The Signal Vol. 85 No. 10

OCT. 24 - OCT. 31, 2017

VOL. 85 | NO. 10

/gsusignal

@gsusignal

HOME NOT SO SWEET HOME HOMECOMING ISSUE

A week of school spirit ends with Homecoming loss to Troy University.

SPORTS | PAGE 15

Panther quarterback Conner Manning scrambles away from a Troy defender at Georgia State’s Homecoming game.

PHOTO BY VANESSA JOHNSON & COVER DESIGN BY KHOA TRAN | THE SIGNAL

HOMELESS ON CAMPUS

'WE WORSHIP GOD'

GIVING BACK

ONE LAST DANCE

Faculty members have slowed initiatives that would provide students with resources.

President Trump seems to be having trouble with separating church and state.

Find out how you can be an active member of your community.

Athletes remember their best Homecoming memories.

NEWS | PAGE 4 WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

OPINION PAGE 8

News 3

ARTS & LIVING | PAGE 13

OPINION 7

SPORTS | PAGE 16

Arts & Living 9

Sports 15

NEWS

2

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

BLOTTER OCT. 17

Wake and Bake

GSUPD arrested a Georgia State student at T Deck for smoking weed around 10:30 a.m.

OCT. 18

I don’t feel safe...

A Georgia State student complained of being harassed and threatened in the University Commons on Wednesday.

The case is still active.

OCT. 19

No drinking and partying

Two Georgia State students were arrested

Thursday night in Piedmont Central for underage alcoholic possession.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Christina Maxouris

Not too complicated

signaleditor@gmail.com

executive editor (atlanta) Open executive editor (perimeter) Open

A Georgia State faculty member complained of simple battery outside the Suntrust building. GSUPD is still investigating the case.

Editorial NEWS EDITOR Open

signalnewseditor@gmail.com

ASSociate NEWS EDITOR Noah Britton

OCT. 20

signalassociatenews3@gmail.com OPINIONS EDITOR Open signalopinions@gmail.com ARTS & LIVING EDITOR Camille Bolos signalliving@gmail.com ASSociate ARTS & Living EDITOr Sophia Marchese signalassociateliving2@gmail.com SPORTS EDITOR Jerell Rushin signalsport1@gmail.com ASSociate SPORTS EDITOR D’Mitri Chin signalassociatesport1@gmail.com copy editors Alaa Elassar, Sydnie Cobb signalcopyeditor@gmail.com

Quite the Touchdown

Three Georgia State staff members had their belongings stolen from their cars on Friday, at the Georgia State Stadium’s parking lot. The incident is still being investigated.

Production production design editor Khoa Tran signalprod@gmail.com

ILLUSTRATION BY ERIK REID | THE SIGNAL

Associate production design editor Salinna Phon signalprod2@gmail.com

PHOTOGRAPHY photo EDITOr (atlanta) Vanessa Johnson

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

signalphoto1@gmail.com

photo EDITOr (perimeter) Open signalphoto2@gmail.com

ASSociate photo editor Open signalphotoatl@gmail.com

Two children decked in Georgia State facepaint share a laugh and cheer on the Panthers at the Georgia State Homecoming game against the Troy Trojans on Oct. 21.

Digital online EDITOR Danny Varitek

signalmanaging@gmail.com ASSociate Online Editor Open PODCAST EDITORS Caleb P. Smith, Charles Wright

Marketing Marketing MANAGER Open

signalmarketing1@gmail.com promotions associate Open signalpromo1@gmail.com Research Associate Open

THE SIGNAL BUREAUS BUREAU CHIEF (CLARKSTON) Open BUREAU CHIEF (ALPHARETTA) Open BUREAU CHIEF (NEWTON) Open BUREAU CHIEF (DUNWOODY) Open BUREAU CHIEF (DECATUR) Open advertising ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Open

signaladvertisingco@gmail.com STUDENT MEDIA ADVISOR Bryce McNeil bmcneil1@gsu.edu business coordinator Wakesha Henley whenley@gsu.edu STUDENT MEDIA ADVISOr (perimeter) Alice Murray amurray25@gsu.edu

MISSION STATEMENT 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.

ADVERTISING

PHOTO BY VANESSA JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL

The deadline for all advertising is 5 p.m. on the Tuesday prior to the desired issue of publication.

Ads must be print-ready and in PDF format; files must be delivered via e-mail at signaladvertisingco@ gmail.com. Please visit our website at www. georgiastatesignal.com/advertising for more information, including rates and payment methods.

COVERAGE REQUESTS Requests for coverage and tips should be submitted to the Editor in Chief and/or the relevant section editor.

SUBMIT LETTER TO EDITOR Letters must be submitted to the Opinions Editors via e-mail and must include the text of the letter in the body of the message. Letters should be 200-400 words maximum. The Signal will allow longer letters, but only in rare circumstances. Letters must include the full name(s) of the writer(s) and include their year and major. If the writer is a faculty member, they must include their title and department. Letters will be fact-checked prior to publication. The writer may be obligated to make changes to the letter for publication. Letters will be edited for grammar, clarity, length, factual accuracy and adherence to The Signal’s policy. The Signal reserves the right to modify and/ or reject letters at the discretion of the editorial staff.

DISCLAIMER Opinions and Letters to the Editor expressed in The Signal are the opinions of the writers and readers. It does not reflect the opinions of The Signal.

OFFICE INFORMATION

COVER PHOTO NEWS ARTS & LIVING SPORTS TEASE CREDITS PHOTO BY VANESSA JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL PHOTO BY KIRSTEN JACKSON | THE SIGNAL PHOTO BY VANESSA JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL

The Signal Student Center West, Suite 250 P.O. Box 3968 Atlanta, GA 30303 Phone: 404-413-1620 Fax: 404-413-1622 Web: www.georgiastatesignal.com

NEWS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2017

www.georgiastatesignal.com/news

The split between Spotlight & PAC may have put one campus behind CHRISTINA MAXOURIS Editor-in-Chief

T

he second annual Homecoming week since the 2015 Georgia State and Perimeter College (PC) merge brought all Georgia State students #HomeATLast, in different ways across the six campuses.

The Spotlight-like branch of PC campuses, the Panther Activities Council (PAC), was tasked with bringing Homecoming alive at all campuses, in collaboration with the Student Government Association (SGA) and the Student Life departments of each campus.

The five different teams hosted events, including a Blood Drive (Alpharetta), Good Morning Georgia State (all campuses), Unleash your Panther Spirit (Newton), and Homecoming Spirit Plaza (Atlanta).

Perimeter College’s Clarkston campus had the most events (after Atlanta campus) scheduled for their calendar. But out of four events making for a busy week, the council only had a chance to bring two of them to life.

Vy Nguyen, president of Clarkston campus PAC, said one of the events, Candy Factory, which would kick off homecoming week on their campus, was cancelled because people were too busy.

“At the time, midterms were going on,” Nguyen said, adding that the person in charge of the event, Entertainment Director Melanie Curry, had too much on her hands to go ahead with the event. “She was processing applications, and didn’t have time to plan the candy factory.”

The event, Nguyen said, wasn’t put on the Homecoming calendar at all, and will be scheduled for sometime next semester.

However, the scheduled event still appears on the Homecoming 2017 website.

The Signal’s Arts & Living editor arrived to the Clarkston campus Thursday to report on the Cancer walk scheduled for that day only to find it had been quietly cancelled.

Diamond Jefferson, Wellness & Service Director for PAC on the Clarkston campus, said she was also surprised to see that the walk was still on the Homecoming calendar.

“It was a month ago,”

Jefferson said, explaining when PAC decided to cancel the walk. According to Jefferson, the reason for the cancellation was because PAC members from all five campuses were asked to be present at the Atlanta campus Homecoming parade.

“It was an expectation to clear our schedules to be able to attend the parade. Our advisors expected us to attend,” Nguyen confirmed.

“So it had to be cancelled even though we had everything planned.”

The other two events, LalaLand Popcorn Chill Wednesday and Goodmorning Georgia State, took place as scheduled.

THE BIG DIVIDE

Although Perimeter college leaders and students were urged to attend Atlanta campus’s Thursday parade, Spotlight confirmed that the two organizations (Spotlight and PAC), don’t cross paths outside of these events.

Phillip Smith, Spotlight’s assistant director for programs, said students from the Perimeter campuses pay different fees towards PAC, and therefore enjoy different benefits.

“Spotlight student fees come from student fees from Atlanta students only,” Smith said.

“Each campus puts on their own events but also participate in the all-campus events like Block Party, Royal Ball, [the] Parade, and Tailgate.

Perimeter did contribute money to some of those events.”

Other times, events may be open to all, but may cost more for Perimeter students.

“We do not receive money from Perimeter students to put on events; however, there are times that Perimeter will budget to participate equally on an event,” Smith said. “If the funding is not allocated, there is typically a price difference between the Atlanta and the Perimeter cost for the event.”

NOT QUALIFIED

Besides the divided event planning, Perimeter College and the Atlanta campus also do not share a royal court. Atlanta gets four positions - Mr. & Mrs. Blue and White, and Mr. & Mrs. Georgia State - and PC gets two positions - Mr. & Mrs. Perimeter.

This year, the royal court held an empty Mr. Perimeter throne, and despite efforts to promote the Homecoming festivities and applications, PAC

Of six Homecoming court positions for all of Georgia State’s campuses, two belong to Perimeter students. The Ms. Perimeter candidates this year were (from left to right) Kayla Willis, Denise Dubon-Perez and Denise Doboyouh.

and Student Life did not find any PC student to match their requirements.

Smith and Student Life coordinator for the Alpharetta campus Marshonntri Reid both said that they did receive Mr. Perimeter applications but that none of the applicants met the GPA requirements.

“You have to remember,” Reid said, explaining why some qualifications are so important for the royal court. “These are student leaders.”

The Perimeter royal court applications required a minimum 2.5 GPA and 10 hours of community service, compared to the minimum 2.75 GPA and 15 hours community service required by the Mr. & Mrs. Blue and White positions.

However, some Clarkston campus students said they didn’t apply because they didn’t know anything about it.

Lael River Williams, a Perimeter College student, said he felt like he was left out of the Georgia State community because he’s on a different campus.

“Nobody said anything. No promotion on my side,” Williams said.

Another Clarkston campus student, Cortez Beato, said he knew about it, but was too busy to participate.

“I knew about it, though. I can only be taken out of the [Georgia State] community if I remove myself,” he said.

PART OF THE PANTHER FAMILY

BEST OF #HOMEATLAST

@georgiastateuniversity: We have some of the coolest and spirited alumni around!

