The Signal Vol. 83 No.26

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PRESENTS

SP OR

PANTHER OF THE YEAR APRIL 5 - APRIL 12, 2016

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k A of t he TS rb PA GE uc ye S2 a 0-2 kl 1 e r

VOL. 83 | NO. 26

Branden Stokes is an active member of the Georgia State and Atlanta community helping out at SafeHouse Outreach, an organization that lends a hand to those in need.

Arts & Living | Pages 12-13

PHOTO BY DAYNE FRANCIS | THE SIGNAL

Inside To infinity and beyond

Keeping track

Becker On Record

Veto Hero?

University President Mark Becker chats hot-button campus issues with The Signal.

Some may think Gov. Deal is a hero for vetoing the Religous Liberty Bill. Our columist thinks otherwise.

Georgia State and Atlanta allow you to experience a world beyond ours through astronomy.

Find out who the record breakers on the track team this season are.

News | Pages 6-7

Opinions| Page 8

A&L | page 10

Sports | page 22

DAILY NEWS AT WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

News 3

Opinions 8

Arts & Living 10

Sports 19

2

NEWS

TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

blotter March 28

March 30

A Georgia State student struck another person's car near Dunwoody Parking Lot 10 around 3 p.m. This case is still active.

GSUPD arrested a non-Georgia State person before 9 a.m for possession of a controlled substance, criminal trespassing, and possession of drug related objects near the Citizens’ Trust Building. The suspect already had an outstanding warrant for theft by taking.

Caugh in the act

Bumper Cars

March 29

Your mission, if you choose to accept it A Georgia State student gave some information to an officer near Newton Building 1 around 9 a.m.

This case is still active.

March 27

So much to live for

Georgia State University Police Department (GSUPD) reported a Georgia State student who made a suicide attempt near the M Parking Deck around 5:30 am. The incident has been cleared.

March 31

I stepped away for a second A Georgia State student reported a stolen item worth less than $1,500 around Aderhold Learning Center before noon. This case is still active.

ILLUSTRATION BY UDUAK ITA | THE SIGNAL

PHOTO OF THE WEEK Hundreds gather at Grant Park to celebrate International Pillow Fight Day April 2, 2016.

PHOTO BY DAYNE FRANCIS | THE SIGNAL

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NEWS

www.georgiastatesignal.com/news

Cheer teams lack financial support Georgia State cheer teams get the short end of the stick KYLA OKOBAH Staff Reporter

E

ven though Georgia State's cheerleaders are recognized by the athletic department as student athletes, they are not receiving financial benefits for their dedication to the sport.

Former Georgia State cheerleader Taylor Jackson told The Signal, “I had zero help financially but was expected to constantly pour my heart, soul and body into a sport that I used to love. It was causing me more stress. Something had to give.”

As of March 2016, the Georgia State cheerleaders have yet to regain scholarships or stipends that were cut with the spirit squad budget in 2010.

The cheerleading program currently doesn’t offer any athletic scholarships or stipends to its athletes.

Instead, the cheerleaders are provided with Nike shoes, practice clothes, gear, priority registration, training room access, sports medicine treatment for injuries, paid travel and game day meals.

However, in the eyes of the NCAA, Georgia State’s cheer program is not considered a university sport like football, soccer and golf. This association gives Georgia State money for every NCAA approved sport the school has, but this contribution is nearly not enough to support each sport’s program.

Even though schools such as Auburn University, Spring Hill College and Mercer University aren’t awarded money from the NCAA to keep their cheerleading program active, their programs still exist with stipends or scholarship.

After Georgia State’s football team became a part of the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2012, the highest level of collegiate football, the cheerleading scholarship situation remained

unchanged.

Georgia State’s cheer team practices at 6 a.m. three times a week and cheer at two games each week. The Georgia State marching band, which is a part of the spirit program, also practices three times a week and performs at two games every week.

However, members of the marching band receive stipends that cover all book expenses and some of their tuition.

Universities, such as Georgia Tech and Clemson University, that offer their cheerleaders scholarships and pay for them to compete in national competitions have about 3-5 athletes leave each year due to personal reasons. Whereas, a third of Georgia State’s cheer rosters quit at the end of each season, according to Head Spirit Coach Darryl Lyons.

Jackson left the Georgia State cheerleading team after deciding that working two jobs and being a student athlete with no financial benefit was too much to handle. She, like some of the other cheerleaders that eventually decided to leave the spirit program, was faced with the decision to either continue cheering without financial help or to give up her dream of being a collegiate cheerleader.

In addition to the fact that the cheerleaders are not awarded scholarships or stipends, the team is responsible for funding their participation in cheerleading competitions. Because of how expensive it is to perform at national cheerleading events, the cheerleaders only perform in a limited amount. This year the competition cheerleaders placed first place at Cheersport, a national cheerleading competition, bringing Georgia State’s athletic department more athletic accolades.

Lyons told The Signal he’s confident that his team’s skills will eventually pay off.

“I believe the cheerleading program will receive more money in the future due to the fact the athletic department sees how hard the team works,” he said. “We’ve now moved into the big ranks [in football] and that’s probably going to help change everything for the better.”

CHEER

Accomplishments Won 1st place at 2016 Cheersport Nationals The Georgia State Cheerleaders have been nationally ranked in the top 10 at the National Cheerleaders Association Collegiate Championships for the past seven years.

Most recently, the team competed in the Small Coed Division I and received second in 2012 and fifth in 2013. In 2014, the team placed 10th in the 1A Small Coed Division

PHOTO BY JASON LUONG | SIGNAL ARCHIVES

Georgia State football cheerleaders (left to right) Jaquise Monds, Kassidy Pass, Danielle Climmons shake their pom poms in the air to pump up the crowd.

NEWS

4

TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

SGA

Week SGA's agenda for a safer campus Last Local Senators introduced new bills to address all aspects of campus safety

Georgia State’s SGA discuss the five new pieces of campus safety legislation, March 24, 2016.

CHRISTINA MAXOURIS Associate News Editor

I

n their March 24 meeting, the Student Government Association (SGA) Senate passed a whopping five new pieces of campus safety legislation.

The safety bill introductions began with the “Active Shooter Resolution,” authored by SGA Sen. Justin Jones.

The resolution will follow the Haven online program format to require active shooter information and training to all incoming Georgia State students and faculty.

The bill reads, “Georgia State will work hand in hand with GSU Police Department in developing and requiring a program that will inform the GSU community of their options in the event of an active shooter in their area.”

Though most senators were in agreement on its passage, there were concerns raised on the budget the program would need and whether returning students should be required to complete it every year. A motion was passed for the bill to be sent to the Student Services Commission for approval of a budget and for official movement to be taken by the university.

SGA Sen. Gabriela Batista-Vargas introduced another resolution in opposition to “Campus Carry,” supported by a survey distributed

by SGA which allegedly found most students of Georgia State were against the bill.

Batista-Vargas’ original resolution contained stats on suicide rates, which most of the senate said should

Reporters Wanted!

be nixed from the legislation. In an almost unanimous disagreement, senators argued that the most urgent point of interest for the students was campus safety, not suicide.

Suicide-related clauses were struck from the resolution, and “firearms” were changed to “handguns” to match the Georgia House legislation. After a twenty-five debate period, the Senate voted on sending the heavily amended resolution back to the safety committee.

A decision that also followed the “Escort Increase” resolution, authored

by SGA Transfer Student Liaison Erin Gardner which hoped to create a direct phone line for escorts and increase the number of vehicles provided.

VP for Public Relations, Anthony Nguyen authored legislation which seeked to promote a campus safety campaign at the university.

Recommending weekly SGA emails with safety tips, the bill sought to give a “shout-out” to all safety resources available on campus through flyers, print media and digital signage. A clause of the bill also suggested a safety resource slot in all syllabi, followed with a D2L quiz for all students on emergency contact numbers and resources. The bill was sent back for review, after concerns on the logistics and wording.

With an enthusiastic finale by Corey Gray and Magie Huynh, a bill to make September the campus’ “Safety Awareness Month,” suggested the cooperation of SGA with the GSUPD for the creation of events to raise awareness to safety issue.

Campus safety walks as well as free T-shirt and pins with emergency contact numbers are included in the

PHOTO BY MICHAEL GAITHER | THE SIGNAL

long list of promotion techniques to both inform students of the safer areas and resources on campus, as well as reconstruct a better relationship with the university’s police department.

Campus safety was the prominent issue for SGA debates last week, with candidates promoting their own bill and campaign ideas to step up the university’s policing. Competing for next term’s presidential seat, SGA VP of Student Services Fortune Onwuzuruike brought up security on campus on Tuesday night’s presidential debates, where he promised an increased presence of police officers.

Senator hopefuls also dove into the subject, focusing on the after-math of campus carry if the bill is passed.

“There should be gun training sessions to show how to use the gun and how to respond to someone who is scared or asks about the gun,” said SGA Senate Clerk Janae Williams, a candidate for.

Despite debate speeches full of promises, the SGA Vice President for Academic Affairs, David Jackson Jr., addressed current senators in the meeting to talk about their involvement. Jackson announced SGA’s attempt to keep their members involved by sending out emails to those chosen from a “volunteer pool” to participate in the association’s activities.

“You guys can at least make a meager commitment of your time.

I only ask for 30 or 45 minutes,” he said. “You guys know who you are, and you know you’re running for elections, you have promises and ideas you’re supporting for the debate, so keep that in mind.”

5 SGA bills to keep an eye out for: 1. “A resolution to Require active shooter training to all members of the GSU community” AKA “RUN, HIDE, or FIGHT active shooter resolution of 2016” 2. “A Bill to Implement the Campus Safety Awareness Month at the Atlanta Campus of Georgia State University” 3. “Resolution Opposing Campus Carry at the Atlanta Campus of Georgia State University” 4. “Resolution to Increase Efficiency of the Safety Escort Service at the Atlanta Campus of Georgia State University” 5. “A University Bill to Promote a Campus Safety Campaign at Georgia State University”

Got news?

