New Downtown Waterfront

Just in case you are unaware, the city of West Palm Beach is located directly upon the intercoastal waterway which is locally referred to as Lake Worth Lagoon. Across the lagoon is Palm Beach island. Palm Beach Atlantic University is located in the southern section of downtown WPB also adjacent to the intercoastal. Water is a huge part of the life of a PBA student and citizens of Palm Beach County. Many changes have been occurring in downtown to make WPB a world-class city. Recently the old library was shutdown and a new, and beautiful library and city government complex was created that would rival that found in any major city. With the relocation, the old library property became vacant. This property is located in the core of downtown on Lake Worth. It is prime real estate that could have been sold the the highest bidder. This did not happen, the land was modified and fixed to create a beautiful city park complete with brand new landscaping, walkways and three city docks that extend into the intercoastal.

This past Saturday night was the grand opening celebration for the new waterfront downtown. The event began at 4:00pm and continued until 11:00. PBA students and faculty participated in the performances and entertainment and also attended the event as spectators. The new downtown waterfront is located within a few minutes walk from campus right near all of the downtown restaurants. The evening culminated with a fireworks extravaganza over Lake Worth. It was an excellent event, and fun was had by all. There are very few colleges that can boast as having such entertaining events and amazing public facilities, right in their backyard, as PBAU. It is truly great to be a Fish!


Here is the promo video for the event from youtube. A video of the fireworks show was, sadly, not available.

Fourty Days Until Easter

Today is Ash Wednesday and many PBA students are using today to reflect and prepare for the Lenten season. Lent is a great reminder to refocus one’s life upon the eternal and truly meaningful aspects of life found within Jesus and his message. Many students on campus are choosing to give up some aspect of life, maybe chocolate or facebook for example, so that they can focus upon their faith and relationship with God much easier. The Newman Club, which is composed of a group of the catholic students and faculty on campus, will be hosting its annual Ash Wednesday chapel at 3:00 this afternoon. This is always a very meaningful and moving chapel, helping students and faculty to focus their attention on the Jesus of Good Friday, and that of Easter morning. The Newman Club is a very active club on campus. Ash Wednesday also serves as a reminder to the student body that the middle of the semester is approaching and it is most definitely time to buckle down and complete all necessary tasks before Midterms and Spring Break arrives. The coursework and study in college should be used as an act of worship to God because he is our Creator and Sustainer.

I hope that you are able to take a moment today, either corporately or in private to reflect upon your own Faith and work to improve your own relationship with God.

Implosion of a Downtown WPB Building

This Valentine's Day morning at 9:00am a 30-story abandoned condo building was imploded just two blocks from campus. Most of the student body, and surrounding community was in attendance to see the 3rd largest building in United States history implode. This is just another amazing aspect of the urban environment of Palm Beach Atlantic University that I am glad to be able to take advantage of. The video does not do it justice, but it is still pretty cool. This video was taken from Palm Beach Island and you can see the southern section of campus at the far right side of the video.

Sailfish Baseball Set to Open Season at Roger Dean Stadium

JUPITER, Fla.- With the 2010 baseball season just around the corner, the Palm Beach Atlantic University squad is gearing up for what they hope to be a successful year under new head coach and Major League Baseball Hall-of-Famer Gary Carter. The Sailfish will have the special opportunity to host the defending NCAA Division II National Champions of Lynn University at Roger Dean Stadium for their first game on Tuesday, February 2nd at 6 p.m.

As a part of the season opening festivities, admission to the game will be free to all visitors as will be the team’s second home game which will take place a week later against Florida Tech, also to be played at Roger Dean Stadium on Tuesday, February 9th at 6 p.m.

One of the finest minor league complexes in all of baseball, Roger Dean Stadium plays host to both the Florida Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals during Spring Training each year while also acting as the home facility for the Jupiter Hammerheads (Marlins Single-A affiliate) and the Palm Beach Cardinals (Cardinal Single-A affiliate).

With a seating capacity of over 7,000, the Sailfish and Fighting Knights won’t be expecting to fill the stadium to reach its max however it does provide both teams with the unique opportunity to play at a state-of-the-art facility while fans on hand will get to watch and experience a first-class stadium atmosphere.

Fans entering the stadium are required to enter through GATE B where there will also be opportunities for them to get information on Palm Beach Atlantic University, buy Sailfish merchandise, and also visit the concessions stand.

Those fans and parents that cannot make it out the game will be able to tune in live and listen to the game via the Sailfish Sports Network. 

Money makes the world go round

Private Christian education can be quite burdensome economically upon the individual. It does not matter if your parents are a billionaire or do not have any money, university education is expensive. An education at Palm Beach Atlantic University is not cheap, yet I believe it is definitely worth it. I am currently a senior, graduating this coming May. I am excited, yet also terrified (we will not get into that at the moment), about the coming changes that will occur in my life. I know that I will be prepared for whatever comes my way because of the excellent education I have received inside and outside the classroom. The professors at PBAU are very knowledgeable in their specific areas and are able to impart much of that wisdom into their students. The campus atmosphere and surrounding city also allow for learning outside the classroom. Downtown West Palm Beach is a great place to go to school and allows for numerous opportunities to experience college life, as well as a world-class urban city.

