Category: Communities

Come and celebrate the Grand Openings of 18 new student-run businesses to celebrate the beginning of a new academic year.  Make your way to the Shark Cage at Mako Hall for the Grand Openings of these businesses, owned and operated by members of the Dior Class of 2023 Razor’s Edge Shark Cage Scholars Program family along with three businesses operated by members of the Huizenga Business Innovation Academy (HBIA), and one student returning to operate her business again this year.

Tuesday, September 7:  Shark Power, operated by Hailey Egan, for a high energy iced tea between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Bittner’s Burgers, operated by Michael Bittner Mcpherson, for a delicious burger between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.; and Fintastic Tacos, operated by Jazmin Salinas along with HBIA students Asilah Golaub and Valeria Gonzalez between 5–9 p.m.

Seven Grand Openings on Wednesday, September 8:  Mako Muscle, operated by Jennifer Kallstrom, for a delicious protein shake between 7–10 a.m.; Shark Kit, operated by Julianne Mangano, to order your college care kit or birthday box between 9 a.m. and noon.; Painting on the Edge, operated by Mikaela Whitmer, to see her amazing swordbills and original paintings between 6–9 p.m.; Sol Luna, operated by Maxi Luna, for great T-shirts, hoodies, and more between 6–9 p.m.; Sweet Tooth, operated by Ronnie Murga, who is bringing back the popular candy cart with a few surprises between 6–9 p.m.; Mini Bakes Bakery, operated by Eileen Platten along with HBIA student, Angelique Benda, for some tasty delights between 6–10 p.m.;  and, Fin Fondue, operated by Lara Grigoletto from the Shark Cage Bezos Class of 2022, for these Brazilian dessert treats between 7–10 p.m.

Thursday, September 9:  Aura 3S, operated by Cross Pratapas, for one-of-a-kind tie dye apparel between 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.; and Natur Ensa, operated by Vanessa Renslow along with help from HBIA students Analia De Jesus Camarzana, Eduardo Mestre, and Frank Natale, for sophisticated handmade natural body products at a moderate price between noon and 4 p.m.

Friday, September 10:  El Tiburon Latino Café, operated by HBIA student, Melissa Castaneda, for Cuban coffee and pastries between 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.; Fin Time Pros, operated by HBIA student team Jonathan Boulanger and Alexander Pratt, for journals and writable wrist bands and more to help with time management issues and procrastination between 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.; Get Thrifty, operated by Lawrel Andry, for thrift-shop clothing and accessories between noon and 3 p.m.; After Hours, operated by HBIA student team of Victoria Boudreaux, Caleb Fell, Sebastian Harada Planas, and Matthew Lucas, for those late night hunger cravings between 8 p.m. and midnight; and The Shark Shak, operated by Cameron Pritchett, for a return of the favorite campus-wide milkshakes between 8 p.m. and midnight.

Another business will celebrate its grand opening in a couple of weeks, Moonlight Acai, operated by Alyssa Torres, with the ever-popular acai bowls.  Also, Crochet Swim, operated by Shark Cage Bezos Class of 2022 student Audra Keddo, will be operating on Mondays from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. and selling crochet bikinis and halters, a business that she ran in 2020-2021.

This is an enormous accomplishment for these students, and we encourage you to join us to celebrate the amazing accomplishments of these full-time students who are running businesses and pursuing their entrepreneurial journeys. Cash, credit cards, and Shark Cash are accepted.

Each Razor’s Edge Shark Cage Scholars Program student creates, launches, and operates a business in their junior year, to fulfill their scholarships. Each business aims to engage all members of the NSU community including students, faculty, and staff.  Students went through specifically designed courses to aid them in getting their businesses started. From making Shark Pitches and Shark Funding Pitches to faculty members and entrepreneurs, students gained confidence in starting their on-campus businesses. This year, we also opened this opportunity up to interested HBIA students. We invite you to ENGAGE with all the students at their Grand Openings and throughout the year and support their businesses.  You will find sidewalk signs around campus with schedules of all the businesses daily operating hours, and each day there will be a sign outside the Shark Cage describing what businesses are open that day.

The Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami is coming to the Rose & Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center at Nova Southeastern University on Saturday, September 25, at 8 p.m.

This critically acclaimed contemporary ballet company is making an exciting return to the Miniaci Performing Arts stage with an electrifying variety of cutting edge, 21^st century works that show off the company’s unique energy and versatility in their performance of “Flying Forward.” NSU faculty, staff, and students can receive a $10 discount off tickets by using the promo code “NSU.”

Get more information.

Nova Southeastern University will host a 20th Anniversary 9/11 Memorial Ceremony on Saturday, September 11, starting promptly at 9 a.m. on the Fort Lauderdale/Davie Campus and streaming live via Zoom.

The memorial ceremony will pay tribute to the victims and their families, as well as honor the sacrifices and rescue efforts made by first responders, police, firefighters, sanitation workers, military, and citizens whose lives were forever changed that day.

For more information.

The Office of Facilities Management at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) held its inaugural Pete Witschen Field Day to celebrate the life of former university leader Peter J. Witschen.

Otherwise known as “Pete” by his colleagues, Witschen began his career at NSU in 2008 and served as the vice president of Facilities Management from 2012 to 2015. Witschen aided in the construction of notable buildings like the Parker building and Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center. His work at NSU created a legacy, but sadly in 2015, Witschen passed away from a rare type of cancer at the age of 65.

The Pete Witschen Field Day was spearheaded by Daniel J. Alfonso, the current vice president of Facilities Management and staff member Lela Fairchild. Alfonso and Fairchild collaborated on this project by creating an interactive outdoor field day that supported the Pete Witschen Scholarship Fund.

Although the day was meant to be celebrated on June 4, originally Witschen’s birthday, the event was held on Friday, June 11, from 1 to 4 p.m. on the AutoNation football field.

“It’s been a very stressful year for everybody, especially those who have lost family members and friends due to COVID-19. This is a great opportunity to bring everyone together and celebrate the fact that we’ve gone through this whole year, and we’ve been able to maintain the campus and ensure NSU, as a whole, is running smoothly,” Alfonso said.

The Office of Facilities Management is comprised of 187 staff members and about 70 of those employees participated in the field day event.

“It’s about getting out there and having fun, while at the same time raising money for the Pete Witschen Scholarship Fund,” Fairchild said.

The field day games ranged from a football throwing contest to Jenga and even a candy counting contest. Alongside these games, the Alumni Relations and Annual Giving (University Advancement) team were present to cheer on the spirit and generosity of attendees.

“To me, this is a great opportunity not only to raise funds for scholarships, but to get our employees out of the office and onto the field where they’ve been working for a year without a whole lot of opportunity to talk in-person with each other,” Alfonso said. “We work in facilities, and I tell our folks that we create the environment where research, teaching and learning takes place.”

Alfonso emphasized the importance of camaraderie in his department and how they’re busy planning and preparing for the upcoming fall semester.

The inaugural Pete Witschen Field Day is set to become an annual event for the employees of Facilities Management and will continue to serve as a commemorative day to honor the unit’s beloved former vice president.

For more information regarding the Pete Witschen Scholarship Fund, contact Lela Fairchild at plela@nova.edu.