#homeATLast #thestateway #georgiastate #gsualumni

The feeling of inclusion that for some may have been lacking throughout this week’s festivities is one of Corey Gray’s top goals for the year.

Gray, Student Government Association (SGA) President, talked to The Signal and said the association has been doing their best making sure Perimeter College campuses feel included in the Panther family. “[We’ve been] participating and collaborating with PAC,” Grey said, adding that the association has been trying to make all five campuses feel included.

And as far as the empty Mr. Perimeter spot, Grey said there was nothing they could do.

“We had SGA members interested, but they couldn’t [run],” he said. Stipended senator positions of SGA are immediately disqualified from running in the royal court, according to Spotlight regulations.

@georgiastateuniversity: Homecoming Week leads up to the game, and we’re ready!

Let’s go Panthers!

#homeatlast #thestateway #georgiastate

@gsupd: Let’s go #panthers!!

Come thru Traffic Team!!!

Homecoming Game 2017

#homeATLAST #gsuhomecoming #gsupounce

PHOTO BY JULIAN PINEDA | THE SIGNAL

NEWS

4

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

Homeless Panthers are left on their own Faculty reject a helpful addition to syllabi, say it would be ‘cluttered’

Georgia State students in need can utilize the Panther’s Pantry for free toiletries and non-perishables.

MADISON DEDMON Staff Reporter

I

n 2016, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs found Fulton County’s population to be made up of 5,959 homeless people. In total, Georgia is populated with nearly 17,000 people without a home.

In a 2015 study conducted by Atlanta Youth Count, metro Atlanta had 3,374 homeless and runaway youth, with 31.5 percent of that being students. The most common reasons that these students found themselves displaced were cited as financial and family problems.

Last year, the Student Government Association (SGA) recognized the issue and worked closely with the Dean of Students to create a beneficial resolution that would add crucial resource information on students’ syllabi, but faculty rejected the idea saying it added too much “clutter.”

SGA RESOLUTION

In 2016, when SGA first began working with faculty, former SGA Sen. Justin Brightharp said a big problem the association was concerned with was that students were not aware of the available resources on campus.

Brightharp worked closely with students who experienced homelessness and the staff for the Dean of Students to discuss ways to help. After conducting research, they realized that homelessness can affect anyone, even Georgia State students, and created a resolution.

In 2016, Brightharp and SGA introduced a resolution called “The Syllabi Resource Awareness Resolution of spring 2016.” It requested that the contact information for the Dean of Students office be placed on every Georgia State professor’s syllabus.

“The resolution was to put it on class syllabi since all students are required to receive one when they go to class,” Brightharp said.

Placing contact information for the Dean in syllabi would give students information about displacement or necessities like food and housing.

The SGA resolution also requested the help of faculty and staff to develop a better understanding of issues students face.

Faculty and staff were encouraged by SGA to make plans and

change their syllabus to accommodate displaced students.

Once it was unanimously passed by SGA, the legislation moved on to get approval from faculty committees.

Although Georgia State students were supportive of the resolution, faculty committees were not.

“Faculty committees didn’t want to add more information onto a cluttered syllabus,” Brightharp said. The legislation stalled in the process of getting approval from faculty, and eventually fell through.

According to Brightharp, SGA did go back to create another option and revise the resolution, but that never happened either. At the end of the day, Brightharp said, students needed to put the effort in too.

“We can change the policy, but we need the students to change the culture,” Brightharp said. If a student is experiencing homelessness, they can visit the Dean of Students office which is located in Student Center East, Suite 303.

PANTHER’S PANTRY

Without a clear guide on the syllabus, students are left on their own to navigate affordable (or free) options on campus.

One resource that has been catering to the Georgia State community since 2014 is Panther’s Pantry.

Trang Pham, Panther Pantry’s manager and Georgia State graduate student, said that the main mission of Panther’s Pantry is to “alleviate hunger among our food insecure students so they can be successful.”

“Up to 68 percent of students experience food [shortage] from one time to another,” Pham said.

On average, Panther Pantry's serves about 50 to 55 students per week. The process to shop at Panther’s Pantry is simple, according to Pham. All a student needs is their Panther ID card to be eligible to shop.

Students are then given a list that contains items and the max quantity that each shopper is allotted. Panther’s Pantry inventory ranges from canned goods to toiletries. Students are allowed to shop at Panther’s Pantry once a week.

A Georgia State sophomore who chose to remain anonymous said that even though she has a part-time job, she cannot always afford groceries on her own.

“I have a part-time job, but I only work weekends, so I do not have a steady income coming in weekly,” she said.

With no steady income and trying to make ends meet with

PHOTO BY VANESSA JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL

37,791

OVER 37,791 STUDENTS IN GEORGIA HAVE EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS. HOMELESS STUDENTS ARE MOSTLY MINORITIES AND LGBT INDIVIDUALS.

87%

HOMELESS STUDENTS ARE 87% MORE LIKELY TO DROP OUT OF SCHOOL.

960

960 STUDENTS WHO FILED FOR FAFSA WERE EITHER HOMELESS, OR AT RISK OF BEING HOMELESS. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and America's promise alliance.

rent and keep on top of classes, she said that Panther’s Pantry really is beneficial.

“Going to Panther’s Pantry every week and getting food really helps me. It is nice to know that Georgia State offers something like this to their students. I just wish that more people knew about it,” she said. “Students in need should have more resources to help them find places to live on campus and help pay for school besides FAFSA.”

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2017

NEWS

5

Student senators address concerns A re-cap of SGA’s activities across the five PC campuses

LAST WEEK LOCAL Rep. Betty Price suggests quarantine for people with HIV Georgia State Rep. Betty Price, wife of recently-resigned Health and Human Services Secretary, Tom Price, brought up the possibility of quarantining people with HIV, according to The Guardian. Price said there would be no other legal possibility, during a legislative committee meeting last week, adding that there are no other methods to “curtail the spread.”

Students attend an SGA meeting at Dunwoody campus on Oct 13. to discuss passing a bill that affects transgender students.

KIRSTEN WINSTON Staff Reporters

S

tudents across all campuses are taking up new initiatives to address the student body's concerns. Georgia State’s Dunwoody Student Government Association (SGA) is seeking more professors to teach classes. Sen. Greg Wright from the Decatur campus said he wants to bridge the gap between students and the Georgia State faculty.

SGA said they've had complaints from students about the campus not having enough professors and also lacking a variety of classes. Students on the campus feel that certain subjects only have a few professors, and due to this, students said they feel that they are not getting the best education because there is no diverse learning style which can fit different student’s needs.

“Certain subjects such as computer science, film, or other subjects don't have more than one professor teaching that course on this campus.

And that’s an issue in some places because some students feel that that professor might not be the best for them,” Dunwoody’s Speaker of the Senate

Terry Fye said.

On the Decatur campus, SGA is determined to become more community-involved. Since the beginning of the semester, SGA has hosted events such as survey day, involvement day, voter registration drive and said they have major plans for the future of the Decatur campus.

SGA’s university-wide primary goals are to unite students together no matter what their personal background is. They want students to feel comfortable enough to talk to SGA members and tell them what problems they are having so they can help them get it fixed.

“SGA’s primary focus right now is trying to make a home for all students regardless of background, regardless of race, regardless of their struggles as students. We want you to be able to come to us and tell us your problems and those problems get handled. We want you to feel like what matters the most to you is important. That’s our biggest goal make it more community field,” Sen. Greg Wright said.

Wright is also trying to achieve an interconnected bus route system between the Georgia State campuses that will allow easier transportation for students, adding that this will make for easier access to all campuses.

PHOTO BY KIRSTEN JACKSON | THE SIGNAL

“We actually did a student transportation survey on how we can approve transportation for students. That’s part of my initiative, that’s something I’m pushing as a senator and Phi Theta Kappa as well,” Wright said.

Another goal of Sen. Wright is to collaborate with Trio, a Perimeter College Student Support Services program, and the tutoring center to start a ‘Save a Student’ program. The program will help inform students on what else they can do to improve in class.

On Sept. 20, to help raise awareness around upcoming local elections, SGA hosted a voter registration drive in the Courtyard. They catered Papa John’s pizza and explained the importance of voting. By the end of the registration drive, over 50 students signed up to vote.

Further plans for the Decatur campus include establishing a crosswalk to the bus stop, to ensure student safety. Decatur SGA EVP Briana Stanley wants to bring awareness on sexual abuse for students, as well as career and employer relations.

Felicia Shanklin, from Georgia State’s Career Services is scheduled to come out to the Decatur campus to inform students about the perfect handshake techniques, and how to build their resume.

Georgia State’s 'Masterplan' set to start in 2018 $20 million approval to demolish Kell Hall and create “Greenway” CAMERON LINEBERRY Staff Reporters

G

eorgia State has gotten approval from the University System of Georgia's (USG) Board of Regents (BOR) to start the fourphase plan to demolish Kell Hall and design a new quad called “The Greenway,” which will redesign the plaza area in front of Library North entrance.

The “Greenway” project is estimated to cost the university $20 million, according to Russell Seagren, the director of Facilities Planning.

Seagren said the first phase is to “demolish Kell Hall and fix the utilities connecting Kell to the Arts and Humanities building and Langdale Hall.” The next three phases will be to remodel the front of Library North, remodel the outside of Langdale Hall, and add the additions to Arts and Humanities and Sparks Hall. These additions include an outside balcony area, green space and elevators.

In October 2013, Georgia State University President Mark Becker announced the plan to demolish Kell Hall to create a green space for students where the plaza currently is.

The post office has already been moved to T Deck and “our goal is to empty the building completely by October of 2018,” said Abdul Momen, director of Maintenance and Operations.

Classes will no longer be held in Kell Hall after spring 2018.

“The classrooms and geoscience labs located in Kell Hall are currently being relocated to Sparks Hall, and the Sports Arena and offices are being moved to the 7th floor of Langdale Hall,” Momen said.

The demolition process is estimated to start in December 2018, which will remove all the pipes and fix utility issues connecting the buildings adjacent to Kell Hall. The pipes currently there will be moved underground, and the pipes supporting the buildings next to Kell Hall will be properly relocated for the full demolition.

The “Greenway” will be an open area for clubs

and student activities to utilize; however, this will not be a “free speech zone” designated by the school. This area will not be used by any nonstudent organizations, according to Seagren.

What the new “Greenway” will include is yet to be determined until the design is completed and more funding is acquired from BOR. The plan for renovation was requested from the BOR back in 2016, but was just accepted this summer.