With all of that said, the current economic situation in our country does not allow for much financial freedom. PBA has a great scholarship program that awards monies to almost all admitted students. There are other government programs that can help to defer the cost of the education. One of those programs is provided by the state of Florida to Florida Residents. This scholarship is called the Florida Resident Access Grant, or FRAG for short. (you can access more information about the grant by clicking here). This grant is given to all Florida residents, regardless or need, to help offset the cost of a private school education. It allows you to choose a school that is perfect for you, without having to worry about the cost as much. The grant is usually around $3000 per semester, but has lowered slightly in recent years due to the economic turmoil and budget deficits currently attacking Florida.

Miss Florida and Hall-of-Famer Share About PBA

The Transformation

The college search was pretty simple for me. I knew that I wanted to go to PBA! I also knew that I would be living at home since I lived so close and it made sense financially. Entering PBA as a commuter was tough. It was hard to meet people and I constantly felt disconnected from the rest of the student body. After a year of being a commuter, I received a scholarship that allowed me to live on campus! The Lord knew my heart's desires and blessed me.
Leaving was hard, but my family knew it was a wonderful opportunity. I completely encourage students to live on campus and here's why. I can wake up 10 minutes before class and still make it on time. I have met so many people in my dorm. Distance doesn't stop me from going to all of the PBA events anymore.
Living on campus is a blessing and I have enjoyed every second of it. It has taught me responsibility, independence, and how to manage my money.

Welcome Weekend Part 1 Jan 7th-8th

Welcome Weekend

Part 1 January 7th – 8th

Student Schedule of Events

Thursday, January 7th

9:00 am – 3:00 pm: Move In to Residence Halls with help of MOVE IN CREW 2010

9:00 am – 5:00 pm: Check-In (Lassiter Student Center) You may be required to visit one or more of the following stations- • Residence Life – Housing Issues/Meal Plans • Registration – Add or Change Schedule • Financial Aid – Aid Awards and Documents • Payment Plans – Monthly Payment Arrangements • Health and Wellness – Health Forms, Immunizations, Insurance Waivers • Cashier – Pay Balance in Full • Student ID – Have your ID Card Created • Safety & Security – Parking Decal (Safety & Security Office) • Student Development – Community Values Statement • ID Validation and Bookstore Vouchers Depending on what stations you may need to visit, you should plan on spending approximately 2 hours at Check-In. When you register at Check-In you will receive a sheet outlining which stations you are required to visit.

5:00 pm – 6:30 pm: Welcome Dinner BBQ (Rinker Green) Families are encouraged to dine with their students, faculty & staff

7:00 pm– 8:00 pm: Welcome Weekend Opening Program (DeSantis Family Chapel)

8:00 pm -9:00 pm: Parents Social with Parents Council

Friday, January 8th

10:00 am – 12:00 pm: Student and Parent Information Sessions – Enlightening Minds (MAC 1291) • Chapel, Workship, Campus Ministries • Community Values • Safety and Security • Residential Life • Student Success

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm: Parent Panel Lunch

1:30 pm – 2:15 pm: Campus Tours – Find your Classrooms! (Meet outside Frasier Dining Hall, Bring your Schedule)

2:30 pm – 3:30 pm: Concert of Prayer (Chapel)

3:45 pm – 5:00 pm: Worship Celebration - Enriching Souls (DeSantis Family Chapel)

5:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Farewell Dinner (Frasier Dining Hall) Parents connect with other parents and say goodbye!

F.I.N.A.L.S.

F is for "Freaking Out"

I is for "I wish I didn't have as many classes now"

N is for "No more social life"

A is for "Am I ever going to sleep?"

L is for "Last Minute Studying"

S is for "Stressed to the MAX"

Wonderful Weather

Currently in West Palm Beach it is a beautiful 82 degrees.  You almost forget it is November 19. Many students at PBA are hitting the beach or the pool today to enjoy the warmth of the sun. The sky is perfectly blue and everything is great.  I am sure glad I did not go to school in Chicago where it is currently a cloudy 46 degrees. Winter is my least favorite month and I am glad that I do not have to experience the extreme cold in other areas.

Homecomming Week

This is a very exciting week on the campus of Palm Beach Atlantic University. The students and faculty just came off a very relaxing 4 day Fall Break. I personally got out of town with my roommates and spent the weekend at a condo near Daytona Beach. Sometimes it is great to just get away and not do homework. Anyways, this week is Homecomming Week and the theme this week is 'The Choice'. There are numerous activities throughout the week to celebrate numerous alumni coming back into town. The events range from movies on the green Paul Blart: Mall Cop, and Eagle Eye to an energetic paint dance party called GLO. Another campus favorite and PBA tradition is The Great American Bug Race, in which students and facutly alike can race roaches for a grand prize of $100. This is one of the longest standing traditions on campus. I am also particularly excited about the alumni basketball games aganist the current student squads. I am a huge fan of PBA basketball and am looking forward to a preview of the upcoming season. Altogether is is much easier to come back to campus from a break, when there is so much exciting things to do. I look forward to all that this homecomming weekend has to offer.

