The Signal Vol. 88 No. 24

VOL. 88 | NO. 24

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STUDENT ON ACADEMIC EXCLUSION TRIES RETURNING TO GEORGIA STATE. PG. 03

ALUMNI, WINNING ARE THE KEYS TO GEORGIA STATE FILLING THEIR SEATS PG. 08

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At the Urban Life Building, the Georgia State University Police Department arrested a nonGeorgia State offender for trespassing at 11:59 a.m. after receiving prior notice.

APRIL 1

Keep your hands, feet and thoughts to yourself.

At 1:23 p.m. at the Landmark Diner, the Georgia State University Police Department arrested a non-Georgia State offender for simple assault.

Did you forget? Six feet apart, please.

A Georgia State student was a victim of harassment at 2:15 p.m. at 112 Courtland St. The case is still active.

NEWS BRIEFS

EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Brooklyn Valera signaleditor@gmail.com MANAGING EDITOR Sharayah Davis signalmanagingeditor@gmail.com MARKETING MANAGER Franky Huang signalmarketingmanager@gmail.com

“Don’t make me tell you again.”

Didn’t you hear about the five-finger discount?

At the University Lofts, a Georgia State student was a victim of theft at 6:44 p.m. The case is still active.

APRIL 5

“We’ve got you now…”

The Georgia State University Police Department arrested a non-Georgia State offender for simple battery and an outstanding warrant on the corner of Pryor Street and Wall Street at 1:32 a.m.

LOCAL

NATIONAL

GLOBAL

Georgia residents warned about potential vaccine scams

U.S. Capitol Police Officer dead following targeted vehicle crash

Russian leader Putin signs law allowing him two more terms

According to WSB-TV, the Georgia Department of Public Health and Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr are alerting Georgia residents about scammers. Scam artists are using the vaccine to exploit people by calling, texting and emailing with the promise of giving them the vaccine, scheduling an appointment or putting them on a waitlist. Officials are informing the public not to give their Social Security number or bank account information over the phone.

On Friday, U.S. News reported that a driver rammed into a vehicle barricade injuring two officers. The driver exited the vehicle holding a knife. After refusing to respond to verbal commands, police shot and killed the driver.

The two injured officers were transported to two different hospitals. At Friday’s press briefing, Acting Chief of Police Yogananda Pittman announced that one of the injured U.S. Capitol Police officers died as a result of the injuries.

Vladimir Putin signed a law that gives him the opportunity to remain Russia’s leader until 2036, according to ABC News.

The law resets Putin’s previous term limits, allowing him to run for president two more times. Putin is currently in his fourth term which is scheduled to last until 2024. He has held power for an inconsecutive 15 years and claims the law will help his lieutenants focus on their work rather than searching for Russia’s next president.

NEWS

April 6, 2021

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/NEWS

Students on academic exclusion must appeal the exclusion, and with enough documentation, attempt to prove why Georgia State should allow them to re-enroll..

PHOTO BY MATT SICILIANO-SALAZAR | THE SIGNAL

Georgia State student on academic exclusion files appeal Kevin Hazrati cites financial insecurity and family deaths in fight to re-enroll JADA JONES Arts & Living Editor

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ccording to the U.S. Department of Education, 43% of full-time undergraduate students are employed. Many students work a full-time job and take a full course load to pay their tuition and graduate on time.

But some of those students end up getting left behind due to their jobs or personal emergencies taking up studying time; that is what happened to Kevin Hazrati.

Hazrati is a senior psychology major at Georgia State, and he’s in a situation most students do their absolute best to avoid: he’s on academic exclusion.

Hazrati began his journey at Georgia State in 2015 as a computer science major but realized that was not the path he wanted to take. After changing his major, he took a few semesters off here and there, as life’s challenges got in the way of pursuing his degree, and by the start of 2020’s spring semester, Hazrati wound up on academic probation.

But students lucky enough to not pay their way through college, or those who can successfully balance work and school, sometimes see students like Hazrati as someone who maybe just didn’t work hard enough.

