Vol. 80 No. 4

9 Student stress: completing a bachelor’s degree no longer takes four years to finish.

SEPT. 11 - SEPT. 17, 2012

News | pages 3 & 4

VOL. 80 | NO. 4

11 years later pages 10 & 11

Home in my heart

Big guy, little guy

Local rapper Prohaize pays tribute to life, family and his mother in upcoming album.

One is 6 feet 4 inches tall and 320 pounds. The other is 5 feet 7 inches tall and 150 pounds. Don’t underestimate either of them.

A&L | page 9

Daily news updates at www.gsusignal.com

sports | page 17

News 3

Opinions 6

Arts & Living 9

Sports 17

02

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012

blotter

last week...

Local

The Peachtree City golf cart flasher was arrested last week. The 15-year-old was charged with five counts of misdemeanor indecent exposure and one count of misdemeanor sexual battery after exposing himself to residents on a golf cart trail. Authorities will not release the teen’s name.

A man and woman with a baby were arrested after robbing elderly men in Buckhead. Atlanta police arrested Brandon Lawson and Joi Jenkins after they robbed two older men that were walking after dark.

Both times a baby in a stroller was with the armed couple.

A Craig’s List scam robbed lower income residents of their social security information. The posting stated that proof of income would allow them to receive gift cards courtesy of the First Baptist Church in LaGrange. The church denies any knowledge of the post.

toric China Town community has caused an uproar for much of the community. Last week a judge refused to halt construction of the store in lieu of an approved building permit. This past June thousands protested the store’s proposed opening.

A Vermont attorney general is the latest to declare federal anti-gay marriage laws unconstitutional. Vermont joins New York and Connecticut in their fight against the federal mandate—all states that have legalized gay marriage.

World Last Friday Canada announced that it has

severed all ties with Iran. The country will be closing its Tehran embassy. Foreign affairs minister John Baird stated that Iran is “the most significant threat to global peace and security in the world today.”

National An outlawed coolant, HCFC-22, is becom-

Salafist Muslims attacked a hotel in Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia because it was serving alcohol. More than 100 members of the ultra conservative sect of Muslims smashed bottles and furniture. The group has also stopped many concerts in the area.

A proposed Walmart in Los Angeles’ his-

Migrants and refugees on a boat from North Africa experienced boating trouble last week. Rescue teams, including NATO, were searching the Mediterranean on the southern tip of Italy to find the migrants. It is unclear how many were on the boat.

ing a black market commodity. Marcone, a St. Louis-based appliance parts distributer, bought up to half a million dollars of the ozone destroying gas from China. HCFC22 is cheaper than safer coolant alternatives.

weather WED 80/59

THU 81/61

source: weather.com FRI 81/63

1971 checker taxi across from MLK birth home.

SAT 82/65

SUN 81/65

September 6 University Commons

A report was filed for Drug Paraphernalia.

A Staff member stated he was doing a health and safety check for a resident and when he entered the room he noticed an object which contained possible marijuana residue.

September 4 Auburn Ave. NE

Officers arrested a NonGSU individual for an Outstanding Warrant and Possession of Schedule II Narcotic. An Officer observed a male lighting up an unknown object in a glass pipe, which initiated an investigation. The individuals was later arrested, processed and transported to Fulton County Jail.

Decatur/ Central SE

Officers arrested a NonGSU individual for Obstruction, Outstanding Warrant, and Robbery.

An Officer patrolling was stopped by a student who

stated he was robbed by two males. One of the subjects was apprehended and identified. The other subject was not captured and he is described as a black male, early 20’s, dreadlock hair and 5’7” in height. The individual was arrested, processed and transported to Fulton County Jail.

University Lofts

A report was filed for Harassing Phone Calls. A student stated she had received numerous phone calls and text messages from an unknown male.

University Center

A report was filed for Theft and Financial Transaction Card Fraud. A student stated on 8/27/12 at the last used her debit card and on 8/28/12 at 11:00 a.m., she discovered her purse, debit card and $ 10.00., had been stolen. Later she discovered $ 3,000 was taken from her account.

Sports Arena

A report was filed for Theft.

A student stated he placed a black case on a desk and went on a lunch break and

when he returned he discovered his bag had been stolen. The bag contained an Apple iPad Charger, Credit Card and a Motorola blue tooth headset

August 31 Woodruff Park

Officers were patrolling and observed Atlanta Police Officers in a foot pursuit with a male subject.

GSUPD officers observed the subject attempting to change clothes and assisted in a brief chase. GSUPD apprehended the subject and he was turned over to Atlanta Police Department for arrest.

Citizens Trust Building

Officers arrested a student for Alcoholic Possession under 21 Years Old. An Officer observed the individual unable to keep his balance, after an investigation, it was confirmed the individual was underage and intoxicated. The individual was arrested, processed and released on a Copy of Charges.

CANDRA UMUNNA | THE SIGNAL

NEWS

Slower pace

www.gsusignal.com/news

Money and lack of jobs keep students in the classroom TERAH BOYD News Editor

C

ompleting a degree in four years isn’t as common as it used to be.

A growing number of students need outside employment to supplement living expenses not covered in grants, scholarships or financial aid.

After difficult experiences in the workforce, some graduates find themselves back on campus to find a new career path.

“Looking for a job was very difficult and I was really unprepared for it,” said Georgia State alum Scottie Zimmerman. “When I looked for a job the hardest thing was that every job required three to four years of experience.”

After graduating with a marketing degree Zimmerman continued to work in restaurants.

A Rutgers State University study found only four out of ten graduates landed a job that even required a college degree after graduation. Only two out of ten thought their job was on their career path. 40 percent reported they took a job just to get by.

Now Zimmerman is attending a paralegal program offered by Emory University to possibly pursue a law career.

“Since it is only six months it’s a good way to see if this is something I will like,” Zimmerman said.

Georgia State wasn’t Jeremiah Arnold’s first choice after high school.

Arnold moved to Atlanta and received a culinary degree from Le Cordon Bleu, only to realize that cooking was just a hobby.

“After a year of working in a bakery I was like, I have to do something else, I can’t keep baking cakes all day,” Arnold said. “I’m not getting anywhere, I can’t climb a corporate ladder and make the money I want to, so I went back to school.”

Arnold enrolled at Georgia State. While attending general classes he found his fit in a biology class.

“I took an anatomy class and I fell in love,” Arnold said. “I had no intentions of becoming a doctor after high school but it just fell in my lap.”

The National Bureau of Economic Research discovered in 2010 students took longer to get degrees over a three-decade period.

College preparedness and the

demographic of students did not affect this change.

However, increased outside employment of students directly contributed to time it takes modern students to graduate.

There was a correlation between the cost of education and the amount of time it takes a student to complete college.

Zimmerman took five years to graduate from Georgia State. She said it took a little extra time because she worked 15 to 20 hours a week to help out when student loans couldn’t.

“It’s hard looking back at my transcript now and knowing if I hadn’t worked I would have had As and Bs,” Zimmerman said.

Georgia State senior Stephen Beal’s decision to change degrees was the start to the extension of his college career.

“So I kind of just went along with the band wagon, and hearing a lot from my parents and other people, I thought business was the best thing [for me to study].”

After studying at Kennesaw State University, Beal went to the University of Georgia to pursue a degree in business. After attending classes Beal began to second-guess his decision.

“After my first semester in 2008 is when I decided to transfer to economics,” Beal said.

While indecisive in Athens, Beal experienced trouble with his parents. When they quit assisting him financially with school and living expenses, Beal got a job to make ends meet.

“I had to find a means to live while I was still up there and I decided that getting into the bar scene and the service industry was the way to go so I ended up picking up a job at a local bar,” Beal said.

Focused on paying bills, Beal’s grades declined.

“The late nights and demanding schedule and the demanding schedule of being a bartender took time away from studies and gave me the overall idea that I was not cut out for school at that time,” Beal said.

He quit attending UGA and moved back in with his parents when things in Athens didn’t work out.

Beal started Georgia State three semesters ago and decided that education better suited him.

“I was like ‘what fits me the best?’ and that was something I actually have interest in,” Beal said.

Beal switched to psychology

A Rutgers State University study found only four out of ten graduates landed a job that even required a college degree after graduation.

Only two out of ten thought their job was on their career path.

40% said they took a job just to get by.

AYSHA JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL so he could get a degree before financial aid ran out.

“For me to stay in school for the amount of time it would take, the education degree, I couldn’t justify that because of the amount of money I was going to have to take out for financial reasons,” Beal said.

A 2011 UCLA study found that debt

is the number one stressor for college students.

They found that outstanding student loan debt is at $1 trillion and continues to grow rapidly.

Right now Arnold isn’t trying to let the loans distract him. He has left his part-time job to participate in a university scholars program.

Lab work doesn’t pay very much, but Arnold believes the experience is worth it.

“I think a lot of people get caught up in how much of a loan they have, but for me if I don’t think about it I feel better about the outcome and I won’t feel as stressed,” Arnold said. “If I don’t think about it I won’t think about how much I have at stake.”

04

NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012

Student Activity Fee Committee holds first meeting

Campus Programing, $31.50

services, the Student Recreation Center fee, the Student Center fee, a Library fee, International Education Fee, Technology Fee, a Recreation Bond, and the Student Activity Fee, which the committee is specifically responsible for allocating.

“This committee is structured in such a way in which he have maintained guidelines over the years,” said Rebecca Stout, assistant vice president of student affairs.

According to the committee’s written guidelines, funds are not to be used for academic departmental costs or to personnel pay without approval by the Committee.

Georgia law also prohibits using the activity fee fund for “personal use,” to contribute to a political candidate seeking office, donations to charities, churches or any non-profit organization.

The Committee will vote on dates to discuss further fee allocation on Sept. 14. Once the dates are set, it will vote on the allocation for the following fiscal year.

Student Activity Fee, $40.00

Recreation Bond, $53.00

Athletic Fee, $263.00

{

Library Fee, $35.00

{

{

Student Center Fee, $36.00

Transportation Fee, $46.00

{

Health Fee, $35.00

{

{

T

he Student Activity Fee Committee, made up by seven students and three faculty or staff, is responsible for allocating the money collected by the Student Activity Fee to over 150 student organizations.