Dekalb County Suspect Escapes

According to AtlantaJournal Constitution (AJC), DeKalb County courthouse police failed to handcuff fraud suspect Melvin Summers after he was sentenced. Summers, who was tased twice by deputies, still managed to escape from the courtroom by fleeing to a nearby administrative building and then outside.

Although he was captured a day later, questions have arisen concerning the courthouse security's ability to detain suspects. One investigator from another case of courtroom chaos — Brian Nichols escaped trial by stealing a nearby officer’s gun — claimed these lapses of security are a recurring issue.

A Dekalb sheriff told AJC that Summers was not cuffed because he was on trial for non-violent offense.

National

Father kills son for being gay

A 69-year-old Los Angeles resident Shehada Issa allegedly shot and killed his son, Amir, outside of their North Hills home on Friday, according to the Boston Herald. Issa confessed to killing his son after finding his wife stabbed to death inside of their home.

However, after reportedly making several threats in the past, Issa is being charged with killing his son for being gay.

Global

Ex-wife of ISIS Leader wants out

Saja al Dulaimi, the wife of the most wanted ISIS leader, Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, told CNN that she wants to leave her marriage. She also claimed Beghdadi has a "mysterious personality" and she’s "privy to the real side of him, the Mujahid side of him," according to Georgia State Professor, Mia Bloom.

Now afraid for the safety of her 8-year-old daughter's life, Dulaimi is seeking refuge and the opportunity to "live in freedom."

Download an application from georgiastatesignal.com/employment and turn it into Dr. Bryce McNeil or The Signal office!

5

NEWS

TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

University

Too young for independence

Self-sufficient students claim less financial aid if they’re not old enough CHARLES BAILEY Staff Reporter

A

s April 15 approaches, students should be aware of who supports their education— themselves or their parents.

Some college students qualify for more money in loans and scholarships because they file taxes as an independent. But students on their own before the age of 24 have no such luck if their parents still claim them as dependents.

Financial aid awards for dependent students are determined by subtracting a student’s expected family contribution from the college’s cost of attendance, according to the Department of Education.

Questions on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) determine dependency status, and the parents’ income reported on the FAFSA determine the award amount.

Louis Scott, Georgia State financial aid director, said independent status affords more loan opportunities than dependents.

“If the parents’ income is high, that student may not qualify for a Federal Pell Grant, which could be related to the combined parental’ income, number of people in the household, and current students in college in the home,” he said.

However, even if students hold a job and receive no financial aid from their families, they can still be considered dependent, disqualified from more loan opportunities and greater FAFSA awards.

According to the Department of Education, an independent student is at least 24 years old, married, a graduate or professional student, a veteran, a member of the armed forces, an orphan, a ward of the court, someone with legal dependents other than a spouse, an emancipated minor or someone who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

A student who cannot answer yes to all the questions of dependency is considered a dependent and has to file both their parents’ information as well as their own, otherwise the FAFSA application may be rejected for that

year, according to the Department of Education.

Jack Fishman, former IRS agent and tax attorney, said college students are not necessarily independent, because the student can be claimed as a dependent up to age 23 if he or she is in college.

“The idea behind taxation is to encourage, not discourage parental contribution to college,” he said. “But if the parent and child live apart or the child is married, and does not rely on the parent whatsoever, the parent cannot claim the child on taxes,” he said.

At best, the dependent student may qualify for an unsubsidized loan from the school they choose to attend, according to the Department of Education, these types of loans have interest rates at almost 4.3 percent that are not paid for by the Department of Education as subsidized loans are.

This ends up being a nightmare for students and parents by income tax time. Independent students or their parents are eligible for either the American Opportunity Credit, available up to four years of undergraduate school and offers up to $2,500 in refunds, or the Lifetime Learning Credit, a nonrefundable unlimited credit which is about $2,000, according to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

A dependent student cannot claim the American Opportunity Credit or the Lifetime Learning Credit unless he or she is paying tuition and expenses towards a college education, according to the IRS. An exemption, according to Fishman, is the specific amount one can claim per

person from their income taxes for themselves or their dependents, for example, the money one contributes to their or the child's education.

“Exemption encourages the parent to contribute to the child's education,” he said.

“The exemption can only be filed by one person, whoever gives are least 50.1 percent of the support.”

The American Opportunity Credit or the Lifetime Learning Credit require a student to have received a 1098-T tax form they get from their college after financial aid student refunds, according to the IRS. Dependents in the U.S. paid almost $3 billion in taxes by 2011, and about 47 percent of tax returns that year filed because they met the minimum requirements to file, their income was below the minimum, to pay taxes other than income or had no reason to file, according to IRS.

Alexis Campbell, a young Georgia State English major who finances her own education, said parents could claim a child after dependency age for a number of reasons, one of which might be because of the student's income.

“A lot of them do it because their children either don't work or make negligible money for it to be worth doing their own taxes,” she said.

PHOTO BY JADE JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL

Self-sufficient students who are too young to file taxes as independents can be deprived of financial aid cash when their parents claim them as dependent.

oneClick www. georgiastatesignal.com

City

Religious Freedom bill has finally died After passing in both chambers, Gov. Nathan Deal decided to veto HB 757 DESTINY ROBINSON Staff Reporter

G

eorgia Gov. Nathan Deal has decided to veto the “religious liberty” bill.

And although conservative supporters strove for a special session to override Deal’s veto, their last-ditch efforts fizzled out, leaving the bill, which would have allowed faith-based entities to deny services to those of opposing views, dead… at least until next year.

Georgia House Bill 757 (HB 757) struck controversy among multiple companies in the state as a way of “legalizing discrimination” against those in the LGBT community. The bill quickly passed through both chambers before its demise.

Gov. Nathan Deal is receiving backlash from religious groups who believed his decision is against the First Amendment.

Solomon Fortune, a student at Georgia State University who is part of the LGBT community, agreed with Nathan Deal on his decision to veto the bill.

“I feel that it is good that the bill was vetoed by the governor because people's civil rights were being denied,” he said.

“People should not be denied their rights because someone else's religion "prevents" them from accepting someone else.”

On the other side of the spectrum, Georgia State student Kirsten Ashey agrees with the bill and said she believes it should have been passed.

“There is a difference between the government and their meaning of marriage and the church and their meaning of marriage. I believe that it is unjust to make a priest or pastor to go against their beliefs,” she said.

In Mississippi, lawmakers approved a bill called “Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act”, their own Religious Freedom bill that is the same as Georgia. This bill is now heading to the Republican Gov. Phil Bryant.

FACULTY

of the

Year

PHOTO BY DAYNE FRANCIS | THE SIGNAL

Georgia State President Mark Becker sits down with The Signal for an interview discussing the most talked about topics on campus.

BECKER

on

record

One of the city’s most powerful CEOs runs the state’s largest school. And he’s all ours.

SEAN KEENAN News Editor

T

asked with ensuring Georgia State keeps spurring economic growth and scholastic opportunity in Atlanta and beyond, University President Mark Becker calls the shots that move the Panther family.

Over the last seven years, Becker has orchestrated academic and civic operations that make Georgia State tick. Some of that direction led to Georgia State’s consolidation with Georgia Perimeter college, a deal from which Georgia State assumed control over five new campuses, making it the largest school in the state.

Since he left the president’s throne at the University of South Carolina in 2009 to claim the position at Georgia State, Becker has pumped up the university’s graduation rate, raked in serious school research funding and claimed Turner Field for the Panthers, among other things University System of Georgia (USG) chancellors can vouch for.

In a March 28 interview, Becker told The Signal he’s now at the helm of a university that’s long been inspiring development in Atlanta. Georgia State, he said, has been a catalyst for recovery from the housing market crisis of the late ‘00s.

“Georgia State has done more for Downtown than anybody,” Becker said. “This university literally saved this Downtown area well before I got here. And as we’ve come out of the Recession, we’re literally driving development in this area.”

But saving the city from its economic trenches hasn’t kept Becker in everyone’s good graces.

The president, a doctor of statistics revered as one of Atlanta’s top CEOs, has surprised the student radio station with drastic changes, ousted a campus police chief and avoided the cries of some outspoken protesters.

Check out these snippets of the interview below, and hear the whole thing online.

The Signal chose Becker as its Faculty of the Year not because he’s a friend or a foe, but because, whether you love him or hate him, he just might be the world’s most power Panther. Although The Signal doesn’t have much access to actual Panthers.

"I am Georgia State" Becker said he’s long boasted Panther school spirit, but he credits the university’s young football team with getting the students to start sporting Panther blue.

“Before there was football, you didn’t see as many people wearing Georgia State gear,” he said. “You saw more UGA and Emory and Georgia Tech or Auburn.”

Being a Panther means more than it used to, Becker said. “Five years ago, Georgia State stuff wasn’t

being sold at NCAA basketball tournaments,” he said. “Every day of the week I am Georgia State.”

Police chief ousted It can’t be called a “firing” or a “demotion,” but Becker told The Signal that he made the call to relieve Georgia State’s ex-Police Chief Connie Sampson of her badge after a drug-dealing student allegedly started a gunbattle on campus.

“There are things that we need to do that we haven’t been doing and we need to have leadership that wants to take the department in the direction that makes the campus a safer and more responsive campus,” he said.

Becker said GSUPD needs to practice better preventative policing, lest another drug deal turns dangerous.

“We need to have a system in place where if [students are dealing dope], we can put an end to it before it turns into a situation where people are shooting each other,” he said.