“It’s hard to put yourself in the situation of someone who’s this far behind,” he said.

The COVID-19 pandemic introduced many unique roadblocks and hurdles for students like Hazrati. “COVID anxiety,” financial and housing insecurity and family deaths on top of maintaining good grades affected many students’ mental health and academic performance.

Academic exclusion at Georgia State means that a student placed on academic probation did not raise their cumulative GPA above the 2.0 minimum during that semester. It is the most restrictive educational discipline level at Georgia State. Students on academic exclusion cannot enroll in classes and must appeal their case to re-enroll.

The pandemic also posed an issue for students on scholastic discipline due to closed offices, creating a disadvantage to only access assistance virtually.

Hazrati submitted his first appeal to the Office of the Provost soon after finding out he was on academic exclusion; they denied his appeal. He explained that he included the difficulties of online

learning and the effects the pandemic had on his personal life, but that alone was not enough.

“I submitted my first appeal, [and] I thought it’d be sufficient enough to talk about how it’s kind of been hard for everyone lately with COVID and everything like that,” he said.

Now, Hazrati awaits the decision on his second appeal, and this appeal will make or break his academic career at Georgia State.

The process of re-enrolling at Georgia State after being on academic exclusion is called academic renewal, and it’s a strenuous process. When a student is on academic exclusion and the university denies a student’s appeal, that student cannot re-enroll at Georgia State for at least five years. If that student becomes eligible for academic renewal and wants to return to Georgia State, they cannot attend another university within those five years.

Hazrati’s second appeal is a more personal one. He said that Georgia State wants the details of his personal life and how those events affected his academia. After submitting an account of his declining mental health, struggles with financial insecurity and grieving his grandparents’ deaths, all he can do is wait.

“I just spoke to some past counselors I’ve had,” he said. “So I was thinking maybe some documentation of depression and anxiety, and those [were] possibly interfering with my course work. But aside from that, I can’t do much else.”

Hazrati considered all of his choices before appealing his exclusion, but unfortunately, to continue at Georgia State, there weren’t any other options.

“Before anything else, I spoke with an advisor towards the end of the fall [2020] semester just trying to understand my options,” he said. “And they just said, ‘An exclusion appeal is the next option, and there’s this option of an emergency withdrawal,’ but I found that that’s extremely hard to actually have happen.”

To obtain an emergency withdrawal, a student must experience an extreme, non-academic emergency that hindered them from voluntarily withdrawing from their classes. A detailed statement with proof of the crisis, when and where it happened and how it affected their coursework is mandatory.

The appeal process is one that Hazrati feels he navigated on his own. He mentioned it was difficult to get someone on the phone at the University Advisement Center who could guide him in the

right direction. After trying to secure an appointment with an exploratory advisor to discuss the appeals, the advisement office canceled his appointment.

“I made an appointment saying, ‘I need to speak with an exploratory advisor and follow up about my second appeal,’” he said. “Then I got an email saying, ‘The appointment is not needed; here’s the appeal form for the second appeal,’ and that was it. I just didn’t know exactly what to do after that.”

Hazrati took to resources on the internet to help him complete his appeals, using the information available on the Dean of Students and the Office of the Provost’s websites and social media sites like Reddit.

Georgia State did not make any exceptions or revisions to its academic exclusion or appeal policies to accommodate the pandemic or its effects on students. Aside from not being able to talk the process out with anyone in person, the policies equate the struggles students face during the pandemic to the struggles they faced pre-pandemic.

“It’s the same, but only harder because usually, you’d be going in to speak to people,” Hazrati said. “Now, it’s all digital, so I guess it’s even less personal. With the pandemic, you‘d think there’d be some kind of lenience.”

While Hazrati awaits the decision of his second appeal, he thinks about what his plan will be if it gets denied.

“Right now, I’m … just trying to figure out if I have any other options,” he said. “Also, I could take whatever credits I have and just transfer to another school, but ... I think I want to go work somewhere for a while and clear my head about school.”