Construction will also depend on how long the Courtland Bridge reconstruction—set for demolition next year — will take.

“The demolition of the bridge and Kell Hall will have a dramatic impact on how people get around, but the construction of the new bridge will be safer and more attractive,” Dr. Douglas Covey, Sr. Vice President of Student Affairs, said.

These phases are part of Georgia State’s “masterplan,” according to Covey, and will help “create an articulating spine through the center of the campus.”

NATIONAL Trump to give over $400,000 for legal fees

President Donald Trump said he will spend at least $430,000 from his personal funds to help cover White House legal costs of the ongoing Russian meddling investigations, a White House official told The Washington Post. The RNC reported last month that they spent $100,000 on Trump’s personal attorney, and $131,000 on another member of his legal team, and another $200,000 for Donald Trump Jr.’s legal costs. Former Director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, tweeted out that Trump’s refund may be a conflict of interest.

GLOBAL Russia and US accused of bombing Syrian civilians

Russia is accusing the U.S. of bombing the Syrian city of Raqqa “off the face of the earth”, while fighting off the Islamic State.

Syrian Democratic Forced (SDF) announced the re-claiming of ISIS-held Raqqa last week, sending out pictures that show the city entirely in ruins. The U.S. responded by saying it tried to minimize risks to civilians, according to BBC, but Syrian activists say over 1,000 civilians were killed as a result of U.S. airstrikes. Russia has been accused by the UN of committing war crimes as well, after bombing Aleppo last year and taking hundreds of civilians’ lives.

NEWS

6

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

New victims of workplace discrimination The attempt to exclude gays, now transgenders from civil rights protection NOAH BRITTON Staff Reporter

A

ttorney General Jeff Sessions issued new rules on Thursday, Oct. 5, that exclude transgender people from anti-discrimination policies based on sex.

Sessions’ mandate redefines language in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that protects against workplace discrimination based on sex. “Sex” no longer extends to individuals who identify as transgender.

“Title VII’s prohibition on sex discrimination encompasses discrimination between men and women but does not encompass discrimination based on gender identity per se, including transgender states,” Sessions said in a memo distributed by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Sessions said in the memo that the order does not authorize discrimination against transgender people.

“The Justice Department must and will continue to affirm the dignity of all people, including transgender individuals.

Nothing in this memorandum should be construed to condone mistreatment on the basis of gender identity,” Sessions said.

This ruling follows a July attempt to exclude gays based on a similar interpretation of the Civil Rights Act. Sessions then argued that “sex” does not protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation. The DOJ filed a brief in an open federal case, Zarda v. Altitude Express, where Zarda alleged that the company discriminated against him for his sexuality, according to The New York Times.

Dr. Michael P. Fix, assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at Georgia State, said this order carries the same authority as the 2014 decision it reverses.

“As head of the DOJ, the Attorney General has broad discretion in interpreting federal law relevant to his department,” Fix said.

However, the Attorney General can only interpret legislation where there is ambiguity, according to Fix. Sessions is bound by lower-court decisions, such as an April 4 Court of Appeals’ ruling in Hively v. Ivy Tech that bars discrimination on the basis of gender identity.

“However, the language in the memo following that caveat implies that the DOJ is potentially going to challenge those decisions in the future,” Fix said.

CHECKS ON ATTORNEY GENERAL

While the effects of the decision are uncertain, Fix said its impacts will likely be limited in three ways.

First demonstrated by Hively v. Ivy Tech, the U.S. Courts of Appeals split on interpretations of “sex.” In courts where the Civil Rights Act has been interpreted to include gender identity, the DOJ must accept that interpretation, according to Fix. Second, Fix said Congress can amend the Civil Rights act to explicitly protect or exclude transgender individuals.

“The former would obviously be unlikely unless the Democrats achieved majorities in both houses of Congress in the midterms,” Fix said.

Finally, the Supreme Court could invalidate Sessions’ memo by providing a national interpretation of the Civil Rights Act, according to Fix. “While the Court does have a conservative majority, one of those justices, Anthony Kennedy, has been very supportive of the rights of homosexuals,” Fix said. “So it is not outside the realm of possibility that he could side with the Court’s liberal wing should a hypothetical case arise in the future.”

MAYORAL CANDIDATE ON MEMO

Cathy Woolard, Georgia’s first openly-gay elected official, ties for fourth in the race for Atlanta mayor, according to the most recent polls conducted by SurveyUSA. Woolard said Sessions’ recent mandate reflects a long practice of targeting the LGBTQ+ community. “[It’s] a shame he continues to pick on people he doesn’t like or understand,” Woolard said.

As City Council President, Woolard passed civil rights legislation that protects against discrimination in employment based on all protected federal classes, including sexual orientation and gender identity.

Woolard advocated increased legislation that protects LGBTQ+ individuals on a local level. She also encouraged citizens to challenge an administration consistent in its efforts to “take rights away from people,” according to Woolard.

“To be perfectly frank, I feel like our community is sort of relaxing into accomplishments that have happened in the past

Students gather at the Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity in Student Center West Oct. 23.

PHOTO BY VANESSA JOHNSON & ILLUSTRATION BY TYPHANIE HALL | THE SIGNAL

like marriage equality,” Woolard said. “I think people need to stay vigilant.”

THE STATE WAY

Meanwhile, students on the Dunwoody campus are trying to stay as far from discrimination as possible.

Student Government Association (SGA) senators are in the process of passing a bill for transgender students, which, according to the author, Sen. Alicia Watson, would provide a new column on the student roll sheet.

The inspiration for the bill came after a Georgia State student allegedly wanted to go by a different name, but the professor refused due to lack of the necessary documents.

At an open forum during the introduction of the new bill, Sen. Watson said she wants to stand by the side of students who are in the process of transitioning that may not have the proper documents, but still have the right to be called another name if that’s what they prefer. This bill, she said, will also benefit international students who have a difficult name to pronounce.

“Students who are either transitioning or maybe an international student might prefer to have a different name.

I don’t have the documents, but I’m still transitioning. This bill will allow me to say, ‘Hey, I’m transitioning. This is what I prefer, this is what I identify as, and this is what I want to be called. Can you please comply and call me that?’” SGA Dunwoody Speaker of the Senate, Terry Fye, said.

Iv Fischer, a sophomore at the Atlanta campus of Georgia State and a transgender woman, said that, while she understands Sessions’ interpretation of “sex,” she worries about the memo’s impact on the transgender community.

“Sex and gender are always misconstrued. Technically, transgender is a gender identity, it doesn’t have to do with sex,” Fischer said.

However, she added that the new rule will only increase feelings of transphobia.

“If people hear another reason for transgender people to not be visible or not be included in something, it’s just going to continue the hatred and continue the discrimination,” Fischer said.

Fischer said she has never felt uncomfortable on Georgia State’s campus and feels respected by students and faculty.

Georgia State University President Mark Becker affirmed Georgia State’s support for international students in a campus broadcast on Jan. 30, after Trump signed an executive order denying citizens from seven countries access to the U.S. The university has not released a statement on Sessions’ memo.

Fischer said school officials and people with authority should speak out on issues that affect minority groups like transgender students.

“Silence in general is dangerous. It can’t just be people that are affected by these things talking about [the memo],” Fischer said. “It has to be people that aren’t affected by these things who are in higher positions that can help people like me to elevate themselves.”

According to The Williams Institute 2016 study, approximately 0.6% of adults in the U.S. or 1.4 million individuals, identify as transgender.

Georgia’s transgender population is the fourth highest in the U.S. 55,650 transgender individuals to be exact, which make up .75% of adults in the state.

According to a Georgia State study, transgender students are at a higher risk for suicide when denied access to bathrooms. 46.5% of transgender individuals had attempted suicide in the past, and that number shot up to 60.5% for people who had been denied access to bathrooms, or gender-appropriate campus housing.

KIRSTEN WINSTON CONTRIBUTED TO THE STORY

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2017

Fighting nuisance with silence

Why publicly debating extremist protesters can help their cause, and how ignoring them can kill it.

T

PETER TILLY Staff Reporter

Peter Tilly is a writer for the Georgia State Signal.

He plays trumpet for the Georgia State Panther Band and is the delicated secretary of the PA Crew.

Tweet PETER! @pgtilly

he First Amendment to the Bill of Rights reads, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” James Madison knew exactly what he was doing when he wrote those 45 words as the First Amendment to our Constitution. Madison saw how destructive restricting speech could be on a government’s people, so he decided the freedom to speak freely and openly about our government was vital to the American experiment. Time and time again history has proven him correct. Some of the greatest social changes in this country have resulted directly from the free and open protest guaranteed to us by the U.S. Constitution. But access to this most powerful tool comes with some drawbacks. Extremist groups decide to put the limits of the First Amendment to the test, poking and prodding at the public in despicable ways while being protected under the same amendment that has led to great social changes in the U.S. They battle the public viciously and maliciously through awful attempts to spread hateful views to the American people.

An American plague: Why here? Why now?

Universities often find themselves at the forefront of these unholy battlegrounds, where extremist speakers such as Richard Spencer, the Street and Open Air Preachers of America (SOAPA), and Milo Yiannopoulos choose to display their heinous views.

But why do they come to universities? Why do groups who exist to spout off insensitive, bigoted, and controversial views come to some of the most diverse institutions in the US, such as Georgia State, to speak? Is it to convert young minds to their “cause”? To raise awareness of such issues as why the age of consent should be lowered to 13 (Milo Yiannopoulos), why Martin Luther King was “a fraud and degenerate in his life” (Richard Spencer), or why homosexuality is a choice and is “spreading like a plague” (SOAPA)? No. These groups are coming to universities for one reason and one reason only: to start fires. They want to engage students in a vicious shouting match that leaves them looking like the victim and students looking like the oppressors. They come with cameras and their most inflammatory statements to capture the eyes of national media, where they can hijack the attention to attempt to grow their cause and spread hateful messages further and further.

Knowing that this is their intention leaves us with two choices: the first, to engage with the protestors and give them the attention that they’re craving. This option may make us feel like we are making a difference, but these are groups so blinded by their hate that they are not open to rational views. The groups’ “protests” are neither at the place nor in the time to try to change their hateful views. Giving them their wanted yet unwarranted attention acts only as a way for them to plug in their microphone and reach a larger audience. The second option is to

ignore them. Let them be seen as who they are: men and women with outrageously offensive views spouting them off to the empty heavens; a supernova, as their bigoted way of life is dying out in the U.S. The exasperated shout of a dying ideology.

