The Signal Vol. 87 No. 18

STUDENT MEDIA

ROCK AND ROLL

GT VS GSU

BLOTTER

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Take a look at each of the student media orgs in this series over the next few weeks.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has become more inclusive over the decades.

A conversation with the engineers behind the homeand-home with Georgia Tech.

SUDOKU

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COMIC

PAGE 14

NEWS

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ILLUSTRATION BY MONTENEZ LOWERY

E ’ I T K O C H U AV ‘L E

FEB. 4 - FEB. 11, 2020

H

U O

ARTS & LIVING

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G N SI

SPORTS

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VOL. 87 | NO. 18

A new 20-story, 650 bedroom student housing project on Luckie Street, near Aderhold, is just getting off the ground. Expected completion: spring 2021.

@gsusignal

georgiastatesignal.com

THE SIGNAL

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GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

BLOTTER JAN. 24

Alcohol is not in my vodka-bulary

A Georgia State student was arrested for a liquor law violation at 11:42 p.m. in Piedmont North.

JAN. 27

Forgery off-campus

A Georgia State student was accused of forgery at 11:16 a.m. at 176 Moury Ave. The case is still active.

Please respect my privacy...

At 1:20 p.m., a Georgia State student was the victim of an invasion of privacy at the library. The case is still active.

JAN. 28

Parking lots are for your cars

At 8:22 p.m., a non-Georgia State offender was arrested for a drug law violation at a parking lot across the street from 112 Courtland St.

Tuition paid, period.

A Georgia State student was a victim of a hit-and-run on at 12:58 a.m. on the corner of Edgewood Avenue and Courtland Street. The case is still active.

ILLUSTRATION BY ALLEN NGUYEN | THE SIGNAL

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2020

www.georgiastatesignal.com/news

20 STORIES, 650 BEDROOMS AND 160 PARKING SPOTS

Real estate developer reveals plans for new student housing MARY A. BRASSFIELD Staff Reporter

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early 10,000 students call Georgia State home. As the student body continues to grow, so does the campus and the increasing need for additional student housing.

Raymond Nestlehutt, an alumnus of Georgia State, visited a class at Georgia State last semester in November to discuss his new housing development project with students.

When Nestlehutt decided to go back to school, years after graduating high school, it was because he knew what he wanted to do in life. After selling cars and yachts for years, Nestlehutt felt he got really good at it and could do more.

While at Georgia State, Nestlehutt decided to major in real estate and joined organizations that helped with those skills.

“I decided if I am going to sell something, I should sell the most expensive thing I could sell,” Nestlehutt said.

Nestlehutt is the owner of Rayn Development Company and a co-founding partner of CityLife Development Partners.

Nestlehutt said he noticed that Georgia State was growing rapidly with students and decided to build a plan that would provide housing for some of those students.

“Student housing is big,” he said. “Many investors see the industry as an extremely safe investment because the [student housing] market isn’t going anywhere for years.”

Nestlehutt consulted with the owner of a small lot in downtown Atlanta where he decided it would be a good place to build the student dorms and parking garage.

The previous owner had some doubts about the lot not being big enough for this kind of project but Nestlehutt saw it differently.

“My portion of these things is to find a site that pencils out financially and we pitch it,” he said.

The image Nestlehutt has for this project is a 20-story building with about 246 units. It will have 650 bedrooms and 160 parking spaces.

The location of the dorms will be in the heart of downtown Atlanta at 130 Luckie Street NW, right across from Ted’s Montana Grill.

The plans forThe thisMetropolitan new studentathousing began Atlantaproject | Street Viewinfrom NW August 2019, but Nestlehutt said students can expect this new addition to be completed in spring 2021.

“This project fits perfect with long term urban design; A rendering of the new student housing complex coming 2021 from the the city really wants more people, less cars,” Nestlehutt developer Landmark. said.

Nestlehutt did not give any other specific amenities that would be offered in this new student housing building but students can expect bike parking.

“A lot of students are foreign and don’t have cars and rely on urban transit, [so] the youth is more amicable to living “Student housing is big. Many without a car,” Nestlehutt said. “With smaller sites, you investors see the industry as an have to get creative, and we had 334,000 square feet to deal extremely safe investment because with.”

Developers do not look at students as commuters who the [student housing] market isn’t drive. Nestlehutt said that the mayor of Atlanta wants to have more space for students to live but fewer places for going anywhere for years.” students to park.

“The city understands that most students do not need — RAYMOND NESTLEHUTT cars, so they allow developers, such as myself, to build less Georgia State alumnus and real estate developer parking places for students,” Nestlehutt said.

Nestlehutt pitched this idea to Landmark, an insurance company in the Atlanta area.

Landmark became the investor after Nestlehutt presented this project to them and now they will assist in In the parking garage, not every student will have access the development. to a parking spot. This is a part of Rayn Development’s The process to get the project rolling begins after that. idea for all of their new student parking decks; they believe Landmark looks over the pitch to make sure it fits today’s many students use public forms of transportation. market, and then they get started on the construction for

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARK RILEY OF LANDMARK DEVELOPEMENT

the site.

Nestlehutt and his partner and mentor Robert Patterson were the creators and developers for this project for Georgia State.

“He got me my first start so we do every project together,” he said.

Rayn Development does not own this property, as they are only developing it.

Nestlehutt and Patterson developed the idea and then handed it off to their investor, who handles the remaining work.

“By the time the shovel hits the dirt, it has already been sold,” Nestlehutt said.

Rayn Development also developed student dorms in Midtown on the corner of Spring Street and 10th called “The Mark.”

Nestlehutt felt that students who are passionate about real estate should stay in the metro Atlanta area because it will soon become a prominent city for development opportunities.

“Some of the smartest people in the world have explained to me that Atlanta will be one of the greatest boom stories of my lifetime,” Nestlehutt said.

NEWS

4

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

U-wide senate announces historical changes

Polling location on campus and Election Day policy introduced by SGA BROOKLYN VALERA Staff Reporter

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fter holding its first university-wide meeting of the spring semester on Jan. 23, SGA is on its way to making historical changes.

Several Perimeter campus senators gathered in the Dunwoody campus and attended the SGA meeting via WebEx once again — something that occurred during multiple meetings last semester in response to several pieces of legislation pertaining to Perimeter campus senators’ roles in the university-wide Senate.

The meeting was scheduled to start at 7:15 p.m. However, some officials experienced technical difficulties with WebEx until the meeting officially began at 7:45 p.m.

MAKING HISTORY WITH U.S. ELECTION SEASON PREPARATIONS

Thursday evening, SGA Communications Director Evan Malbrough, who has since left his position, announced that Georgia State officially has a polling location on campus.

The polling location will be in the Student Center East Ballroom from March 8-10. The polling location will be staffed

by Georgia State students, making it the first student-run polling location on a college campus in American history, according to Malbrough.

Spencer DeHart, head senator of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies and Safety Committee chair, introduced a bill that could cancel classes on Election Day and allow Georgia State to make up the day during the final week of classes.

“Current Board of Regents of the State of Georgia policy allows students an excused absence from school for the purpose of voting,” DeHart said. “We sent a message last night [Jan. 23] that this is not enough.”

The policy resolution passed with overwhelming support. The policy doesn’t include canceling class for the primary election, only for the general election in the fall.

“For the policy to be implemented, it must go through the University Senate and sent to the Board of Regents,” DeHart said.

A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

A large portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing placing a constitutional amendment on the spring election ballot that would allow SGA meetings to be viewed through a livestream.

Ashrakat Hassan, senator for academic affairs at the Clarkston campus, introduced the bill.

“Livestreaming and recording our SGA meetings will provide an opportunity for the students to come to us,” Hassan said.

“Don’t feel comfortable in that they’re not in the room — feel uncomfortable that no one is there to check in on your promises and the missions that you made during your campaign.”

Opposing the bill, Malbrough found it nonessential.

“We do take minutes, yes, and then we do have the WebEx recordings,” Malbrough said.

Malbrough also brought attention to the student media organizations that cover the meetings.

“The Signal is always present, and we are grateful for that, but the media controls the narrative in a lot of countries, especially our own,” Hassan responded to Malbrough. “The students need to have a first-row seat to the action so they can make their own interpretations.”

According to Hassan, The Signal’s content on the Clarkston campus is limited and doesn’t include SGA coverage.

However, this is incorrect according to email records. In December, a staff member of The Signal did reach out to Clarkston Sen. Amiri Banks and Clarkston Executive Vice President Yasmin Henry requesting SGA meeting dates and times, but did not receive a response.

Sen. Terry Fye, the bylaws chair, informed the meeting attendees of the importance of changing the bill to bylaws instead of the constitution.

“This is not appropriate for our constitutional change; it is actually a bylaws change,” Fye said.

Fye motioned to refer the amendment to the bylaws committee and the vote passed.

The meeting experienced audio problems, which forced senators to stop and repeat their statements closer to the mic.

These interruptions caused a ripple effect in motions to extend the discussion after time ran out.

“Boyd, clearly we can’t hear,” one senator said via WebEx,

The Student Government Association continues to grapple with division between the Downtown and Perimeter campuses.

referring to SGA Advisor and Senior Director of the Student Center Boyd Beckwith.

Jazmin Mejia, SGA university-wide president, asked the senators on Dunwoody campus to remain unmuted in order to gather an accurate transcript of the meeting for the students.

SPECIAL REPORT

Chair of the GILEE Committee, DeHart, announced the committee’s need for members in order to do work. DeHart believes the lack of membership and interest is caused by a lack of knowledge of GILEE, the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange.

The committee was created to research the GILEE program after intense debate last semester in SGA in response to an investigation by The Signal.

“I hope to be able to form the committee in the coming weeks and be able to deliver a final report at the University-Wide Senate meeting in April,” DeHart said.

FUTURE ELECTIONS

Tyson Stokes, senator from the Downtown campus, introduced a bill that would allow endorsements from retiring SGA members.

When asked by Sen. Kalil Garrett to clarify the meaning of “retired members” in the bill’s context, Stokes — who introduced the bill — replied, “I’m just reading the screen. I don’t know anything.”