Hazrati found that the stipulations of academic exclusion, the process of appealing it, and figuring out what to do next are stressful and emotionally taxing. He wants other students in any form of academic discipline to reach out and find resources early; it’s something he wishes he did. “[T]he whole academic disciplinary system, there’s a problem with it and the stigma that it gives, [and] the lack of anyone reaching out as you’re a struggling student,” he said. “I just think the only time I’ve been pushed to reach out myself is at this point, and it’s almost too late.”

NEWS

TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2021

4

Students have new options to study abroad

More scholarship opportunities increase affordability LEAH LI Staff Reporter

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BeWellGSU is providing students with essential wellness services.

PHOTO BY MATT SICILIANO-SALAZAR | THE SIGNAL

BeWellGSU provides wellness services for Georgia State students The organization hosts virtual mental health and well-being events LEILA DAVIDSON Staff Reporter

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eWellGSU Integrated Health is a Georgia State organization that provides students with services and initiatives to create well-being for students struggling with physical health, stress or mental health.

“We should all think beyond physical health, and BeWellGSU is really an opportunity for students to connect with themselves and their wellness, well-being and their health,” Tammy Turner, the on-campus advisor for BeWellGSU Integrated Health, said.

During April, BeWellGSU is hosting numerous events for students to attend for their wellness, including: • Peaceful Place Meditation • Monday Mile • Student Victim Assistance Coffee Chat • #TakeCareofYouGSU • Blue Table Safety Talks with Student Victim Assistance The organization provides services through several programs and offices on campus: • Georgia State Counseling Center • Access and Accommodations Center, • Campus Recovery Program • Office of the Dean of Students • Panther’s Pantry, Recreational Services • Student Financial Services • Student Health Clinic • Student Health Promotion • Student Nutrition Services

• Student Victim Assistance • University Career Services.

Currently, BeWellGSU has 50 student volunteers and employees, both graduate and undergraduate, working with the organization and has openings for student positions year-round.

BeWellGSU has integrated virtual events and programs during the pandemic, which has increased their outreach for virtual events and programs to the Downtown campus and the Clarkston, Perimeter Alpharetta, Decatur, Dunwoody and Newton campuses through their online services.

The organization offers safe sex materials such as condoms and lubricants to students through the Student Health Clinic. But since the pandemic, they are offering this service via mail for off-campus students to request online.

Students in housing can order the materials online to pick up from the housing office at 75 Piedmont Ave. Through the organization, the Georgia State Counseling Center hosts weekly virtual events for students stress management: • Monday Meditation • Journal Time GSU Live • Take Care Tuesday • Thankful Thursday • Mindful Walk • Sunday Pounce on Joy In the fall 2021 semester, BeWellGSU is planning an in-person mobile health clinic event for students to receive access to

health and wellness services. BeWellGSU hopes to resume HIV and STI testing for students in the fall has been put on pause

by BeWellGSU due to the pandemic.

Through the Counseling Center, individual, group and couples counseling is offered by the University for students.

The Counseling Center also provides a Substance Use and Risk Reduction program to provide students with the support and resources to start their recovery from drug and alcohol-related problems.

The Student Victim Assistance provides students with help related to trauma from personal experiences through crisis intervention and support. They provide students with options and information on how to respond to their experience and provide a confidential disclosure site to students affected by sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking.

BeWellGSU has the resources to provide students with assistance with body, food, mind, academics, self, relationships, money and sexual culture through their various programs. To access these resources and all the programs, BeWellGSU offers information through their website and the Panther Involvement Network website, where students can RSVP to events.

n March and April, Georgia State’s Study Abroad Program offers multiple virtual advising sessions for students, which inform them about many related points such as exchange programs, scholarships, affordability and alumni opportunities.

In the spring 2021 semester, the big initiative for studying abroad focuses on the “free passport initiative,” enabling Georgia State students who have never held a U.S. passport to get their first passport.