Guns on campus Becker said he’s urged Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal to veto the “campus carry” bill, republican-fueled legislation which would allow licensed gun-owners to arm with handguns on school grounds.

“Campus carry would actually make the campus more dangerous,” he said. “You certainly would expect that it would increase the number of guns on campus.”

But if the bill, which is on the governor’s desk awaiting Deal’s decision, is signed into law, Becker said, university officials and the USG will have to take a close look at the legislation to see if they can install safety measures accommodating to the expected firearm influx.

“If a large number of people are carrying guns, if you have a situation where guns do come out and start being fired, when police respond, there’s no clarity to them for who are the good guys and the bad guys,” he said.

And when guns are pulled, and things go south, Becker said, innocent people die.

“In a case of a shootout taking place, when you have individuals who are armed but not clearly identifiable, people are going to be killed accidentally,” he said.

Listen to the full interview audio online at georgiastatesignal.com

Panthers' Turner Field

Georgia State is almost in control of the home of the Atlanta Braves.

Becker said the sale will “hopefully” be finalized soon, but in the interim, the school and its development partners Carter and Oakwood are scoping out ways to spruce up the neighborhood property wrapped around The Ted before Georgia State students start flooding in.

Current blueprints call for a second, smaller stadium to be erected next door to the to-be-retrofitted Turner Field.

The big stadium will be updated to host Panther football activities, while its sister stadium will contain a new baseball field.

“We’re talking about 1,000 seats, a much smaller footprint than Turner Field’s,” he said of the coming baseball stadium.

“Not only does it bring Georgia State baseball out of Panthersville into Downtown, but it does it at a historic site [next to] the original home of the Atlanta Braves.”

Still, signage of the sale agreement, he said, is not contingent upon designing all of the site in advance.

“Carter will build housing, maybe some private market student housing, some single family housing, and retail,” he said. “The overall plan for the project is not to have any asphalt or surface parking. We want it very dense –

building up as opposed to spreading out.”

The Undocumented

On Feb. 1 a band of protesters refused to leave Centennial Hall in hopes of earning Becker’s response to their qualms with “racial profiling” during the college enrollment process.

“I’m not their vehicle,” Becker told The Signal. “They need to work directly with the [USG] Board of Regents.”

No #SavingWRAS In 2014, Georgia State entered into an agreement with Georgia Public Broadcasting, giving GPB half of all 88.5 FM analog airtime.

Although the student-run radio station WRAS, which once ruled all the waves of 88.5, is still aired digitally online 24/7, a clamor of protests broke out after the GPB partnership was announced.

“Did the world change? Yeah” Becker said.

“But the world changed to give students more opportunities. I understand that some people were annoyed, but I have to do what’s best for the university overall.”

The GPB deal offered Georgia State students a new opportunity to work in broadcast television with the creation of GSUTV, which yields students top-notch production resources.

Becker said, would WRAS have been involved in the airtime agreement process, things might not have transpired the same way.

“It was announced without them being consulted, but the switch didn’t happen immediately,” he said. “We didn’t have any other way financially to produce the kind of television production facilities that we were able to get with the GPB agreement.”

As for the #SaveWRAS community, Becker said GPB won’t be giving up its airtime in the foreseeable future. “[WRAS’ airtime], that’s not coming back. Not any time soon,” he said.

OPINION

www.georgiastatesignal.com/opinions

Deal’s veto less than commendable

The small victory of the Religious Liberty Bill’s veto

I

JOHN MILLER Columnist John is an English major with a concentration in Literature. He spends his time cooking, reading, writing and watching movies. Mostly watching movies.

Tweet John! @johnmillerdavi1

have no idea why Gov. Nathan Deal vetoed the infamous Religious Liberty Bill but I’m glad he did. One for two, at least, counting that bull-headed Campus Carry one.

Also, I frankly don’t care why he vetoed it. Was he really opposed to “trying to enshrine discrimination into law” as Christian Science Monitor suggests? What were his true intentions, and moreover, who cares?

Could he have done it despite religious sympathies he might have had? Does it matter in the slightest?

Does it matter if he was concerned about money that would supposedly be lost with Hollywood’s threat to boycott the bill?

Not really. I don’t think we need them throwing around money on their next junket here, and we certainly don’t need another superhero movie, thank you kindly.

No—all that’s important is that the bill is gone, at least for now. And, taking my apathy one step further, I don’t care that he’s lost favor with his fellow Republicans, either.

The point is, vetoing such a bill is not a commendable act. It’s an obvious act, a matter-of-course act; it’s an act as mundane and obvious as telling your friend it’s a bad idea to sell drugs.

All that’s been proved by this bill’s short life is that there are people who are still trying to pass blatantly discriminatory laws, as opposed to just effectively discriminatory laws like cocaine and crack sentencing

PAGE DESIGN BY DARIAN MATHEWS | THE SIGNAL before the Fair Sentencing Act, or explicitly discriminatory laws like North Carolina’s HB2.

There’s another crappy law in the works in the South, by the way. North Carolina’s HB2 is “bigger than what bathroom you can use,” according to NBC. Of course, what they’re referring to is the backlash about the bill restricting transgender people from using whichever bathroom they want, but the bill also “undermines the ability of local and state authorities to define and protect discrimination in other arenas,” also according to NBC. That it also allows for job discrimination based on sexual and gender orientation makes it similar to Georgia’s Religious Liberty bill.

So, this problem isn’t just a Georgia thing. It’s probably just a Southern discrimination-type thing.

Well, as the old journalist said, plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

I’m not going to give the pathetic counter-argument that “It’s 2016; why is this still a problem?” though the argument is worth mentioning. But simply saying the name of the year isn’t a valid position in favor of social change.

I can’t even think of what a better argument would be, because this whole controversy is just a simple matter of opinion as to whether one’s civic duty is more important than their religious duty and vice-versa, a controversy which can be argued

"The point is, vetoing such a bill is not a commendable act. It’s an obvious act, a matter-of-course act; it’s an act as mundane and obvious as telling your friend it’s a bad idea to sell drugs." to death with little hope of changing anyone’s mind.

So, all I can say is that I’m glad that Deal vetoed the bill. I’m glad in a small victory type of way. I’m glad in the same way I’m glad when someone standing in front of the doorway on MARTA said “excuse me” and lets me exit the train: I’m not overjoyed, just a little glad.

Because, while proposing and supporting this bill, whoever was involved were not thinking about any issue that actually mattered. They weren’t thinking seriously about the wellbeing of Georgia’s infrastructure or its citizens, and they weren’t concerning themselves with changing unfair laws. They were spending time coddling the “sincere religious beliefs” of business owners. To put it bluntly, they were wasting everyone’s time.

And they weren’t trying to help out cute mom-and-pop drug stores that sell peanut brittle and just want to pretend the good ol’ days are still in full swing. The bill “would have

allowed taxpayer-funded government agencies—including adoption agencies, homeless shelters, and drug counseling centers—to refuse service to gay individuals and same-sex couples,” according to Slate.

All the same, don’t commend Deal just because he vetoed one bill.

He vetoed 11 other bills last year for more banal reasons. Like I said before, it’s simply a matter of course.

I would think that people in office would have learned from the Civil Rights conflicts of the past century, and taken certain lessons from them, namely that no one deserves to be discriminated against because of the content of their character. This should be a given.

Also that, wherever possible, church should be kept as separate from state as humanly possible, and that law-makers and the state government inherently have the responsibility to look out for the well-being of the average american citizen. But I guess I'm just an optimist.

OPINION

TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

9

EDITORIAL

Sex, lies and Instagram

B

oys will be boys. That’s how the old saying goes right? Unfortunately, too many times that saying is used as a way to justify a double standard for men and women. This issue has come to light even more with recent behavior of social media with regards to the press around R&B singer Kehlani and the press about Nick Young and D'angelo Russell.

A few weeks ago, it reached public discourse that Kehlani allegedly cheated on her boyfriend, NBA player Kyrie Irving, with her ex-boyfriend singer PARTYNEXTDOOR. After waxing poetics on her love for Kyrie Irving not too long ago, PARTYNEXTDOOR posted a photo of him holding Kehlani’s hand in bed with the caption, "After all the shenanigans, still got the R&B singer back in my bed." Speculation then arose that Kehlani was a cheater, and the internet began its quick and reliable witch hunt.

Memes were created and hashtags went viral. Kehlani’s recent feature on Zayn’s track “Wrong” even went trending.

Not too long after, Kehlani posted a picture to her Instagram and then subsequently deleted the post of an IV in her arm, explaining she was not a cheater and hinted a possible suicide attempt.

A similar situation occurred in the NBA a couple of weeks ago, when a video of Nick Young allegedly admitting to cheating with various women surfaced. The video was taken by his teammate D’Angelo Russell. Social media scolded him for breaking guy code by exposing his friend in the video.

It, is alleged that his own teammates will not speak to him, eat with him, or even ride on the same bus as him.

This is a total 180 from the way we reacted to the Kehlani/ Kyrie situation. Instead of chastising Nick Young for cheating on his fiance, we decided to blame the person that

exposed him. In Kehlani’s case, there has not been that much blame to PND for exposing her.

Cheating is an accepted wrong, but the narrative created around each gender tends to start a different dialogue.

For women, they are selfish who can’t be trusted and out in the world breaking hearts. A common sentiment shared in phrases like, “These hoes ain’t loyal.” For men, especially famous ones, cheating is an amoral decision that sometimes comes with the territory. If you’re an artist or a sports player, what else is going to happen when you have your pick of women? If a man cheats, his reputation can still survive. If a woman cheats, that becomes her reputation. It becomes easier for us to demonize a woman for her mistakes, and to begrudgingly accept them in a man. Especially when it involves sex.