The committee met this past Friday at the Lucerne Suite in the Student Center to discuss their schedule for the fall semester and present the already-approved 20122013 school year budget.

The total amount collected from the Student Activity Fee— $2,597,333—will be allocated throughout student organizations sponsored by the university.

The Student Activity keeps 5 percent of the total as a “contingency.” For this year, they kept $129,867.

Of the $660 in Mandatory Fees each student pays, $236 goes to Athletics—almost 40 percent of the total fee. Athletic fee money is used for varsity intercollegiate athletics and athletic scholarships and allows students to use their Panther Card to access athletic events for free.

Other portions of the Mandatory fee go toward Campus Programing, transportation, health

Recreation Programming, $20.50

{

The total amount collected from the Student Activity Fee—$2,597,333—will be allocated throughout student organizations sponsored by the university.

Associate News Editor

{

{

ANDRES CRUZ-WELLMANN

International Education Fee, $15.00

{

As semester starts, discussions about future fee allocations begin.

{

Technology Fee, $85.00

Above: Mandatory Fees for the 2012- 2013 fiscal year. The athletic fee, at $263 per student, is the most expensive. The internal education fee is the lowest, costing students $15 per semester.

ANDRES CRUZ-WELLMANN | THE SIGNAL

Student commuter stresses ANDRES CRUZ-WELLMANN

Associate News Editor

F

inancial worries continue to be the number one cause of stress among college students, but a routine task still ranks at number two for students who commute.

A May 2012 survey by Inceptia, a non-profit financial education advocate, found that the top four causes of stress were money related, with the difficulty of academic coursework coming in fifth.

The results of this survey did not

show the routine tasks that continually create stress for the student who commutes—a reality for the majority of students at Georgia State.

Commuting itself is a big cause of stress among those students.

“I live in Fairburn with my fiancee in a subdivision and don’t have my own car, hence the MARTA,” Lillian Pettit, a mother of four and Junior at Georgia State, said. “For me it tends to be a bit stressful since I have to leave an hour before classes [at 5:30 p.m.] and I don’t get home until [10 p.m.].”

Pettit does not experience the biggest cause of stress, though—financial worries. She receives the

HOPE scholarship, which takes one burden off of her shoulders.

With little financial worries, Pettit has to deal with a different cause of stress: the difficulties of parenthood.

A mother of a one, two, six, and eight-year-old, she dedicates her time during the day caring for her children and running a household.

Once her class times approach, she must leave for an hour-long trek to campus. When her classes end, she begins her long journey home, only to study and do homework. “[The] night is my only option to do work, sadly, and weekends,” Pettit said. “So, I’m constantly wor-

ried that I’m not studying enough.

For me the two big stresses are sleep and school work.”

For Jason Vaughn, who lives with his mother, it also takes about an hour and 15 minutes to drive to Avondale MARTA station, board the train and arrive on campus.

Vaughn only has class on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Vaughn mentioned that one of the biggest causes of stress is the cost of gasoline and a Breeze card to ride MARTA. Because of his distance from campus, Vaughn experiences stresses that a student living downtown would not typically face.

“I think there is [extra stress on me as a commuter], but only because I’ve decided to take classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays and not utilize the rest of the week,” Vaughn said. “If I lived on campus, I wouldn’t worry about what days I had taken classes so much as I had with commuting and trying to save gas money.”

But, Vaughn did not see the stress of commuting as an entirely negative thing.

“There definitely is a benefit to the added stress, not now, but in the future,” Vaughn said. “It helps you prepare for job-related stress for later in your career.”

AYSHA JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL

Getting to school is half the battle

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012

Student Government roundup Sept. 6

College of Education Continues Aphasia Research

Possible grading system changes

Adriana Macchione, vice president of academic affairs, reported plans mandating professors to post previous semester’s class syllabus to help students make more informed decisions about classes they choose.

Macchione hopes the change will reduce the withdrawal rate.

It is at the discretion of the professor to decide the use of +/- in their grading, and the professor is able to decide “what constitutes as + or –,” Macchione said. The first step in the revision is to reach out to students through surveys to get their opinion. Depending on those results, the next step would be a petition to change the program.

Bleed Blue Rewards push

Parker Hendricks, the graduate marketing assistant of the Athletics department, urged the senate to help spread the word about the new Bleed Blue Rewards program at Georgia State.

By signing up on bleedbluerewards. com, students who attend Georgia State events and games can earn points for prizes, such as Airtran tickets. Hendricks said 2,000 points are earned per event and per home game. “Liking” or “Re-tweeting” from Georgia State Athletics social media pages will earn points.

Whether points will be earned for away games is still in the works.

The three participants with the highest amount of points will win grand prizes, according to Georgia State Athletics. Hendricks also said there will be a pep rally Sept.

13 from 7-9 p.m. at Atlantic Station.

Head senators appointed

The SGA elected their new head senators of the six colleges for the 2012-2013 school year.

Umama Kibria—College of Business; Brianna Alvarez—College of Nursing; James Dutton, former SGA president, ran unopposed for the College of Law; Cindy Park— College of Education; Kourtney Wright—College of Andrew Young Policy Studies; Lanier Henson— College of Arts and Sciences

05

NEWS

ALEX OSIADACZ Staff Writer

G

eorgia State’s College of Education are conducting several research projects on communication disorders, including Aphasia.

Aphasia is a language disorder resulting from a traumatic brain injury. Stroke victims are a majority of Aphasia patients and can face problems speaking, listening, reading, writing and understanding.

A key facet of the research project deals with stress.

“My interest is what happens physiologically when [Aphasia patients] are experiencing stress,” Dr. Jacqueline Laures-Gore said.

Laures-Gore has worked with Aphasia-related projects through-

out her twenty-one-year career as a speech language pathologist and during her eleven years at Georgia State.

The “Stress and Aphasia” project examines the role of stress in poststroke brain recovery, language recovery and how performance is affected.

Researchers measure stress in participants by the amount of cortisol in their saliva. Cortisol is a hormone released into the bloodstream as a result of stress: it raises blood sugar and suppresses immune system activity among other functions.

Saliva is collected from participants by cotton swabs and then those swabs are analyzed at Georgia State for cortisol levels, Laures-Gore explained.

In the “Caregivers of Individuals with Aphasia” project, the dynamics of research extend beyond physiological to include psychological dimen-

sions and personality traits, LauresGore said.

Approximately twenty Aphasia patients and caregivers are participating in the various stress research projects.

“What I’ve seen over the years is that people and families experience this challenge and . . . there may or may not be frustration and stress that comes along with this [challenge],” Laures-Gore said.

Between one and two million Americans suffer from Aphasia.

Students assist in the “Stress and Aphasia” study among other projects in the communication disorders lab.

Two graduate students and one undergraduate fellow analyze data and some samples.

“I think students at Georgia State should take advantage of any opportunity they can to generate knowledge,” Laures-Gore said.

By working in the laboratory, students gain an understanding of clinical procedures while being exposed to the field of communication disorders.

“Everything that is done in the [communication disorders] lab has an ultimate goal of helping the bigger community of people who are experiencing communication disorders,” Laures-Gore said.

According to Laures-Gore, the National Institute of Health provided funding to similar projects at Georgia State in the past, but the current “Stress and Aphasia” research is unfunded.

Georgia State is co-hosting a November conference dedicated to Aphasia.

Laures-Gore said, “everyone who’s life is touched by Aphasia” will come together and share experiences and their perspective on the disorder.

Incidence of Aphasia vs. other medical conditions

=

10,000

Aphasia

Cerebral Palsy/CP

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/ ALS

Also discussed:

After collaborating with the Atlanta City Councils Crime task Force committee last summer, Christian Hill and SGA President Marcus Kernizan said there would be further developments in the coming year, including a “Safety Week” in the near future.

While parking and transportation are major concerns, the addition of the “T-deck” will give students 700 additional parking spots. “T-deck” parking is available at $4.50 for students with a parking permit and $7.00 for students without one.

Jarell Abrams, VP of Student Life, reported that 167 students registered to vote and 87 students pledged to vote at the Rock the Vote event two weeks ago.

Dutton is ushering in new organizations on campus: GSU Gamers United and Christians United for Israel.

SGA will team up with Campus Events to host Constitution Day on Sept. 18 from noon to 1 p.m. in the Speaker’s Auditorium.

The senate plans to meet with Residence Hall Association to discuss solutions for poor internet conditions at Georgia State Housing.

The next senate meeting will be held on Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. in the Sinclair Suite in the Student Center.

Approximately

1 in 272 The average age of participants in the Georgia State study was

people in the US are affected by Aphasia, according to National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

mid 50’s

Approximately

80,000

individuals acquire Aphasia each year from strokes, according to National Aphasia Association AYSHA JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL

OPINIONS Editorial

www.gsusignal.com/opinions

New ways for homeless people to make money

It’s all happening We’re on the eve of Georgia State’s greatest milestone: the centennial. It’s a celebration no different than a boy entering manhood.

Like a Bar Mitzvah, perhaps.

The excitement is evident in this school year’s theme.

Our football team, performance flaws aside, has been ramping up initiatives to draw in the fans. Our Sun Belt entry alone speaks volumes of the future of the program and the attention it will bring to the university. We just need to score more touchdowns.

Campus Events threw a viewing party for the game over the weekend, so those unable to travel to Tennessee can catch it lawnstyle in the Student Center. They expected a couple of hundred, but only 60 or 70 students showed.

Frankly, it should have been known that not many would show, but 60 people is no shame either. It’s a great idea and they should keep it up for the rest of the season, if only to establish the tradition.

At their first senate meeting last week, the Student Government Association established school spirit as their theme for the year. They plan to attend the games as a group, in order to display additional support and solidarity.

Their Rock the Vote event brought in more than 140 new registered voters and about 90 pledged voters. And despite its costliness, the opening of T-Deck definitely eases the parking pain for commuters and new students—but it needs to be cheaper.