Laura Boudon, director of Study Abroad Programs, said: “This helps students take the first step in planning for a program abroad, and we have been excited that students have responded with considerable interest in the program.”

Boudon said this initiative is so popular that more than 1,700 students have started applications for it.

“We are delighted to report that interest in study abroad remains high across campus. Through virtual advising and other outreach events, our staff is meeting with over 200 interested students per month,” Boudon said.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected the program arrangements, but it offered students a more convenient way to take courses and learn about other countries at the same time.

“Additionally, several of our study abroad programs have flipped to virtual study abroad options, so there are still opportunities to take exciting summer courses and learn about other cultures by faculty who are experts in these world regions,” Boudon said.

According to Panther Involvement Network (PIN), Georgia State offers over 75 study abroad programs in more than 25 countries.

The programs are flexible, and the office is always available during spring break, the May-mester and the summer semester.

There are also academic

year programs and shortterm programs for students to choose from during the standard fall and spring semesters.

“

We are delighted to report that interest in study abroad remains high across campus.

”

— LAURA BOUDON Director of Study Abroad Programs “[Our mission is] to enable our diverse students to participate in safe, inclusive, high-quality, international academic for-credit experiences that contribute to their success as students and their global citizenship, support faculty as they create and lead these programs, and serve as a resource to our university community on international education,” the Study Abroad Program’s PIN page states.

Regardless of major, all Georgia State students can study abroad, and most of the programs are taught in English, making it easy for students to learn and have a memorable life experience.

The $1,000 International Education Fee scholarship has made studying abroad possible for many students. Georgia State offers various studyabroad scholarships and aid for interested students, including university-wide scholarships, college and department-specific ones and national ones.

OPINIONS

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/OPINIONS

April 6, 2021

It’s time to update teacher guidelines

A teacher’s racist remarks causes social media uproar ALYSSIA HARDGE Staff Columnist

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ILLUSTRATION BY ERICA DEAN | THE SIGNAL

Everything is… more sexist in Texas

Abortion laws in Republican states are oppressive CALLIE MCNORTON Associate Opinions Editor

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veryone knows the saying “everything’s bigger in Texas.”

But bigger does not always mean better.

Texas has put some questionable laws in place over the years. Recently, we have seen this in more than one way. These decisions made by Texas lawmakers are dangerous and damaging to anyone who isn’t a cis-gendered, straight white man.

On March 9, A Texas lawmaker made a push for the criminalization of abortion. A bill was filed by Rep. Bryan Slaton, abolishing and criminalizing abortions, with no exception for rape or incest. Women and physicians who take part could receive a charge of assault or homicide. The worst part is, those charges are punishable by death in the state.

Even though this bill will probably not make it very far, it is a clear example of the continued attack on women. In Texas and other states, laws are continuing to be passed that limit reproductive rights.

In 2019, The Texas Legislature banned government affiliations with abortion providers or their affiliates.

“This cuts off vital support to communities who rely on these low-cost clinics for basic health care like birth control, gynecological exams, cancer screenings, diabetes testing and much more,” ACLU Texas said.

Countries that restrict abortion have higher rates of abortions. If women

continue to be oppressed, unsafe abortions will become the norm in states like Texas.

In the U.S, 5,000 of 1.2 million illegal abortions ended in death before Roe v.

Wade. If Texas lawmakers continue to fight their battle against pro-choice, we may find ourselves at square one.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, 43% of Texan women live in counties

“

Georgia is not a perfect peach either, with 95% of Georgia counties having no clinic that provides abortions.

”

— CALLIE MCNORTON

Associate Opinions Editor

without an abortion clinic. Abortion is healthcare and should be easily accessible to all. Forty-five states allow health care providers to refuse an abortion. Fortythree states prohibit abortions unless under certain circumstances regarding the woman’s health after a certain point in the pregnancy.

Georgia is not a perfect peach either, with 95% of Georgia counties having no clinic that provides abortions. Patients have to receive state-directed counseling, and funding is only available in circumstances of life endangerment, rape and incest. Furthermore, there is a lack of proper education and awareness of sexual wellness in Georgia schools.