A Secret Weapon of the First Amendment

I am not saying we should ignore our civic duties as US residents to engage in public debate. Ignoring someone is one of the strongest condemnations of their views that you can give. By engaging in public debate with someone, you recognize their argument as one that is worth your time. When SOAPA comes parading on campus, spouting their awful rhetoric and claiming students everywhere are going to hell, while ranting at an audience of zero, they look absurd. They look like the radicalized idiots they are, shouting to the void profane and hate-filled cries about their uninformed view of life. Letting the world know of their unwarranted complaints through their warped and twisted view of the world around them. However, give them an audience of 50 or so students, and they have now made a spectacle, a live public debate. They’ve been empowered by an audience that they don’t deserve. To them, an audience rationalizes their actions. To them, it’s the difference between looking like a raving lunatic or looking like a “leader in the Alt-right community.”

In more extreme cases, we see these hateful groups become victimized by sections of the public as they get national media attention when things go their way, and events break out on campuses. On Feb. 1, 2017, Milo Yiannopoulos reared his ugly head on the campus of the University of California-Berkeley.

The event, peacefully protested by over 150 students, quickly broke out into violence when outside groups, such as “By Any Means Necessary” protested the speech with extreme and unprotected methods of engaging in debate. These violent protests allowed Milo Yiannopoulos, once a small, easily forgotten stain on the American front of public debate, to get national attention as he, his followers, and his abhorrent views became well known to the public. Fast forward six months later and Alt-Right rabble-rouser Richard Spencer leads a ‘Unite the Right’ rally in the most public display of racist, homophobic, and xenophobic views ever seen in the 21st century.

Let Us Lead

So let us, as the educated and diverse students of Georgia State, continue to lead the way for better public debate in this country.

Let us lead by no longer giving groups like SOAPA or the Alt-right an audience. Let us lead not by violently shutting down rallies, pricing them out of speaking venues, or blocking the movement of their fatally flawed fans, actions which will give them the media attention they crave, but do not deserve. Let us lead by exercising the secret weapon of the First Amendment: the right to not speak.

Ignore these annoying, wasp-like pests when they come to campus.

Let them know their worthless views won’t get the justification of a screaming match or an audience. The easiest way to silence someone is to stop listening, so let’s shut these people up.

PAGE DESIGN BY KAREN KOSASI | THE SIGNAL

EDITORIAL

8

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

editorial EDITORIAL

Separation of church and state: yay or nay

Bringing back the ‘Merry Christmas’ and ‘God-worshipping’ attitude

L

ast week, President Donald Trump reassured his Capitol Hill voters that Washington will be religiously based once again — much like our 1700s pre-Constitution days.

Separation of church and state has been a foundation of America’s democracy since our Founding Fathers slapped it on the U.S. Constitution back in 1787. It’s a historic principle established as a way to safeguard freedom of religion for all and fairness from the government.

On Oct. 13, Trump said in a Value Voters Summit in Washington that “in America, we don’t worship government, we worship God.” Here’s why that’s a problem: Because no half-burned or slightly-cooked man — or any man, or woman for that matter — should have the power to speak on behalf of the American people on what we do and don’t worship. The country has been a massive melting pot for more than a century, and that’s what patriotic Americans take the most pride in-- being different, thinking differently, looking different and believing different things.

Which then means that “in America,” we don’t all worship the government, and we certainly don’t all worship God. Trying to cushion social conservatives by allowing them to deny other fellow Americans their

basic rights and crediting religion in doing so is not only a step backwards, but it’s also a flashback to the 19th century.

America’s revolutionaries created this country based on the idea that all people are created equal. Therefore, no one group’s ideas or beliefs are dominant, and no beliefs should dominate the playing field or trump other people’s rights. But Trump has been doing a lot of catering to Evangelicals’ concerns recently, gaining praise from conservative bases like Fox News, as being a ‘great champion for religious liberty.’

So far, the administration has taken action in three major ways, protecting religious freedom.

1. Trump signed an executive order which would practically un-do the Johnson Amendment, which barred nonprofit and religious organizations from endorsing or opposing political candidates.

2. The Department of Justice issued new guidance protecting religious liberty. The guidance read that to the greatest extent permitted by law, “religious observance should be reasonably accommodated in all government activity, including employment, contracting and programming.”

3. He sided with groups like the Little Sisters of

the Poor which have lashed out at bureaucrats for taking away their rights, and had expressed concern at ObamaCare’s contraception coverage.

It is becoming clear that the lines between church and state have become increasingly blurred. The Trump administration will now allow employers to deny birth control coverage to women based on “religious or moral” reasons.

That’s like saying, I, the government running your country, will take away your rights to your body because I think Jesus would have liked me to do so. Sounds exactly like what the First Amendment phrase “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion” was trying to prevent.

But the scariest part is not the government shoving Christianity down all Americans’ throats, but instead its relentless bullying towards other religions that are just as prevalent in the U.S. In that same speech on Friday, Trump vowed to bring back “Merry Christmas,” a phrase also rooted in the Christian religion. If we’re allowed to spit out Christian-markers like those and assuming the one next to us believes in what we do, shouldn’t we then start greeting our friends with “As-salamu alaykum”?

Sounds like a fair deal.

ARTS & LIVING TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2017

www.georgiastatesignal.com/artsandliving

The 2017 Homecoming Royal Court

Inspirations, experiences, and bucket lists of this year’s winners CAMILLE BOLOS

Arts and Living Editor

B

eing crowned for the Royal Court is an honor bestowed upon six students usually, but only five were crowned this year as Georgia State was missing a Mr. Perimeter. Students running for the crown must qualify with a specific grade point average—something that Mr. Perimeter applicants lacked—as well as a certain amount of credit hours (depending on the position) and community service hours and one recommendation letter.

The Royal Court winners not only represent the university as a whole but also the different schools and majors that they are a part of and any sorority or fraternity they are involved with. The competition is high, but ultimately being a part of the Royal Court is what changes those students’ lives and is an experience that none of them will forget.

The Signal spoke with the students who were crowned 2017’s Mr. & Ms. Georgia State University, Mr. & Ms. Blue and White and Ms. Perimeter.

JUSTIN ADAMS MR. GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY

What inspired you to run?

I just really found a passion here at this school, and I just really wanted to become somebody who could represent that and really promote Georgia State University and advocate for it and stand for the school and its people.

What has your experience been like on court?

You think it’ll be all like, roses and just fun… However, once it actually starts, you do realize that it’s very stressful, especially when voting begins. Overall, though, just meeting all the candidate, getting to know each other and learning the choreography for the dance— that’s one of my favorite parts. I really loved this experience.

What is the most interesting or bizarre thing on your bucket list?

I recently became a fan of Korean pop music, so I would love to visit South Korea and meet one of my favorite boy groups, Seventeen, and just dance with them.

NORAE WOODARD MS. GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY

What inspired you to run?

With this being my senior year, I just really

The 2017 Homecoming court winners (from left to right): Asia Haywood, Brandon Cain, Norae Woodard, and Justin Adams.

made a promise to myself that all the goals that I set I would really try to accomplish… When I thought about what it really meant to be Ms. Georgia State and just thinking about how much Georgia State has contributed to my life, I thought that it would be a wonderful impact.

What has your experience been like on court?

Amazing. It’s been truly a great experience just being a part of the Homecoming court and just experiencing the parades and interacting with all the Georgia State students that, on a day-to-day basis, I might not have interacted with. It’s really just humbling to be in this experience.

What is the most interesting or bizarre thing on your bucket list?

To visit all 50 states, I’m going to do it. Not really sure how, but I am.

BRANDON CAIN MR. BLUE AND WHITE

What inspired you to run?

My mother really wanted me to go for this one… She gave me that gentle nudge… helped me through the process and gave me the courage and the strength… But then another part that made me want to do it originally was that I wanted to represent Georgia State and talk about all the benefits and positive things that are offered at Georgia State that a lot of people don’t know about.

What has your experience running been like?

My experience has been something fierce.

It’s been wonderful, of course, but it’s also been high pressure, a lot of movement, a lot of planning, a lot of scheduling… We had events every week, and then Homecoming week itself was the biggest experience. But I really enjoyed it. It was nice.

Newly crowned Ms. Perimeter, Denise Doboyouh, accompanied by her escort as well as last year's Ms. Georgia State University, Nia Ballard

PHOTO BY VANESSA JOHNSON & PAGE DESIGN BY SALINNA PHON | THE SIGNAL

What is the most interesting or bizarre thing on your bucket list?

Create a video game based off of my life, or with the main character being based off of someone like me. And maybe have it be like an

PHOTO BY VANESSA JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL

adventure game or a fighting game.

ASIA HAYWOOD MS. BLUE AND WHITE

What inspired you to run?

I have been on the other side of completely hating Georgia State to loving it, and it’s because of the students who fell in love with me and gave...so much to my life and I wanted to give that back. So that’s pretty much the whole thing of why I’m running and what my campaign is— just to give back the love that I received.

What has your experience running been like?

It was great. It was stressful just because there is just no way to prepare and everything happens so fast, but it was a really great experience—definitely something I’ll never forget.

What’s the most interesting or bizarre thing on your bucket list?

I want a pet snake. One big enough to go around my shoulders.

DENISE DOBOYOUH MS. PERIMETER

What inspired you to run?

The reason why I wanted to run was because I wanted to be the voice for the campus. I feel like there is still a disconnect between the Atlanta campus and the Perimeter campuses. So there’s a lot that we need to work on, but I still feel that we can all work together to unify the campuses since we are all Georgia State now.

What has your experience running been like?

It’s been fun. I’ve learned a lot, and I’ve made a lot of friends. This whole running process has pushed me to talk to more people than I normally would have, so I feel like I found out that I’m not a quiet person—I actually love being around people. It’s been very fun for me.

What is the most interesting or bizarre thing on your bucket list?

I would like to jump out of a plane one day. I’m really scared of heights.

Georgia State Panthers show their school pride at different Homecoming events from the golf cart parade to the royal ball.

Pawsitively Bleeding Blue After midterm season, students showcase what it means to be a Panther SOPHIA MARCHESE

Arts & Living Associate Editor

W

aving goodbye to the stressful midterm season, Panthers grabbed the opportunity to come together during Homecoming season and show off what it means to bleed blue.

The floating silver ‘Homecoming’ letters over Unity Plaza kicked off the week when students simply enjoy being a Georgia State Panther.

In an unprecedented schedule, Morehouse College, Spellman College, Clark Atlanta University, Georgia Tech and Kennessaw State University all enjoyed celebrating the decadeslong tradition.