Here at The Signal, we’re shaping up our own traditions as well.

Our media conference on Sept.

28 and 29 is easily Georgia’s largest media event of the year. Our efforts to place newsstands on the streets of downtown, despite delays due to complications with the city, will help further the Georgia State presence. It lets the city know the university is absolutely a part of the community.

These are merely small steps to what is essentially the beginning of the next 100 years. Setting up traditions at a university that’s just yearning for one is less about hollering fans and selling merchandise; it increases the value of our degree.

And what’s the key difference between University of Georgia and us? It ain’t the quality of courses or the size of their pockets. It’s the fans.

KEVIN MALONEY Columnist

I

t’s interesting that homeless people ask students for money. As a college student, I have no money, and, like the homeless, when I do have money, I usually spend it on alcohol. This is why if the homeless are to get money from students, they need to step up their efforts and get a bit creative. Here are a couple of new ideas I thought up:

Flash Mob Robbery

This idea is fool-proof; just get a group of about 30 homeless people. One of the homeless guys will start breaking out into song and the others will join in over the course of the song. Sing something catchy like “Call Me Maybe” and college students will flock to you with iPhones and wallets everywhere. Keep the singing and dancing going as the homeless people slowly corner the students

WILLIAM MIRACLE

and outnumber them into an alley. Once the students are sealed off and surrounded by homeless people, break into an angry mob and rob the students of all their money and valuables. It’s not considered a robbery if everyone is singing and dancing.

Start a Cult

Find stressed out students and convince them that without jobs and material possessions,

homeless people live stress-free lives. If they seem interested, tell them to throw away all of their current obligations and empty out their savings to help spread the message to the masses. Now you can get them to pass out literature in Woodruff Park, get more followers and acquire more money. Then you can just flee to a different college campus and start the whole process over again.

Disrupt Classes for Cash

There’s nothing students hate more than being trapped in a boring lecture. I’m sure many of these students would be willing to reach deep into their wallets to have a homeless guy disrupt class by randomly running in and throwing potato salad everywhere. Didn’t prepare for that exam? Don’t worry about it; just hire a homeless guy to run in with a confetti canon.

The day in hypocrisy

JAMES MCDOUGALD Columnist

A

fool acts unwisely for the amusement of others, and sometimes they’re even in on the joke.

They speak nonsense and act with abandon. You know this type; their words tie too easily and they carry themselves with the coordination of a baby deer on ice. I like fools; I find them an unending source of inspiration and council. You see, more often than not, the heart of a fool is in the right place. Hypocrites, on the other hand…

Persons who proclaim to take

the high ground, but consistently make it home with mud caked to their trousers. I feel I need to state that being a hypocrite requires privilege. Presenting a gospel, or secularized word of your choice, requires a quality the Greeks called “Ethos.” Perhaps you recognize the word from your three-dollar bottle of water. Ethos is how you present yourself as an authority on whatever it is you are trying to sell.

Ethos is why politicians wear blue suits, why preachers wear robes, and why I wear a pirate’s hat. It is to prove we are experts and representatives of our respective fields. Career hypocrisy requires power and authority.

So when the politician goes on television to discuss the shortcomings of modern family values one week only to reappear the next apologizing for cheating on his wife (if a Democrat) or being caught soliciting sex in a rest stop men’s room (if Reactionary), they are hypocrites. If the Pope is discovered to have

been complicit in protecting a child molester posing as a priest, he too is a hypocrite. If I didn’t get angry at these things and call foul when I had the opportunity, I wouldn’t be much of a pirate, now, would I? I don’t promote myself as a moral authority any more than I deny my privilege as a white, heterosexual man from America. I am just a person who tries to do well; sometimes I fail. I don’t use my five hundred some odd words a week to tell You how to live, but I’ll point out if someone is lying or being terrible and I will find them. Oh yes, I will.

For example, if you received a substantial grant from the Women Studies Department to go on a poverty tour through Southeast Asia, that should raise an eyebrow. If you promised to keep a public blog in lieu of writing a proper thesis, you’ve found an audience and made yourself a pulpit. Now you have to be very careful. Now would be the exact worst time to expressly show

the school funding your vay-cay you’re only there to gawk at poor brown people and shop. But you’ve bought the ticket—now take the ride. Enjoy scuba diving and the food carts, take in the bars and the shopping district.

But please, don’t for one minute consider you are, in fact, exploiting the very same system you went there to document.

But, I think I get it now. We are this system. The shirt I’m wearing now came from this corner of the world. Your inexpensive wristwatch did too. Car parts and sex slaves funneled through Hartsfield-Jackson. Pity our intrepid blogger lacks any and all self-awareness to be at the source and yet completely oblivious. But these blinders are endemic of our poisoned culture.

As angry as I want to be, I can’t.

Our blogger’s just another American in a store where everything is on clearance. And what do I know? I’m just another angry guy in a nice shirt. I will forever prefer the company of fools.

2012 Modern Media Conference

Friday September, 28th and Saturday, 29th 23 speakers. 2 days. Everything you need to know about journalism.

07

OPINIONS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012

Algebra is Greek to me

MILES KEENLYSIDE Opinions Editor

O

ver the years I have struggled with math, and I’m not very embarrassed about it. Of all the subjects I’d go as far as to say that most people are willing to admit if they are bad at math. It’s not something like writing or reading comprehension, where a person might be embarrassed to admit they can’t read very well.

Long story short, there are a lot of students at Georgia State who struggle with mathematics and it’s no secret.

Georgia State does have entry level math courses that are designed to be easier for people who are not familiar with math, such as Math Modeling and similar courses. In theory, these are easy classes with a manageable workload. In practice, the three times

I’ve registered for this class, the teacher I get can’t really speak English very well.

Now, since I already do not understand algebra very well, you can see how having a teacher who can’t speak English very well compounds my problem. I certainly don’t mean to be xenophobic, but this is a silly way to go about teaching math to math-impaired students. Please don’t misunderstand what I am saying as some sort of “If you’re going to come here you better learn English” mentality, think of it more as a “If someone is going to explain Algebra to me when I find it difficult, I’d like for it to be in English please” mentality.

And I certainly am not against allowing teachers from all over the world teaching in our classrooms— it’s important practice for the everexpanding international markets that we as students will be working in as graduates. It’s important for us to learn to overcome language barriers and find similarities in ourselves to other cultures, but maybe not in Algebra class.

Math is a universal language, I know. Probably the most international language in the world. It’s the same everywhere, just like families and smiling. There is nothing wrong with the quality of their understanding of

math. The trouble is, Algebra is pretty much already in Greek, and having it explained to me in any other language than English sets me up for failure.

Literally. I’m a good student and I try to apply myself to course content that I do not understand, but Algebra is the only class I have failed in college.

So what is my suggestion? Simple.

Georgia State, you need to start saving the international teachers who don’t speak English as their first languages for students in higher math classes who already understand the material, and the low level dunderhead math classes for folks like me should be taught by someone who can explain these topics to me in a simple and concise way.

Everyone still gets to teach, the dunces learn math, and we all go home happy.

Algebra is already all Greek to me, so is it too much to ask that I have it explained by someone who speaks my language?

“

Algebra is pretty much already in Greek, and having it explained to me in any other language than English sets me up for failure.”

YOUR VOICE • YOUR OPINIONS As a student, what do you do to save money on food, books, shelter and other essential needs?

Courtney Masset Major: Biology

“To save money on books, I go online and look for used books. I go through Amazon, and that sort of thing. Housing wise...I live close to campus to cut down on gas expense. There’s not much saving money when you’re a student.”

Toma Tadros Major: Undeclared (Dual Enrollment)

“I’m dual enrollment so I live at home with my parents. Classes are paid for by the high school.”

Tim Allen

Major: Psychology

“I’ve elected to live on campus housing with a meal plan...which cuts down on food costs since I’m pretty much taken care of. Because I’m living on campus, I haven’t really been spending a lot of money.”

Angel Altamirano Major: Accounting

“For shelter, I live at home still. As for food, you just have to cook everything yourself, and usually it tastes a lot better than the cheap food you can get around here anyway.”

Join the discussion. www.reddit.com/r/GaState

Djenne Carswell

Major: Graphic Design

“I actually stay at home, so big savings right there. As far as food goes, I’m just very attentive to how much I get for what I’m paying. ”

Ariel Morse

Major: Biology

“I’m always looking for sales. Anywhere where I can get a student discount, I’ll shop there. I live with my parents so I don’t pay rent, but I work and 25% of my paycheck goes to school stuff.”

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African Born, American Raised

INTISAR SERAAJ Staff Reporter

B

usiness isn’t everything, but everything is a business.”

This is the motto that Edward “Prohaize” Minta lives by. But business is what recently shocked the local Atlanta rapper and Georgia State business major.

Early Sunday morning, on Aug. 26, Minta was in a near-death accident due to falling asleep at the wheel.

Because of lack of sleep, Minta lost control of his car around 4 a.m.

Luckily, he only had to replace one of his tires, but his flirtation with death resonates in Minta’s new, unreleased album.

“You’ll end up dead trying to meet these deadlines,” Minta recalls his friend stating.

Prohaize’s newest album, “African Born, American Raised,” will be released on Sept. 30. Mostly speaking about the importance of family, the album features two of his favorite songs called “Hate Harder” and “Home in My Heart.”

Part of the reason his family is so important to him comes from his origins. He was born in Ghana, but his mother tried as hard as she could to get him to America.

Though many songs on his new album are inspired by his past, he originally started rapping to gain acceptance from peers.

“When I was in high school I was the African guy who got picked on for just being African,” Minta said.

“You know the stupid questions like

‘did you swim here?’ and ‘why are you wearing clothes now, you weren’t wearing clothes back then?’ Rapping was one of the things that made me feel that I could express myself while being accepted for it.”

The 20 year-old has since realized his own progression from the days when he was rapping to escape bullying. Minta has not only progressed into a socially-conscious rap artist, but also a financially and a businessconscious artist.