We have come to a point where we look at our leaders and say, what next?

President Biden has said he wants to protect Roe v. Wade, stop state restrictions and plans to restore federal funding to Planned Parenthood.

“Abortion rights groups and progressives in Congress have been calling on the Biden administration to do more, including scrapping Trump rules,” Alice Ollstein for Politico wrote.

Under Biden’s administration, we have hope for reform. However, there is a long fight ahead when politicians like Rep. Bryan Slaton are still pushing for such oppressive abortion laws.

Unfortunately, Texas will still be Texas.

ditor’s Note: The writer is a former student from Pebblebrook High School.

When we were younger, our parents sent us to school with the idea that we would be taught, respected and tucked away from the world’s problems.

Little did they know, the schools they were sending us to are the breeding grounds for those said problems.

School shootings, bullying, mental health issues, sexism, racism and eating disorders are just a few things students deal with regularly.

So what happens when some of these issues come to light in the media?

On Feb. 26, Susan McCoy, a science teacher at Pebblebrook High School in Mableton, GA, discussed the topic of Breonna Taylor’s death with her students during a Zoom meeting: “I’m sorry she was killed, but you know, when you hang around people with guns and shootings, you’re likely to get caught in the crossfire.”

This statement and others she made during the meeting’s duration were recorded by a student and posted on Instagram. This caused an uproar on social media. Current students, faculty and alumni reshared the video so much that it caught national attention.

Students and alumni then started recalling past encounters with McCoy, stating that she has made racist remarks in the past.

She is not the only faculty member in Cobb County School District who has been accused of

racist remarks or actions.

Pebblebrook already has a bad reputation when it comes to being in the news. Within the past two years, the school has received a new principal, and right now, the school is undergoing new construction. During the 2019-20 school year, there were many school board meetings with teachers, students and parents regarding social issues within the system.

However, not many things were done by the county. Most of the time, the school tried to cover up bad things by saying that they care about the community and want everybody to express their concerns. Then, they throw a sporting event or a community event to defer from the issues going on within the school.

As Pebblebrook alumni, I enjoyed my time at the school. I created many memories, but I don’t want to come back in 15 to 20 years to a school that has not made any changes because they refuse to accept the fact that there are social issues.

Cobb County School District needs new guidelines when it comes to their faculty. It’s only going to get bigger and worse. The school district needs to accept the fact they can’t run from the problem. They can’t buy the hearts of the community. The school district has a responsibility to its students to better its social existence.

To fix the social problem, they need to look within the walls of their schools.

OPINIONS

TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2021

7

The most anticipated Netflix films in 2021 Netflix promises one new original film every week this year DORIAN ROSENBURG Staff Columnist

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ith streaming services dominating the film industry during the current global pandemic, many highprofile actors and directors have found refuge with companies such as Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Studios.

With no sign of the pandemic slowing down, Netflix has promised its viewers one new original film each week in 2021.

A feat this large would require immense talent in front of and behind the camera coupled with large scaling budgets, all of which Netflix has as the most successful streaming service of all time.

Netflix released a video teasing a few of their upcoming films.

“Don’t Look Up” — Release Date: TBA

“Don’t Look Up” might be the most star-studded cast in film history, with a whopping 15 cast members having A-list status within Hollywood. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence as two scientists embarking on a publicity tour around the country to warn citizens about an approaching meteorite that will destroy the world.

1. Leonardo DiCaprio 2. Ariana Grande 3. Jennifer Lawrence 4. Chris Evans 5. Meryl Streep 6. Jonah Hill 7. Cate Blanchett 8. Kid Cudi 9. Timothee Chalamet 10. Matthew Perry

“Red Notice” — Release Date: TBA

“Red Notice” is an American action-comedy thriller centered around capturing the world’s most notorious art thief.

The film has one of the largest budgets on this list, estimated at around $200 million and stars Gal Gadot, Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds.