PBA’s urban location offers numerous activities

This past weekend was one of the best I have had in a while. I am very glad that a few of my friends who graduated in May were able to be in town to make it awesome. I am exhausted right now, and am really going to need a nap this afternoon. I really had a blast, participating in many different activities across the community surrounding campus. This weekend was parents weekend and there were tons of activities for students to do, alongside their parents. The cafeteria food was extra good; the school hosted a murder mystery dinner, and theater production Nunsense just to name a few. That being said, my parents have never visited me during this weekend, and since I am now a senior they did not start.

The weather was nearly perfect all weekend, albeit still very hot, and I took advantage by spending quality time with friends and the Atlantic Ocean most of the day Saturday. The water is a perfect temperature this time of year, and almost perfectly crystal clear. Saturday night was when most of the student population at PBA was at one of two places. A huge number of students went to the Blink 182 concert featuring Fall Out Boy, All-American Rejects and Asher Roth. It was at the Cruzan Amphitheatre just down the road from campus. West Palm Beach is a fairly large city and has been able to bring a lot of good bands to the area, especially at Cruzan. Another large group of students, including myself, went to a free show at City Place, within walking distance of campus, featuring Kate Vogele, and Andrew McMahon (lead singer from Jack’s Mannequin and Something Corporate). My roommate and a few friends and I had such a great time at the show, we actually decided that we would drive across the state to Ft Myers to see the same free show again last night! We did not get back home to West Palm until a little after 2am this morning. It was definitely worth it. One of the great parts of college life is making random spontaneous decisions, like my road trip to Ft Myers yesterday, and just spending quality time with friends.

College is Busy

These past two weeks have been incredibly busy around campus. Last week was connection week, which is a weeklong event with different ways to plug in on campus and in the community of West Palm Beach. Potential employers, different churches and nonprofit organizations set up tables on the Rinker Green to connect the student body with the city and surrounding communities. As for on campus connections there was a club rush event where all of the different campus organizations set up tables to allow students to join. As the president of the college republicans club, I had a lot of work to do to recruit new members at the event. The entire connection week was a success.

This week, as you already know, is Christoval which is our spiritual emphasis conference week. It just so happens that this week I also have 3 exams, a paper due and a presentation. Needless to say I have only been able to make it to one Christoval so far, but I plan on attending again today. Life sometimes gets busy, but it is nothing that I cannot handle. I like the busyness actually. I am definitely looking forward to this weekend to rest up from the last two weeks. A bunch of friends who graduated from PBA are coming into town this weekend and I am very excited to be able to spend time with them. Life is great.

Francis is Coming to Town!

Next week Francis Chan is coming to PBA to speak at our very own Christoval Festival! To say we students are excited, would be an under statement. To get an idea as to why we're so pumped about having Francis on our campus check out this video: http://www.juststopandthink.com/movieextras_movielg.php

my summer adventures

It is truly great to be back for another year at PBA! I missed the city of West Palm Beach, and just being around fellow sailfish. I had a very enjoyable summer break full of many adventures including two epic road trips with PBA friends and I also went on a Travel Study trip to Greece and Turkey. The first, of the epic road trips, was from Florida to Arkansas for a wedding of two of my very good friends, who just graduated PBA last may. On the way back we made a pit stop in Mobile, Alabama to stay with one of my first friends at PBA before returning to Florida. The second road trip was back to school from Chicago with my roommates. Altogether I visited 10 different states this summer, having a great time. If you ever want to take an extremely boring drive through nothingsville USA, you will have to drive across Arkansas or Illinois. Luckily in both cases I was in a car full of sailfish and we were able to make the best of it. It is great that even though I have been away from school for the summer, I have remained completely connected with all of the many friends I have here at PBA. The student body and especially your close friends that you make at PBA honestly become a second family.

I cannot even begin to describe how blessed I feel about being able to visit the beautiful and historical countries of Turkey and Greece. I went on the trip with the Honors College at PBA as an extension of our learning. The biblical studies department also came with us. Three of the best professors the university has to offer, came with us and acted as our mentors and friends as we visited the numerous historical and biblical sites the two countries had to offer. We saw such historical sites as the Parthenon, ancient Ephesus, Corinth and the Homeric city of Troy just to name a few. My life will seriously never be the same. It was one of the most profound religious experiences I have had in life, visiting many of the ancient biblical cities. It makes the faith real and alive to visit the places where Paul and many others walked and lived their lives. Just wow. I would highly recommend that everyone experience a travel study trip at least once during their time spent in college. Traveling is one of the best and most fun ways to learn about a new place, but even more so about yourself.

*TOP - Some of the group outside the Grotto where John recieved his Revelation on the island of Patmos, Greece

*BOTTOM - The whole travel study group in front of Hagia Sophia in the old city of Constantinople (now Istanbul), Turkey