Minta is the Chief Financial Officer of Creations of Boredom, a music entertainment company owned by him and a group of his peers. For him, C.O.B. is a self-made creative escape from the traditional lifestyle of attaining an education, working and having a family.

It’s a lifestyle he finds “basic” and boring and he desired more out of life.

When he began his entertainment career, Minta chose the alias of DJ Haize, but he later realized that that was too simple and there should be a deeper meaning behind the man.

His new alias, Prohaize, was a random inspiration that gave him the meaning he was looking for.

“Prohaize means to be a pro at getting high [off of life] successfully, and overcoming obstacles by getting away from the negativities- like pros over cons,” Minta said. “The ‘haize’ is associated with negativity, and [‘pro’ because] you have to find the perfections within the bad.”

Along with an enhanced alias came an improved business mentality.

But his mother, the woman he calls “the beautiful lady that gave me

Prohaize has performed at numerous events including the 2012 Birthday Bash, Georgia State’s Ludacris concert last year and various fashions shows such as “The Goods Lyfe” GRAHAM ROBSON | THE SIGNAL

life,” motivates him to continue the day-to-day grind of being an up-andcoming artist.

As Parliamentarian of FBLA, a member of the Music Entertainment Industry Student Association (MEISA), and a multitalented artist—dappling in photography, disc jockeying, comedy and videography—he can hardly find time to rest.

And with his music-making a big splash in Atlanta—he has performed at numerous events including the 2012 Birthday Bash, Georgia State’s Ludacris concert last year and various fashions shows such as “The Goods Lyfe”— Minta has the most trouble with time management and promotion for himself and his business.

As a successful, working artist on the rise, Minta follows three rules to continue his progression to fame: accept constructive criticism with open arms, remain humble and be willing to invest in yourself.

With humility as his number one rule, Minta recommends to other aspiring artists that being humble and respectful of everyone you work with is a worthy venture, especially when given constructive criticism.

“People will speak more highly of you if you watch the way you act,” Minta said. “Don’t be attached to your music. Try to see where people are coming from when they give you constructive criticism. [Also,] music is a business that must be facilitated, and you or someone else must be willing to invest at least $1,000 on professionalism, [including] business cards and flyers, professional sound in a studio.”

GRAHAM ROBSON | THE SIGNAL

11 years later As the tragedy grows older, the memory continues to linger in many students. Veterans returning from the war are getting a chance to pursue the education they deserve.

Remembering 9/11

Students share their perspective on that moment 11 years ago.

O

n Sept. 11, 2011, the city of New York was filled with highpitched screaming, taxi cab horns beeping, adults and their infants crying, subway trains halting, dust-like smoke storms suffocating, fire blazing and firefighters saving. Suicide attempts—both by jumping and plane crashes— became frequent. The city with the brightest lights was now the darkest in despair.

This was New York on Sept.

11.

It was the day when nearly 3,000 innocent lives would be lost—the day that would change the world and continue to resonate with us.

“It’s something that I’ll always remember, and I wouldn’t want anything like that to every happen again,” business and finance major Gabriel Matteo said.

Like many current college students, Matteo, now 20 years old, was still in elementary school when the planes crashed.

For Millennials, the devastation of 9/11 is a receding memory, but the emotional and mental impacts linger on.

For some, experiencing Islamophobia was one of the tragedy’s fallout. 20-year-old New York native Sara Khan testifies to the personal changes she experienced due to the terrorist attacks.

“It made me learn more about Islam, because everyone was claiming that it was an Islamic act, but I studied Islam,” Khan said. “I read the Quran, and nowhere in the Quran does it justify what they did. The people who did it- I don’t think they can claim themselves to be Muslims, because they took the lives of so many innocent people, and they tarnished the name of Islam.”

Although some Muslims faced negative backlash from 9/11, some saw kindness and empathy.

Anita Husen, a Georgia State Arabic professor, recalled when her mother’s friend reached out to her and her family.

“The mother [of her friend she had known since preschool] called our house soon after 9/11, within the 1st week, and said, ‘We just want you to know you’re members of our community and we want you to feel welcome and safe, and if you need anything we’re here,’” Husen said. “Those are the moments that stick out the most, the people that came out of the woodwork to make us feel welcome and safe, people that –amidst tragedy and confusion and loss – were also very conscious of how they were going to treat their Muslim neighbors.”

Intisar Seraaj, staff reporter

While adults at the time noticed immediate effects of 9/11, many students today were still in elementary school on 9/11 and could not detect the impacts as quickly.

Alyssa Gilmer, a junior journalism major, remembers receiving the news during her fourth grade class.

“I just remember it showing up on classroom television,” Gilmer said. “Out teacher tried to explain to us what was going on, but everybody was kind of “spazzing out.” You think, ‘it’s really far away, so it doesn’t affect me,’ but then as I got older [I remembered] it as a major impact on our culture.”

D’Nina Lyons, a senior and Georgia State cheerleader, was in sixth grade.

“I didn’t have family in New York, but I knew many of my teachers did, so they were out of the classroom the majority of the day,” recalled Lyons. “Students were getting checked out trying to contact family members that were there when the tragedy happened.”

The 9/11 Memorial website diagrams the timeline of events of the whole day: the first plane crashed into the 93-99 floors of the North Tower of the World Trade Center, killing everyone on board and hundreds within the building. When the second plane bombarded the Twin Towers, it knocked out the 77-85 floors of the South Tower. Roughly 30 minutes later, the Pentagon’s western façade was destroyed, killing the 59 flight passengers and 125 military and civilian personnel inside the building.

As the buildings collapsed, thousands more were killed.

After another 30-minute interval, a hijacked flight crashed in a field in Pennsylvania, killing all 40 passengers aboard.

Dr. Cynthia Hoffner, a journalism professor at Georgia State and a social scientist, panicked when she heard about the Pennsylvania crash.

“I’m from Pennsylvania, so when I had heard there was a plane that had crashed there, my first response, like most people who had any connection, was to find out if anyone I knew was effected in anyway,” Dr. Hoffner said.

Whether people lost a loved one that fateful day or not, everyone lost something, even if they didn’t realize it at the time.

“We were all still very young, and none of us have ever seen anything like that happen before,” Matteo said. “It’s a distant memory, but it’s not something that I’ll forget.”

Post-9/11 GI Bill changes lives

Veteran students find opportunity for growth through education

S

ix years ago, Senior William Huff wasn’t sure he would be able to go to

college.

“I wasn’t the best student,” Huff said.

Instead, he followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather and joined the United States Air Force. He served as an airborne linguist, translating Persian Farsi, which he learned at the California Defense Language Institute during his first two years of service.

Now, he‘s on his way to graduate with a degree in computer science, a path he would have never found were it not for his four years of service in the U.S. military.

Huff ’s success is partly thanks to the efforts of the campus Veteran Services Office. Though only a team of two, this office manages, assists and directs the 625 veteran students on Georgia State’s campus.

Veteran’s Services functions as a liaison between the Department of Veteran’s Affairs and Georgia State’s veteran student population, assisting students in receiving their GI Bill, which covers full tuition for 36 months and a Basic Housing Allowance, that helps students pay for rent while they are in school.

Beyond the financial assistance, Veteran Services often functions as the one stop shop for veteran students.

“Students come here for everything, from having issues with classes, having issues with getting paid, having issues with parking, whatever it is,” said Leon Grissett, enrollment services specialist.

Grissett is one member of the two-person team attending to the needs of campus vets. He is also a veteran who also received life-changing opportunities through the GI Bill.

Grissett grew up in Conway, S.C., a small community outside of Myrtle Beach.

“There aren’t that many opportunities there,” Grissett said.

As a high school student, he had always planned to join the military after high school.

“I never thought I would be able to go to college because I couldn’t afford it,” Grissett said.

Through his 22-year service in the U.S. Army, he completed his master’s in education administration and is in the process of completing a doctorate.

Grissett now assists fellow veterans like William Huff in achieving the same dreams that he found to be just out of reach through the Veteran’s Services Office.

Joining the military let Tame-

thia Perkins know early on there was much more of the world to see beyond her small hometown in South Carolina.

Recently accepted into Georgia State’s respiratory program, Perkins felt she chose the right school to continue her education.

She speaks highly of the resources Georgia State offers, such as job fairs specifically aimed towards veterans, or programs to teach veterans how to stand out during an interview.

“I think [these things] are great to have at a university,” Perkins said.

Many of the vets on campus have good things to say about their post- military collegiate experiences.

“Our department does a really good job,” Huff said. “My school is paid for on time every semester and has been every semester. They’re just on the spot.”

Though they are financially provided for, students who have served in the military are older than the traditional student and often struggle to connect with the student body.

“We try to set up mixers so that they can be around other vets and have some form of being included,” Grissett said. In fact, the Student Veterans of America Georgia State chapter meets once per month in Dahlberg Hall.

Veteran Services also provides networking opportunities for veterans to expand their connections beyond the military circle through American Corporate Partners, nationwide mentorship program, a non-profit organization founded to help veterans assist to the civilian (non-military) workforce.

After graduating next year, Huff hopes to continue to work for the air force, programming the equipment on the planes he used to fly on.

“At the time, I was just a user,” Huff said. “Looking back on it, it would be cool to make it a better system.”

“Veterans that do have the benefits and haven’t looked into using them, I would say shame on them,” Grissett said. “Go for it, because it’ll open up so many opportunities for you.”

While Perkins is aware of the constant cash flow and financial security that comes with being in the military, she warns those who want to join strictly because of these things.

“First and foremost, your concern [if you join the military] is to serve your country,” she said. “I would never tell anybody to join just for monetary stability.

Otherwise, the military isn’t the place for you.”

Laura Haas and Alexis Smith, staff reporters

12

A&L

column Stepping over the line Aggressive solicitation on campus

BRITTANY BROWN Staff Writer

H

i, do you have a few minutes for ____ ?” There are many outstanding organizations that solicit on the Georgia State campus. However, the people who represent these organizations, usually wearing red, green or blue vests, can sometimes come off too strong. Several weeks ago, while walking to the 34 Peachtree building, I was stopped by one such vested individual.