Unless of course you’re on the other side of the spectrum, the woman herself, and from that side of the mountain, the view is as clear as it gets. Sure, there have been publicity stunts putting women to blame for fancying another guy other than her own, but there have been plenty of cases where a guy has done the wrongdoing.

Maybe you’re just not paying attention. And a couple of famous celebrities may have convinced a naive crowd that it’s okay for a guy to do it, but how often do we run into the classic scenario of “I know my boyfriend’s cheating on me… but we love each other.” It’s all a matter of perspective here, there’s no double standard unless you’re reading the wrong articles and focusing on cheap social media sites crowning stories of rap gods and their girlfriends.

As for “boys will be boys”? That’s the phrase mothers use to justify their seven-year old sons getting all muddy and dirty in the playground. Not sleeping with another woman, while their own waits at home, half-expecting she’ll get

ILLUSTRATION BY ERIK REID | THE SIGNAL cheated on at one point or another because “boys will be boys”. If boys “can’t help being boys” then boys should not commit to relationships, get married, engage in long-term and trustworthy friendships because apparently, “boys will be boys” means boys lack the potential to be loyal. And if that’s the case, then we might sheepishly follow every other false stereotype, like girls spending all their money on clothes because, hey, girls will be girls.

The RCB Grad Experience GE T CLOSER TO BU SINES S Discover if a graduate business degree is right for you. The J. Mack Robinson College of Business invites all undergrads to discover how continuing your education will make a difference in your future career.

Hear about our top-ranked graduate business programs and hands-on learning experiences. Learn about life after undergrad from our alumni guest speakers who will share what grad school is really like. Key faculty, staff, and alumni from Robinson’s 24 graduate business programs will be on hand to discuss the admissions process and program details.

A Chick-fil-A® boxed lunch will be provided to those who register to attend this free event.

GRAD EXPERIENCE DETAILS: WHEN: Tuesday, April 12th | 12:00-1:00pm WHERE: Rialto Center for the Arts REGISTER: robinson.gsu.edu/gradexperience

QUESTIONS? Please email rcbgradadmissions@gsu.edu robinson.gsu.edu/gradexperience

ARTS & LIVING

www.georgiastatesignal.com/artsandliving

Starry-eyed Exploring the sky within the city

A

s comes with the territory in city limits, there is pollution in the air. Light is obstructed by the pollution, and it makes it hard to see the clear starry sky. For ones wishing to get a front row seat, Atlanta and Georgia State have the view.

GSU Astronomy Club

For the celestial inclined, Georgia State houses an astronomy club. In the club, students interested in astronomy come to meetings and events.

David Davis, president of the Astronomy Club, shares that being knowledgeable on the mathematics behind astronomy is not necessary to be a member.

“We’re not a club that teaches the fundamentals of astronomy through mathematics, nothing that deep,” Davis said. “What we want to do is have members learn more about planets in our solar system and the constellations they see when they look up at night.”

While being a member of the club does not give enough info to acquire the mind of an astronomer, the club can teach to a novice and share experiences of professional stargazers.

“Our graduate advisors are actual astronomers, and they attend every meeting. They are a wealth of knowledge and are always happy to answer questions or provide clarity on certain aspects of astronomy,” Davis said. “A student can learn more about what it means to be an actual astronomer, and they can learn more about our solar system and the universe we inhabit and just simply have a good time.”

Their regular activities include

Sun viewing days: The club sets up a solar telescope in Library Plaza, and anyone can come by and take a inner peak into the sun. Sunspots, solar prominences and more are visible.

Observation Nights: One of the telescopes from the Astronomy Department is set up on the roof of the Urban Life Building. Members of the club are able to climb up to look at the constellations or a sky object.

Star Parties: Owned by Georgia State, the club has an overnight camping trip at the Hard Labor Creek Observatory. The organization arrives around 4 p.m. and sets up a barbecue. As night falls, smaller telescopes and the domes are opened.

Monthly Meetings: There are two meetings a

PHOTO SUBMITTED

BY GEORGIA STATE ASTRONOMY CLUB

The Astronomy Club at Georgia State enjoying their Spring Break 2016 trip at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida. (Far left) Astronomy Club member, Drew Jackson, teaches kids about space crafts at Fernbank’s Science at Hand Day. (Far right)

SYDNEY CUNNINGHAM Associate Arts & Living Editor

month. The first is simply a general body meeting.

The second meeting, a professor is invited from the Astronomy Department to discuss their research. A yearly spring break trip is also held. This year's was at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Movie Nights: A sci-fi film is screened. Last semester was the Star Wars Trilogy.

For Davis, distance is what romanticizes the night.

“I love the fact that we can’t fully comprehend the distances, sizes, and temperatures involved in astronomy. Stars and planets are massive and so far away,” Davis said. “We are just now starting to understand how awesome our universe is, and I suppose the vastness and mysteriousness of the universe is attractive. I believe there is life in the universe other than ourselves and to think that we may be looking at a star that hosts a living world is amazing.”

*To join, students can join via Facebook or through OrgSync.

Fernbank Science Center

Utilized most commonly for school field trips, the Fernbank Science Center is a part of the school system and open only to the public on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.

Inside the Center, there is both a planetarium and an observatory at a star fan’s disposal.

The difference between the two can be answered by April Whitt, the astronomer at Fernbank.

The Planetarium

“I guess the best way to describe the difference is what's ‘real.’ In the planetarium, the audience sits in seats rather like a movie theater, looks up at the domed ceiling, and the presenter uses the Zeiss planetarium projector in the center of the room to project the night sky up on the ceiling,” Whitt said.

“It's like being outside camping, but without bugs, rain or light pollution. There are 500 seats in the planetarium theater, so there is plenty of room for lots of visitors.”

The planetarium hosts a weekly event called, “The Sky Tonight,” that displays the night sky for 30 to 40 minutes, depicting all the stars, planets and constellations. In the viewing, the actual light pollution of the metro Atlanta sky is adjusted to show what the dark skies would look like without it.

Questions about it can be directed at the presenter.

It is every Saturday morning at 11 a.m. Due to the enclosed and simulated characteristic, it’s open rain or shine.

Other programs are Thursday and Friday evenings at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. On Saturday, the time slots consist of 11 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.

The Observatory

“In the observatory, the weather is the driving factor. If it's raining or cloudy, the observatory is not open,” Whitt said. “During good weather, visitors line up to look through a large telescope, 36-inch diameter reflector, one at a time, to view a real object in the real sky: the moon, a planet, a nebula or galaxy, maybe, depending on the time of year.”

On a lucky night, besides the moon and the planets, sometimes a comet can go by and in Whitt’s words, it is something “extraordinary.”

The observatory is much smaller in size than the planetarium and requires climbing two flights of stairs up to the roof, which is not temperature controlled. If the weather hinders the telescope’s view, there will be a tour of the observatory where visitors can look at the telescope, but not through it.

The observatory is open every Thursday and Friday, 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

The only limit to the exploration is that Fernbank is a part of the Dekalb County School District and closes at arguably early times. Lately, the observatory’s closure is at 10:30 p.m. The ability to learn is controlled by certain time slots.

Whitt recommends Greg Matloff ’s “The Urban Astronomer” for any stargazers looking for tips and ideas inside a light polluted area “In the planetarium, the presenter can point out a specific constellation or star. In the observatory, if a constellation or star is up in the night sky, it might be visible through the telescope,” Whitt said. “In both places, presenters can answer questions, recommend resources or suggest other places to find information.”

PAGE DESIGN BY KHOA TRAN | THE SIGNAL PHOTO BY DAYNE FRANCIS | THE SIGNAL

Fernbank Science Center houses a planetarium, which gives visitors an amazing projected view of the constellations.

TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

11

ARTS & LIVING

Ringing in Spring

80th Annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival

Ticketing

While admission to the festival itself is free, certain events at the festival require a ticket. All tickets can be purchased in advance at dogwood.org

Family Friday:

General Admission: $10 ($15 onsite) Vip Tent Party: Friday (7 - 10 p.m.): $15 Saturday (7 - 10 p.m.): $15

Barbecue & Brews VIP Experience: VIP Saturday and Sunday: $30 Platinum VIP Saturday and Sunday: $50

Festival Hours

Friday: Noon - 11 p.m.* Saturday: 10 a.m. - 11 p.m.* Sunday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. *Artist market closes at 7 p.m. on Friday & Saturday.

CATRINA DYGERT Staff Reporter

S

pring is in the air and one way to usher it in is with the 80th Annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival. Hosted in Piedmont Park from April 8 to 10, the festival will showcase artists and musicians from across the country.

The artist gallery, which has been ranked No. 28 of the Top Shows in the Country by Sunshine’s Artist Magazine in 2015, will feature art from more than 260 artists in 12 categories, including sculpture, photography, and even glass blowing. Patrons will be able to view and purchase jewelry, vases, and prints across the weekend.

To celebrate the festival’s 80th anniversary, patrons are also encouraged to donate to the commemorative sculpture fund, which will help support the commission of a bronze sculpture shaped like a dogwood branch in bloom. The sculpture will be built by the Charles Allen entrance as a welcome to visitors to Piedmont Park.

If art isn’t a seller, there's also a weekend of music on the Main or International Stages. The artists range from Folk Rock and R&B acts to a Jimmy Buffett Tribute band, who’ll take the Main Stage Friday night at 9:30 p.m.

The International Stage, on the other hand, will spotlight local dance troupes, for the most part,

including performances by Nazaaqat, Georgia Tech’s Bollywood Dance Team, and the Johns Creek High School Dance Team. A full lineup for both stages can be found at http://www.dogwood.org/music.

There are also plenty of events to attend during the festival, however most require guests to purchase a wristband to attend. For example, Family Friday, which features family-oriented entertainment, as the name suggests, costs $10 for an entrance wristband.