When asked for further clarification through email, Stokes said that he did not “have any relevant words of insight or clarification to help your cause.”

“While I was present and rather vocal at the meeting,” he continued, “I can spare no further words on the matter in an effort to avoid complicating matters, confusing recipients or being misconstrued.”

PERIMETER FOCUSED LEGISLATION

Fye introduced a bill that would seat senators to the Perimeter College standing committee. Only Perimeter senators were allowed to vote on this bill.

According to the bill, “This committee shall be responsible for the planning and execution of several college-wide initiatives and

PHOTO BY ADA WOOD | THE SIGNAL

issues that affect Perimeter College students college-wide.”

McIver re-introduced a location rotation bill — a continued debate throughout this administration.

This bill would allow SGA university-wide meetings to rotate through the different campuses alphabetically. This rotation excludes Alpharetta and Newton, as they would host universitywide retreats.

Senate members will only be allowed to attend a meeting via WebEx for a “legitimate reason.”

According to Fye, an option for transportation would allow the Atlanta Senate to use two student center vans to travel to each campus for the off-campus meetings.

DeHart also introduced a university-wide bill that amends the quorum. The updated quorum would require a presence of 51% of Atlanta senators and 51% of Perimeter senators in order to vote on legislation.

“This allows us to make sure that the voices and opinions of students on the Perimeter campuses are heard, while also adhering to the democratic principle of equal representation,” DeHart said.

This bill amends the original bylaw that required the presence of 51% of all senators (no matter the campus) in order to vote on legislation.

At 10:49 p.m., a few senators began to argue about ending the meeting early due to the building closing at 11 p.m. Half of the Perimeter presence was gone by the end of the meeting.

“If legislation is sent to me in time so that I can send it out with an email, then all of you should be reading the emails, so we can come to these meetings with information, already have comments and concerns written out, so we are not here for three hours just talking about what we don’t know about the bill that we should’ve already read.” Mejia said.

Last semester, four university-wide meetings were scheduled, but at this time, there are only two scheduled for the spring.

Several senators raised concerns that any legislation not passed at this first meeting would essentially be irrelevant for the rest of the administration, since the next meeting won’t take place until the end of the semester.

At the moment, Mejia said she has no intention of scheduling a special university-wide Senate meeting before the next SGA election.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2020

NEWS

5

Age requirement to buy tobacco now 21 Students express mixed feelings about new tobacco law DANIELLA JOHNSON

LOCAL Deadly crash on I-85 involving an explosion left two people dead

Staff Reporter

T

he new decade was off to a controversial start, as Congress passed a new law raising the age to buy tobacco and e-cigarettes to 21. Many college students began the year discussing whether or not this new development is what’s best for the community.

“The only reason why I don’t like the new law is because it takes away some of the rights I was supposed to achieve at 18,” Ariana Munoz, a freshman at Georgia State, said.

For as long as Georgia’s Generation Z can remember, the legal age to purchase many tobacco products such as cigarettes and Backwoods was 18.

Many teens and adults waited until they were 18 to be able to purchase tobacco products and suddenly with this new legislative development, they no longer can.

In order to regulate one tobacco product, such as cigarettes, the government has to regulate them all.

“The new law prohibits anyone under 21 years old from buying tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars and e-cigarettes,” Joseph Spillane, chief of police for the Georgia State University Police Department, said.

This new initiative to lower the rate of teens and adults who smoke isn’t a new concept.

Throughout the entire last decade, anti-smoking campaigns such as “The Real Cost” have been releasing commercials, both fear and fact-driven, to encourage people to quit smoking. At the same time, cigarette commercials are banned in the U.S. and have been since 1970.

The Truth Initiative is a “nonprofit health organization” whose mission is concerned with getting the overall population to stop using tobacco products.

According to their website, the Truth Initiative researches and evaluates current health policies and issues surrounding items such as tobacco, vapes and opioids in order to figure out how to best help the communities they serve.

“Our 20 years of lifesaving work has helped drive down the youth smoking rate from 23% in 2000 to 3.7% in 2019,” the Truth Initiatives website states.

“We have also prevented millions of young people from becoming smokers, including 2.5 million between 2015 and 2018 alone.”

In addition to civic and youth engagement, Truth Initiative as has facts sheets about tobacco use organized by state for those interested in learning more about why they should stop smoking. In October 2017, Truth Initiative published a press release stating their strong support behind raising the minimum legal tobacco age to 21.

“Truth Initiative is committed to creating a world where tobacco is a thing of the past and achieving a culture where youth and young adults reject tobacco,” the release states. “Because most tobacco users start before age 18, and nearly all start before 26, reducing youth access to tobacco is a key tool in accomplishing our mission.”

According to the American Lung Association, Congress included the legislation on raising the national minimum age to buy tobacco in the end of the year legislation package and it was passed by both houses in congress.

On Dec. 20, 2019, President Donald Trump signed the bill and it took effect immediately. Gas stations, corner stores and convenience shops everywhere stopped selling tobacco to consumers under the age of 18.

“In March 2015, a report from the National Academy of Medicine revealed that ‘Tobacco 21’ could prevent 223,000 deaths among people born between 2000 and 2019, including reducing lung cancer deaths by 50,000,” their website states.

All Georgia State students under 21 are affected by this law, even more so now that a newly built

NEWS BRIEFS

Interstate-85 northbound near Jimmy Carter Boulevard was shut down around 7:50 a.m. on Saturday due to two accidents causing a large fire. Gwinnett firefighters and police officers responded to the accident where two fatalities were identified — Norcross resident Emerald Lynn, 31 and Snellville resident Yonas Worku, 44. Police concluded the cause of the fire resulted from a leak in the truck involved in the accident.

NATIONAL Retired NBA star Kobe Bryant dies in a helicopter crash

GSUPD does not have any specific enforcement actions planned regarding the changes in the age requirement on purchasing tobacco products.

RaceTrac has made tobacco products more accessible for those who live in on-campus housing, or who are just looking to make a purchase in between classes.

According to Spillane, if the student is under 21, they would not be allowed to purchase tobacco products by the merchant. Students could be issued a citation if they are found in possession of tobacco products, and the contraband would be seized and destroyed.

“The RaceTrac is a private business and not affiliated with Georgia State University, [so] they are required to follow the law when selling tobacco products and could be fined for selling to persons under 21,” Spillane said. “Any enforcement issues regarding underage sales would be under the jurisdiction of the Atlanta Police Department.”

Spillane says that GSUPD does not have any specific enforcement actions planned regarding the changes in the age requirement on purchasing tobacco products.

Fortunately, student aid is not linked to tobacco use or possession.

“If a student is caught breaking any law, there would be a Student Code of Conduct investigation initiated by the Dean of Students,” Spillane said.

“Depending on the severity of the infraction, the student could be required to take classes, attend counseling or other sanctions deemed necessary by the Dean of Students.”

Some students have mixed feelings.

Miracle Fleming, a Georgia State freshman, believes the new law is only protecting the youth and forcing them to think longer about whether or not they want to make the decision to smoke.

PHOTO BY MATT SICILIANO-SALAZAR | THE SIGNAL

Fleming personally does not smoke, so she does not disagree or agree because people should be allowed to do what they choose with their body.

“At the same time, the new law will prohibit teens from either purchasing tobacco products for wrong reasons or for younger age ranges,” Fleming said. “In the end, it is to protect the youth even though it has come to be a huge inconvenience for many of them.”

Fleming also acknowledges that the youth of our generation always find a way to get what they want, no matter the circumstance.

“Teens have always found a way to get what they want despite the laws,” Fleming said. “There might be a slight shift, but in the end, it will be a factor of pursuing the purchase until someone gets caught.”

Anaya Woolfolk, a sophomore at Georgia State, does not agree with the new law.

“I feel like everybody shouldn’t be punished for the actions of a few,” Woolfolk said. “I personally do not smoke tobacco, that’s not what the wraps are used for, so I shouldn’t be punished for the actions of minors wanting to smoke nicotine.”

Munoz does not smoke, but she doesn’t necessarily agree or disagree with the new law either.

“I believe that using things such as tobacco before ages 21 to 25 is harmful to all potential growth one can achieve,” Munoz said. “In this light, the new laws will protect the future generations much more than us, as we have a new found nicotine addiction in juuls and the like.”

However, Munoz doesn’t believe it is fair for 18-year-olds to not be able to drink or smoke but are able to join the military.

“Are we even adults at 18 anymore?” Munoz asked.

Kobe Bryant’s helicopter crashed in Calabasas, California last Sunday.

The helicopter flew into a hillside, missing the hilltop by 20 to 30 feet. There were nine victims in the crash, including the pilot and Bryant’s daughter Gianna, according to CNN. The other passengers included Gianna’s teammates on a team coached by Bryant, the teammates’ parents and a basketball assistant coach.

GLOBAL 50 million people locked down “atrisk” of disease in China

On Jan. 23, China blocked most access to the city of Wuhan and surrounding cities in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Now, officials must figure out how to keep 50 million people supplied with food and other necessities. A 560-ton shipment of disinfectant has been delivered to Wuhan by trucks driven by people in masks and protective suits. Wuhan was where the novel strain of coronavirus was first identified. According to the Associated Press, this is the biggest anti-disease effort ever attempted.

NEWS

6

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

STUDENT MEDIA SERIES: NEO NETWORK The student production house that creates short films and news broadcasts DANIELLA JOHNSON Staff Reporter

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tudents interested in journalism, writing, art, film and almost any other major can find a home in Georgia State’s student media.

In addition to The Signal, there are four other student-led media organizations on campus: Album 88, Neo Network, New South and Underground.

Neo Network, or NeoN, is a platform for journalism and film and media students to develop their talents.

The history of NeoN goes back many decades, but not many people know of it.

“Of all of the groups I advise, this is the one I have the least history on,” Bryce McNeil, student media advisor, said.

According to McNeil, Georgia State’s student television broadcasting dates all the way back to the late 1970s and early 1980s when student media began housing the broadcasting organization, then called Closed-Circuit Television. However, the records of CCTV are inconsistent. The organization functioned on and off until the early 2000s.