Students across all six of Georgia State’s

campuses got into the spirit with their own batch of events ranging from walks, parties, movie showings, tailgates, and of course, the Downtown Homecoming parade in the heart of Atlanta.

While Homecoming plays a varied role in different students’ hearts, it’s always a reminder of the best parts of being a Panther.

“When everyone comes together for [Georgia State], it really shows who we are as a school,” Georgia State freshman cheerleader Julia McIntyre said.

Whether it’s the parade, the Royal Ball or the Homecoming football game, everyone has their own reasons for living in the spirit of Georgia State. But what does it really mean to be a Georgia State Panther during Homecoming season?

PHOTO BY VANESSA JOHNSON & PAGE DESIGN BY SALINNA PHON | THE SIGNAL

CELEBRATING IN THE HEART OF ATLANTA

Panthers met on Gilmer St. Thursday morning, Oct. 19, for the highly anticipated Homecoming Golf Cart Parade. School organizations and departments represented themselves with elaborately decorated cars and golf carts as they strutted through the streets of Atlanta waving to spectators.

This annual event is an opportunity to showcase the interwoven cultural fabrics that make up Georgia State.

The parade was led by those crowned during the 2016 Homecoming season. Perched on the back of shiny convertibles, these royal representatives smiled and waved to attendees as the 2017 Homecoming court followed closely behind on a giant float.

Norae Woodard, this year’s official winner of Ms. Georgia State, was gifted the opportunity to live out her childhood dreams while floating through the streets of Atlanta campus.

“Ever since I was a little kid watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, it was always on my bucket list to be a part of a parade on my own,” Woodard said. “I got to live in the spirit of the moment and feel like royalty while screaming loud and proud.”

Panthers cheered enthusiastically as blue and white knickknacks and sweet treats flew through the air.

Parade members threw T-shirts, stress balls, pens, phone adornments, you name it. Everyone loved the opportunity to get some new Georgia State swag and a midday sugar rush.

SHINING AT STATE

Even non-Georgia State passersby took a break from their workday to enjoy the sights and hear the sounds.

Sophomore Lauren Rivers, a piccolo player for the university band, was bubbling with delight after filling the streets with music.

“I just saw everyone dancing and having a good time,” Rivers said. “Even grown folks who don’t go to Georgia State—they’re just at their job, about to get on their lunch break, and they just started dancing when they saw us.

That brought joy to my heart.”

That’s the beauty of going to college in the epicenter of Atlanta.

We always have the opportunity to show the city what it really means to bleed blue.

“We all bleed blue with Panther Pride,” Woodard said. “It’s so easy to forget that even though we are here for school, we’re also here for the memories…and the fellowship. Homecoming is a time for us to put the books aside and let the world know that we are ‘GSU…GSU…GA…S-T-A-T-E… State!’”

Hosted by the university-sponsored event coordinating committee, Spotlight Programs Board, the Homecoming Royal Ball at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History was another chance for students to define being a Panther and enjoy a carefree night in Wonderland.

Destiny Elliott, Georgia State sophomore, said the night was all about feeling beautiful and relaxed.

“Midterms are over and it’s time for us to shine,” she said.

And shine they did—especially the Homecoming court. The candidates sparkled with confidence while making their way down a spiral staircase that led to the dance floor. They also shocked attendees with a surprise choreographed performance that took weeks of rehearsal.

Woodard said that the bonding experience was extremely rewarding, especially seeing the crowd’s reaction after countless hours of practice with her royal family.

Reminisce on Homecoming week with The Signal. Tweet your favorite memories to @GSUSignalAandL!

PHOTO BY SOPHIA MARCHESE | THE SIGNAL

PAWSITIVE PANTHER PRIDE

For all the candidates, bleeding blue was about coming together—even if they didn’t win—and getting to know each other.

“At the end of the day, we are all winners and we all show that school spirit and school pride and we all bleed blue and white,” Anderson Dorvil, candidate for Mr. Blue and White, said. “We push each other to do better and motivate each other. So it’s been a real family feel on the court, even though it’s a competition."

Dorvil said part of showing that school spirit is getting involved on campus as well.

“There is no excuse for not being involved on campus.

There are organizations that range from every letter in the alphabet. No matter how weird your niche is, I promise you there is something that relates to that, and something for you to get involved in." Dorvil said.

Being a Panther for the Homecoming court was much more than a sparkly crown and a shot at beating the Troy Trojans; it meant standing together in camaraderie in support of a university that is accepting of all walks of life.

Newly-crowned Mr. Georgia State, Justin Adams, said it was those different sides of the student body that made him fall in love with the university.

“I was a commuter at one point, lived on campus my sophomore year and got really involved," he said.

"Originally, I was planning on maybe transferring to UGA, but I just absolutely fell in love with this school and all the people here and the diverse student body and everything."

Temitope Ibisanmi, a Mr. Georgia State 2017 candidate, expressed his deepest gratitude for the blessings he’s been given to serve the university through leadership and activism, and now, the bond he experienced from being on Homecoming court.

“It was a great time getting close to each other,” Ibisanmi said. “And to see how each and every one of us grew and developed in a matter of weeks was nothing short of breathtaking.”

When the winners were announced during Saturday’s Homecoming game, it was easy to see the friendship that blossomed within the royal court family over the last few weeks. They were all overflowing with happiness for each other, truly representing what it means to be a Panther during Homecoming season.

Homecoming Court 2017 MS. GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY

Norae Woodard Adriann Stinson Odoyemi Fonville

MR. GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY

Justin Adams Temitope Ibisanmi Ryan Martin

MS. PERIMETER

Denise Doboyouh Denise Dubon-Perez Kayla Willis

MS. BLUE & WHITE

Asia Haywood Pia Milan-Green Kaylah Oates-Marable

MR. BLUE & WHITE

Brandon Cain Anderson Dorvil Donnell Ray

PHOTOS BY UNIQUE RODRIGUEZ | THE SIGNAL

ARTS & LIVING

12

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

JALEN JENKINS Staff Reporter

T

om Petty is an American icon, to say the least. His songs have a certain weightlessness to them that make the listener feel each song in its own unique way. In their simplicity lies its accessibility, just some feel good rock and roll songs that will be stuck in your head for weeks. If you aren’t familiar with his songs, his legacy is not going anywhere, and it is never too late to get on Spotify or pick up an album.

My introduction to Tom Petty came from a skateboarding video in 2010. In terms of his life-long career, 2010 for a Petty fan is a pretty late bloomer, but I’m glad his music caught my rushing, 14-year-old attention span. In my youthful search for being cool, having a Tom Petty song stuck

could fly through the clouds on an acoustic-driven ballad, they could turn it up to a fast-paced barn burner or they could melt the audience with a bluestinged riff session. Never overstaying their welcome, they rode each musical moment for as long as it felt fresh. This is all paired with the raspy, rough but light voice of Tom Petty himself, which solidified the band’s sound—always with a guitar solo included.

Dave Grohl, founder of the Foo Fighters and former drummer in Nirvana, was offered a job to drum for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers after Nirvana disbanded due to the death of Kurt Cobain. His wild, aggressive drumming style fit well on their performance on Saturday Night Live, but Grohl ended up not taking the job. However, he regularly covers the band in the Foo Fighters.

Petty also had a heavy influence on The Strokes.

Their style of simple but potent songwriting of rock and roll music was taken straight out of Petty’s pages.

Driving guitars with just the right amount of grit with a signature sound of singer Julian Casablancas who gives his take of the American rock singer complete with attitude and style. The Strokes admitted at one point more or less that they took the format of “American Girl” in their song

“Last Nite” in a Rolling Stone interview, but Petty could not have cared less.

t u c p e e d 5 p o t petty songs

me that. However so e is no denying er s.

Th . rd ts co hi re s s ha es el Tom Petty sides of his tim ers lie on the bof the true bang

on 1. time to move s r 2. even the lose ubt do 3. shadow of a 4. honey bee ck n roll o r ’s t a h t g in h 5. anyt

in my head seemed very uncool, but I could not deny its driving guitar riff and Petty’s voice.

To be completely honest, classic rock wasn’t “cool” in 2010, but Tom Petty made it cool for me and other aspiring artists. He created a sound that was so simple and relatable that it created a lot of “Okay, bear with me, but check this Tom Petty song out” moments amongst me and my friends. He has a timeless sound and the songwriting abilities to draw an audience even 25 (and plus) years into his career, which speaks to his legacy the most.

My interaction was all after classic hall of fame songs like “American Girl,” “Breakdown,” “You Don’t Know How It Feels” and so many more. Tom Petty and his band the Heartbreakers had endless hits straight from their inception in the early 70’s in Gainesville, Florida. From then on they spread their influence to all walks of musical life.

musical influences

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers had a couple different modes. They

for the people

Tom Petty was for the people before he was for the industry. Examples like The Strokes taking the format of his song and his more or less shrugging it off is not a sign of negligence, but of the carefree attitude that is responsible for most of his songs. This carefree attitude was turned off in the case of MCA buying the ABC- owned record label Shelter records, which Petty put his first two albums on. He was included in the buyout as property of Shelter records, but he refused to be traded carelessly. Petty filed for bankruptcy and set himself free of contracts. This allowed him to actually make money when he signed next to an MCA subsidiary. There he released his hit-packed album “Damn the Torpedoes.”

This smart business planning and measurable effort to seek the profits of your own intellectual property served as an inspiration in the future for artists stuck in a bad deal. He knew the value of his work from the very beginning and he showed that having control in that sense allowed others to take their band seriously financially.

The loss of Tom Petty is an incredible blow to the musical landscape and American culture. His songs have become iconic. His look and attitude are often replicated but never measure up. The lanky, big tooth side grin while he chugs along to hits such as “Refugee,” “Learning to Fly,” and “Free Fallin’” will be missed deeply.

PAGE DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION BY SALINNA PHON | THE SIGNAL

ARTS & LIVING

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2017

13

It’s time to give back to your community

Volunteer opportunities at Georgia State’s Office of Civic Engagement AUTUMN BOEKELOO Staff Reporter

T

he Metro Atlanta area is a prime location to serve people in need whether it be financially, mentally or just a helping hand to get back on track. Georgia State offers programs for students to support citizens in distress.

WHY PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE?

Giving back to the community not only benefits others, but can also earn students community service hours that will improve their resume. Perhaps participating in a community service event could improve your social skills or fill an empty void inside your life.

As busy students, we often lose sight of issues occurring right in our backyard because we are too focused on our own struggles. Our first-world problems become so small when we realize there are people around us who cannot afford to eat each day. You could impact someone’s life just by using the time you would have spent on social media or worrying about miniscule issues to give back to your community.