The wristband grants each owner unlimited access to the rides and inflatables, as well as a 20 percent discount with select food and drink vendors.

There will also be some “grown-up” events, including the Backyard Barbecue & Brews, which shows off craft beers, wine and food from local restaurants and chefs. This year’s Barbecue & Brew will take place Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m., and is free, although there are VIP tickets available to purchase. VIP tickets grant patrons access to the VIP tent and private bathrooms at the event.

Finally, there will also be a 5K on Saturday at 8 a.m. The race will start on the corner of 10th Street and Charles Allen Drive and run through historic Midtown, ending with mimosas in Piedmont for all runners over 21. Runners must register in advance, and there is a $30 registration fee associated with the event.

Dogwood Festival has plenty of activities for all ages. With good music and better food, there’s no better way to celebrate spring than at Piedmont Park.

PAGE DESIGN BY KHOA TRAN | THE SIGNAL PHOTO COURTESY OF ATLANTA DOGWOOD FESTIVAL

Attendees participate in activities and lounge around at Piedmont Park at the 2015 Dogwood Festival.

Panther o

Meet Bran

of the Year

nden Stokes

CHANTE FOSTER Staff Reporter

C

ollege is just a minor stepping stone for this Georgia State Panther, whose passion for decreasing homelessness, came from personal experience. Pushing past obstacles, he gained a greater appreciation for life, by fueling a hunger for education and success.

This year’s nominated participant for Panther of the Year was given to Branden Stokes. As an older brother to five sisters, Stokes has plenty of experience with being a role model. Which is why he is actively involved in numerous organizations on campus.

“Through these organizations, it’s causing me to be active on campus, and you never know that you can be a role model for some people,” Stokes said. “So when they see me active around the GSU community that gets them inspired to say, ‘hey maybe I should start doing stuff instead of going to school and not being active."

Stokes takes a role in being a peer mentor, campus tour guide, a member of Infinite Appeal and Man Cave, a Christian organization for young men. Finding a balance between classes, work, and campus involvement requires motivation and time management, according to Stokes.

“You gotta have time management skills, [and] you're going to learn how to develop those during freshman year,” Stokes said. “When I first came here I was like, ‘oh, I can wing it? No,’ because when I started failing tests, I learned how to develop time management skills.”

Stokes is currently studying pre-law, with a minor in history. His concentration is law and society because it touches on both philosophy and politics.

“Since the fifth grade I knew what I wanted to do,” Stoke said. “[Few] things that I know I’m good at is words, motivating, inspiring and persuading people into doing the right or positive thing.”

Moving Forward One factor that shaped Stokes’s passion for helping the homeless was through personal experience. Nearly eight years ago the peer mentor went through a hardship that impacted his family. However, the burden brought him closer to his family.

“There was a point in time where I was homeless,” Stokes said. “Our house burned down, I didn’t let that deter me into a path of criminal activity, and it just fueled my hunger for my education and being more successful in the world.”

After graduating, the peer mentor wants to use

his education to one day help others in the Atlanta community by owning a few businesses and opening up more homeless shelters. Stokes wants to clean up the street, by implementing programs which provide clothing, meals, and jobs, to help the homeless enter a better environment.

“I want my money to make itself,” Stokes said. “I don't want to be rich, I want to be wealthy, so I can live comfortably and give back to the community.”

The peer mentor is always energized to combat new obstacles. Whenever Stokes finds himself in a tough situation, he uses faith to stay motivated.

“As long as I have God, by my side, I can do anything,” Stokes said. “Break down any barriers [or] any walls, nothing is impossible.”

Getting to know the Panther of the Year Do you ever find yourself in a position where you have to take a step back and relax from all the activities, school and work? If so, what do you do during those moments?

Stokes: The time that I do that is on the weekends.

I’m a very adventurous guy, so I like exploring. I will probably go and explore Atlanta, go to centennial park or the little downtown attractions. I’m a very curious guy and my thirst for wisdom and knowledge is great. I like researching, going to the museum, playing billiards and playing basketball.

Do you have any business or organizations on campus that you’ve helped get started?

Stokes: Man Cave, I didn’t found it, but I’m one of the early members. I [like] getting it out, telling other young men about the possibilities of just having a men’s group.

Usually men who are Christians have so many thoughts jumbled in their head, but they just can’t tell anybody those thoughts because people look at them like they’re crazy. This a place where you can release those thoughts and get wisdom from other men that are immersed in God themselves.

What are some principles that you live by?

Stokes: Respect all elders, even if you’re homeless you’re still my elder. My grandmother is a minister and she says ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’ Giving back to the community, being successful and making money comfortably, inspires me to be determined and work harder for those things in life.

For all of the organizations that you are a part of, what has been a very impactful moment for you?

Stokes: Feeding the homeless. I’ve done a lot of community service at Safe House, and sometimes just

listening to some of these stories, seeing mothers come in with children. Sometimes, I dip out and pray to God to bless them and bring them out of that situation.

Hearing some of the stories is really tough on my heart, because I know what it’s like to be homeless.

How does your family feel about your involvement within the community? Are they proud of your achievements?

Stokes: I’m in college, I don’t have kids and I don’t have a record. Being in college making good grades, and knowing that I’m a role model to other boys in the church back at home, knowing that I’m being the best that I can be makes my mother not have to worry. I’m making a positive impact in life and in society.

What made you decided to study pre-law at Georgia State?

Stokes: Georgia State wasn’t my choice, I went to the University of Georgia. It was a culture shock. Then I came to Georgia State, I took a tour and I was like, ‘dang it’s so diverse,’ people from different ethnicities and cultures, and I could actually see myself walking through the streets of Atlanta when going to class.

How would you define your college experience so far at Georgia State?

Stokes: Sometimes I would look at my peers and wonder how we would be in the future. Then I would look back and think back to freshman year, sophomore year and junior year in high school. We hoped that we would all be successful in life. I’m in college now and it’s a great feeling.

How did you feel when you found out that you were nominated to be Panther of the Year?

Stokes: I not going to lie I was shocked. ‘I’m like what, from everybody at Georgia State? There’s like 50 thousands kids.’ It made me [feel] very humble and made me feel so much gratitude, that somebody actually knows about the work that I’m doing at Georgia State.

How would you describe the atmosphere at Georgia State, and how would you place yourself in that spectrum?

Stokes: The atmosphere is that we are all trying to graduate and we are all trying to be successful in life. I place myself in that same category. We’re not here for games, we are actually here for work, we are trying to get that professional job and be better in life. We don’t want to work a nine-to-five for the rest of our lives, we want to be great and live comfortably. Everybody is about their business, we pay too much money to just throw it down the drain.

PAGE DESIGN BY KHOA TRAN | THE SIGNAL PHOTO BY DAYNE FRACIS | THE SIGNAL

Branden Stokes holds a cup of hot chocolate inside Just Add Honey Tea Company.

ARTS & LIVING

14

TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

Give new life Upcycle and fix the broken NICHOLE PLACE

Assistant Arts & Living Editor

A

s college students keeping up with trends and making sure that everything we own is in good shape can be hard. Sometimes things break or go out of style and our pockets are less than capable of purchasing new ones. So here are a few ways to upcycle almost anything.

Fixer-upper

When things break getting a new one can be nearly impossible when you have no money. So here are a few ways to fix what you’ve broken.

Compact makeup

Repurpose

A few cheap ways to give something a new purpose.

Store up: Use old coffee creamer bottles as

containers. Fill them with candy, baking ingredients and whatever else will help you around the kitchen.

Cut and Clip: Cut the clips off of old clothes hangers to use as clips to close chip bags.

Sealed: Reuse containers that held lunch meats by washing them out and use them a Tupperware.

Sauced: Wash out old pasta sauce jars and use them as plant pots. You can fill them with dirt and succulents for a cute addition to any room.

Light the way: Remove wax from finished candles by pouring boiling water into the candle to melt the wax. As it cools the wax will rise to the top (you may have to repeat this to get all the wax out). Then use the container to hold cotton balls or other items in your bathroom.

Reflecting table: Place a large old mirror onto a coffee table that you already own to create a new look.

Make sure that the mirror is not too big or too small for the table.

Drawer basket: Use an old drawer as a basket for bathing suits, blankets or DIY supplies.

Step one: Remove the legs of your table.

Step two: Flip the top of your table upside down and paint the whole thing.

Step three: Once the paint is dry, screw the legs back onto the table. But this time make sure the bottom of the table is now the top.

Step four: The top of your table should now have a deep inside. You should be able to fill it up, almost like you could with a drawer.

Step five: Fill the inside of the table with cute pictures and knick-knacks.

Step six: Place a piece of glass that is cut to the size of the table on top of the table.

Tip: You could also use a large, empty picture frame for the top.

Flared out

An easy fix for loose glasses in one step.

Step one: Add a dab of clear nail polish to the hinges on your glasses to tighten them.

Give your wood furniture a light layer of white color.

Step one: Sand down the wood and use a damp cloth to wipe it down.

Step two: Mix together the white paint with water.

You want the mixture to be a bit runny.

Step three: With a paint brush, paint on the paintwater mixture. Then quickly take a dry cloth to wipe the paint off. It seems a little backwards to do this but it will give the wood a white color while allowing you to still see the grains in the wood.

A cute way to add a layer of lace or ruffles to the bottom of your shirt.

Step one: Measure a piece of fabric to be the same length around your body as the shirt.

Step two: Take the piece of fabric and place it in the shirt how you would want it to lay. Trim down and excess fabric so that it is seamless all the way around.

Step three: Using fabric glue or sewing, attach the fabric to the bottom half of your shirt. You want to make sure that you are attaching it to the inside of the shirt. It can be helpful to turn the shirt inside out when you do this step.

Tip: You want to make sure that the fabric hanging from the bottom is no more than three inches in length when it is hanging out.