“I know because of yearbooks and other documentation that Student Media housed CCTV,” McNeil said.

The name was eventually changed from CCTV to Georgia State Television, operating as a private channel that broadcast to university housing.

“It was primarily for students that had either an interest in journalism, live broadcast or both,” McNeil said. “In the preinternet era, newsgathering was very segregated [because] TV news didn’t collaborate with newspapers often, and GSTV was reflective of that.”

In 2007, GSTV was temporarily shut down due to inactivity and equipment theft but eventually resumed production in the spring of 2008.

“A review committee was assembled to discuss what to do and eventually a new general manager was hired in the spring of 2008,” McNeil said.

In 2009, GSTV rebooted with a new website.

As the 2010s approached, GSTV decided to broaden their reach and put more emphasis on releasing online videos. According to McNeil, later in the decade, they decided to solidify two divisions, one for news and sports and the other for the creative aspect, seemingly more geared towards film students.

Georgia State aired its first-ever Panther Report News segment on YouTube nine years ago on Sept. 2, 2010, with then-students Crystal Jordan and Joseph Shepherd.

According to McNeil, “Sophomores,” an original GSTV production, finished and screened an episode at the Plaza Theatre in 2011.

In 2014, GSTV launched Primetime Sportz. The same year, Georgia State entered an agreement with Georgia Public Broadcasting, leading to the creation of GSUTV, a separate entity from GSTV, prompting a need for a name change.

According to McNeil, Many students commonly mistook GSTV for GSUTV. Though its name was officially changed to NeoN this past year, McNeil claims it was discussed prior to this.

“It was decided as early as 2016 that a name change was eventually going to be necessary but a lot of workshopping and logo development happened first before we committed to the new name,” McNeil said.

In 2018, GSTV officially rebranded itself under the name NeoN. Short for “Neo Network,” the acronym NeoN was created for logo design reasons and to emulate the trend of two-syllable ondemand content providers like Hulu.

Though there are similarities between GSTV and NeoN, such as the student body being its primary audience and the news and sports team being their primary segments, there are also a few differences as it has evolved over time.

The focus of NeoN is more so on the entire student body rather than just student housing. Additionally, NeoN also has a whole section for creative filmmaking — something GSTV did not always have.

According to Alexandria White, NeoN’s general manager, the student volunteers who work at NeoN are driven storytellers who want to advance their network and skill sets through applied practice.

“Members of Panther Report gain real-world experience by

participating in pitch meetings, filming weekly broadcast in a studio and field reporting with industry-standard equipment,” White said.

With respect to its creative areas of production, students are given all the necessary resources to give life to their ideas.

“Whether they [are] producing their next award-winning short film, assisting our marketing and social media team with promotions or anchoring a news broadcast, NeoN volunteers have access to portfolio-building opportunities that tend to set them apart from their peers,” White said.

Although White has a background in public relations and marketing, being the general manager of NeoN has given her opportunities to advance her knowledge on managerial and project management skills while giving her insight on the broadcast profession.

According to Kevin Sanchez, NeoN’s news director, when looking at new potential members the first thing he notices is how hungry they are and if they are passionate about the craft of journalism.

“A lot of times, students can be a bit hesitant to join because they have a job or they don’t live on campus,” Sanchez said. “But we try to remind them that we’ve seen people from those same circumstances graduate and receive a job offer right after.”

Sanchez began working at Panther Report News his freshman year at Georgia State. When Sanchez first began there was no weekly newscast.

“We published our content every few weeks, but we wanted somewhere to showcase the news on a regular basis,” Sanchez. “It wasn’t until December that our News Director Breana Albizu and Team Leader LaDarrius Heath helped lead a dedicated team to make it happen.”

This dedication and teamwork have lasted since it began and runs down the chain of command through members such as Jett Parker and Kara Nelson.

Jett Parker is the sports director of PRN. Parker has been working at NeoN for a year and a half. He entered as a videographer for Primetime Sportz before it merged with NeoN. “I decided to join because I had just changed my major to film and I was looking for opportunities to gain experience,” Parker said.

“My favorite experience since joining PRN would have to be going to either the NFL Draft or watching the upset against Tennessee,” Parker said. “Both felt like an out of body experience,

Students Kevin Sanchez and Kara Nelson at work in the NeoN office.

simply because, this is it, this is what I want to do and this amazing organization has allowed me to do this.”

Kara Nelson, NeoN’s executive producer, joined PRN in 2017 during her sophomore year. Similar to Sanchez, Nelson has seen PRN go through similar changes.

“The introduction of the newscast was the first step in our organization’s growth,” Nelson said. “All of the other changes I’ve witness would be our growing social media presence, graphic and camera quality and professionalism of our reporting.”

Nelson views Panther Report News as a big family, something that is only growing and getting better.

“My two most recent accomplishments are having the chance to intern with Fox 5 Atlanta and participate in the 2019 NABJ Student Multimedia Projects,” Nelson said.

Although students at PRN have different goals in mind, they all come together to support each other.

“I do have to say that PRN wouldn’t be close to where it is without Kevin and Kara,” Parker said. “The leaps and bounds we have made over the past year has been nothing short of remarkable.”

PHOTO BY MATT SICILIANO-SALAZAR | THE SIGNAL

TUESDAY, 4, 2020 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY JANUARY 15, 2019

www.georgiastatesignal.com/opinions

Is free parking at Blue Lot a commuter’s dream?

Georgia State’s shuttles don’t care about schedules ARIA JOHNSON Staff Columnist

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ccording to U.S. News and World Report, 79% of students who attend Georgia State are commuters.

Considering our school is in the heart of downtown Atlanta, parking can be a nightmare for us commuters.

Parking on campus is not cheap and paying to park daily adds up quickly.

The private parking lots and garages on campus start anywhere from $6 to $8 for just a couple of hours. If you’re lucky, you might be able to find street parking starting at $2 an hour. The downside to using the meters is that there are often time restraints for how long you can occupy that space.

If a Georgia State commuter wants to pay to park on campus, they only have so many options: M Deck and the University Lofts Parking Deck permits cost $215 per semester with no overnight parking permitted. If you’re a resident of University Housing, you’re looking at $400 per semester to park in the University Lofts Parking Deck, with overnight parking included.

These prices are very high, and if you don’t have many classes on campus, getting this permit seems unnecessary and unfair.

Now let’s talk about the dreaded Blue Lot, my dear Panthers. Blue Lot was acquired by Georgia State in a 99-year lease with Carter Construction. Blue Lot was supposed to be every commuter’s dream because it offered free parking, something that is practically unheard of in Atlanta.

The issue with Blue Lot isn’t just a matter of navigating traffic to get to the lot, it’s the shuttles.

“On Tuesdays and Thursdays, my first class is at 9:30 a.m., so I’ve been getting to Blue Lot at 8:45 a.m. to ensure I can get to class on time; I’ve yet to make it less than 15 minutes late,” Sharmaine Francois, managing director for the Georgia State chapter of Her Campus, said. “The lines have been ridiculous.

It literally wraps alongside the Blue Lot with only one bus showing up in, like, 20-minute intervals.”

This is problematic because even with careful planning, you’re bound to be late to class. With the number of students that commute, you would think that there would be more shuttles on the Blue Lot route, especially during the mornings. When I visited the Georgia State parking page, it states that the Green Lot is now the new designated parking lot for students.

“I’ve only seen the shuttle pull up to the Green Lot twice,

ILLUSTRATION BY DEMETRI BURKE | THE SIGNAL

but if that’s the case, it would make more sense for the Blue Route buses to pick people up there instead,” Francois said.

What’s going to come of the Blue Lot, I wonder?

Although the information provided on the university

website is accurate, how many commuters are actually aware of this sudden change? The lack of direct communication is extremely frustrating for us commuters because we just want to park for free and get to our classes on time.

Panthers, where are your manners?

The students of Georgia State can be a discourteous crowd NICOLE CASTRO Staff Columnist

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his is an open letter to those of you who are oblivious, inconsiderate and maybe just plain rude: Why are you like this? Maybe you aren’t paying attention; maybe you feel entitled. Whatever the case may be, you need to reevaluate your actions and your behavior and start showing some Southern hospitality by using your manners.

Courtesy and politeness are things that people don’t appreciate like they used to; you can tell when you walk around Georgia State’s Downtown campus. The students seem to lack spatial awareness.

Whether they are too invested in whatever is happening on the screen in their hands in front of them or they have just simply forgotten that there are hundreds of us who are all trying to get somewhere, they walk around with little to no

regard for those around them. I’m referring to the people who stop walking dead in their tracks, the people who use the left side of the stairs and the people who stop to chat with a friend in the middle of the sidewalk.

I cannot forget to mention the people who are so excited to get on the elevator that they literally cannot wait approximately ten more seconds to give the people who were already on the elevator an opportunity to get off. I know I’m not the only one who gets frustrated by all of this.

“People will just cut in front of you [before you are able to get off] and just jump in the elevator. Like, c’mon guys. Just wait a little bit,” Georgia State freshman Dahla Myers said regarding students’ lack of elevator etiquette.

I find it incredibly refreshing when people add a “please” to their requests, say, “Thank you” to whoever is owed gratitude and offer a genuine “you’re welcome” to those they have helped out. I appreciate these things because they are becoming increasingly less common, which is mind-boggling.

You can gain so much just from being polite to other people. For example, employers would most likely prefer to

hire a well-mannered individual rather than someone who does not display common courtesy.

Myers also addressed how impoliteness affects the culture of the campus.

“As many people as there are here and as social as a college is supposed to be, when you’re walking past people, they’ll just look down,” he said. “I’m the opposite. I’m trying to be like, ‘Hey! How are you doing?’”

It’s hard to be friendly when others aren’t particularly receptive.

On another note, being polite is something that has become gratifying to me. Other people take note of how you interact with them and they tend to appreciate someone who communicates in an amicable, respectful way.