I was in a hurry, late for a meeting with my professor as well as on the phone with my boss. I didn’t have time to stop.

Instead, I quickly waved and smiled in his direction, and kept walking. Much to my surprise, he proceeded to yell at me, calling me a “stupid (explicative deleted) with no self -esteem”. This is probably not the best way to raise money for homeless children, gay rights, world hunger, etc.

While walking to/from class, students are oftentimes intercepted by these people.

Though working for a worthy cause, it’s quite rude and inconsiderate to stop right in front of someone walking. It’s also a little stalker-ish. Solicitors sometimes use phrases such as the one above to get people to stop and listen to them. However, it makes the person walking sound like a jerk if he/she cannot stop.

So, perhaps these good samaritan solicitors need a better approach. They should be understanding of the fact that people walking past them are often pressed for time. Maybe if they put up booths as opposed to stopping right in front of someone walking, they would get a better reaction from the public.

Furthermore, students don’t have a lot of money. Loans and scholarships are consistently being decreased or cut, while tuition continues to rise.

Most of these organizations are soliciting in order to raise money. Perhaps if the solicitors were more geared towards students, the organizations would receive a better reaction from them. Students could get involved in other ways, by giving their time and effort.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012

Students in a Safari Georgia State students, staff and guests visit the tourist attraction Zoo Atlanta.

DERANDA BUTLER Staff Reporter On Friday, Sep. 7 Georgia State students and their guests entered the Blue at the Zoo event at Zoo Atlanta.

The Atlanta zoo re-opened their doors for the event, hosted by Spotlight, around 5:30 p.m.

When entering the zoo, individuals were greeted by the peaceful Chilean flamingos and their cotton candy pink feathers. While some animals, like the otter and the lion, didn’t seem to want to be viewed, there were others who were excited to have some guests.

In the combined zebra, ostrich and giraffe exhibit there was a true display of collaboration between species that were fairly different. While many were infatuated with seeing the exotic printed animal, others where looking elsewhere. People’s heads titled towards the sun in awe as they watched the giraffes gracefully strut from one end of the glass to the other. Just as well, the giant panda exhibit was constantly crowded. People came in one crowd after another to view the friendly oriental bear.

From the way children pranced around and older couples swayed to the beat of live music, one could see that it was clearly an enjoyable family event. If there was ever a time where one wanted to embrace the wild life, Blue at the Zoo was definitely the place to be.

AYSHA JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL

13

calendar Featured Events On Campus

Exhibition: Death is the Destination September 9-21: 10-6 p.m.

Death is the Destination explores one of the greatest mysteries of human existence--death. The 30 artists featured in the exhibition provide meditations on life’s big questions: Why are we here? What is the nature of existence? Why do we do the things we do? What is the meaning of life? The exhibition is part of the inaugural Ernest G. Welch Symposium, hosted by the Ernest G. Welch School of Art and Design at Georgia State University. Curated

by John Decker, Nancy Floyd, Ruth Stanford and Christina West. Located at Main Campus - Art Galleries, Welch School of Art & Design. Free to students and open to the public.

Downtown

Atlanta Underground Film Festival September 13-16

Head to Goat Farms Art Center for the annual Atlanta Underground Film Festival. It serves as a forum where filmmakers can thrive outside the mainstream arena.

A series of films are screened at different venues during the fourday festival. Come by to get a taste of Atlanta artists and their crafts, up close and personal! Four days only.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012

September 11

12 p.m.

Student’s “Lunch and Learn” Guest speaker Tyrone Burke from Georgia’s Own Credit Union will speak on students handling their credit and finances responsibly while in school. Located at Veterans Memorial Hall in Dahlberg Hall.

12:15-1:15 p.m.

Study Abroad Globe Trekker Seminar Informational seminars held in the Study Abroad Programs office every week.

These sessions cover the basics of studying abroad, from the locations and types of programs that are available to how financial aid applies, scholarships, and other funding opportunities. Located at 10 Park Place South, Suite 500.

8 p.m.

Hee-Kyung Juhn Guest Pianist Hee-Kyung Juhn performs works by Bach, Dae-Seong Kim, Scriabin, Ravel and Saint-Saens, among others. Located at Main Campus – Florence Kopleff Recital Hall.

September 12

1-2:30 p.m.

Photoshop--Absolute Be-

ginner The workshop covers everything from Photoshop CS5 interface to mastering the concept of layers. Learn to straighten, crop and edit pictures with Photoshop tools.

Located at Classroom South room 403.

September 13

1:30-3 p.m.

Illustrator: Absolute Beginner This workshop is designed to give workshop participants an introduction to Adobe Illustrator. Participants will learn how to use this software to create logos, images, and gain basic understanding of gradient. Located at Classroom South room 403.

6-9:30 p.m.

Kaiser-Permanente Corporate Run/Walk Join TEAM GSU in the annual Run/Walk and participate!

A warm-up will take place in the lobby of the SRC at 6:00 PM, and then TEAM GSU will walk to Turner Field for the beginning of the event.

Located at Georgia State Recreation Center Lobby.

September 14

9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Guided Meditation: Relax, Reset and Breathe!

Try Guided Meditation, of-

fered on an individual or group basis at no cost. Appointment only. Contact Kiana Stephenson at edws@gsu. edu for more information.

11:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Table and Chair Massage Employee Development and Wellness Services is excited to announce there is a Licensed Massage Therapist on campus. Call for rates and details--by appointment only. Contact Kiana Stephenson at edws@gsu.edu for more information.

Head to Panthersville to cheer on the men’s soccer game against the other GSU, Georgia Southern. Contact Athetics for more information.

7-10 p.m.

Women’s Soccer: GSU vs UT-Martin Come to Panthersville and cheer on the women’s soccer team. Contact Athletics for more information.

September 15

6-10 p.m.

GSU vs. UTSA Head to The Georgia Dome to cheer on the Panther’s own football team playing UTSA. Free for students with a valid ID!

12-1 p.m.

Yoga Class Fall 2012 Series Yoga classes for Georgia State faculty, staff & students. Try the one-hour class of gentle yoga, emphasizing stress reduction and relaxation. Take advantage of this opportunity! Contact Kiana Stephenson at edws@gsu.edu for more information.

4-9 p.m.

Atlanta BBQ Festival Come to Atlantic Station for a BBQ competition, music, kids area and a variety of BBQ vendors. Southern comfort at its finest!

7 p.m.

Brad Paisley and The Band Perry Country Megaticket with Brad Paisley and The Band Perry Head to Aaron’s Ampitheatre at Lakewood for country music.

September 16

4-7 p.m.

Men’s Soccer: Georgia State vs. Georgia Southern

3 p.m.

Florence Kopleff Memorial Celebration This memorial concert in honor of renowned contralto and GSU Professor Emerita Florence Kopleff will feature

performances by the Georgia State University Singers, Deanna Joseph, conductor; vocal soloists Richard Clement, Kate Murray, Maria Valdes and Serafina Furgiuele; Tania Maxwell Clements, viola; Walter Huff, piano; and remarks by Thomas Shaw, Alice Parker and Lorna Haywood, among others.

September 17

8 p.m.

Grizzly Bear Grizzly Bear is a Brooklynbased indie rock band, composed of Edward Droste, Daniel Rossen, Chris Taylor and Christopher Bear. The band employs traditional and electronic instruments. Tabernacle

September 22

12 p.m.

Music Midtown Music Midtown is quickly approaching: head to Piedmont Park to catch tunes from all kinds of artists in Atlanta. Get your tickets in advance!

September 26

Bassnectar, Skrillex, Pretty Lights The Masquerade will be hosting some of Dubstep’s favorite artists. See the big names right here in Atlanta!

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Print Application offline and return to Bryce McNeil 330 Student Center | 44 Courtland St | Atlanta, GA 30303

14

reviews

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012

MUSIC

Lecrae | Higher “Gravity” ASIA THOMAS Staff Reporter

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

TEEN IN LIMBO

JJ DOOM KEY TO THE KUFFS

FIERCE CREATURES CATACOMB PARTY

APOLLO BROWN & O.C. TROPHIES

LARGE PROFESSOR PROFESSOR @ LARGE

DELICATE STEVE POSITIVE FORCE

Grade: B Best Track: “Worn” Release Date: August 21, 2012

FERGUS & GERONIMO FUNKY WAS THE STATE OF AFFAIRS

POOLSIDE PACIFIC STANDARD TIME

GROUNDISLAVA FEEL ME

American Christian rapper Lecrae brings a new form of Christian music in his recently released sixth studio album “Gravity.”

“Gravity,” a follow up to earlier released mixtape “Church Clothes,” features collaborations with artists such as Big K.R.I.T., Mali Music, The Voice finalist Mathai, and Reach labelmates Tedashii and Trip Lee. Lecrae also worked with DJ Khalil, Heat Academy, The Watchmen, and other talented producers on this album.

To raise anticipation, Lecrae leaked three singles from Gravity this summer. “I Know,” released in July, is an edgy Heat Academy production that focuses on negative reception of his music and brand in hip-hop as well as the debate over his

lyrics amongst some Christians.

“Yeah, I know they go’n hate us/ Type they blog up, debate us/ They be fishin for attention but don’t know how to bait us.”

Lecrae collaborated with Mali Music on his accompanying single, “Tell the World,” released in mid-August. This track is very inspirational but also radio-friendly. “Tell the World” is a more emotional single about his love of Jesus. “But you hung there bleedin/And died for my lies, and my cheatin, my lust, and my greedin.”

Released on Aug. 1, Lecrae’s lyrically raw single, “Lord Have Mercy,” is a true sinner’s testimony. Lecrae, along with labelmate Tedashii, opens up about his explicit past and losing several family members to drugs.

“Dark Past of evil endeavors/ Heart clean never/Black and ugly as ever/However, I seen my family die from the rocks.”

“Lord Have Mercy” is compared

to Kanye West’s “Mercy” in a recent article in The Christian Post, paralleling similar vocals, style and title. As Lecrae outlines his past, he also speaks of his zeal for his religion, which makes this song a great highlight of the entire feel of “Gravity.”