OPTIONS FOR YOUR LOCATION

The Office of Civic Engagement, the Georgia State hub for community service and leadership opportunities, offers over 400 nonprofits, groups and programs to choose from.

Although the Office of Civil Engagement is located at Student Center East at the Atlanta campus, students at every campus are encouraged to participate in the opportunities offered.

“We welcome Perimeter students involvement in community service projects,” Lovell Lemons, director of civic engagement at Georgia State, said. “[However] it can be more difficult without transportation. We will, however, begin developing outreach opportunities with nonprofits located near the Perimeter campuses,” Lemons added.

The office also hosts a Nonprofit Organization Volunteer and Internship Fair each semester so students can find an organization they could potentially work for.

GEORGIA STATE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS

For each of the following, students can sign up and complete forms, if required, through OrgSync.

VOLUNTEER WITH ANIMALS Best Friends-Atlanta 4874 S Atlanta Rd SE, Smyrna, GA 30080

Best Friends Atlanta is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of animals and making an effort to fulfill their goal of creating a world where homelessness among pets is obsolete. Depending on what position the team decides best suits you, students will be at adoption events helping future animal owners, fostering animals or simply giving love to the pets at the shelter by playing with them. This organization expects volunteers to agree to a minimum of six hours a month for at least six months.

Happy Tails Pet Therapy Happy Tails Pet Therapy supports people with motor skill inability, mental health issues, cognitive skills, speech, memory, balance and relaxation. The animals are trained by volunteers for specific therapy practices to care for and bring happiness to people struggling. Students can lend their time to adoption center clean-up days where volunteers are needed weekly or organize files and perform typical office duties. They only require at least one hour a week so becoming a part of this organization is not time consuming if you are a busy college student. If you are interested, Happy Tails Pet Therapy has an orientation day on Nov. 4 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

VOLUNTEER WITH THE YOUTH Ryan Cameron Foundation This foundation focuses on the overall wellness of communities through safety, cleanliness and the importance of support systems. Students can expect to set up and assist in events such as father-daughter dances, teen driver safety and community garden clean ups. The hours are flexible for this organization, so when students fill out the application online, they are asked to explain their availability. However, the foundation explicitly states on the volunteer tab on their website that they are specifically searching for volunteers who will work diligently without income.

VOLUNTEER WITH THE ELDERLY Serenity Hospice Care 8326 Office Park Dr, Douglasville, GA 30134 Volunteering for Serenity Hospice Care is an experience that will change your life. Extending a feeling of compassion and being a shoulder to cry on during the last stretch of life is incredibly rewarding. Students are expected to visit the elderly in this facility as often as possible depending upon their needs.

Some patients need more attention than others, so if you are a busy student but still want to volunteer, jobs like yard work and donating baked goods is an option. Some volunteers will sing songs around Christmas time to make their last holiday season enjoyable. This is an emotional volunteer opportunity for students with a strong desire to better the final moments of other’s lives and create a relationship between themselves and the patients.

STEM students Osman Saccoh and Alex Navarro volunteer at the Georgia State University Perimeter College Native Plant Botanical Garden located in Decatur on Oct. 13.

AARP Foundation 1718 Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, GA 30309 The AARP Foundation, or the American Association of Retired Persons, is an organization to help the elderly decide how they want to live life after retirement. Your main purpose will act as an ice-breaker to help the elderly in the program interact comfortably and build friendships among each other, giving their life purpose and involving them in social activities during their retirement. This is an enjoyable volunteer opportunity with additional office jobs, so students can easily incorporate the foundation into their college schedule depending upon their availability.

VOLUNTEER WITH THE NEEDY Nicholas House 250 Georgia Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30312 The Nicholas House is a nonprofit organization that targets class system issues like homelessness happening daily in Atlanta. You would volunteer during fundraisers and family fun days showing the children and parents affected by poverty that there is still a chance for them to prosper in life.

Additionally, every night from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Nicholas House, volunteers cook meals for the homeless. Georgia State students can use the commercial kitchen the establishment has to prepare food or bring their dish in pre-made.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE ENVIRONMENT EarthShare of Georgia 100 Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, GA 30303 EarthShare is a nature lover’s dream. This organization is dedicated to bettering the air, water and overall atmosphere in Georgia. The nonprofit has an event on Nov. 4 called “Plaid Palooza” where volunteers will wear all plaid in honor of the fall season and work together to improve the overall appearance of the Historic Fourth Ward Park. Volunteers will be weeding, cleaning up trash and laying mulch. Keep in mind, volunteering for this organization is more strenuous than others due to the physical work.

THE DECISION TO VOLUNTEER

“Students also gain a better awareness of their social responsibility and citizenship skills as well as interpersonal development, particularly the ability to work in teams and communication skills,” Lemons said. No matter which organization you decide to volunteer for, making a difference in someone’s life while learning new skills is a selfless act that could impact someone else’s life forever.

PHOTO BY KIRSTEN JACKSON | THE SIGNAL

CALENDAR & GAMES

14

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

things you don’t want to miss Wednesday

More events and info at georgiastatesignal.com

Friday

Thursday

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Hand to God

Just a Little Trouble

Owl-O-Ween

Pick your Poison

Day of the Dead

Things that go Bump

Johnny’s Hideaway

October 25

October 26

October 27

October 28

October 29

October 30

October 31

Alliance Theatre’s Hand to God puppetry comedy is “darkly delightful.”

Dad’s Garage Theatre is hosting the Tony Award Nominee show from now until Nov. 12 so grab your tickets before the news spreads!

Little Trouble is having their anniversary party and a pop-up restaurant will be featuring Japanese Okonomiyaki. The event starts at 6 p.m. and will be free until 9 p.m., then it’s a $5 cover fee.

If heights are your thing then saddle up and head on down to Kennesaw State University where they have their annual Hot Air Balloon festival.

Discounted tickets are starting at two for $27.

Costume up and pick from these fun, festive, 21 + Halloween bashes: Saints & Sinners Ball at Park Tavern, Boos and Brews at Center Stage or the Serendipity Halloween Bash on Howard Street.

Celebrate your ancestors at the Atlanta History Center from noon to 5 p.m. The outdoor festival is complete with entertainment, storytelling, cultural food and altars honoring the departed. Free to the public.

Local actors and singers come together to put on a Halloween variety show. They perform songs and scenes celebrating the season at OnStage Atlanta in Decatur.

Discounted tickets for $10.

Buckhead’s favorite ghastly bar is hosting its annual Halloween party complete with a costume party and $500 worth of prizes. Dress up, get down and boogie the night away with your friends this Halloween!

games

SuD0KU

easy

medium

WORD SEARCH

Word List: Homecomingrecap Volunteer Community Giveback Tompetty

Mountains Royalcourt Aiko Hocofairness Christianity Martafast Homelessness

Transgender Discrimination Seniorathletes Reminisce Offense Hawks Perimeter

HARD

SPORTS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2017

www.georgiastatesignal.com/sports

TROY SPOILS HOMECOMING WITH 34-10 VICTORY

Panthers still looking for first home win after falling to the Trojans D'MITRI CHIN

Associate Sports Editor

I

t was an unanticipated Homecoming result for the Georgia State Panthers (3-3, 2-1) Saturday, as they fell 34-10 to the Troy Trojans (5-2, 2-1). The loss to the Trojans was somewhat a surprise since the Panthers were riding a threegame winning streak and also playing in Georgia State Stadium for the first time in 51 days.

"Certainly not the outcome we had prepared for, I can tell you that," Head coach Shawn Elliott said. "Very, very disappointing game for us. You know, you come out in a homecoming crowd, and you haven't played here [Georgia State Stadium] in 51 days you think there would be a lot more juice than what we showed out there today."

The Trojans were coming off of a disappointing loss to a struggling South Alabama team and appeared eager to redeem themselves against the Panthers. Their offense was successful in keeping the Panthers’ defense off balance with a plethora of bubble screens and read option runs. The Troy defense prevented wide receiver, Penny Hart and tight end, Ari Werts from making any significant plays for the Panther offense.

If you missed the game Saturday, these were the keys in the Panthers heartbreaking loss:

INEFFICIENT OFFENSE

Although the Panthers put the first points on the board with a 30-yard field goal by Brandon Wright with 11:54 to go in the first quarter, the offense was lethargic against the Trojan defense. As a unit, the Panthers accounted for 300 total yards (252 passing yards and 48 rushing yards). Unfortunately, Hart, the most pivotal player on the offensive side of the ball for the Panthers, was unable to torch the Trojans' defense and provide a spark his team desperately needed. He was limited to just five catches for 32 yards and scored the only touchdown of the game for the Panthers, however the deficit was too much to overcome.

Quarterback Conner Manning looked uneasy in the pocket for the duration of the game as he was sacked four times and threw one interception. While he credited Troy's defense for playing a sound game, Manning took accountability for the offense's lackadaisical play against the Sun Belt's top-rated defense.

"Give credit to Troy, they're a tremendous football team, and they came out ready to play," Manning said. "They did a couple of stuff that messed with us, but for the most part, it was just us not converting, a lot of missed opportunities — myself, I played terribly, and it affected our offense and a lot of missed opportunities."

The Panthers' offensive line was able to control the line of scrimmage during their three-game winning streak, but they took a significant step back during Troy's front four. Coach Shawn Elliott said that it was a simultaneous effort from Manning and the linemen that resulted in four sacks in the game.

"A few of the sacks I would put on Conner just holding the ball a little bit too long, and other times it was not identifying the front that they were in rushing. They got us on a twist game and an odd front, which is nothing new, it's just, you know, you talk about concentration, and you talk about finding more focus on each and every play, and they didn't have it," Elliott said.

THE DEFENSE DIDN'T PROTECT ITS HOUSE

The Panthers' defense didn't get much help from their offense, as they were on the field more often than not — resulting in Troy's offense totaling 457 yards (122 rushing and 335 passing).

The key to Troy's offensive success was the ability of quarterback Brandon Silvers being able to connect with his receivers for substantial gains through the air. Despite his early interception in the first quarter to Panthers' safety Brian Williams, who has a team-high three interceptions, Silvers was extremely efficient throwing the ball against a typically stingy Georgia State secondary. He had three completed passes that went for over 40 yards (42, 47 and 49). Silvers finished the game going 25-35 for 335 yards with one interception and two touchdowns.

THE SPECIAL TEAMS WEREN'T SPECIAL

The special teams unit has been struggling for the Panthers this season — field goal kicking in particular. Wright, who handles the team's field goal kicking duties left points on the boards during crucial moments in the game. Wright made one field goal (30 yards) out of three attempts. His first missed field goal (48 yards) came in the latter half of the first quarter when the Panthers were down 7-3. His second missed field goal (42 yards) came with 6:45 in the third quarter when the Panthers were trailing 21-3.