Perhaps I am old fashioned, but I consider having good manners to be something that everyone should strive to do.

It is obviously a negligible behavior, but I believe that it will likely improve your interactions with others and maybe even open you up to some opportunities that you may not have received if you were impolite instead.

OPINIONS

8

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

What’s more ‘Atlanta’ than Waffle House?

Waffle Home, where you’re always welcome

executive Interim president & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ada Wood

BRONSON THARPE

editor@georgiastatesignal.com creative director Vacant managing editor Will Solomons

Staff Columnist

director of business operations Vacant

I

t’s a Wednesday morning, and you’ve decided to treat yourself. You’re at the Waffle House on Courtland, and in front of you is a hot cup of coffee and an All-Star Special. Is there anything else on the menu?

Your waitress is named Makaila, and this is her first job. She’s been here four years and she loves it.

“Lots of students come through,” she says, kindly taking a minute to indulge some of your questions.

“They only ever want waffles and hash browns, though.”

She sings along to “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond on the jukebox and enthusiastically continues her work.

It’s cold outside and it’s nice to be in a place that’s warm in more ways than merely literal. You are content. You are home.

There are few things more “Atlanta” than Waffle House. Coke? Maybe. Hip-hop? Perhaps. Nothing can come close, however, to the homey sanctuary that Waffle House offers.

Although it was founded in Avondale Estates in 1955 (about two miles east of Decatur), Waffle House quickly became an Atlanta institution and is now headquartered in Norcross. With friendly staff, a familiar menu and a perfect American diner experience, there’s little to dislike.

For Georgia State students, Waffle House is a refuge in a city that so often defies its own reputation of Southern hospitality. Atlanta is the “city too busy to hate” and all too frequently also “the city too busy to say, ‘Hello.’”

Not so in Waffle House, where the staff knows customers’ names and wish them a happy birthday as they cross the threshold.

They are community centers, meeting places

Editorial NEWS EDITOR Brooklyn Valera

news@georgiastatesignal.com

ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR Vacant

news2@georgiastatesignal.com OPINIONS EDITOR Shari Celestine opinions@georgiastatesignal.com ASSOCIATE OPINIONS EDITOR Kenneth Lockett III opinions2@georgiastatesignal.com arts & living EDITOR Bria Suggs living@georgiastatesignal.com ASSOCIATE ARTS & Living EDITOR Vacant living2@georgiastatesignal.com SPORTS EDITOR Andrew Freedman sports@georgiastatesignal.com ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR Erik Indrisano sports2@georgiastatesignal.com COPY EDITOR Miro Georgiev copy@georgiastatesignal.com

Production PRODUCTION EDITOR Nadia Mohammed

productions@georgiastatesignal.com ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION EDITOR Montenez Lowery production2@georgiastatesignal.com

PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO EDITOR (ATLANTA) Matt Siciliano-Salazar

ILLUSTRATION BY BRANDON ZHAN | THE SIGNAL

and study spots. They’re places to rest, unwind and recuperate. They’re spaces to work, earn a living and have fun doing it. For some patrons, they’re the closest thing to a home they’ll ever see.

In some ways, Waffle House is also a great equalizer.

After all, people from completely different walks of life can appreciate a reasonably priced and delicious breakfast.

Around Atlanta, walk into any diner and you will find a diverse population that includes students dipping in and out between classes, day laborers eating a hearty

meal, families enjoying a night out and people in suits who want a taste of home.

You’ve just polished off your third cup of coffee and it’s time to go to class. But you don’t despair, because you know your Waffle Home will still be there tomorrow.

And so will Makaila, who looks forward to seeing the students who “teach her a lot.” She invites you to come by and hear her story, or as she puts it, “get a piece of her mind.”

More people should consider taking her up on that generous offer because they might just figure out what can make a House a Home.

photo@georgiastatesignal.com PHOTO EDITOR (PERIMETER) Vacant photo2@georgiastatesignal.com ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR Vacant

Digital DIGITAL EDITOR Will Holley

digital@georgiastatesignal.com ASSOCIATE DIGITAL Editor Vacant digital2@georgiastatesignal.com VIDEO EDITOR Julia Peake associate vIDEO EDITOR Vacant

THE SIGNAL BUREAUS BUREAU CHIEF (CLARKSTON) Seawards Dawson BUREAU CHIEF (ALPHARETTA) Vacant BUREAU CHIEF (NEWTON) Vacant BUREAU CHIEF (DUNWOODY) Ashten Cunningham BUREAU CHIEF (DECATUR) Markia Lawrence ADVERTISING STUDENT MEDIA ADVISeR Bryce McNeil bmcneil1@gsu.edu

BUSINESS COORDINATOR Wakesha Henley

letter FROM the editor

whenley@gsu.edu

It takes a team

The Signal shall provide, in a fair and accurate manner, news of interest and significance to the Georgia State University community and serve as a forum for the expression of ideas of members of that community. Furthermore, The Signal shall provide an opportunity for students to pursue experience within a professional newspaper environment. The Signal shall also provide truthful and ethical advertising of interest to the Georgia State University community.

STUDENT MEDIA ADVISeR (PERIMETER) Zoana Price zprice@gsu.edu

MISSION STATEMENT

Ada Wood moves from news editor to interim editor-in-chief Dear reader, As of Feb. 1, this past Saturday, I have stepped into the position of interim editor-in-chief of The Signal.

This may sound familiar or like a case of dejavu if you were in this same place in the paper or on The Signal website last week when you read my predecessor’s words as he resigned from The Signal for a much earned opportunity.

Daniel Varitek, former editor-in-chief, wrote that he was faced with “bittersweet emotions” as he left, and to mirror that, this has been a very bittersweet moment for me as well.

Danny, as The Signal staff and many others know him, was a good leader, a good decisionmaker and a good friend to me. It’s bitter to know that The Signal will no longer have Danny in that chair where staff, students, faculty, local journalists and readers alike may have met him.

But at the same time, it is sweet to know that he and others have placed their faith in me to lead them. I intend to do just that and live up to their expectations, the best that I can.

For me, The Signal is really like a home — and anyone reading who hasn’t experienced it may think this is cliche or artificial.

When I joined The Signal, I barely knew what I wanted to do, for a major, a career, in life. I wanted to get involved in something, and a friend recommended I join The Signal.

When I turned in my first story, it was an essay — not an article. The first three weren’t ever published. I was too shy to speak up during team meetings, and I embarrassed myself in every interview with a source for nearly a month.

But because of people at The Signal, no matter how low I had started, I felt I was getting better and learning everyday.

At the time, Christina Maxouris was the editorin-chief. During my interview for the job, she grilled me with questions — like any journalist would — about the most recent news both on campus and nationally.

For me, her passion for her career was inspiring.

But I was sure I wasn’t going to be a journalist, and I could never expect to be an editor, especially an editor-in-chief.

Two years later, I am most certainly a journalist, and I found the same passion I once saw in Christina. Since April 2018, I’ve spent 10 months as a staff writer, six months as associate news editor, eight months as news editor and, now, I have six weeks to be editor-in-chief.

If you noticed the “interim” in my title at the start of this letter, that is because I will be in this role temporarily until the Committee on Student Communications selects a long-term candidate, which could or could not be me.

There’s a lot to look forward to in these coming weeks.

In a week, or less depending on when you’re

reading this letter, The Signal’s annual “Sex Issue” will hit the stands. Students can expect thorough, exciting coverage of the Student Government Association season starting in the next few weeks up until spring break, including an informative and entertaining debate.

As editor-in-chief, I’ve prepared myself for this position. Many of you know me as a writer and editor, but I am also a photographer, a video editor, a website developer and, hopefully, a strong leader when I need to be.

I know what The Signal has accomplished and worked on in the past several years, and I know what we need to accomplish now.

I trust myself to do this well, but much of this trust is based on the pride I have in our entire team who deserve to be named.

Bria Suggs, Shari Celestine, Kenneth Lockett III, Andrew Freedman, Erik Indrisano, Brooklyn Valera, Will Solomons, Miro Georgiev, Nadia Mohammed, Monte Lowery, Will Holley, Matt Siciliano-Salazar, Julia Peake and the dozens of writers, artists, photographers and more who put their time and hard work into this paper each week will ultimately be what makes The Signal as amazing as it has been and will continue to be.

With high hopes, Ada Wood Interim Editor-in-Chief

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ARTS & LIVING TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2020

www.georgiastatesignal.com/artsandliving

One-tenth of your blood can save three lives

Georgia State students donate pints of blood on campus HANNAH JONES Staff Reporter

I

n 15 minutes, you could help save someone’s life. That is how long it takes to donate one pint of blood, a resource that is replaceable for the donor but essential for a patient’s life.

With Grady Hospital, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and others right next door, blood will always be a needed resource in Atlanta.

As an essential fixture within the city, Georgia State makes it easy for students to donate. Beginning drives in the early 2000s, Georgia State has partnered with the American Red Cross and LifeSouth Community Blood Center to bring blood drives to the Downtown and Perimeter campuses.

Byron Jones, interim director of civic engagement, helps manage the drives and has donated blood upwards of eight times.

According to Jones, 95% of drives meet the blood donation goals. Each goal varies depending on the drive, and Jones recalls the Homecoming 2018 drive as recordbreaking, with 210 pints donated.

Freshman Dalena Yonas donated blood for the first time this month at Clarkston’s blood drive. Yonas sat on a cot with a clear bag attached to her arm while she chatted with friends and read a book.

Yonas’ mother became sick last November, and “she needed a lot of blood,” which inspired her to donate.

“You never know — you could be the next person that needs blood, and nobody’s there to give it to you,” Yonas said. “It’s nothing; you get this stuff, it revives you, and it keeps coming back. I think I’m going to keep coming back as much as possible because, you know, everybody needs blood and [there are] a lot of sick people.”

Civic Engagement Advisor JP Peters coordinates the oncampus blood drives and believes in the importance of this initiative.

“Personally, I feel as though it’s important because we never know when you as an individual will be in some form of an accident where you would need a blood transfusion or for an individual to donate blood to save your life...”