In this more mainstream album, it is apparent that Lecrae focused on lyrical quality, as well as the overall production of “Gravity.” The rapper’s album has received positive feedback from music sources AllHipHop.com and Billboard, which praised the album as Lecrae’s strongest work thus far.

“Gravity” opens up Lecrae’s struggle with secular subjects and encourages fans to actually listen to his lyrics and to find inspiration in his story.

Lecrae will be featured on the Unashamed Tour with Trip Lee and Tdot at The Tabernacle on Oct. 19.

Tenth Avenue North | “The Struggle”

MAGIC CASTLES MAGIC CASTLES

BRITTANY BROWN Staff Reporter

NOW PLAYING AT

CINEFEST The Raid: Redemption Grade: B Best Track: “Worn” Release Date: August 21, 2012

The American Christian band Tenth Avenue North recently released “The Struggle.”

Accompanied by its soft rock beats, Tenth Avenue North’s lyrics are directed as prayers to God. The album is well-named—the songs are about overcoming hardships and being thankful for what we have been given.

Loaded with inspiration-

al lyrics, the album tackles typical human issues—loneliness, being lost, being different from the crowd— through prayer.

The album’s namesake song speaks of the relief felt in being human—even when it becomes painful through the lines, “We are free to struggle/ we’re not struggling to be free.”

“Worn” is a sorrowful track that everyone can relate to. In it, band members reveal that they are exhaust-

ed with the everyday battles they have to fight and they seek a way out of the weary suffering.

What the album lacks is a variety in the type of songs.

All the tracks lean towards being gloomy-yet-inspirational. But having a carefree, silly song would add diversity to the collection.

Despite the variety—or lack thereof—the album is worth listening to if you are looking for more spiritual music.

film more frightening, yet entertaining as well.

The characters’ use of modern day technology was very clever.

The one thing that stood out was after one of the characters were in complete shock and frantically searching for answers they immediately went to the internet and gave Vimeo, a mainstream website used to upload and watch videos, a visit. These uses of technology made it a little more realistic because it’s something people might do in that same situation.

The audio effects were also perfectly timed. While this may have been just another possession movie and was predictable at some points, the people involved in the technicalities made sure to surprise the audience. The exaggerated and loud ticking of the clock added suspense with every movement, leaving the theater dead silent. The wave of calm and intense sounds varying throughout the scenes was staged nicely, as well.

The movie was pleasing on the visual side, as well. The director used the lighting, the characters and special effects to create a moody atmosphere. The director also incorporated the medical field into the movie and had a very disturbing scene that involved an xray. The image that appears is so startling that it stays in your mind for quite some time whether you want it to or not.

Overall, the movie was terrific. Most of it was realistic and it did its job of terrifying its audience. The movie theater was full of screams and people covering their eyes at some points. While the plot may be cliché, this was not a typical scary movie. The director, Ole Bornedal, threw in some scenes that were very unsettling. When buying a ticket to see this movie one should know that while it does have many scenes that makes your heart jump, it’s nothing that will have you scared after you leave the theater.

MOVIES

Demon In a Box:

DERANDA BUTLER Staff Reporter

Director: Gareth Evans Cast: Iko Uwais, Doni Alamsyah and Joe Taslim Synopsis: As a rookie member of an elite special-forces team, Rama is instructed to hang back during a covert mission involving the extraction of a brutal crime lord from a rundown fifteen-story apartment block. But when a spotter blows their cover, boss Tama offers lifelong sanctuary to every killer, gangster, and thief in the building in exchange for their heads. -- (C) Sony Running time: 100 minutes Rotten Tomatoes: 84 percent (certified fresh) MPAA: Rated R for strong brutal bloody violence throughout, and language Showtimes: Monday – Friday: 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m., 9 p.m.

Weekends: 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m.

The Possession

Grade: 6.2 (Source: IMDb) Running Time: 92 Minutes MPAA Rating: PG-13

Once “The Possession” began there was no hesitation to jump right into the action. It started with an eerie scene where music was mysteriously playing from an antique box. Immediately, unearthly activity began and the initial character went into a violent and deeply disturbing spine-snapping, neck-cracking episode. Her body made spine-chilling shapes that are even indescribable to an acrobat.

Like most scary movies, “The Possession” claims to be based on a true story. While that may or may not be true, having that statement appear before the movie began has a huge effect on how people perceived it. Watching something like this with the impression that you could be in the character’s dreadful circumstance adds a certain amount of fear. That makes the

15

A&L | REVIEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012

FOOD

Reuben’s Deli

PATRICK DUFFY | THE SIGNAL

“The Eastsider” is comprised of corned beef, pastrami, slaw and Thousand Island dressing.

IMAN NAIM Staff Reporter

Located around the corner from the Aderhold Learning Center and surrounded by other restaurants is Reuben’s Deli: a sandwich shop with character.

Signs encouraging customers to be more than assertive about the

construction of their meal, and tip jars advertising the many uses that extra cash will be put to add to the fun, laid-back image of the deli.

Loyalty to employees’ hometown is shown through the vintage black-and-white photos of downtown Atlanta landmarks and the Georgia State football apparel that is displayed around the small dining area.

Even the slightly sticky table-

Vemma Youth Revolution?

IMAN NAIM Staff Reporter

The Vemma energy drink is gaining popularity on college campuses because it provides drinkers with the day’s essential vitamins and minerals.

A likelier reason is that students are learning more about the business opportunities Vemma may have for them.

The energy drink’s means of advertising allow brand partners to encourage friends to sell its product.

“It’s a group of leaders continually adding people to a team or a family,” said Malcolm Perry, a student at Skidmore College and a brand partner for Vemma. “This is a business where your success depends on how many people you make successful.”

There are no papers or contracts to sign when becoming a brand partner.

Those who wish to sign up simply make an account on the website. They then sign up under the brand partner who introduced them to the company. The only normal aspect of this self-employment is that the money made is taxable.

Unlike a normal job, brand partners create their own hours and set their own goals. There is no set income for being a brand partner. The amount of money they make depends on how much effort is put into selling the product—which is measured by how many other salespeople are added to their business.

VEMMA.COM

Before working as a brand partner, Perry had doubts about Vemma’s reliability.

“My mentors worked with me, though, and once you see the money you make, it amazes you,” Perry said.

According to Nick Middlebrooks, a brand partner and Georgia Tech sophomore, about the same amount of money is spent on advertising through brand partners as traditional advertising would cost.

“People tend to trust more what their friends say,” Middlebrooks said.

“Commercials aren’t very believable.”

Because of its uncommon methods, Vemma has a long way ahead to convince students that they are a valid company with legitimate opportunities.

“Total bullshit,” said Amirah Houry, a sophomore at Georgia State, “If I’m going to invest my time in something I need to see legitimate information about the company, not just word of mouth.”

tops and rough, warehouse-like floor add to the deli’s personality.

While primarily a lunch destination, Reuben’s Deli is also a popular breakfast stop for students and downtown workers. In the early morning, most of the traffic they experience is take out. But a bleary-eyed individual sipping on a cup of coffee, is not an unusual sight.

Lunchtime is when the custom-

ers really start to flock in and the restaurant ditches its lazy morning vibe for a fast-paced urban feel.

With its affordable prices, freshtasting ingredients, and quick and friendly service, Reuben’s Deli is the perfect spot for a hungry student in a rush to class.

They also offer a more diverse menu, including sides that are not offered at similar sandwich stops, like Jimmy John’s and Subway,

both of which are located on the same street.

One of its most popular lunchtime dishes, The Reuben—turkey or pastrami grilled with kraut— was rated the #1 Reuben on Yelp; just one of the few ‘Best’ and ‘Top 10’ ratings the deli has earned in the past five years.

Reuben’s Deli is worth the try.

Just make sure you speak up when you get to the counter. Or get out.

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16

including President Obama’s August 2009 White House letter to Leland (page 2): “Dear Leland …we hope that the issue you brought to the President’s attention has been resolved. However, if you still need help with a Federal agency, we are pleased to assist you.”

SOLUTIONS

SPORTS

www.gsusignal.com/sports

BIG GUY

ISMAEL SUAREZ Sports Editor

LITTLE GUY HOW SIZE HAS INFLUENCED GEORGIA STATE’S BIGGEST AND SMALLEST FOOTBALL PLAYER’S LIFE

Terrance Woodard

I

t’s no surprise that Terrance Woodard never got in a fight in his life. Not only because of his pacific personality, but because he is 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 320 pounds. Who would mess with this guy?

The junior noseguard is the biggest player on Georgia State football team’s roster and said that the only time he ever felt small was when he stood next to Georgia State’s basketball team.

“I know how regular people look at me now,” Woodard said with a laugh.

His size has given him the strength necessary to perform well on the field.

“It helps me to be able to handle two people coming on the front end,” Woodard said. “It helps me fight through them and do my job for the defense.”

However, no one gets as big as him out of thin air. He has to work hard in the weight room and eat enough to keep his figure intact.

“I spend a lot of time with coach P (Ben Pollard), he’s a good weight coach and gets us ready to go out there and play every Saturday,” Woodard said.

Also, his meal sizes are far from small.

“I eat pretty big meals,” he said. “You can’t get this size from not eating that much.”

Despite living at Georgia State, he tries to stick to the diet he had back in Ocilla, his hometown.

“I’m a South Georgia country boy so we eat a lot of pig, collard greens and southern cooking,” Woodard said.

Ocilla is a miniscule town located in Irwin County, Ga. “As far as the city part, it’s two stop lights, a couple of convenience stores and about two restaurants,” Woodard said with a grin. “Everyone knows each other there because we all go to school from kindergarten to high school together.”

When he graduated from Irwin County High School, he defined his graduating class as “pretty big,” although it was only about 100 people.

Woodard said that what he misses the most from his home town is his family, the “small-town living” and the night sky in the country.

He likes Atlanta because of the vast activities available and the diversity, but for him, there’s nothing like being at home with his family.

When it comes to high school ball, “Big T,” as he’s been nicknamed since he was a kid, dominated in his region.

