Every hobby has a story – tell us yours!

October 06, 2025

Check out this month’s hobby submissions. For a chance to be featured in an upcoming issue, submit your name and title, a photo of your hobby and a few sentences about your hobby and why you decided to pursue it to newsletter@fgcu.edu.

Cadence Bakker | Social Media Specialist I, University Marketing & Communications

“Aside from being FGCU's social media guru, I write, record, produce and release music under "cadence" to all major streaming platforms. My dad is a musician (hence the name and musical term Cadence), and I followed in his footsteps, becoming primarily self-taught in songwriting, acoustic guitar, piano and a little ukulele. My style ranges from indie-acoustic sad songs to piano instrumentals to electronic remixes that have over 50,000 streams across all platforms. While I don't perform live outside of a few open mics here and there, you can find me on Instagram, Spotify, Apple Music or wherever you stream!”

Artistic composition featuring the silhouette of a person's head in profile. Within the silhouette, a second figure is depicted sitting on a blue surface, illuminated against the darker outer shape. The contrast in lighting and color creates a layered visual effect, evoking themes of introspection and duality.

Photo by Fabiana Solano

Anne Young | Registered Nurse III, Student Health Services

“My passion for painting began back in middle school in San Francisco when I was selected for special art classes after auditioning. We’d travel throughout the city, sketching and painting objects we found along the way. At the time, Andy Warhol was the iconic artist, and we embraced his influence by painting the school’s trash cans in his signature style. One of the most memorable moments was meeting Jack Laycox, an accomplished artist from Carmel, who encouraged me to keep pursuing my craft. During high school, I faced a crossroads between art and medicine, even considering medical illustration since Frank Netter’s work inspired me. Ultimately, I chose to follow my father’s path into medicine and studied nursing at Duke University. After graduation, I moved to Key West where the supportive artist community reignited my passion for painting. I began experimenting with watercolor pencils and acrylics while taking classes at the College of the Florida Keys. My creative pursuits also led me to specialized welding, where I crafted a unique mangrove table lamp —a project I hope to revisit someday. Though I initially struggled with portraits, I found my niche in landscapes, florals, architecture and seascapes. These days, when I’m not spending time with my family and four grandchildren, I continue to paint, focusing on commission pieces for family and special gifts. Painting has become not just a hobby but a lifelong journey of creativity and expression.”

A vibrant painting of a coastal town featuring colorful waterfront buildings, including a prominent white church with a tall steeple. Several boats float on calm blue water that reflects the buildings and sky. The town is surrounded by lush green trees under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds. Portsmouth Harbor. Painting by Anne Young.