”

Wainer will be at this weekend’s Comic Con, which will be held at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, along with film professor Antonio Zarro, on two panels to discuss Batman’s 75^th anniversary and the exploding DC and Marvel Cinematic and Television universes.

Wainer’s book, Soul of the Dark Knight: Batman as Mythic Figure in Comics and Film and can be at Barnes and Noble and online at Amazon.