According to Georgia State Athletics, he started three years, earning all-region honors for those three years straight.

Once he got the call from Georgia State and signed with the school’s inaugural team, he started 19 games on the first two seasons, making 36 tackles.

After college, Woodard said that he has NFL aspirations.

His main sources of motivation are Jake Muasau and Christo Bilukidi, who were the first Panthers to make it to the NFL. “I’m proud of both of them because I worked every day and all day with them,” Woodard said.

In case football doesn’t work out for him, the political science major plans to open up his own business as a way “to give something back to the community.”

Darren McCray

A

lthough wide receiver Darren McCray’s speed gives him an advantage on the field, it has also come in handy while running for his protection.

“I’ve ran from a few dogs in my time,” McCray said with a grin. “I ran to the nearest car and jumped on the hood.”

McCray is the shortest and lightest player on Georgia State’s football team, as he weighs 150 pounds and is 5 feet 7 inches tall.

This made him subject to many jokes from his teammates during his first days in the team.

“Even the kicker has me by 15-20 pounds, I think, so there are all kinds of jokes,” McCray said.

However, he said that he likes being doubted by rivals for his size because it gives him the opportunity to prove them wrong.

“They think they can overpower me because I’m the smallest guy, but that’s not the case because to play at my size you have to have a lot of heart, which I do have, or else I wouldn’t play,” McCray said.

Besides bravery, McCray’s size requires him to make clever decisions with the ball in his hands.

“I have to play smart. Since I’m not the biggest guy I can’t just use my size to overpower people like other guys do,” McCray said. “I have to use my brain to get around people and find the best way to an open area.

I got to use my speed and quickness rather than just size.”

In high school, the speedy redshirt junior was accounted as one of the most dangerous kick returners in the state.

Once at Georgia State, his speed broke school records.

In the 2010 game against Campbell, he made a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, being the only player in the school’s history to do so.

He said the recipe to make such long returns is that he relies on his team to block the opponents.

“Run and hope someone blocks,” McCray said.

“It’s all about blocking. I rely on my teammates a lot because of my size so I hope everyone can get their job done so that it can make my job easier.”

Evidently, kick returns are his specialty.

“It’s a good feeling – knowing that the other team is going to kick it out of bounds because they don’t want you to touch the ball,” McCray said.

His speed and physique are not random, since he comes from a family of athletes.

“My mom, my dad, my sister and I all ran track and they all say I’m the best one, but I don’t believe them,” McCray said.

Also, his father played football at a collegiate level for South Carolina State University until he tore his ACL. McCray said that his family is one of his main sources of support. So much so, that playing for his parents is his favorite thing about football, and he feels down when they don’t make it to one of his games at Georgia State.

“Without my parents, I don’t think I would even play,” McCray said. “They motivate me a lot.”

Once he graduates from college, the computer information systems major sees himself being “a tech analyst or anything working with computers.”

CARLI PERLEBERG | THE SIGNAL Darren and Terrance comparing their difference in size.

SPORTS

18

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012

WORLDS APART MARYAM DOGO’S JOURNEY FROM AFRICA TO PLAY BASKETBALL IN AMERICA

RHETT LEWIS Staff Reporter

M

aryam Dogo has never seen or chased a lion in the wild.

“I’ve seen more wild animals since I have been in the U.S. then when I was back home,” Dogo said.

“You don’t see them, unless you go to the zoo. That’s where you see wild animals.”

Dogo, a native of Kaduna, Nigeria, has, however, seen and lived situations that many outsiders will only witness from the comfort of their living room couches during a World News segment with Diane Sawyer.

During our interview, Maryam, whose parents are both Muslim, spoke frankly about the constant battles between the Boko Haram, an Islamic fanatic group, and politicians within Kaduna. Bombs are the weapons of choice for the Boko Haram: not the typical risk you may associate with attending town meetings.

In Naduna, however, extreme consequences are not uncommon.

Dogo said that crime, particularly gang-related larceny, is so prevalent in some areas that citizens erect near fortresses, complete with barbed wires and security cameras, to protect their homes.

“In Nigeria, the walls of your fence are as high as the building,” Dogo said. “You put barbed wires on top of it and connect it to electricity so that if anyone tries to jump over it will shock them. Before someone comes in they would have to knock. You have a camera and you see who it is before you let them in.”

The education system isn’t much better.

“The situation is corrupt,” Dogo said. “You don’t get admitted into school on merit. You have to have a connection, a link. A lot of people go to school not because they did better than you on the entrance exams, but because they had somebody who could help them out.”

Dark realities notwithstanding, there is, of course, a flip side— unfortunately it’s the side often eclipsed by stereotypes.

“When people think about Africa they think about dilapidated buildings,” Dogo said. “They think about the slums. They think about children dying from malaria. They think about over population and all that crazy stuff. But it’s not everywhere. There are good sides.”

During high school, Dogo CANDRA UMUNNA | THE SIGNAL realized that she might have a Women’s Basketball Player, Maryam Dogo, proudly mixes her Nigerian heritage with the sport she loves. chance to attend college in America by playing basketball. Several athletes in her neighborhood had beDuring her last year of high wait and held her scholarship until ney. She had high hopes for herself come student-athletes in the states school, Dogo began to contact col- the next year. Dogo boarded a plane and knew that coming to Ameriand she liked what they had to say lege coaches to gauge their interest. in early August 2010 and departed ca would allow her to reach those about their experiences.

She was the best player on her high for America. heights, presumably at OCU. “I always knew I wanted to get school team and had built a nice When she landed in Dallas al“People fight for you here [in an education in the U.S.,” Dogo reputation for herself. most a day later, she became the America],” Dogo said. “If you have said. “I wanted to have a chance Oklahoma City University, a first member of her family, which a talent they make sure to help you at something great. Getting out of member of the NAIA, offered Dogo includes 16 siblings, to ever set foot develop it and then you get somethere [Nigeria] and getting here, a full scholarship for the 2009-2010 on American soil. thing out of it.” it would open doors. Then, who season. She accepted, but was deTwo years later, that is still the Dogo never played a single minknows? One day I may be that link nied a student visa and had to reap- case. ute for OCU. She “didn’t feel conthat could help someone else from ply six months later.

Dogo was thrilled to finally be nected,” as she put it, from the time Nigeria.”

OCU felt Dogo was worth the in the states and to begin her jour- she stepped on campus. Continuing

“

I wanted to have a chance at something great. Getting out of there [Nigeria] and getting here, it would open doors. Then, who knows? One day I may be that link that could help someone else from Nigeria.”

to follow her gut, she informed the OCU head coach that she intended to transfer to a junior college at the end of the season.

“I felt like I needed somewhere to have this American experience,” Dogo said. “I wanted to go somewhere that I could develop.”

Dogo enrolled at Lamar Community College, a member of the NJCAA, in Lamar, Colo. in the spring of 2011 but was redshirted.

During preseason workouts the following fall, as Dogo was preparing for her first encounter with college basketball, Georgia State assistant coach Jonathon Barbaree contacted Dogo’s coach to inquire about another player on the team.

All the Lamar coach wanted to talk about however, was Dogo.

Three days later, Dogo was offered a full scholarship to play for Georgia State. She had yet to play a single minute of college basketball.

“I said, really? You all haven’t even seen me play yet and you don’t even know how I’m going to do once we start playing.”

As it turned out, there was no issue.

She was an instant difference maker for the Runnin’ Lopes of Lamar CC, averaging 20 points and 15 rebounds in her lone season with the team. She produced a doubledouble in 20 games and had season highs of 40 points and 27 rebounds.

In addition to Georgia State’s offer, Dogo received near 30 other scholarship offers from Division I schools while playing at Lamar CC. After visiting Georgia State and the University of Texas, she decided to sign with the Panthers.

“I like the people in the athletic department,” Dogo said. “There is a close bond and that’s how winning starts. You win championships by being a family, and getting things together, and by being on one page.

I had that feeling that the athletic department and everyone involved in it, is all on one page.”

Dogo, now a redshirt sophomore on the court, will enter this season as one of Georgia State’s power forwards.

A self-described “go-getter,” Dogo says that heart and motor are two things that keep her going, particularly when clearing the boards.

“Rebounders, they never get satisfied,” Dogo said. “They always want it. They just know where to go.”

Those words also seem to drive Dogo off the court.

Confident and energetic, she appears larger than life. She is collected and measured.

At times, she almost seems unreal. Yet, she is.

19

SPORTS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012

Column

Player Of of The the Week week soccer

Hollow grounds ISMAEL SUAREZ Sports Editor

T

ANDRES CRUZ-WELLMANN | THE SIGNAL

Free pizza wasn’t enough to attract more than 60 people to Saturday’s Viewing Party.

Alex Vivanco Height- 6’0” Weight- 170 lbs.

Comes from a soccer family. Two of his uncles have played both college and professional soccer.

Finance major.

The Georgia State men’s soccer season is in full swing and senior Alex Vivanco has emerged as one of the Panthers’ most dynamic players on the pitch.

Vivanco has scored at least one point in every game this season and leads the team with three goals.

He found the net twice against North Florida on August 26.

The Cumming, Ga. native has already eclipsed his goal and point totals from all of last season and should continue to pile up the points as the season progresses.

SPORTS BRIEFS Georgia State will keep men’s basketball head coach Ron Hunter for six more

years, as he agreed to sign a contract for that term, replacing the five-year contract he had signed in 2011. The new contract was an award for Hunter’s successful first season, where he led the team to 22 victories and earned a postseason berth.

Georgia State’s Volleyball team opened up the season at home with the Georgia State Invitational, where they fell to Samford and South Alabama, but beat Mercer. So far, the Panthers hold a 2-8 record.

On Saturday, Georgia State cross country teams opened up the season with their 37th Annual Georgia State Invitational. Both the Georgia State men and the women obtained nothing but first place awards in team and individual competitions.

With a 2-1 record under their belt, the

men’s soccer team will travel to Durham to play Duke on Sep 11. So far, the Panthers have won all of their games away and lost their home opener against Evansville.