Tip: Make sure that seam on the fabric comes together at one of the sides for the most unnoticeable look.

Tip: Make sure that you do not cut the part of the fabric that is hanging out from the bottom. You don’t want the material to fray making it look unfinished. You can also create a makeshift seam by folding the bottom of the fabric under and gluing or sewing it.

Unjam a stuck zipper with one product.

Step one: Use a cotton swab to apply petroleum jelly to a zipper that is jammed.

Give your table a touch of you without cluttering the top. (This can only be done on tables that allow you to take the legs off and screw them on upside down.)

Don’t spend money you don’t have on items that can be fixed up. Follow these tips and be a lean, mean, fixing machine.

For all the eye shadows, blushes, and face powders that have stained the inside of your bag, here is how to fix them.

Step one: Mash all of the powder up, but be careful because it can get pretty messy.

Step two: Add a rubbing alcohol to the powder, but just do a little at a time to make sure you don’t make it too liquidy.

Step three: Smooth everything over using the back of a spoon and then let it dry.

Lipstick

Put your favorite lipstick in its place.

Step one: If your lipstick has broken in half, use a light to melt the bottom of the top that has broken off and the top of the part that is still in the tube.

Step two: Before the melted lipstick has dried, put the two heated ends together and hold it together as it cools.

Sunglasses

Zipper

Upcycle

How to make anything old look new again.

Whitewash

Shadow Box Table

PAGE DESIGN BY KHOA TRAN | THE SIGNAL PHOTO BY ALEX GARCIA | THE SIGNAL

Mix alcohol in your broken powder to fix up your makeup or add clear nail polish on the hinges of your sunglasses to temporarily tighten them up.

15

ARTS & LIVING

TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

Film review

'Krisha' will leave you breathless Trey Edwards Shults crafts a chaotic, riveting feature debut.

ALEXANDRA GRAHAM Staff Reviewer

I

t only took five minutes for “Krisha” to knock the breath out of me. This chaotic and unrelenting film is best enjoyed in a dark room with the door locked to ensure maximum absorption in this frantic and empathetic catastrophe.

It’s a stressful watch and a worthy one, the whole feature vibrates along with its titular character. Sixtysomething Krisha (Krisha Fairchild) comes home on Thanksgiving after “time away” to “heal herself,” though we can’t be sure what exactly that entails. She’s welcomed at first, but quickly the house gets chilly as her presence unearths old feelings, whose origins seem connected to her beloved lock box full of pills.

Director (and writer, editor, actor) Trey Edward Shults filmed the movie over nine days in his mother’s Texas home, and the cast is heavy with family. Krisha Fairchild is Shults’ aunt and one of the only experienced actors in the group. Shults’ non-

actor mother Robyn Fairchild also plays a crucial role as Krisha’s long maltreated sister, and relatives fill just about every other role. The performances are stellar, probably in part because of the family’s connection to Shults’ father and cousin, who inspired the film.

Krisha’s interactions with her family vary from tentative acceptance to downright viscousness. There’s a lot of pain here and Shults navigates a complex web of personal affronts. He lets relationships reveal themselves to us through small moments, and doesn’t over explain how everyone functions. His light touch — astonishing for a 27-yearold debuting his first film — lends to the film’s tight realism. Nothing feels written in.

One might dispute calling the film’s style realistic (“There’s not even any handheld shots,” you may contest) but consider whose eyes we’re looking through. We don’t just follow Krisha, we see everything, even her drugand stress-addled point of view, and that’s where all the formal insanity comes in. DP Drew Daniels’ camera forces us into her worldview with

incessant dipping and swirling and uncomfortable angles.

The score is equally trippy, a dreadful crescendo that pushes home the film’s quasi-horror sensibility and turns simple conversations into moments of violence. Shults furthers this by intercutting conversations with images of sweaty twentysomethings arm wrestling and dogs nipping each other in the yard, a reminder that there’s conflict simmering under every interaction.

It’s disturbing and physically unsettling.

Thankfully, Krisha herself is treated with care, sympathetic from the get go. The visceral horror rarely lets up, but presenting the film from her perspective keeps her pain in focus, raising her from “unreliable heartbreaker” to broken human being.

It’s crushing when things go bad, and Shults doesn’t try to force a happy ending; he knows this story too well.

But “Krisha”’s staggering empathy makes it worth all the trauma to experience this woman’s world so fully.

Synopsis: When Krisha shows up at her sister's home on Thanksgiving morning, her close and extended family greet her with a mixture of warmth and wariness.

As Krisha's attempts at reconciliation become increasingly rebuffed, tension and suspicion reach their peak as everyone becomes immersed in an emotionally charged familial reckoning.

Grade: A Verdict: Trey Edwards Shults feature debut is an engrossing and expertly crafted whirlwind of movement, sound, and pain, offering an unwavering look into a distressed psyche.

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ROME FORTUNE JEROME RAHEEM FORTUNE

4

SAMIYAM ANIMALS HAVE FEELINGS

5

SOUNDS OF CERES NOSTALGIA FOR INFINITY

6

TELEGRAM OPERATOR

7

V/A-NIGHTINGALE FLOOR V/A- NIGHTINGALE FLOOR

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V/A PALETTES PALETTES 5

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BULLION LOOP THE LOOP

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EARTHGANG STRAYS WITH RABIES

calendar & games

TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

17

Campus & Downtown Events

Tuesday Climate Leadership Summit April 5 Senate Salon – Student Center East

Speakers include national EPA, the City of Atlanta, Southface, Cox Enterprises , CocaCola, civil rights leaders.

Wednesday Free Hugs Project April 6

Community Development Programs continue their free hugs event to foster a sense of community and connection at the university.

Thursday Mosaic Festival April 7

In celebration of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, student organizations host tables and celebrate on behalf of The Mulitcultural Center. There will be a performance

by Lijie The Music Maker.

Friday Gabriel Iglesias April 8 8 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Laugh until your stomach hurts at Gabriel Iglesias' comedy show.

Saturday

Sunday

Atlanta Dogwood Festival

40th annual atlanta film festival

April 9 Piedmont Park

Come out and bring your friends to the Atlanta Dogwood Festival for art, food, fun, and more.

April 10

Enjoy a 10 day screening of an incredible variety of documentaries, shorts, narratives, animated films and more.

Monday Name that poem April 11

Celebrate National Poetry Month by participating in this game about poetry at Atlanta-Fulton Central Library.

Come and share your favorite works as well!

More events and info at georgiastatesignal.com

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Women’s tennis head coach Jason Marshall shares his story before arriving at Georgia State

PHOTO BY LAHAR SAMANTARAI | THE SIGNAL

Coach Jason Marshall discusses playing positions during a Georgia State women’s tennis match on the Georgia State Clarkston campus, April 2, 2016

LEAH COTTON Staff Reporter

W

omen’s tennis head coach Jason Marshall is currently in the midst of his second season at Georgia State, but his tennis background extends back into his early

childhood.

Born in Dallas, Texas, Marshall was introduced to tennis by his mother at age eight.

“My mom started me in tennis,” Marshall said. “Then I had private coaches, but when I got more serious I started training everyday. I actually went to a junior development program.”

Continuing in his tennis career, Marshall attended J.J. Pearce High School in Richardson, Texas. Having only played one season in high school due to injury, Marshall was not heavily recruited. Wanting to stay in state, Marshall was looking at colleges and universities around his hometown.

“I just got recruited randomly,” Marshall said. “Like how did I get from Texas to Indiana? The coach saw me play at one of the national events, and he invited me to come on a visit and to see the university. I really enjoyed it. I would have never known about Purdue if I wasn't recruited. It was never on my radar. I was thinking of schools in Texas or schools in the south. It was the best fit for me educationally, the team and my level of tennis at the time.”

While attending Purdue, Marshall began playing on the professional level during the summers. This competition helped him improve his skills and become a leader. Marshall credits his incline in the sport to his time playing in the pros. One of his greatest accomplishments came from his time at Purdue.

“Winning the Big Ten singles championship,” Marshall said.

“Especially the first time, I won it twice. I was ranked No. 7 or

8 in Texas, which is OK. I was probably around number 15 in the nation, but when I went to Purdue, I was around No. 4 on my team. I went, in one year, from being No. 4 on my team to winning the entire conference.”

Marshall majored in small business at Purdue University and then went on to receive his master’s degree through an online program provided by Texas A&M. While working on his master’s degree, Marshall was simultaneously teaching private tennis lessons as well as serving as assistant coach at Texas Christian University.

“That was the most brutal year and eight months of my life,” Marshall said. “While I was running a team, going to school and teaching on the side it was like three jobs.”

Serving as the men’s assistant coach for two years and moving over to become the women’s assistant coach for four years, Marshall spent six years with the Horned Frogs.

“It’s very different,” Marshall said. “It’s a private school. Only around 8,000 students. It's a great facility, for tennis it’s beautiful.”

Professional Career

Hanging on his wall lies one of Marshall’s honors from his pro career. This is his competitor badge from the Wimbledon.

“It was when all the hard work, all the trophies, all the lessons, all the soreness, all the sweat paid off, “Marshall said. “When I made the cut off to get into Wimbledon, I knew I was with the big boys. I am on the grass. I am in the draw. That moment hit me that it was no longer a tennis court anymore. This is a special court. When I realized that in 2004, it really hit me that I had done the impossible.”

Marshall has competed in more than 35 states and 40 countries as a member of the Association of Tennis Professionals and the International Tennis Federation. Some of these locations include Peru, Argentina and Mexico. Reaching as high as No. 101 in the world in doubles play, as well as defeating top-10 ranked Marcos

Baghdatis in Vietnam, allowed Marshall to create a name for himself.