— BYRON JONES Interim Director of Civic Engagement

“This is a great gateway to giving back in service,” Peters said. “LifeSouth keeps all of their blood here … they stay local to Atlanta, and we know there’s always going to be a high need [for blood] in Atlanta.”

The donation process is relatively simple: Upon arrival, the donor answers a list of questions, mainly focused on their health, medications and recent travels. After the questionnaire is completed, the donor checks their blood pressure, temperature and the iron in their blood. Once cleared, the donor sits on a reclined chair to donate one pint of blood, which generally takes 10 to 15 minutes to complete.

Afterward, students are given their snacks, free t-shirts and a sense of accomplishment.

Sophomore Grace Kirkwood has donated blood five times before the Clarkston drive. Kirkwood learned about the drive through an engagement fair on campus. On a whim, she decided to donate.

The donation process doesn’t daunt Kirkwood. In fact, she enjoys it.

“I don’t mind blood at all,” Kirkwood said. “I also enjoy the process somewhat, you just sit there, chill for a few minutes, and it goes to a good cause. It’s sort of relaxing. That sounds weird because we’re talking about donating blood, but I guess it’s more that I don’t mind it, and [the patients] need it.”

Kirkwood is right: Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood, according to the American Red Cross.

Jones said that he donates blood to aid servicemen and women, such as police and firefighters, who may “get hurt in the line of duty.”

“Also, for me, [donating is] important because we never

“You never know — you could be the next person that needs blood, and nobody’s there to give it to you.”

— DALENA YONAS Georgia State student know when a natural disaster is going to happen,” Jones added. “Personally, I feel as though it’s important because we never know when you as an individual will be in some form of an accident where you would need a blood transfusion or for an individual to donate blood to save your life.”

Blood drives aren’t Georgia State’s only health initiative.

Wellness Program Coordinator Ryan Smith manages Wellness on Wheels across all campuses.

Wellness on Wheels visits one campus a week and offers various health screenings for students, faculty and staff.

These events provide a variety of resources, such as blood pressure checks, weigh-ins and BMI calculations.

Smith is a registered dietitian, and he offers presentations on health in day-to-day life. “[Survey] responses seem to indicate that people are very interested in finding ways to incorporate more healthy foods into their diet,” Smith said. “A lot of people are interested in things like meal prep and healthy eating on the go. I think especially in the downtown area, there are a lot of great restaurants nearby, but people [need help] to figure out how to pick the healthier options from what’s available.”

Smith added that stress management was another major topic of interest. He encourages the Georgia State community to take advantage of these opportunities.

“When you invest in your health, you’re investing in yourself,” Smith said. “These are things that not only make you, of course, live longer and be healthier, but they make you feel better from day-to-day. For students, if you’re less stressed and you’re taking care of yourself … you’ll probably perform better in your class. You may have better relationships, and you may just be in a better mood. So, I think it affects literally everyone, no matter what stage of life they’re at.”

Blood drives are offered twice each semester on the Perimeter campuses, and there are seven donation opportunities on the Downtown campus.

Yonas offers words of encouragement for first-time donors.

“Relax, because it’s my first time too,” Yonas said. “I believe in you. Don’t be selfish with your blood, and have fun.”

ILLUSTRATIONS BY AMBER KIRLEW | THE SIGNAL

ILLUSTRATION & PAGE DESIGN BY JACY SHEPARD | THE SIGNAL

Loner meet-ups give social spaces to those who crave it Students are initiating new ways to make friends on campus WRITTEN BY RO PARKER | STAFF WRITER

“H

ey! None of us have friends!” a Reddit post from a Georgia State University student headlines. The post was created by student Ynell Banks, a third year English literature major, who transferred to the Downtown campus from the Decatur campus this past August. The Reddit post targeted those on Georgia State’s Downtown campus who find it difficult to approach people, feel as if they are missing out because they have to commute to campus or find that they lack interest in the student organizations on campus.

Banks planned a meet-up for those interested to congregate at a bubble tea restaurant on campus, Kung Fu Tea, on Jan. 17. Initially thinking it would just be six students sitting around a table, Banks was overwhelmed at the meet-up’s success, the turn-out crowding multiple tables. The students have since created a group chat with those who came to the event in order to plan upcoming meet-ups, now coined the “loner meetups.”

The students have also, most recently, met up at The Hub at Peachtree Center with open hours from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. where individuals could drop by to say, “Hi,” or to stay and hang out for however long they wanted to.

The crowd of students pushed tables together to accommodate the influx of people who came to the event, including all attendees into the circle of conversation. Banks stressed the importance of the meet-ups occurring close to campus in public spaces that do not cost money, noting that anything more would be “a lot of work.” The events are meant to relieve pressure while remaining inclusive.

When someone comes to a loner meetup, Banks will always ask the individual their name to directly have them involved in the discussion.

Though she noted that if people want to stay anonymous and go by their Reddit name, that is also okay. “I’m fine if I plan something and only three people sign up,” Banks said. “I just like having people around me. A lot of people say you shouldn’t depend on other people for your happiness, but it’s not that. I just like to conversate and be social.” Without expectations for what the meet-ups should be, Banks said, “People need to be more understanding of the people around them, especially here where people have a lot going on. Even if you’re having a bad [day], being around people makes it better.”

Coming from the Decatur campus this past August, Banks found the environment of the Downtown campus different from what she was used to. At her old campus, the smaller student center was inviting with people immediately greeting her as she walked in. Familiar faces allowed for friendly conversation. Banks pointed out the phenomenon that students at the Downtown campus have the tendency to sit one person at a table. Often individuals on the Downtown campus wear headphones or seem as though they do not want to be approached, positioning themselves far away from one another.

“On the bus, people would rather stand than sit next to or talk to someone they don’t know,” said Banks.

Banks wants to break the idea that people can only hang out with the same individuals. While considering her own best friend who had a baby, she noted that “you shouldn’t just hang on to one person,” as individuals get busy with other commitments.

“Everyone can be your ‘real friend,’” said Banks.

The lack of sociability surrounding Georgia State’s Downtown campus is not a new trend. A school founded on the philosophy that students would come to class and go home, Georgia State has attempted to rebrand its image as a “commuter college.”

With dorms, student centers and opportunities for involvement within organizations, many still find socially navigating Georgia State University difficult, especially if students did not attend Georgia State as freshmen while living on campus and using on-campus living. When Annabel “Chris” Joyner, a previous Georgia State student who had lived in Piedmont North Student Residency her first year moved off campus her second year, she noticed a shift in her relationships with others. “Dorming kind of felt like high school where you just recognize everyone,” said Joyner. “But it’s a big school, so when I stopped seeing the same faces everyday, it felt more overwhelming.”

“I just like having people around me. A lot of people say you shouldn’t depend on other people for your happiness, but it’s not that.

I just like to conversate and be social.”

— YNELL BANKS Third year English literature major

Her freshman year, Joyner would walk to classes with friends she met at her dorm. She would meet people at the gym and sit with friends in the dining hall for every meal. Moving off campus her second year at Georgia State in order to save money living near Georgia State Stadium, Joyner found it more difficult to socialize than she did before. Although Joyner lived very close to campus, she found that her friendships with those still living in the dorms faded as they all grew closer without her. Joyner worked the same parttime job her first and second year while attending Georgia State. When she lived on campus, she

found the job helped in fostering socialization; when she lived off campus, it became a hindrance.

Joyner would make friends while walking to the MARTA station to get to work but when she moved off campus, she got a car to get to work.

Describing herself as an “extrovert” by nature, Joyner would socialize when she could but lacked the opportunity to talk with others. Deciding to stop attending Georgia State after her second year to accept a full-time position at her job, Joyner now spends the majority of her time with her girlfriend and people from work. “I started hanging out with people who are many years my senior,” Joyner said. “I’ve been going out to drinks with 40-year-old women.” Even though she lives with some of the same people she did freshman year while staying on campus, everyone has gotten more involved with their own commitments, which fall on different schedules.

Commuter student Grace Johnston, a third year women’s, gender and sexuality studies major, also finds that the people whom she mostly spends time with are those from work. Some of those with whom she works attend Georgia State though they did not use Georgia State’s campus as a means for becoming friends and maintaining that friendship. “I haven’t had a lot of opportunity to meet a lot of people,” Johnston said. “You kind of go from point A to point B.” Johnston and Joyner both mentioned going to class and then going directly home or to work afterwards. A transfer student from the Atlanta campus of the Savannah College of Art and Design, Johnston lacked the dorm experience that Joyner had and finds that gathering places like the library and the student center can be “isolating,” where people are either sitting with those who they already know or seem preoccupied with their laptops, one of the very reasons Banks created the loner meet-ups in the first place.

Johnston also mentioned the lack of consistency regarding friendships made with those who she attends classes with.

“You have these really weird fleeting relationships at Georgia State,” said Johnston.

“If you do meet someone in class, it’s like they’re your friend for the semester.” Banks also agreed on this occurrence, saying, “All of those GroupMe’s go dead when the class is done.” And regarding on-campus organizations, Johnston and Banks both noted the time commitment and often monetary expenses of belonging to clubs.

“I like to dabble in reading,” said Banks. “But in a book club people like to do more than just dabble in reading.” Johnston expressed interest in the Roller Derby organization on campus but mentioned the expense of equipment as well as the difficulty of joining due to the late hours she works at a restaurant. Relating the sentiment back to other students, Johnston said, “The majority [of the] population of Georgia State is working all of the time, and it’s not super easy to be a part of something.”

ARTS & LIVING

12

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

The Right to Life rally that boomed through campus Georgia State and the anti-abortion movement meet again

Students watched as an anti-abortion marched moved right through the heart of campus.

HANNA WEILAND Staff Reporter

T

wo days before President Trump became the first president to attend an anti-abortion rally, a silent Georgia Right to Life rally marched on Decatur Street on the Downtown campus, leaving much to the surprise of students.

Annually, anti-abortion protesters march through downtown Atlanta to mourn the lives of aborted fetuses.