THURSDAY NIGHT AGAINST SOUTH ALABAMA JAGUARS (3-4, 2-1)

The Panthers will look to bounce back, and ultimately secure their first win at Georgia State Stadium when they face the South Alabama Jaguars in their first Thursday night game of the season. The Jaguars have been slumping this season, but they beat a Trojans team that proved too much to handle for the Panthers.

Conner Manning and company must mirror the team that piled up 670 yards in record-setting fashion against Louisiana Monroe. In doing that, Hart, Werts, Glenn Smith and freshman wideout Tamir Jones must get active against the Jaguars' defense.

Also, without running back Taz Bateman being available, Kyler Neal, who recently eclipsed the 1,000 yards rushing mark for his career must pound his way through the defense.

While the defense had an underachieving performance against the Trojans, they must show great resilience going into this game. The Panthers have the ability to generate pressure and force the opposing quarterback to commit mistakes — which is always a recipe for success. Although they failed to generate pressure on Homecoming, the Panthers can rejuvenate their pass rush if they remain disciplined on the defensive side of the ball and prevent penalties.

It's no secret that when Hart gets going, the entire team feeds off of his energy.

With another opportunity to secure their first win at home Thursday, the Jaguars’ porous secondary is an area the Panthers could ride to victory.

Panthers' kicker Brandon Wright, attempts to score a field goal against the Troy Trojans.

PHOTO BY VANESSA JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL

SPORTS

16

Upperclassmen reflect on past Homecomings

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

Juniors and seniors recollect their best memories TOBI ADEYEMI Staff Reporter

H

omecoming is one of the most festive times of the year. It’s the one time of the year everybody at Georgia State comes together and shows school spirit. Last week, the university had events going on all week leading up to the anticipated Homecoming game, where students cheered on the Panthers on the field. And the athletes themselves are some of the most involved students - not only during Homecoming. The Signal sat with four upperclassmen athletes and talked about their Homecoming experiences over the past four years and what their favorite memories are.

EMIERE SCAIFE- FOOTBALL/QB/TE/ REDSHIRT JUNIOR

Emiere Scaife has been a part of the program since 2014. He redshirted as a true freshman while he was recovering from a shoulder injury. In 2015, he competed for the starting QB job and appeared in three games. His best game came against Oregon, which he had a 24-yard run. He came in as a quarterback, but eventually converted to tight end.

Why do you love Homecoming?

Scaife: I love the crowd and the atmosphere of the Homecoming game. That is always one of the most packed games of the year, the energy is always great.

Favorite memory?

Scaife: Honestly, I’m still looking forward to better memories, because we’ve only won one Homecoming game since I’ve been here.

JEFF THOMAS- MEN’S BASKETBALL/ FORWARD/REDSHIRT JUNIOR

Jeff Thomas, a 6’5 sharpshooter, joined the men’s basketball team in 2014 but took a redshirt during his freshman year at Georgia State. During his first season on the court, he averaged six points and shot 37 percent from the field and one three-pointer. His career highlights include his career high of 21 points against UT Arlington, 18 points against Old Dominion University and a 17 point game against Thomas University. He shot 42 percent from the field last season and 39 percent from three.

Why do you love Homecoming?

Thomas: I love Homecoming because it’s the one

time of year the entire campus comes together to have fun for an entire week.

Favorite memory?

Thomas: My favorite Homecoming memory was definitely last year at the tailgate. The basketball team had our own tent at the tailgate and we were lit, but I also loved going to other tents and socializing with the fans who came out to the game.

TAZHANE SIMMONS- SPIRIT CHEERLEADER

Tazhane has been cheering for her entire life and for Georgia State since her sophomore year. The Panthers have one of the best cheerleading programs in the country. Georgia State cheer has been nationally ranked for the past seven years. They’ve won numerous cheerleading competitions in the Small Coed Division I, including second-place in 2012 and fifth-place in 2013. In 2014, the team placed 10th in the 1A Small Coed Division.

PHOTO BY JULIAN PINEDA | THE SIGNAL

Why do you love Homecoming?

Simmons: I love it because of the school spirit, everyone comes together to cheer on our team with pride.

Favorite memory?

Simmons: My favorite memory is the Homecoming parade every year. It’s so amazing to see the entire city and student body come out to see us march.

RASHID ALARAPE- MEN’S SOCCER/ STRIKER/SENIOR

Rashid Alarape is one of the best strikers in the Sun Belt. He joined the men’s soccer team in 2014. During, his freshman year he was named to the All-Sun Belt Conference First Team, becoming the first freshman at Georgia State to do so since 2001. Since then, he’s become one of Georgia State’s best and clutchest goal scorers. He currently leads the Panthers in goals and game winners this season.

Why do you love Homecoming?

Alarape: Homecoming brings together generations of Georgia State in order to celebrate how great of a school it is. It gives parents, fans, former and current students an opportunity to be one big Panther family.

Favorite Memory?

Alarape: I can’t even pick a favorite memory honestly.

So much has happened over the past four years. It makes me just realize how much I’m going to miss it. With this being my final Homecoming, it really puts things in perspective on how amazing of a school this is and how great of a homecoming tradition we have.

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY GEORGIA STATE ATHLETES

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY GEORGIA STATE ATHLETES

PHOTO BY JULIAN PINEDA | THE SIGNAL

SPORTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2017

17

Strong men’s regular season winds down

Men’s soccer can secure first-round bye in SBC Tournament JERELL RUSHIN Sports Editor

T

he Georgia State men’s soccer (10-4-1, 2-0-1) team’s current streak has situated them well for the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. The Panthers haven’t lost in over five games, and are undefeated since conference play began.

The men’s soccer team defeated the University of North Carolina at Asheville 3-1 in a non-conference matchup.

Forward Kwaku Abu-Boahene and defender Alex Summerfield scored their first goals of the season. During the 57th minute, midfielder Hannes Burmeister scored the game-winning goal when he tapped in a crossed ball from Salomon Lorenzano.

Appalachian State and the Panthers played a doubleovertime draw on Saturday. The five shots Georgia State attempted in extra time was not enough to avoid their first draw of the season.

The Panthers have a great chance at winning the regular season title, which was split in 2016 by the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers and the Georgia Southern Eagles. No. 1 seeded Coastal Carolina defeated Georgia State 1-0 in the conference tournament championship game.

The 2017 men’s soccer season is shaping up to be one the most impressive of any Georgia State program this fall, but this wasn’t always the case. Georgia State compiled just 13 goals during their first 10 games of the year, but matched that total in the following four matches.

Burmeister scored in the first three games since Georgia State opened conference play. Burmeister, the 2016 Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year, has brought his total goals scored this season to six.

It would take a remarkable stretch of performances by Burmeister to reach his 11-goal plateau of last season, which placed him in 19th, nationally. However, the veteran midfielder and senior forward Rashid Alarape make up on the nation’s highest-scoring duos. Alarape has cooled off since scoring six goals in the first half of the season. He still leads the Panthers in goals and points, with eight and 16 respectively.

A first-round bye in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament is definitely in the cards for the Panthers. They will have to survive opponents who each won 11 or more games last season. The

Panthers will face Charlotte, Hartwick, and Coastal Carolina in the respective order.

The first test is a home matchup tonight against the Charlotte 49ers, who won the Conference USA regular season championship last season. With the help of a 12-2-2 regular season record, the 49ers received an invitation to the NCAA Tournament despite losing their first game during the Conference USA Tournament.

After entering the season as a top-25 team, Charlotte and their seven returning starters from last season have not enjoyed similar success. Ten or more times this season, Charlotte scored just one goal in a game. Charlotte scored one or fewer goals just seven times in the 2016, including their two postseason games. Junior forward, Bruce Daniel is the biggest threat on the Charlotte roster. Daniel leads the team in goals, assists, and shots on goal.

Hartwick has been floating around the .500 mark this year, a far cry from the 7-3-3 record they held on this date last season.

Hartwick midfielder, Jamie O’Grady, became the Sun Belt’s leading scorer after putting the ball at back of the net three times during a 3-0 shutout of Appalachian State.

The reigning Sun Belt tournament champions Coastal Carolina hasn’t matched the success reached in their recent history. The Chanticleers advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament in both of the past two years, falling last year to Wake Forest, the runner-ups for the national championship.

Coastal Carolina is the most equipped team to challenge Georgia State in their remaining schedule. The eight returning starters from last year’s conference-winning team match up with the experience of Georgia State, but they have not made the top-25 rankings since holding the 19th spot in the preseason.

If Georgia State wins two of their final three games, they will have a top notch conference record heading into the conference tournament. Should Georgia State earn the first seed and an upset occurs in their first tournament game, they could still receive an invitation to the NCAA Tournament, which was the case for Charlotte in Conference USA last season.

Head Coach Brett Surrency answered a few questions regarding the final matches of the regular season and the postseason.

A FEW WEEKS AGO (BEFORE THE JACKSONVILLE GAME), YOU SAID THAT SCORING THE BALL WAS AN AREA THAT THE TEAM COULD IMPROVE IN. HOW DO YOU THINK THE OFFENSE HAS COME ALONG SINCE THEN?

SURRENCY: Last couple games have been great! We have scored [13 goals] in the past [five] games so that’s been a big step in the right direction.

WHAT PLAYERS HAVE SHOWN UP BIG DURING SUN BELT ACTION SO FAR AND HOW SO?

SURRENCY: Our back line of Kyle Clinton, George Proctor, Liam Fitzsimmons and Lukas Joyner have been solid in both games. The attacking side has come around and it’s been nice to see Hannes get a goal in each SBC game [except for one].

DO YOU FEEL THAT ALL GOOD TEAMS FIND A WAY TO WIN, PARTICULARLY DURING THE POSTSEASON?

SURRENCY: No doubt. We have won games this season playing well and we have won games this season far from our best. The key is winning, how we do that is irrelevant and the players understand that and know that some days will require a different approach.

IN FOOTBALL, THE SAYING GOES THAT DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THAT SAME SAYING APPLIES TOWARDS EITHER OFFENSE OR DEFENSE DURING THE POSTSEASON AND SUN BELT TOURNAMENT?

SURRENCY: I think if you look at the teams that typically advance far along in tournament play they are very sound defensively. So I would agree with that saying when it pertains to soccer.

CAN YOU GIVE A FEW KEYS TO A SUCCESSFUL FINISH IN CONFERENCE PLAY?

