Caribbean Students’ Association Week will take place from Sept. 28 – Oct. 1. The theme of the week is Caribbean Getaway, and its events will provide social, cultural and educational activities for FSU and surrounding communities.

The Garnet and Gold Key Leadership Honor Society will host the Torch Night Reception and Ceremony at 5:30 pm on Oct. 4 to celebrate the service and leadership of 100 incoming freshmen representatives.

The ceremony is to recognize outstanding, well-rounded freshmen who demonstrated their leadership ability in high school and have the potential to apply that ability at FSU. The organization is the oldest leadership

honor society at FSU. “The ceremony of Torch

Night symbolizes the passing of the torches of Alma Mater on to the newest class, the freshmen,” according to an excerpt from FSU’s 1931 yearbook.

Members continue the ceremony’s rich tradition and featured scripts as well as music that has been preserved since its formation. The sophomore class takes charge of the ceremonial arrangements while other members lead in the symbolic parts. The president of the sophomore class takes a position

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Affinity Seeks Fashion Show HelpTammy Noel

Caribbean Getaway Events SetBy Monique Henry

SIA Cook-Off Showcases SkillsBy Megan Barcia

Caribbean Students’ Association E-Board members

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Torch Night Honors 100 FreshmenBy Megan Barcia

Speaker: SGA Pres.Aviram Assidon

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FSU SGA Student Publications Newsletter Vol. 4, No. 2 Oct. 2011

The Affinity is seeking students interested in participating in the 3rd Annual Affinity Homecoming Fashion Show on Nov. 17.

Students interested in joining the Affinity or aiding in the preparations of the homecoming fashion show can contact President Desmond Pickard at affinityfsu@gmail.com. Models, singers and other performers are needed to make the event a success.

Founded in fall 2008, the Affinity is an organization like no other, said Pickard. Conceptualized by then-President Edwin Mackey, the Affinity serves as a vehicle for anyone interested in the fashion or entertainment industries.

The Colony of Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha Inc.(SIA) is collaborating with Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity Inc. and the Center for Multicultural Affairs to hold a cook-off on Oct. 6 at 7 pm in Wesley Fellowship Hall.

“Our main goal for this event was to showcase students’ skills from FSU’s campus and promoting cultural dishes at Florida State University,” said Meivys Reyes, an SIA member.

The cook-off is one of the events taking place throughout “Carnival,” which is Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha Inc.’s fall mini week. Events range from fundraising to dance workshops.

SIA is a Latin Sorority that was accepted into the Multicultural Greek Council on March 28, 2008. The organization values excellence in all things, awareness of Latino culture and the promotion of leadership through the bonds of sisterhood.

Reyes and her sisters put a great amount of effort into planning the cook-off. “We did everything from writing co-sponsorship and participation letters, organizing event rundown and details, creating a budget and a list of materials, promoting the event to possible contestants and meeting with contestants to explain rules and explain how they should create their video,” Reyes said.

All students are eligible to compete in this event. The only qualification

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behind the altar where the Three Torches of Artes, Vires and Mores burn. As freshman torchbearers approach the altar, they are given torches lit with the sacred fire by sophomore palm bearers.

President Juan Escalante said Student Body President Avi Assidon is one of the speakers who will inspire students in the ceremony to become involved on campus. “Those chosen for the Torch Night ceremony will be encouraged to go on campus and explore each opportunity that our university has to offer,” Escalante said. “Underclassmen will have the chance to hear from some of the top leaders on campus that night, and it is our hope that they will be inspired to achieve greatness and eventually inspire others to become involved as well.”

Torch Night offers new students the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the society in hopes that later on they will apply for membership into the organization.

Escalante said that because the ceremony recognizes incoming students, only freshmen and transfer students can apply. Applications are available in the SGA office on the second floor of the Oglesby Student Union. An application is online at sga.fsu.edu/ggkey.

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CSA President Kadeem Samuel said the organization prides itself in keeping the student body abreast of issues that are taking place in the Caribbean and their effects in the United States. The week kicks off on Wednesday with a Manhunt on Landis at 7 pm.

On Thursday, Sept. 29, the CSA will host a “Culture of Success” seminar, where speakers who have been successful in their fields will discuss how their culture has affected their achievements. The event is co-sponsored with the Hispanic Latino Student Union and the African Students’ Association.

Movie Night is set for Friday, Sept. 30, at 7 pm in the Globe Auditorium with a showing of One Love, featuring Idris Elba and Ky-mani Marley. On Saturday, Oct. 1, CSA Meals will fill food orders. Orders will be available for pickup in the Union Circle between 4–5 pm Students can place orders for their $5 food boxes by filling out an order form during Union Wednesday. Order forms must be turned in by Friday, Sept 30, to the CSA office or to any E-Board member. Students who are unable to pick up a form in the Union can e-mail CSA at fsucsa@gmail.com.