The poster-wielding protesters are not the first to make an appearance on Georgia State’s campus. Last semester, a group called “Created Equal” held signs with graphic images in Unity Plaza. Professors and students were vocal about their disapproval of the group.

The GRTL march commenced right next to the Capitol building. The afternoon began with speeches and prayers. Praise was a critical factor in the march, with God being a common undertone.

Endia Bass, a pre-march speaker, testified her experience with abortions. The mission for this march appeared to focus on the importance of the number of abortions that have already occurred.

Once the crowd of over 1,500 marchers started to walk, the mood was set with an audio recording of an 11-week-old fetus’s heartbeat followed by a trumpet playing the song “Taps,” which is most commonly played at military funerals.

The rally emphasized the statistics of abortions in the U.S. According to the march’s research, there have been 61 million fetuses aborted since 1974, the year Roe v. Wade was decided.

But 2019 brought hope for the pro-life group when Gov. Brian Kemp signed the HB 481, also known as the “heartbeat bill.”

There was an immense backlash nationally against this bill by celebrities and political figures. In her testimony, Bass called out the actors and comedians for the “propaganda” used from their platform.

Although the bill is currently on hold, when passed, it will prevent doctors from performing abortions once the fetus’s

heartbeat is detected. For the GRTL group, the passing of this bill would be considered a win for the group. So, why are they still marching?

As the supporters meandered through Atlanta streets heading towards Georgia State’s campus, the attention from city dwellers was scarce until they arrived in Five Points. The march was greeted by regular MARTA commuters and pedestrians. The heckling from a few was expected and warned at the beginning of the march.

Marchers proudly moved toward Georgia State’s campus, ready to take on whatever the student body would give them.

Students welcomed the group, mostly with confusion and a few laughs.

GRTL spokeswoman Genevieve Wilson hoped the peaceful and silent rally brought awareness to the students.

“I wish there was a way to tell them [students] that this is a memorial instead of a march,” said Wilson.

Abortion is a familiar controversial topic for Georgia State students, but the division of opinions is not evident. During the march, there were no sightings of a representative for Georgia State. Most students stood to watch, but none actually joined.

Sophomore Sofia Moin did not expect to see a pro-abortion march on a Wednesday afternoon.

“I am pro-choice, but it is nice to see people stand up for something they care about,” said Moin. “I also hope that they are doing their own research into everything that’s happening.”

For the GRTL group, 2019 brought shocking statistics: The national abortion rate has decreased overall, but Georgia’s increased. Wilson and the rest of the program were disappointed in the lack of progress the state has made. Therefore, they continue their march to spread awareness.

Yet the overall consensus for students was how shocked and confused they were about the signs. Seniors Natalie Drag and Melissa White wanted more information on the accuracy of the signs.

“They say that most aborted babies are black,” said White.

“Where did they get their statistics from?”

Wilson later provided statistics that showed exactly how many patients received abortions and what race the patients were as well. In 2018, the count shows 5,714 patients were white while

PHOTO BY HANNA WELLAND | THE SIGNAL

15,568 patients were black.

The posters displayed concern for minority groups and fathers with quotes such as “Black Babies Matter” and “Men Regret Lost Fatherhood.”

“I feel like abortion is a woman’s decision,” said White, “especially if she does not feel like she is ready to have a baby.”

Drag points out that although the rally was not rowdy, the signs were still awful. The GRTL group wanted to encourage students to look at the downside of abortions and the number that has occurred in Georgia this year.

The majority of the signs pointed at patients of color and fathers as the biggest contribution to why they were marching.

Nevertheless, statistics have shown that many of their claims are mostly incorrect.

The “Men Regret Lost Fatherhood” sign displays what seems to be men regretting their partner aborting their child.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, one in four children live in fatherless homes.

Students watched as a somewhat diverse group of marchers treaded with purpose. The GRTL group walks the same route annually with no intention to walk through Georgia State’s campus. The reactions from students have remained consistent throughout the years.

“First, they are always not sure what we are doing,” said Wilson. “You can see on their faces once they do realize what it is.”

Georgia State’s campus officially promotes freedom of speech and encourages students to speak up for their beliefs, as well as any non-university members to visit campus. But when a group that conflicts with the majority of the student body’s beliefs arrives, some students question if the group is actually showing a moral display.

“The kids are all on the outside, front and back,” said Drag, while watching the marchers, “It’s like they are trying to make it seem a little more personal.”

Considering morality, abortion strikes a hard divide in terms of whether it is right or wrong. As long the controversial heartbeat bill continues to stay on hold, GRTL will continue to hold its rallies to the mild inconvenience of students.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2020

ARTS & LIVING

13

Helping the Atlanta community one pad at a time

The service-based student organization that helps the homeless BRIA SUGGS

Arts & Living Editor

G

oing to school in downtown Atlanta, students at Georgia State interact with the homeless population on a regular basis.

In 2019, a study found that there are approximately 3,200 homeless people within the city of Atlanta. Women and girls experiencing homelessness not only have to worry about where they’re going to sleep and where their next meal will come from but also what to do on their menstrual cycle.

These are the kind of people that Pads for Princesses was created to serve. Pads for Princesses is a service-based student organization that provides feminine hygiene products for homeless women and youth in Atlanta. They particularly focus on the community close to the Atlanta campus, where they also volunteer at local care agencies.

Josh Krivanek, president of Pads for Princesses, is a second-year student at Georgia State majoring in social entrepreneurship.

According to Krivanek, “[Pads for Princesses] like[s] to really drive a discussion around homelessness here on the Atlanta campus to hopefully tear back some of that stigma.”

Krivanek joined the organization last spring and, by the end of the year, became president. He was inspired to join when the former president came to speak in one of his classes.

“It was the first org that I heard really dealing directly with homelessness, so [with] that being something that is a passion of mine, [it] seemed like a natural fit. I went to their banquet and ended up joining,” Krivanek said.

The organization has between 80-100 members, but are always welcoming more who are eager to volunteer to join. Students can apply through the Panther Involvement Network. There are no dues, but students are welcome and encouraged to make donations to fund the organization.

Pads for Princesses also has an e-board for students interested in leadership positions. There is a public relations department, a treasurer and a vice president. The executive board is working to transition organization-wide communication from GroupMe to Instagram to improve member retention.

Krivanek also works with a faculty and staff workgroup called Homeless Outreach Proactive Engagement Link. HOPE link works to collect resources to make the jobs of the HOPE Team easier. HOPE Team is composed of Georgia State University Police Department officers who provide resources for those who are less fortunate.

According to GSUPD’s Facebook page, the HOPE Team “encourages positive interaction between police officers and the often forgotten members of our community.”

Pads for Princesses will be partnering with Civic Engagement to organize a sleep-out later in the spring semester to raise

Pads for Princesses is a service-based student organization that provides feminine products for homeless women and youth in Atlanta.

student awareness for student homelessness, which Krivanek describes as a “big, big event.”

Krivanek was able to give The Signal a generic idea of how the event will go.

“Loosely, everyone will come around 7 o’clock, and we’d like to have a hot meal,” Krivanek said. “Then, there’s going to be a little bit of time where we have guest speakers from care agencies talk about why we’re there, serving with dignity and really addressing the stigma of the issue [of student homelessness].”

Krivanek wants the point of hosting this event to be focusing

PHOTO BY SYLVESTER SILVER III | THE SIGNAL

on student homelessness and giving students the opportunity to be more aware.

“Then we’ll sleep. Everyone will get authentic sleepwear, so, like, a sleeping bag or a box or something like that, and we’ll sleep outside,” Krivanek said. “In the morning, we’ll have a little bit of programming and then a meal.”

Pads for Princesses is also planning another event to take place about two weeks after the Org Fair. Krivanek also plans on having the second annual banquet, a tradition that began with last year’s president.

Rage against the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

How the inductee class of 2020 shows a shift in inclusivity SHARAYAH DAVIS Staff Reporter

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ichael Friedman’s black-and-white photos of Janis.

Joplin, the Rolling Stones and Todd Rundgren are framed in white to stand boldly against the jet black wall. Iconic outfits worn by the Beatles as well as guitars played by the Doors and Kurt Cobain are displayed throughout the rooms. Pictures of the greats in music history cover the walls of the museum along with priceless artifacts that have the die-hard music fans in awe.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2020 inductees were announced on Jan. 15 and, like every other year of inductees, received praise as well as criticism.

Located in Cleveland, Ohio, the Hall of Fame started inducting members into its first class of 1986, which included rock ’n’ roll legends like Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino and even

Mississippi blues guitarist Robert Johnson.

The Hall of Fame has since branched out to include members of genres besides rock, including Janet Jackson in 2019 and 2020 inductee Whitney Houston. One of the most notable names for the class of 2020 is The Notorious B.I.G. who is the seventh hiphop artist to be inducted in almost 35 years.

Many have pointed out that the number of artists of color inducted into the Hall of Fame has decreased significantly since the class of 1986, going from over 50% in the 1980s to 32.7% currently. The number of female artists to be inducted has increased; still, only 7.7% of the inductees are women.

In her criticism of the Hall of Fame’s preference for white, male artists, Evelyn McDonnell of Billboard magazine noted that it is not acceptable for the Hall to overlook female artists.

“The fact is, women were there for the birth of rock ’n’ roll and at every stage since; the Hall has just ignored them,” McDonnell wrote.

Criticism has also arisen from rock fans as they see the Hall of Fame continue to induct more artists who do not perform in the rock genre.

Graham Hartmann of Loudwire commented on the historical snubbing of metal artists from the induction as many metal artists have been nominated several times without ever being inducted. Specific examples include Judas Priest, Motorhead and Soundgarden did not receive an induction.

“The 2020 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class represents, once again, a complete distaste for heavy metal by an inept voting body, and an outright failure to recognize the genre as historically important,” Hartmann wrote.

Music fans have much to say when their beloved artists are not included in such a prestigious group, but many look to the future with the hope that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will become more inclusive to female artists, artists of color and different genres.