SURRENCY: We are in the final stretch of games for the regular season and it will take great focus the remainder of the way to reach our goals. The guys know that the challenges will only increase as we move forward and we will need to take care of ourselves, mentally and physically, in order to compete at our highest level.

PHOTO BY JULIEANN TRAN & PAGE DESIGN BY CHRISTOPHER WINLEY | THE SIGNAL

SPORTS

18

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

Resurgent offense didn’t show on Homecoming

The Georgia State Panthers lost to the Troy Trojans, 34-10, in the 2017 Homecoming game.

CHRISTIAN CRITTENDEN Staff Reporter

P

rior to a 34-10 loss to Troy, the Georgia State football team enjoyed the sweet taste of winning. The main reason for their recent success was the offense’s explosion.

After scoring 10 points in the first two games combined, the Panthers rebounded to score 102 points in three straight contests.

The offense has always had this potential, it just took them awhile to put it all together and get it clicking. The coaching staff preaches for the team to get better and better each week, and they were doing that. Troy’s thumping on Homecoming was a drastic stray away from their prior dominance.

Before their three-game road winning streak, the team was shutout against Penn State despite getting something going offensively. Running back Taz Bateman rushed for over 100 yards in

the big loss to Penn State. That was not the case against Troy, who limited Georgia State’s entire ground game to 57 rushing yards.

After a solid performance against Penn State, Bateman got hurt early in the next game against Charlotte, which forced Glenn Smith into action, who responded well by rushing for 95 yards and two touchdowns.

The Charlotte game was really when the offense picked up, and it never really looked back. From then on, quarterback Conner Manning and wide receiver Penny Hart developed a deadly connection.

“We’ve had a lot of work besides just games, but I felt after the past couple of weeks, we’ve built out on that a lot,” Manning said. “I know I trust him and I rely on him.”

Over that stretch, Manning threw for 966 yards and six touchdowns and Hart caught 30 passes for 463 yards and five touchdowns.

In two of those games, Hart caught 11 passes, which is his school record. His 190 receiving

PHOTO BY JULIAN PINEDA | THE SIGNAL

yards against Louisiana Monroe were a school record. Also, in that game, the Panthers had 670 yards of total offense, which set a school record.

The Panthers rushed 224 yards against ULM. This was done without Smith or Bateman. Kyler Neal led the way for the Panthers with 65 yards and one touchdown. Demarcus Kirk added 56 yards of his own in the game.

Despite the output, offensive coordinator Travis Trickett believes that the team left some plays on the field.

“We’re still not where we need to be,” Trickett said. “We left a lot of yards out there. As much as we had, we still left yards out there, and most teams can say that when they play, but its understanding little things.”

Manning received some national recognition for his 446 four-touchdown performance against ULM. He was given a helmet sticker on ESPN’s College Football Final by Adnan Virk.

Helmet stickers are placed on a team’s helmet if one of their players had an exceptional game.

“Its neat, especially getting recognition for its program, but it's just one of those things that happens,” Manning said.

However, the little things were the root of many issues which brought Georgia State their first conference loss of the year. Conner Manning as well as the offensive line did not work in unison to keep the senior signal caller upright. Attention to detail and focus on defense were more small areas that played enormous roles in the lopsided loss.

The Panthers will attempt to display their road magic again at home on Thursday night, against the South Alabama Jaguars (3-4, 2-1).

One thing for sure is that the Panthers will be up for the task.

“I think just playing at home and defending our home turf is a big deal for us,” Manning said.

Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 26 at Georgia State Stadium, and the game will be nationally broadcasted on ESPNU.

Do you know about the Atlanta Hawks Pass?

Hawks Ambassador tells how to get the cheapest Hawks tickets around TOBI ADEYEMI Staff Reporter

T

he NBA season is back and the Atlanta Hawks have a huge opportunity for Georgia State students.

“Hawks Pass is a ticket that can be as low as 10 dollars to go see the Atlanta Hawks play,” said Lauren Surrillo.

Lauren Surillo is a senior here at Georgia State and a college ambassador for the Atlanta Hawks. Her job is to promote and help as many students as possible sign up for Hawks Pass on campus. The Hawks Pass also offers group ticket sales for groups and organizations on campus.

So how are these tickets so cheap?

“These tickets come directly from the Hawks front office,” said Surillo. “You won’t see these ticket prices on Ticketmaster either. On games where they don’t sell enough tickets, they’ll reach out to everyone signed up for the Hawks Pass and offer these low prices.”

So, how does one sign up for the Hawks Pass?

“Students can easily signup by using the link GASTATE.hawkspass.com.” Surillo said.

The experience has been great for Surillo.

The Hawks have provided not only a chance to go to games incredibly cheap, but also have given students the opportunity to improve their marketing skills and career with the ambassador program.

“Marketing is something I would say is a

problem at Georgia State,” said Surillo. “Being an Atlanta Hawks ambassador has allowed me to network with many people in the industry.

I also never knew there were so many things out here for us Georgia State students to use, so helping other students become more marketable is something I’m definitely trying to do.”

So, if marketing is a career field you are interested, becoming a Hawks ambassador should be on your radar.

“If you want to be a Hawks Ambassador for next year, applications will become available around February,” said Surillo. “I applied in February and I didn’t get the position until June.

My advice to anyone interested in being a fellow ambassador next year is just to stay persistent.”

The applications go live in February but until

then register for Hawks Pass and attend some of these games. The Hawks are currently in the midst of a five-game road trip to kick off the season, but they will host their home opener Friday, Oct. 27 against the Denver Nuggets. If the Nuggets aren’t a team you’re interested in seeing, two days later MVP candidate, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the Bucks come to town Sunday.

The Hawks will be an interesting team to watch this year. They lost their face of the franchise, Paul Millsap, to Denver over the summer and traded Dwight Howard to Charlotte. They have a young team this season, and they look to be in rebuilding mode.

Regardless of how good the team is, 10 dollars to watch NBA basketball is a bargain.

SPORTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2017

panther of the week

19

STANDINGS

NFL FOOTBALL PREDICTIONS

SUN BELT FOOTBALL

JERELL RUSHIN

school APPALACHIAN STATE

PHOTO BY GEORGIA STATE ATHLETICS

Sports Editor

Conference Overall streak 4-0

5-2

W3

ARKANSAS STATE

3-0

4-2

W3

TROY

2-1

5-2

W1

GEORGIA STATE

2-1

3-3

L1

SOUTH ALABAMA

2-1

3-4

W2

LOUISIANA-MONROE

3-2

3-4

L2

LOUISIANA

2-2

3-4

L1

NEW MEXICO STATE

1-2

3-4

W1

IDAHO

1-2

2-5

L3

COASTAL CAROLINA

0-4

1-6

L6

TEXAS STATE

0-3

1-6

L6

GEORGIA SOUTHERN

0-2

0-6

L6

Miami vs.

Baltimore

MIAMI

Atlanta vs.

New York

ATLANTA

Carolina vs.

Tampa Bay

CAROLINA

Houston vs.

Seattle

HOUSTON

Pittsburgh vs.

Detroit

PITTSBURGH

Denver vs.

Kansas City

KANSAS CITY

Kristin Rehse

WOMEN'S TENNIS During Day One of the ITA regionals, senior, Kristen Rehse was perfect in the win column for the events she competed in. To begin the day, Rehse and Lara Vovk defeated Porter/ Hubeaut 8-4 in the doubles round of 32, Georgia State’s only victory in doubles on Day One. Rehse advanced to the round of 32 in singles when she downed 12th ranked Morgan Coppoc of Georgia. Later in the day, Rehse moved on to the round of 16 following a straight-set victory against Miami’s Sara Culbertson. On Day Two, Rehse fell to the nation’s 49th ranked Paige Hourigan from Georgia Tech. In the spring, Rehse made the 2017 All-Sun Belt Singles First Team.

SPORTS CALENDAR

SPORTS BRIEFS men's golf — Four top-25 finishes pace Panthers at second-place in Autotrader Collegiate Classic.

— Three eagles allowed for a final round finish of 290.

men's soccer — Panthers outshot UNC Asheville by nine to claim 3-1 victory.

— Draw against Appalachian State at home was the first draw of the season.

— Panthers (10-4-1, 2-0-1) remain atop the Sun Belt standings.

GOLF

CROSS COUNTRY

OCT. 24

OCT. 28

woMEN'S golf PAT BRADLEY CLASSIC

ALL DAY

— Crystal Lee’s ninth doubledouble this season of the year in 4-set loss to UT-Arlington moved her pass 500-career kill mark.

— Panthers (8-15, 2-8) also fell to Little Rock in straight sets.

oct. 17 issue corrections — The photographer for the Oct. 17 cover photo is Unique Rodriguez.

OCT. 27 10 A.M.

SOCCER

woMEN'S golf ALL DAY

CHARLOTTE

Charlotte, North Carolina

woMEN'S golf

OCT. 28

ALL DAY

ALL DAY

5 P.M.

MEN'S golf ALL DAY

PIEDMONT INVITATIONAL, DAY THREE

12 P.M.

Piedmont Park, Atlanta, Georgia

OCT. 30 men's tennis ITF FUTURES

Birmingham, Alabama

OCT. 27 ARKANSAS STATE

Jonesboro, Arkansas

Johns Creek, Georgia

Piedmont Park, Atlanta, Georgia

women's tennis

men's soccer

VOLLEYBALL

woMEN'S golf

12 P.M.

OCT. 29

ALL DAY

OCT. 29

Greensboro, North Carolina

7:30 P.M.

HARTWICK

Greensboro, North Carolina

UNCC BRIDGESTONE COLLEGIATE

PIEDMONT INVITATIONAL, DAY TWO

Oneonta, New York

MEN'S golf

LADIES FALL CLASSIC

women's tennis

OCT. 24

OCT. 28

UNCC BRIDGESTONE COLLEGIATE

OCT. 28

men's soccer

Johns Creek, Georgia

LADIES FALL CLASSIC

12 P.M.

Piedmont Park, Atlanta, Georgia

OCT. 27 LADIES FALL CLASSIC

women's tennis PIEDMONT INVITATIONAL, DAY ONE

Boone, North Carolina

Lakewood Ranch, Florida

Johns Creek, Georgia

vollyball

SUN BELT CHAMPIONSHIPS

TENNIS

6:30 P.M.

LITTLE ROCK

FOOTBALL OCT. 26

OCT. 28 Little Rock, Arkansas

TBA

TBA

SOUTH ALABAMA

Atlanta, Georgia

7:30 P.M.