The week closes out with their “Stulla vs. Stullesha” party at Rokbar on Saturday night. The theme is based on popular songs by Dancehall artist Movado, where girls will sing and dance battle each other. Students who RSVP on Facebook get free admission before midnight. VIP tickets cost $10.

Samuel said the term “getaway” is unique in that it gives people who are interested in Caribbean culture and affairs a chance to participate and also makes people born in the Caribbean or those of Caribbean ancestry feel even more at home.

CSA holds general body meetings every other Tuesday. The next meeting will be held on Oct. 11. For more information, please contact fsucsa@gmail.com or visit their website at groupspaces.com/FSUCSA. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter @FSUCSA.

TIPS, News to Use, is the newsletter of Student Publications, an affiliated project of the Student Government Association of Florida State University. E-mail submissions to mharris2@admin.fsu.edu. Editor Kestrel L. Ambrose. Assistant Editor/Columnist Tiffany Lettsome. Graphic Designer Tony Nguyen. TIPS, A302 Oglesby Union, (850) 644-0037.

The Office of Financial Aid welcomes students into the office to check their status or to research funding options.

“We have a knowledgeable, friendly and welcoming customer service staff that is eager and available to address your concerns about late disbursement, lost paperwork and feelings of complete frustration concerning your finances,” said Katina Hamilton, a student financial specialist.

Hamilton said students seem to put up a wall when it comes to the office handling their money. “Finances are frustrating for anybody,” Hamilton said. “I don’t think the frustration students have is with the office itself, but with the economic times. We realize this and make ourselves available to assist students with their financial troubles. We actually welcome it.”

Hamilton said students who feel uncomfortable speaking to an attendant in the main lobby can receive one-on-one assistance. “Finances are pretty personal,” she said. “If you need help, all you have to do is ask. We are more

Financial Aid Offers Useful InformationBy Jervishia Walker

than able to assist you.” The office has outreach programs that allow student organizations to

request financial literacy workshops for their members. “Throughout the semester the financial aid office will also offer financial literacy courses to help prospective students, as well as current students, learn more about the financial aid system and how to make it work for you,” Hamilton said.

Courses will make students more aware of the aid process, help them to identify the types of aid they may be eligible for, provide tips on scholarship research and information on loans as well as other resources for aid and managing personal finances.

The Student Financial Services site offers an online “CashCourse,” a free service that addresses students’ financial needs and concerns. Students can set financial goals, create a budget, deal with debit and credit cards, plan for retirement and get help with overspending. The site also offers an online quiz to help students keep control of their budgets.

For more information about financial aid, visit financialaid.fsu.edu or visit the office on the fourth floor of UCA.

TIPS, SGA Student Publications, Oct. 2011, Vol. 4, No. 2

“We are students making use of the talents that we have been blessed with. Whether you’re a singer, dancer, model, photographer, stylists, artists, anything dealing with the entertainment industry, you can become a part of the Affinity,” said Pickard, who also serves as the organization’s coordinator.

“The Affinity is an alliance of the most influential and powerful future leaders of the fashion and entertainment industries… [that] uses its industry contacts to help people pursue their career goals in fashion and entertainment,” Pickard said.

“Our primary focus is to facilitate the success of each and every member while providing invaluable assistance to all organizations on the campus of Florida State University and the Tallahassee community,” Pickard said.

The organization seeks to provide its members with the networking tools needed to succeed as entertainers. Members are also given a chance to participate in the annual homecoming fashion show, which draws large crowds from Tallahassee and surrounding communities, Pickard said.

Pickard said that he hopes the organization will continue to grow under his direction.

“I see the Affinity moving away from the stigma of being labeled a ‘fashion’ or ‘modeling’ organization,” he said. “Yes, we put on the Annual Homecoming Fashion Show at Florida State University, but I will make sure we touch every aspect of the entertainment organization during my tenure as president.”

needed to participate is the requirement of a two-person minimum per team. The contestants must pre-record a video to be shown on the day of the

event. No cooking will be done at the cook-off. “This event will be themed like an iron chef competition, except the contestants will not be cooking on the spot,” Reyes said. “There will be pre-recorded and purposely humorous video of the contestants shown at the event. Then we will have the contestants come out and place their dishes on the tables.”

After the contestants bring out the food, the audience will get the chance to sample the food and vote on which student group had the best overall dish. “While everyone eats, members of Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha Inc. will count the votes and announce the winning team and their prize,” Reyes said.

For more information about the SIAs, visit FloridaStateSIAs.com, hermandad-sia.org or e-mail rush@FloridaStateSIAs.com. You can find information about co-sponsorships with the Center for Multicultural Affairs at cma.fsu.edu or by e-mailing multiculturalaffairs@admin.fsu.edu. For more information about the Phiotas, visit fsuphiotas.com.