Although the Hall of Fame may not be so “rock ’n’ roll” anymore, Travis Buffkin for the San Antonio Current makes an important point about inclusivity: “That is kind of rock ‘n’ roll in itself; the absolute shedding and co-opting of closely held beliefs and commitments, even if they belong to the ‘true’ rock ’n’ rollers.”

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“Artist’s schedule” Comic by Esteban Rodriguez

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Doug Justice will have his home-and-home with GT

Talking with the man who waited five years for the game ANDREW FREEDMAN Sports Editor

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remember where I was when the news broke: Georgia State will face Georgia Tech in 2024 and 2026 in a home-andhome. I was at Rosa’s Pizza with Ben Moore.

I spoke with Moore, now at 247Sports, about the significance of the two games. We recalled how it will be the first time in history that the two programs have lined up across from each other on the field.

For Georgia Tech, this comes five years after their appearance in the 2014 Orange Bowl as the No. 12 team in the nation. Jan. 3, 2014 was the last time they were ranked. It was the last time another team in the state outside of the University of Georgia was ranked.

For the Panthers, it is another step in the right direction.

Could this be the beginning of a new rivalry? Possibly.

When they march into Bobby Dodd Stadium on Aug. 24, 2024, it will be much more than just a football game. For the Panthers, this is an opportunity to become the second-best football team in Georgia.

The home-and-home with the Yellow Jackets will conclude in 2026 when the teams play in Georgia State Stadium. It concludes a six-year stretch that will lay a foundation.

Alabama Crimson Tide. LSU Tigers. Auburn Tigers. South Carolina Gamecocks. Army Black Knights.

The Panthers will be playing all of these teams, and it cannot be emphasized how great it will be for both the school and its players.

“I think it brings more legitimacy for what we’re trying to do here,” Mike Holmes, associate athletic director, said.

For the Panthers, the schedule does not mean that they will be able to leap into the Associated Press Top 25 Rankings any time soon, at least for the next few years.

“I’m not saying that because we’re playing a home-and-home with them in football, it puts us on equal footing,” Holmes said.

“But it gives us a shot.”

Not a shot on the basketball court, where Holmes brings his son, 7-year-old LJ, who is in first grade. Instead, the aforementioned games bring in more coverage for the team in the heart of Atlanta. Not bad for a program that did not exist back when most of the students currently enrolled at Georgia State were in first grade.

“I think it is a piece in a much larger cog of getting brand recognition, named teams to come compete with us,” Holmes said about the Georgia Tech series.

But the man behind this did so much more than simply schedule a game against a few teams.

Doug Justice is the senior associate athletic director and chief of staff at Georgia State. He and Georgia State athletic director Charlie Cobb were the ones who engineered the train. The two worked together at Appalachian State prior to joining Georgia State’s program. While Cobb served as the director of athletics, Justice worked below him as the associate athletics director.

Both arrived at Georgia State in 2014 with big plans.

“It’s a big puzzle. You don’t know when you’re paths will cross in the future. Like anything else, you can’t hold yourself to one option for one particular year.”

— DOUG JUSTICE Georgia State senior associate athletic director and chief of staff “When I got here five years ago, it was one of those things that we wanted to play Tech at some point,” Justice said. “It just happened that this is one-time where were communicating and

Doug Justice talks about how the two games with the Yellow Jackets also provides another power-5 school for the Panthers to clash with.

they said, ‘Hey, we’re interested. Let’s start talking about some mutual dates.’”

Obviously, 2024 is still years away. This year’s freshman class will be graduating undergraduate school and those who shocked the world in Knoxville last year will all be gone.

“We’ve been in touch over the last couple of years about playing,” Justice said. “It took quite some time and just patience. It’s not something that [happens] overnight. And you start talking about opportunities, and then you [ask the other teams,] ‘Is there a certain year you’re interested?’”

However, for Justice, it is never too soon to begin planning ahead.

“One of my dear friends that lives right next door is a Georgia Tech alum. When it got announced, I texted them right away and asked them what they’re going to be doing in 20204 and 2026, cause I’d imagine it’s going to be at the game with us,” he said.

Justice is one of the few who have the job of planning out schedules for his respective teams. While his days at the office are usually 10 hours long, Justice is never under pressure in the situation. If a school is not available and does not have a date that works, it is on to the next one.

PHOTO BY ANNA GORICKI| THE SIGNAL

“It’s a big puzzle,” he said. “You don’t know when you’re paths will cross in the future. Like anything else, you can’t hold yourself to one option for one particular year.”

One team that was never part of the puzzle was the University of Georgia. It would be a tough one for Georgia State fans to watch, but Justice knows about upsets. He was at Appalachian State when they beat the Michigan Wolverines in 2007.

“We haven’t had that chance [to speak to UGA] yet,” Justice said. “It may happen down the road.”

With so many non-conference games scheduled for the Panthers over the next six seasons, a foundation will build by the program’s 16th year in existence. The only place to go is to the drawing board and keep working on his craft.

A year and a half ago, Georgia State had an opening in their schedule in 2020. Moving forward, it is likely that Justice will build off of the home-and-home that will be played with the Yellow Jackets.

“That’s going to be our philosophy moving forward,” Justice said. “To find schools that people know about and that people want to see and that our programs want to play and that people can get excited about watching.”

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Jemele Hill: sports journalist and activist An in-depth interview with The Atlantic’s very own KRYSTAL WHITE Staff Reporter

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emele Hill is arguably one of the best sports journalists today.

Born and raised in Detroit before attending Michigan State University in East Lansing, Hill has had to overcome a lot to get to her current position.

“In college, where many people grow up, you are living on your own for the first time, and you do not have [parents] waking you up for classes. It really teaches you [that you] have to survive on your own. Or at least the way I went to college,” she said.

Whereas some people went to college and could afford to have their parents sending money all the time, Hill sometimes had to work 50 hours a week while balancing school.

“It taught me how to become an adult,” she said. “Detroit gave me the foundation, but Michigan State is where I grew up.”

Hill was the speaker for the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration as part of the Spotlight Board’s Distinguished Speakers Series during the 2019-20 school year. She answered countless questions from students, reminding us how good of a person she was.

One of the most respected people in sports media, Hill did not become an Emmy Award-winning journalist overnight. It took years for her to perfect her craft.

“I was fortunate. I knew in high school that I wanted to be a journalist, in the ninth or tenth grade. I always loved writing, reading and sports. I combined my three favorite things. Back then, you had to read the newspaper to keep up with your favorite sports team,” she said.

Hill developed and maintained her love of newspapers thanks to her experience in high school journalism, where she and her peers had to put together their student newspaper at the printing press of the local professional paper, the Detroit Free Press.

“That exposed me to a newsroom and I became hooked,” she said. “I was a part of an apprentice program in Detroit. It allowed me to be an apprentice for ten weeks. I got a newspaper job in the eleventh grade.”

Hill would remain at the paper for ten years before she joined ESPN. Hill worked for nearly 12 years at ESPN. When she first arrived, she was a columnist for ESPN.com. Hill then began appearing on ESPN’s daytime talk shows, such as “First Take” and “Outside the Lines,” among other programs.

She finally got her big break in 2011. Along with Michael Smith, the two co-hosted their own talk show: “Numbers Never Lie.” Hill and Smith had great chemistry on camera, so ESPN decided to give them a block on SportsCenter at 6 p.m, known as “The Six.” Not too long after “The Six” began airing, Hill sent out a tweet that changed her life forever: “Donald Trump is a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists.” Shortly after sending out the tweet, ESPN and Hill decided to go their separate ways.

“Be sure and know who you are before you get deep in the profession.

There will be a lot of challenges and obstacles thrown at you. They will see what you aren’t before they see what you are.”

— JEMELE HILL Staff writer at The Atlantic

Hill’s career did not stop at ESPN, however. She currently writes for The Atlantic magazine and speaks freely about whatever comes to her heart. The transition from talking about sports every day to having the freedom to talk about politics was very easy for Hill.

“It is important to understand the tools of journalism does not change; the only thing that changes is the subject matter. The

The Michigan State University alumna saw a great turnout for her speech on race, justice and inequality in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.

thing that makes sports and politics something easy to transition [to] is because they have always been linked together,” she said.

“As for me in my career, to write more commentary, you see how all the dots connect together. So a lot of times in sports, there are plenty of examples you can discuss racism, the lack of black coaches in the NFL. That is not just a problem in the NFL. That’s a problem in America.”

After Hill graduated from Michigan State, she did not go straight into covering the NBA. Instead, she covered high school athletics. Hill’s advice for graduating journalists who are about to enter the working world was arguably the day’s biggest takeaway.

“When I was first coming up as a journalist, you have to understand [that] very little did you cover what you want[ed] to cover, which is why you have to love the profession overall,” she said. “You want to be a sports writer? You do not start day one covering the NFL. You’ll probably start covering high school sports or maybe even lower than that. If you can do that, I feel like you have a great chance of being successful in this business.”

Early in Hill’s career, she found herself being the lone woman in the locker room. Being a woman in the sports industry is

PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY

tough. Hill has a lot of young women who look up to her and would love to pick her brain about the industry.

“Be sure and know who you are before you get deep in the profession. There will be a lot of challenges and obstacles thrown at you. They will see what you aren’t before they see what you are,” she said. “You have to understand that you are under a different level of scrutiny. That does not mean you cannot be successful. It also does not mean those differences cannot be the reasons you are successful.”

It was not comfortable getting to the level of success in which she currently takes pride.

“My picture of success is constantly changing,” she said. “Early in your career, it is easy to say when you feel like you made it.

My first job, I said, ‘If I make $50,000 a year, I made it. That’s my goal.’ A lot of people say, ‘You are already successful. You were at ESPN, on TV and a platform.’ Those are great, but it does not feel to me if I have accomplished anything. I’m trying to adjust my thinking and enjoy what I have been able to accomplish.I’m trying to reimagine what success looks like to me.”

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‘Panther Family’ is more than a hashtag

How Ben Moore continues to cement his Georgia State roots JULIAN HARDEN Staff Reporter

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or Georgia State alum Ben Moore, the term “Panther Family” carries a special significance.

