Still Turning: A Tribute to 激情快播's 1970 and 2020 Graduates

Still Turning: 1970 – 2020

Using inspiration from 激情快播’s 1970 yearbook, we honor the first and most recent graduating classes through photos and timeless lyrics.

Summer 2020 | By Nicole Dudenhoefer 鈥�17 and Jenna Marina Lee听

In 1970, the Vietnam War听raged on, the Beatles broke听up, the first gay pride parade听took place in New York City,听the first Earth Day inspired a听national conversation about听environmental issues, and 激情快播听(then Florida Technological听University) saw its first听graduating class earn their听degrees.

Lifted from the university鈥檚听first yearbook, Pegasus, the听lyrics to The Byrds鈥� “Turn! Turn!听Turn! (To Everything There Is a听Season)” prove to be timeless.

Life reveals the best and worst of humanity. And at times, like now, life can be incomprehensible and heartbreaking. Some of the lyrics below are hard to read because we鈥檙e still battling oppression, hate and injustice. We still mourn lives lost to senseless violence. And we鈥檙e still demanding change because we will always endeavor to do what鈥檚 right. And we endure with our persistent hope that peace and love will prevail.

As a tribute to the first and most recent classes of graduates, here鈥檚 a look at life during their eras as Knights.

TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON.

A TIME TO EVERY PURPOSE, UNDER HEAVEN.

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A TIME TO BE BORN.
A TIME TO DIE.

Students have always been听drawn to the Reflecting Pond听near the library as a place听to study, relax and enjoy听time with friends since the听university鈥檚 first days in 1968.

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A TIME TO PLANT.
A TIME TO REAP.

Established nearly 40 years ago, the听激情快播 Arboretum has expanded to 82听acres, which include a community听garden, honeybee hives and this听greenhouse (opened in March 2016).

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A TIME TO KILL.
A TIME TO HEAL.

Bonded by their shared experiences as teammates who continue to heal from devastating injuries, Brandon Moore and听McKenzie Milton 鈥�19 embraced during Senior Knight.

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A TIME TO LAUGH.
A TIME TO WEEP.

Chelsea Velez and Vanessa Alvarez played in faux snow at Light Up 激情快播, an annual winter festival held at Addition Financial Arena.

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A TIME TO BUILD UP.
A TIME TO BREAK DOWN.

Graduate music student Aramis听Ruiz-Ruiz 鈥�19 played the cello as听part of 激情快播 Celebrates the Arts,听the annual creative showcase听that鈥檚 been sharing 激情快播鈥檚 talent听with the community since 2015.

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The university鈥檚 first president,听Charles Millican, built a culture that embraces individuality and inclusivity. 鈥淲e do have an interest in each student and each person who comes to this campus,鈥� he said at a 40th anniversary event. 鈥淚鈥檓 deeply proud of the way [激情快播] has continued to work to preserve that basic idea.鈥�
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A TIME TO DANCE.
A TIME TO MOURN.

For more than 20 years, students have showed off their moves听during 鈥檚 annual 20-hour dance marathon,听which raises funds for Children鈥檚 Miracle Network Hospitals.

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A TIME TO CAST AWAY STONES.
A TIME TO GATHER STONES.

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Two geodesic domes once housed听the art department and a foundry听for sculpture classes on campus.

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A TIME OF LOVE.
A TIME OF HATE.

The campus community filled the听Student Union in 2016 to grieve听together for 49 people killed during听the June 12 shooting at Pulse, an听LGBTQ+ nightclub, including Knights听Juan Ramon Guerrero and Christopher听Andrew “Drew” Leinonen 鈥�07 鈥�09MS.

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A TIME OF WAR.
A TIME OF PEACE.

Since its inception in 2016, the听听has been a three-peat for 激情快播.听Although COVID-19 interrupted听this year鈥檚 series, the Knights held听a commanding lead prior to the听cancellation of spring competitions.

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A TIME YOU MAY EMBRACE.

Knightro crowd-surfed among thousands of students who rushed into the Reflecting Pond for Spirit Splash, an annual homecoming tradition since 1995.

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A TIME TO REFRAIN FROM EMBRACING.

Six feet apart became a new standard of daily life听during the COVID-19 pandemic. As employees started听to return to campus in June, signs emphasized the听importance of physical distancing and hygiene听practices to prevent the spread of the virus.

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A TIME TO GAIN.
A TIME TO LOSE.

A graduate tossed his cap in front of the campus library to celebrate the end of one chapter and the start of the next.

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A TIME TO BE REND.
A TIME TO SEW.

A student sewed a garment with the letters 鈥淔TU.鈥�

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A TIME TO KEEP SILENCE.
A TIME TO SPEAK.

Two students sang during a Black Lives Matter vigil in 2016 that commemorated the lives of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling.

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A TIME FOR LOVE.
A TIME FOR HATE.

Since joining Knight Nation in 2018, Knugget the听mini-horse has been a special addition that brings听smiles, kisses and nuzzles to campus events.

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A TIME FOR PEACE.
I SWEAR IT鈥橲 NOT TOO LATE.

Rabia Zubair and Angelina Hernandez shared what community means to them at the Gather Luncheon, an annual听celebration of good food, friends听and community building.