Throughout the tournaments and the rankings, one specific match sticks out to Marshall. Marshall gained a victory in the third round of the Classic $15,000 Men’s Future Event against one of Mexico’s most prestigious players.

“I won that tournament,” Marshall said. “It was in Mexico. A small professional tournament. I remember playing the No. 1 player in Mexico. He was one of the top 100-200 players in the world. I was playing him in his city, and there were about 3,000 people there. Imagine you’re playing their best player and their home favorite and every single person is cheering against you. So it’s one versus 3,000. I beat him in the third round and went on to win the tournament.”

Post professional tennis

Winning this tournament not only taught Marshall to deal with adversity, but it also made his belief system stronger.

Marshall participated in pro tennis from 2001-2007. Having to stop due to increased injuries, Marshall decided to use his tennis connections to get a job in inside sales.

After interviewing to be a sale representative for AT&T and shadowing an employee, Marshall went on to spend a day on the job. After working the job, he soon realized that his passion was still tennis.

“I can’t sit behind the computer for eight hours a day and make phone calls,” Marshall said. “It wasn’t what I wanted to do. Even though I had a great contact, and it would be a great career. It was at that moment I realized coaching would be a good deal. The moment you find out what you want, is the moment you find out what you don’t want.”

Marshall continued to coach tennis and gave back his knowledge and love of the sport to younger players.

Athlete

of the year Nick

Arbuckle SIGNAL SPORTS STAFF

Leah Cotton, Devone Slappy, Tobi Adeyemi, Rashad Milligan

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY GEORGIA STATE ATHLETICS

Former quarterback Nick Arbuckle throws a pass during a game against Appalachian State, Oct. 31, 2015.

Before Georgia State

Behind Arbuckle’s collected and organized demeanor, lies a hardworking individual on and off the field. After losing his mother to cancer at a young age, Arbuckle remained focused. Former teammate and current senior tight end Keith Rucker is familiar with this vow.

“He is the most driven person I know,” Rucker said. “I know he lost his mother to cancer around age 12. He made promises to her that he still has in tact and is in very good shape to keep.”

The Camarillo, California native attended St. Bonaventure High School in Ventura, California. While not being recruited by many colleges out of high school, Arbuckle went on to play football at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, California. Spending two seasons at the junior college, Arbuckle began to set records and showcase his talent.

During his freshman season 2012, Arbuckle totaled of 3,774 yards and 40 touchdowns. The break out talent continued on during his sophomore season, 2013. Throwing for 2,852 yards and 26 touchdowns, Arbuckle completed almost 60 percent of his passes. Increasing his accuracy and timing, Arbuckle led the Pacific Conference, in the California Community College Athletic Association, with 259.3 yards per game during his sophomore season.

While attending Pierce college, the team won two conference bowl games.

Winning the Patriot Bowl in 2012 and the American Division Championship Bowl in 2013, Arbuckle portrayed his ability to turn a program around and lead.

“Nick is one of the nicest people I know,” Rucker said. “He cares more about others around him than he does himself.”

After totaling nearly 7,000 passing yards and 73 touchdowns, Arbuckle began to gain the attention of several colleges. Some include, the University of NevadaLas Vegas, New Mexico State, the University of Massachusetts and Virginia Tech.

Deciding to attend Georgia State was a similar move for Arbuckle. While Pierce College had been struggling to win games and increase their program status, Arbuckle enrolled and helped turn the program around. When recruited

by Georgia State the football program struggled to win games. Going 0-12 in the 2013-14 season, the Panthers were in need of a leader. With hopes of helping turn two programs around, Arbuckle decided to create his own reputation at Georgia State.

“When I heard Nick Arbuckle was transferring to Georgia State, I did some research and I was excited,” Taylor Ray, a junior student, said. “I was eager to welcome a new leader that could help our team reach its full potential.”

Present

“We put the ball in the hands of the best player in our conference, the best player on our offense and on our team,” Head Coach Trent Miles said in the bowl game post conference. That player is none other than senior quarterback Nick Arbuckle.

Arbuckle’s senior season was one for the Sun Belt Conference and Georgia State record books. He was named Sun Belt Conference Student-Athlete of the Year and was named first-team All-Sun Belt quarterback. He set the Sun Belt record for passing yards with 4,368 and for total offensive yards with 4,273. He also set Georgia State season records for completions, 307, touchdown passes, 28, and total offense as well.

Arbuckle came into the 2015 season wanting to cut down on his interceptions from last year as well as his footwork.

In an interview with former Signal writer Jeremy Johnson, Arbuckle said, “I had to focus mostly on not turning the ball over. So studied a lot on things that caused those turnovers. One of the biggest things I’ve worked on this whole offseason is getting my eyes and my feet to work together.”

All of those things that Arbuckle focused on during the offseason, paid off this season as he made improvement in both interceptions and completion percentage. Last year Arbuckle threw 17 interceptions and this year he cut it down 12, which is a big jump considering he also played in a postseason game. In terms of completion percentage he went from 60.4 percent to 63.2 percent and he set the Georgia State record for completions in a season with 307.

The final thing that Arbuckle worked on during the offseason wasn’t anything physical, rather it was mental. That mental thing he worked on was his leadership as this was his final season.

“Whenever you’re first into a program, it’s kind of feeling where even if guys think you do something you have to show them first,” Arbuckle said to Johnson.

“You first have to lead by example before they start following everything you say.”

Arbuckle’s leadership showed itself this season when the Panthers had just lost their sixth game of the season to UL Lafayette and fell to 2-6 on the season.

The Panthers would have to win their last four games in order to become bowl eligible. It was a mission that no one thought was possible, but somehow Arbuckle found a way to lead his to that bowl game.

The Panthers would win the next four straight games, including their final win against rival Georgia Southern on the road 34-7. During that four game winning streak, Arbuckle averaged 374 yards passing, completed 66 percent of his passes, ran for two touchdowns, and threw eight touchdowns while only throwing three interceptions.

Arbuckle finished the season leading the Sun Belt Conference in passing yards, total offense, and won three Sun Belt Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week awards. In addition, he was 6th in the NCAA in passing yards a game and 12th in the NCAA in total offensive yards. With all these accolades and leading Georgia State to its first ever winning season and bowl game appearance, there’s no one more deserving than Nick Arbuckle for the Panther of the Year Award.

Future

Nick Arbuckle will always be remembered in Georgia State’s history, especially as the quarterback that got Georgia State on the right track. He led the school to a successful season and their first bowl game. He leaves Georgia State with his name all over the record books; he owns multiple single-game and single season records. He also owns almost every Georgia State career record including touchdowns (51), total touchdowns responsible for (59), passing yards (7,651), and pass completions (566). Aside from the statistical brilliance, the accomplishments and accolades Arbuckle achieved will not be forgotten either.

He brought home Georgia State’s first Sun Belt Conference Student-Athlete of the Year award for football and was named a First Team All-Sun Belt quarterback.

His absence will be tough to replace, but his legacy will be forever engraved in school history.

Arbuckle is preparing to play professional football. CBS Sports has him ranked as the No. 33 quarterback in this year’s NFL Draft. Pro Football Focus projected Arbuckle to go undrafted, but sign to a team as a free agent because he always leaves his scouts impressed. During an interview with Primetime Sportz TV, Arbuckle said he has been training in New Jersey with former Miami Dolphins quarterback Jay Fielder.

“He did a lot to help me get comfortable under the center, because I played so much from the shotgun here (Georgia State),” he said.

Football scout and Gridiron Showcase personnel David West tweeted that Arbuckle is a sleeper in the draft as a proven leader, a proven winner and a productive quarterback.

As for his impact on the Georgia State program, the team has now been honored at the state capital, welcomed a transfer quarterback from the 2015 ranked No. 3 Utah Utes and have announced a future home-and-home series with the ACC and SEC schools the University of North Carolina and Vanderbilt University since the AutoNation Cure Bowl on Dec. 19.

As the team now prepares to enter into a new era with the new stadium at Turner Field and new silver helmets, Arbuckle lifted the expectations for the program his two seasons at the helm. A theme of spring practice interviews have been the team’s overall improved confidence from previous seasons, perhaps an atmosphere set by the team’s former leader in Arbuckle.

Records this 2015 Season:

Sun Belt Conference Student-Athlete of the Year First Team All-Sun Belt Quarterback Sun Belt Passing yard record: 4,368 Sun Belt Total Offense record: 4,273 Led Sun Belt in Passing yards per game: 336 (6th in NCAA) Led Sun Belt in Total Offense per game: 328.7 (12th in NCAA) 3 Sun Belt Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week Awards: Oct. 19, Nov. 16, Dec. 7 Georgia State Season Record for Completions: 307 Georgia State Season Record for Touchdown Passes: 28 Georgia State Season Record for Total Offense and Passing Yard: 4,273 & 4,368

Georgia State Career Records:

Georgia State Career Passing Leader: 7,651 yards Georgia State Career Passing Touchdown: 51 Georgia State Total Touchdowns Recorded: 59

22

SPORTS

TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

Track keeping up the pace DEVONE SLAPPY Staff Reporter

TOBI ADEYEMI

I

ndoor or outdoor doesn’t matter for the Panthers track team, as they continue to be successful this year. The Panthers ended their indoor season with fourth place in the Indoor Sun Belt Conference Tournament, and started out the outdoor season winning first place at the Jacksonville State Invite.

Even though the Panthers came in fourth place in the Indoor Sun Belt Conference Tournament, they had four conference champions, six more all-conference performers and set five school records. In addition, coming in fourth place makes it the highest finish in Georgia State history, beating last year’s fifth place finish.