Since graduating from Georgia State in 2003, Moore has not only stayed involved with Georgia State but made the school a permanent part of his life. Through his work at 247Sports, he became an integral part in the growth of Georgia State. “‘Panther Family’ is a collective term that defines the grit and experience of every person that has walked the campus as a student,” Moore said.

Many Georgia State students can attest to that “grit” noted by Moore. Every student here has endured the challenges of going to a school still trying to establish itself.

Moore has gradually watched his alma mater transform from a commuter school to one that takes pride in its athletics. When Moore graduated, he could not have imagined the growth of the program. Even more, he takes pride in being a member of the Panther Family.

“Just walking up the stairs and seeing students with GSU stuff on, it still makes me smile a little,” Moore said.

When Moore originally came to the school in 1999, it looked nothing like it does today. Students back when Moore was a student did not wear Georgia State apparel because the school had yet to establish its own identity.

“When I was in school, you didn’t see people wearing Georgia State stuff,” he said. “It wasn’t something people were proud of.”

Moore essentially grew up with the school. He watched the basketball team’s first NCAA Tournament win — a 5049 upset over the No. 6 seed, the Wisconsin Badgers. He witnessed the inaugural football game in 2010. As he grew closer to his school, he evolved his career into one that followed the school with an identity.

Since graduating, Moore has made a career for himself covering the school, while also giving back to current students at Georgia State. One of the biggest things he emphasizes to current students is the importance of building connections.

“When I come back to the school and talk to the students, I always emphasize building networks and how building connections was huge for my career,” he said.

Through his work at 247Sports, Moore also makes a point to hire Georgia State students as interns. He strongly believes in giving back to the students, giving more credence to the idea of a Panther Family.

“I keep telling people for years this Panther Family thing

The Georgia State alumnus continues supporting his alma mater seventeen years after graduating.

is more than just a hashtag,” he said.

Moore has also passed his passion for Georgia State to his family, something that is crucial for the growth of Georgia State’s athletics program. Alumni passing down their passion for the school could lead to exponential growth over the foreseeable future.

“My daughter is 10 years old; she’s as old as the program, and we all wear Georgia State blue and go to games,” he said.

PHOTO BY MATT SICILIANO-SALAZAR | THE SIGNAL

Moore recognizes that passing the torch of Georgia State is crucial and why Panther Family means so much to him. Fandoms grow as the previous generations pass their fandom down to the next. For Moore, building family legacies is crucial for Georgia State.

Panther Family extends beyond athletics, and it is more than a hashtag. It is a school’s student body, its faculty and alumni all coming together as one.

Panthers rout South Alabama 76-73 in Atlanta How the team won its 15th straight home game AVERY WIGGINS Staff Reporter

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n a valiant comeback effort, the Georgia State Panthers edged out the South Alabama Jaguars in a 76-73 thriller. The Panthers trailed for the majority of the game, including at one point trailing by as many as nine points. Despite lagging behind for most of the game, the Panthers managed to go into halftime leading 38-35.

The Jaguars quickly retook the lead in the second half and, despite trailing by three points with 1:35 to go, the Panthers closed out the game on a 6-0 run thanks to two field goals from Kane Williams and two made free-throws from Nelson Phillips.

Corey Allen led the team in scoring with 19 points on 4 of 12 shooting. Kane Williams and Nelson Phillips were tied for second with 15 apiece. Justin Roberts was third

with 11 points on 4 of 14 shooting.

As a team, the Panthers shot 42.3% from the field and 25% from three-point range. On the other end of the court, they held the Jaguars to 42.9% shooting from the field and 36.8% shooting from three-point range. The key stat for the game was free throws. The Panthers shot 75.8% from the free-throw line, compared to the Jaguars, who shot just 62.1%.

This win keeps alive the Panthers’ home winning streak, which dates back to last season and extends to 15 straight home wins. Head coach Rob Lanier talked about how impressed he was with the student body coming out to support and encourage the team.

“I want us to get to a point where the student body recognizes that they’ve got some classmates that are serious student-athletes and are about all the right things,” Lanier said. “That they represent this institution with class and hard work and that they come and support them because they are strong representatives of our student body.”

“Those guys know that I believe in them and I trust

them, so I’m going to take the good with the bad. I just want the effort to be consistent,” Lanier said. “I thought today, probably more so than any game we’ve played all year, was the first time I felt like our energy level was poor to start the game.”

Overall, Coach Lanier was impressed with his team’s effort during the game and has a high amount of confidence in the rotation that he has. His comments after the game made it clear that he has no plans whatsoever to make any changes to that rotation.

“I like the rotation that we’ve developed. I’m not making those decisions based on statistics,” Lanier said. “What we’re asking [Jalen Thomas and Joe Jones lll] is rebound and defend and anything they do offensively is a bonus.”

Georgia State’s next game will take place Thursday when they travel to face Louisiana at 8:00 P.M. This is their second meeting with the Ragin’ Cajuns this season.

The first time they played each other, the Panthers won comfortably 90-52.

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20 things for Panthers athletics in 2020: Part One Here is what the program is looking forward to most GRANT BLEVINS Staff Reporter

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ew year, new goals. With the second decade of the century beginning, it only makes sense to speak into existence what we want to see from Georgia State athletics in 2020.

1. A NEW QUARTERBACK

Dan Ellington is arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks in Georgia State history. The two-year starter finished with the highest completion percentage in school history to go along with top-three rankings in all other passing categories, and a heroic last four games on a torn ACL. Obviously, it will be impossible to replace Ellington’s impact not only on the field, but as a campus hero as well. However, with two three-star recruits and rising sophomore Cornelious Brown contending for the starting spot next year, the race for the starting job should be fun to watch.

“Dan is going to have a name that lasts around here for a long long time; he set a standard that is going to be hard to beat,” head coach Shawn Elliott said.

2. SPEED ON THE TRACK

Still in its infancy, the team has made enormous strides in competing in the Sun Belt Conference in recent years.

With first-year head coach Kyle Stevenson, they will look to keep their foot on the gas during the upcoming conference meets.

“This program has transformed immensely from the team I came into four years ago, and we have an extremely talented group who are hungry for success,” senior hurdler Alexus Shaw said.

3. A THREE-PEAT FOR MEN’S BASKETBALL

In 2019, the men’s basketball team secured a second straight Sun Belt Conference title, the third in school history. As the team again sits atop the standings, trailing only behind Little Rock (-2.5) the mission is clear: defend our title.

“They don’t have to be perfect; they got to do their best; they got to do it together,” head coach Rob Lanier said.

4. THE FIRST FOOTBALL GAME

Nobody is more prepared than Coach Elliott for this one.

“Right now, I don’t think we have any limits; we can push the envelope and reach more milestones each and every year, and we have that opportunity,” he said.

Although the season ended in an Arizona Bowl loss to Wyoming, the program continues to look up behind the leadership of Coach Elliott and returning players like Dontae Wilson, Cornelius McCoy and Pat Bartlett. The Panthers will take the field in their first game of 2020 against Murray State on Sep. 5.

5. A HEALTHY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM

The women’s basketball team has been plagued with injuries this season, which has heavily stunted the team’s success. It would be difficult for any team to succeed with an injury bug but even more so with a team composed predominantly of underclassmen. The inexperience and lack of depth has been their Achilles’ heel, making it difficult for Coach Gene Hill to find a consistent starting lineup.

“When you take away three kids who are heavily involved in the rotation … it affects it not only for just what they bring talent-wise and their skill level but just the rotation overall,” Coach Hill said after a loss to South Alabama.

The key to success for the team will be health in 2020.

6. THE CONTINUED EXCELLENCE OF MEN’S SOCCER

Behind head coach Brett Surrency, the Panthers have been to five straight Sun Belt Conference championships.

This could arguably be one of the best, if not the best run, for any sport in school history. The goal for 2020: extend the streak.

Georgia State athletics looks forward to the 2020 year with the men’s basketball team.

“They’ve set the standard for men’s soccer in the conference and to just continue to set that standard and try to exceed that however possible,” Mike Holmes, associate athletic director, said.

7. A HUMBLED MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM

“We want that to be ingrained in the program [humility]; we want these guys to be a part of something bigger than themselves,” head coach Rob Lanier said.

Coach Lanier is a head coach who strives to instill character in his players before anything else. Although on-court accolades and success are always the goal, one of the most important things any student-athlete can have is character off their stage. Humility is something that not only basketball players but all athletes at Georgia State could uphold.

8. A FAST START FOR WOMEN’S SOCCER

The women’s soccer team ended the regular season with four straight wins and even won a conference tournament game before losing to South Alabama. If not for the 3-4-1 start, the team could have potentially had better seeding for the tournament, which could have sparked a deeper run.

“They are coming off the best second half of the season they have ever had, and they need to use that as momentum going into 2020,” Holmes said.

9. A BLUE AND WHITE CINDERELLA STORY

Everyone knows how the story goes: A low seed from

PHOTO BY SHEL LEVY | THE SIGNAL

a small conference that nobody really knows maybe got picked to get out of the first round in a few brackets. Then, all of a sudden, they shock the world and make a run to the Sweet Sixteen or even the Elite Eight. The underdog bracket buster story might be one of the best in all of sports.

Why not Georgia State? After consecutive first-round exits, could this be the year for a run?

“There should be no drop-off just because a new coach or new players come in; we want to set the standard for the league [Sun Belt] and take it even further. Others might not agree but to me, it’s NCAA tournament or bust,” Holmes said.

10. PASSION

One of the biggest things Georgia State athletics needs in 2020 is passion. Not from the athletes, though — from the fans.

“When I think of 2020 and what we can accomplish, I think of our fanbase; let’s generate more excitement with our students and build our fanbase. We were 5-1 at home, [so] let’s give them something they can really come and celebrate with us,” Coach Elliott said.

Many students come to Georgia State with loyalties to other larger athletic universities, blinding them from the great foundations being built right here. Yes, it is difficult to cheer for a team that is losing.

But Georgia State is starting to produce winners. With so much success in recent years, it is time for the fanbase to step up. It is time to put respect on the Panther name.

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