Men’s tennis new head coach Joerg Barthel announced the hire of a new assistant coach, Cesar Vargas. Vargas played collegiate tennis at University of Nebraska, Barthel’s former school.

The few faithful Viewing Party organized by Campus Events was poorly attended LAURA APPERSON Copy Editor

A

pproximately 20 people were scattered throughout the Student Center ballroom two minutes before kickoff on Saturday.

Nachos, cotton candy and root beer floats in hand, students casually chatted as they awaited the Georgia State vs.

Tennessee’s opening punt.

The low turnout didn’t keep the few faithful fans away from the screen.

“We go to all the football games,” said sophomore Bria Allen when asked why she came out to the viewing party.

“Even when they’re away, it’s great to watch.”

Hosted by Campus Events, the Georgia State versus University of Tennessee viewing party on Saturday provided face painting, video games and a green screen for pictures throughout the game. At halftime, the local rapper Frenchy performed and, with a ticket, students were given pizza.

Before the game began, the fans were hopeful.

“I’m pretty optimistic,” senior Tai Habersham said about the game.

And the rest of the crowd—who did not appear too shocked at Tennessee’s opening touchdown—started off with a similar attitude as Georgia State responded with a drive down to the 5-yard line.

“This has been a weird drive,” the announcer said about Georgia State’s first field goal. Though clearly a backhanded compliment, Georgia State fans at the viewing party were sufficiently pleased with the points.

Though the Panthers weren’t able to secure a touchdown in the drive, kicker Christian Benvenuto made sure to snag a field goal before the ball went back to the Volunteers.

Georgia State fans reacted positively, cheering and screaming as the Panthers prevented the Volunteers from scoring a touchdown on the next play.

“Look what we’ve got now,” said sophomore Junnie Au-

guste, referring to the almost even score at the beginning of the game. “It’s better than last week.”

And Auguste was right— she was referring to the beat down against South Carolina State, who scored a touchdown within the first minute of the game.

Ten minutes before halftime, the crowd expanded to about 60 people—maybe only for the free pizza—but everyone was very responsive to the several strong plays Georgia State made before the half ended.

Frenchy performed his “Bleed Blu,” as well several other songs, in the ballroom as the students got pizza and waited on the second half to start.

As the game ended and the Panthers admitted a defeat of 51-13, grabbing a touchdown in the last minute, a crowd of about 10 students left the Student Center.

“I’m glad we made a touchdown,” Wilson said, “It was rough at the beginning but it picked up in the third quarter.

They actually started making passes.”

Matt Hubbard: King of Punts HUNTER BISHOP Staff Writer

6

-foot-4-inches is no usual height for a punter. But Matt Hubbard is in charge of punting for Georgia State’s football team, and so far, he hasn’t disappointed.

Matt Hubbard’s 80-yard punt on Georgia State’s season opener left the fans speechless as they followed the ball with their eyes, wondering if it would ever hit ground again.

Since the season began, the sophomore punter has impressed Georgia State, setting the NCAA record for an average of 62.2 yards on five punts against South Carolina State.

Against Tennessee, it was the same story. Hubbard didn’t

fail to show his leg power in front of more than 100,000 fans as he averaged 44.8 yards on eight punts.

To get to this level, it took Hubbard a lot of practice, though his first punting experiences were not while playing football.

“I’ve played soccer since I was really young, and I was a goalie, so I was punting then,” Hubbard said. “When I was in middle school and high school ball, my football coaches asked me to come punt for them.”

Since high school, Hubbard stuck to the sport he currently plays, and he’s done it well. Georgia State Athletics reports that he was selected as first-team all-county punter by the Fayette News in 2010. As a tight end, he had around 400 yards receiving during his senior year.

His faith has accompanied him since high school, giving him strength.

“My dad always tells me to trust God, and I do, I pray before every game,” Hubbard said.

Tips from his high school coach and current teammates have helped him improve.

“I’ve got a kicking coach back home, who taught me how to drop it,” Hubbard said.

“Brandon Lupo (Georgia State back-up punter) here tells me to keep it short, gives me a hand motion before every punt.”

Regarding his future, he said he would like to play professional football.

“Ultimate goal would honestly be the NFL, and that’s a possibility especially after last week, that gets a little attention,” Hubbard said.

he first game of the football season was definitely a bummer for all Georgia State fans, as the Panthers were hammered by South Carolina State University.

Despite the 18,000-plus fans that showed up to the Georgia Dome to support the team, the stadium was far from full. Even the student section, which is free to get into, had a few holes in it.

From the moment one walks into that stadium, the atmosphere is not that of an exciting football game.

The first impression impacts the fans, but not in a good way.

Seeing 75 percent of the Dome with empty chairs makes you wonder what you’re doing there.

Did I come at the wrong time? Is the game even today? Why is no one cheering?

Before the season-opening game, quarterback Kelton Hill said that playing at the Dome was great for the team.

“It’s a huge advantage. You have the fans on your side. There’s nothing like playing at the Dome when you’re the home team,” Hill said.

But what difference do 18,000 fans make when most of them end up leaving during the third quarter?

It is true that out of the 14 games the Panthers disputed at home, they won eight. Those six losses at home include beat downs against South Carolina State, Old Dominion and Murray State.

Outside the Dome, the Panthers only won one game out of the nine visits they made. This means that the Dome does make the Panthers stronger, but only to an extent.

Georgia State is not Alabama or Tennessee. I’m not saying that the program won’t grow to those schools’ levels in the future. But now, it seems too soon to say that Georgia State playing at home is a huge advantage.

Not only could South Carolina State’s fans cheered more loudly, but their band was amazing. We’re talking about a school that has an enrollment of around 4,000 students, while Georgia State has eight times that number of students.

It’s time for the either the fans to step it up, for Georgia State Athletics to step it up with football advertisement, or for the team to step it up.

Personally, I blame it on all factors above. Also, I blame it on the fact that most Georgia State students are commuters and it’s difficult for them to drive just to see a game.

Of course, people will not come to Georgia State football games.

Until 2014, where the team finally enters the FBS level and offers players an opportunity to play bowl games, it’ll be tough for them to gather a decent crowd on the stands.

Hopefully for the program, the Sun Belt will bring a brighter future, where we can all see a packed Dome when the Panthers play.

Spotlight

http://www.gsu.edu/studentcenter Styles

Styles

Lists

Spacing

WHATʼS HAPPENING ON CAMPUS!

SPOTLIGHT PROGRAMS BOARD www.gsu.edu/spotlight

Panther Prowl: YOLO

Friday, September 14, 8 p.m.-2 a.m.

Student Center Ballroom

Supported by Student Activity Fees

You say, “Carpe Diem”; we say “YOLO (You Only Live Once)!”

Join us for Panther Prowl as we live out life in one night, from crashing the red carpet to getting married in “Vegas.”

This event will feature live-band karaoke, fried snack food stations, a black light party, wedding chapel, rock climbing wall, ball pit, giant tricycle track and so much more.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Campus Events Styles

Project Dynamite

Wednesday, September 19, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Student Center Ballroom

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CAMPUS EVENTS

After being shut out by rain for its August performance at GSU, Project Dynamite, a comedic novelty act that juggles unusual objects, has been rescheduled to perform at an indoor venue in the Student Center. Come enjoy their hilarious award-winning act, along with some tasty free food (while supplies last).

• www.gsu.edu/studentevents

Campus Events at Unity Plaza

Homecoming 2012!

Thursday, September 13 12:15-1 p.m.

SAVE THE DATE: October 15-20

Enjoy performances at this Diversity Plaza by the Atlanta Chinese Dance Company, African Student Association dancers and the GSU Salsa Club while eating lunch or hanging out between classes.

Plaza Days highlight a diverse range of music and entertainment from rock bands and hip-hop to classical performers. If youʼd like to perform, contact the Campus Events Music Director at cemusic@gsu.edu or 404/413-1857.

Constitution Day

Tuesday, September 18 12:15-1 p.m.

Speakerʼs Auditorium, Student Center

Georgia State University uLearn

Cinefest Film Theatre

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All shows free for GSU staff, students and faculty with ID. Guests $3 before 5 p.m. and $5 at 5 p.m. and after.

September 10-16 Monday-Friday:

•

The Raid: Redemption

11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m., 9 p.m.

Saturday-Sunday: 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m.

September 14 • The Running Man Friday: Midnight

September 17-23 • Woody Allen Double Feature To Rome with Love Monday-Friday: 11 a.m., 3 p.m., 7 p.m.

Saturday-Sunday: 1 p.m., 5 p.m.

Manhattan

Monday-Friday: 1 p.m., 5 p.m., 9 p.m.

Saturday-Sunday: 3 p.m., 7 p.m.

For details, visit www.gsu.edu/cinefest

For more information, call Spotlight Programs Board at 404/413-1610.

Take Advantage of Discount Tickets!

Movie theatres, theme parks, athletics teams and other venues offer discounted rates to the GSU community through the Student•University Center. Most discount tickets can be purchased at the Information Center on the first floor of the Student Center, and some are also available online.

Tickets for Atlanta Braves games and Walt Disney World are available only online.

DISCOUNT TICKETS AVAILABLE

We are proud to live in a country that is based on our constitutional rights. Celebrate National Constitution Day with Campus Events and the Student Government Association. The event will feature a guest speaker, State Court of Cobb County Judge Bridgette Campbell, the first African-American judge to be appointed by a governor in the state of Georgia. Judge Campbell was appointed by former Governor Roy Barnes. http://www.gsu.edu/cinefest

Lists

Spacing

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AMC Theatres • Atlanta Braves (online only) • Biltmore House • Georgia Aquarium • Georgia Renaissance Festival (also online) • Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament (also online) • Regal Cinemas • Six Flags Over Georgia (also online) • Six Flags White Water (also online) • Stone Mountain Park (also online) • Tennessee Aquarium (discount brochure only) • Walt Disney World (online only) • Zoo Atlanta • Atlanta Hawks tickets coming soon (online only)!

More Information: www.gsu.edu/ticketdiscounts Courtyard Music Series.jpg

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