LaPorscha Wells broke the Sun Belt Championship and Georgia State school record for weight throw, 20.06m, and shot put, 16.55m, as she was awarded two Sun Belt Championships. Ravin Gilbert won the third championship winning the 60m for the second straight indoor conference championship with a time of 7.36. She was .01 seconds shy of tying her own school record in the 60m. Nuria Ramirez won the fourth Sun Belt Championship winning the 800m by .02 seconds with her time of 2:12.83.

New season, same results

Position battles key as spring practice begins

The Panthers finished the indoor season strong, and kept that pace going as the outdoor season began with the Jacksonville State Invitational. At Jacksonville State, the Panthers had 11 first place faces in the meet and one school record broken. The Panthers accumulated 125 team points to win the Division 1 meet ahead of Jacksonville State and Mercer.

Junior Kelsey Gray set the school record in the javelin throw at the meet, as she threw 35.89m. She beat her previous record of 35.54 in the 2015 Sun Belt Outdoor Conference Tournament. After Jacksonville, the Panthers were on spring break and would compete in a meet hosted by Sun Belt foe South Alabama that Friday during the break. Instead of resting and partying like other college students, the Panthers track team decided to use their break training and competing. The team spent majority of the week at Gulf Shores, Alabama, where the 2015 Sun Belt Championships were held, to train

Staff Reporter

G

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY GEORGIA STATE ATHLETICS

Record breaker Ravin Gilbert grabs baton from teammate Kassandra Pierre during the Florida Relays April 1, 2016.

for the upcoming meet on Friday.

The South Alabama Jaguar Classic meet was suspended midway through the meet as mother nature interfered with rain and lightning. Despite only being able to compete in half of the events, the Panthers still had three first place finishes, three second place finishes, and three third place finishes. According to the results, before the tournament was stopped, the Panthers were currently in second place with 41 points and were three points behind host South Alabama.

Stephanie Berger won the 1,500m event with a time of 4:38.90. Danielle Livingstone won the long jump with a 5.39m distance, and Katherine Randolph finished second behind her in the long jump. LaPorscha Wells won the shot put event with a 15.39m distance, and Alysiah Whittaker was right behind her in second with a 15.19m distance. Six running events were suspended due to the rain, the 100m, 200m, 400m hurdles, 800m, 4x400 relay and 3,000m run. Ravin Gilbert is known for dominating the 100m and 200m events and if the tournament hadn’t been suspended, the Panthers might have found a way to win first place overall in the meet.

Despite not being able to compete in the South Alabama meet due to the weather, Gilbert made up for it with her outstanding performance at the Yellow Jacket Invitational Meet.

Gilbert finished first in the 100m, second in the 200m and fourth in the 4x100m relay against 14 other

teams that included SEC and ACC teams and runners from eight other conferences.

Gilbert won the 100m with a time of 11.61, which isn’t bad considering it’s her first outdoor 100m of the season, but her best is 11.48 when she was Sun Belt Champion last spring.

Gilbert wasn’t the only productive one at the meet. Alysiah Whittaker placed third in shot put, 15.11m, and LaPorscha Wells had two fourth place finishes in the hammer throw and shot put. Nuria Ramirez placed fourth in the 3,000m steeplechase.

The Panthers next meet will be at the 76th Pepsi Florida Relays in Gainesville, Georgia. Only a select group of people from around the country are selected to compete in the relays and the Panthers had 15 players selected for the relay.

The 15-member Panther squad will include Beger, Gilbert, Wells, Kassandra Pierre, Donovan, Ramirez, Whittaker, Randolph, Robinson, Jada Steward, Ashlan rosier, Tyler Watson, Sydney Davis, Jordan Townsley and Brianna Archer.

The Panthers outdoor season as kept up with their indoor season, as they’ve already placed first in one meet, and have had 15 people selected for the 76th Pepsi Florida Relays. The 2015-16 team is no doubt one of the best teams in a while for Georgia State, as they continue to be successful whether they run indoor or outdoor.

Here are the rest of the first place finishes Sammi Donovan 3000m Steeplechase (11:53.14) Allyson Goff 100m Hurdles (14.67) Katherine Randolph – Long Jump (5.56m, 18-3) LaPorscha Wells – Shot (15.78m, 51-9.25) & Hammer (55.59m, 182-4) Stephanie Berger – 1,500m (4:42.67) Ravin Gilbert – 400m (57.53) Allyson Goff, Ravin Gilbert, Jada Steward, Katherine Randolph – 4x100m Brianna Archer, Kassandra Pierre, Athena Carpenter, Ashlan Rosier – 4x400m

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The Signal at Georgia State University

eorgia State has started football season with spring practice officially underway. The first of 15 practices took place March 24 at the GSU Football Practice Complex.

“It’s a great feeling, it’s exciting to pick up where we left off and venture out on a new season,” Linebacker Trey Payne said. “We have things that we are trying to accomplish this year, it’s no longer oh Georgia State this, nah we are competitors now.”

That’s a sentiment the whole team shares; they believe they can beat any team in the Sun Belt and can compete for a championship. The experience they are bringing back doesn’t hurt either. They are returning sixteen starters in total, nine on defense and seven on offense including Freshman of the Year, Penny Hart. Hart had a breakout year with 71 receptions for eight touchdowns and 1,099 receiving yards. Georgia State will also return Robert Davis, Chandon Sullivan, Alonzo McGee, and Bobby Baker, all who received Sun Belt honors.

The Panthers did suffer one huge loss, quarterback Nick Arbuckle. The search for the new quarterback is one of many position battles for Georgia State.

“Honestly, I’m liking what I’m seeing from all the position battles so far,” Head Coach Trent Miles said. “Obviously the most important right now is at quarterback. It’s hard to replace a Nick Arbuckle, but we got four talented guys out there competing hard, we just gotta see who’s gonna end up being the guy.”

Aaron Winchester, Conner Manning, Brett Sheehan and Emiere Scaife will all be duking it out for the No. 1 spot behind Center. Aaron Winchester and Emiere Scaife both redshirted previously, Winchester being a redshirt freshman and Scaife a redshirt sophomore. Conner Manning is a graduate transfer from the Utah Utes with two years of eligibility left, and Brett Sheehan is a walk-on.

Spring practice has eight practices left, two of them being scrimmages that will be key in determining the position battles. The actual spring game will take place on April 16 at 1 p.m. at the GSU Soccer Complex at Panthersville.

PANTHER OF THE WEEK

23

SPORTS

TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

SPORTS CALENDAR *CONFERENCE GAME

SPORTS EDITOR’S PREDICTIONS

Friday, April 8

RASHAD MILLIGAN | THE SIGNAL

Houston Baptist Green Wave Invitational

WOMEN’S TENNIS Friday, April 8 GEORGIA STATE ATHLETICS

Emiere Scaife Football The redshirt sophomore from Charlotte, North Carolina is currently competing for the starting quarterback and Student Government Association senate positions.

In the Panthers first team scrimmage of the spring, Scaife led his squad to a 74yard touchdown drive, which included a 26-yard completion redshirt junior Mattavious Scott.

He also participated in The Signal’s senate debate on March 30. He is a currently an honors college student and was a member of the 2014-15 Sun Belt Commissioner's list. Scaife is Georgia State’s first left-handed quarterback. In high school, he was a part of a nationally ranked team and missed his senior season due to an injury.

1st

Sun Belt Standings

2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th

at New Orleans, Louisiana 3:45 p.m.

at Boone, North Carolina 9 a.m.

Saturday, April 9 at Boone, North Carolina Noon

Braves

THE WEEK

Troy*

South Alabama*

4/6: Nationals vs. BravesPANTHER OF

WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD Friday, April 8 Auburn Invite

4/5 Mets vs.

Royals

Royals

4/6 Yankees vs. Astros

Astros

at Auburn, Alabama 6 p.m.

VOLLEYBALL Friday, April 8

Arizona Green Wave Invitational

Saturday, April 9 Auburn Invite

at Auburn, Alabama 6 p.m.

at New Orleans, Louisiana 10:20 a.m.

SOFTBALL

BASEBALL

UL Lafayette

South Alabama

7-1 | Overall: 26-3

9-0 | Overall: 18-7

South Alabama

Georgia Southern

6-2 | Overall: 18-11

6-3 | Overall: 15-9

Georgia State

Texas State

4-2 | Overall: 19-15

6-3 | Overall: 15-10

Georgia Southern

UL Lafayette

4-2 | Overall: 17-17

6-4 | Overall: 16-10

Troy

Little Rock

4-5 | Overall: 23-10

6-4 | Overall: 13-12

Texas State

Arkansas State

4-5 | Overall: 23-12

4-6 | Overall: 13-12

UL Monroe

Troy

3-6 | Overall: 17-18

3-6 | Overall: 14-12

UT Arlington

UT Arlington

2-4 | Overall: 23-6

2-4 | Overall: 14-11

Appalachian State

Georgia State

1-8 | Overall: 7-27

2-4 | Overall: 13-12

4/6 Lakers vs. Clippers

Lakers

4/7: Raptors vs. Hawks

Raptors

THE FINAL SCORE Baseball drops UTA series

Ryan Blanton hit three home runs on April 2 during a doubleheader against UT-Arlington. However, the Panthers lost both games 9-5 and 18-16. Home runs were the theme of the day, as Georgia State hit the team went long 7 times. The next game will be at Auburn on April 5.

Women's Tennis

No. 47 Georgia State won their third straight match by beating Charlotte 6-1 on April 2. The match was played on Georgia State’s Clarkston campus and was the seniors Linn Timmermann and Niri Rasolomalala last game in Atlanta. The Panthers are now 10-5 and are preparing for the conference championships on April 21-24 in New Orleans.

Men's Golf

The No. 60 Panthers are now in contention for NCAA regional play in mid-May. The team is led by No. 101 player senior J.J. Grey and Georgia State’s conference tournament on April 24-27 at The Raven in Miramar Beach, Florida.

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