1. Gal Gadot 2. Ryan Reynolds 3. Dwayne Johnson 4. Ritu Arya

“The Woman in the Window” — Release Date: May 14, 2021 “The Woman in the Window” is a psychological thriller about a woman obsessed over uncovering the mystery behind a brutal murder she witnessed from the window of her home.

The film was initially set to release in theaters last year but was later bought by Netflix to forgo a complete streaming release.

1. Amy Adams 2. Gary Oldman 3. Julianne Moore 4. Anthony Mackie

“Army of the Dead” — Release Date: May 21, 2021

“Army of the Dead” follows a group of mercenaries as they navigate the perils of a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas. The film is Zack Snyder’s directorial comeback after the Snyder Cut was released on HBO Max this past month. The movie is in talks to develop into a franchise, with actors such as Henry Cavill wanting a nod at a role in the forthcoming films.

1. Dave Bautista 2. Ella Purnell 3. Huma Qureshi 4. Omari Hardwick

“Bruised” — Release Date: TBA “Bruised” stars Halle Berry as a disgraced martial arts fighter, working her way back to the top while balancing the upbringing of her six-year-old son. The film was initially set to star Blake Lively, with Nick Cassavetes attached as director. However, Halle Berry took over the lead role and directorial position, with this film being her debut behind the camera.

1. Halle Berry 2. Adan Canto 3. Shamier Anderson 4. Steven Mckinley Henderson

ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA MADRZYK | THE SIGNAL

Protect the welfare of Americans and raise the minimum wage

The American Dream is becoming a fantasy for many ABIR ODEH Staff Columnist

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aising the minimum wage sounds like common sense, right? I mean, who can live off of $7.25 an hour in this day and age?

I would agree; it does sound simple. As the times change, monetary value changes, so the minimum wage should be set accordingly.

A full-time worker works 40 hours a week at $7.25 an hour, a gross wage of $15,080 a year and $1,256.67 a month. This is before deductions such as FICA taxes, which are 7.65% of your paycheck, and federal income taxes, which fall in the lowest income tax bracket of 10 percent. A single person with no dependents takes home only $13,673.38 a year with all deductions taken out.

Following that linear thinking, we would also figure that raising the minimum wage would lift many Americans out of poverty and debt.

It sounds like a win-win situation, right? So why so much controversy?

Because raising the minimum wage has a more significant effect on the economy than simply lifting thousands of people out of poverty and debt.

The federal minimum wage was created in 1938 under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to guarantee fair and minimum wages, overtime pay and child employment standards to protect children from child labor.

In 1938, the minimum wage was

$0.25, slowly increased to the current $7.25 in 2009. Georgia’s minimum wage is $5.15 an hour, one of the only states to have a lower than federal minimum wage.

Initially, the minimum wage was to ensure fair wages to jobs that require little to no training or schooling. In 1938, it was to protect workers from the greed of capitalism. Capitalism does not care about workers because it cannot profit above the welfare of its workers. So to both protect the free market and the laborers, the minimum wage was introduced by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Over the years, minimum wage jobs became entry-level jobs, populated mostly by teenagers, students and other part-time workers. The characteristics of minimum wage workers in 2020 showed that one-fifth of hourly paid workers were under the age of 25. They made up 48% of paid federal minimum wage, among other attributes of workers.

But there is a kink in the system; those entry-level jobs are not just populated by students, teenagers and part-time workers; there are people who have no education or training that rely on the jobs to make a living.

There are families, immigrants and impoverished people dependent on a stable entry-level job — even if it’s not meant to support a family.

How can we be okay with workers who tirelessly work all

day, sometimes overtime, picking tomatoes or assembling factory items and barely making enough to buy food?

The current minimum wage does not account for the inflation in market value; the federal minimum wage reached its highest actual value in 1968; at the time, it was $1.60. Since then, the minimum wage’s value has not kept up with productivity growth. Had it grown at the rate it was in 1968, it would now be $24.18 in 2020.

However, raising the minimum wage abruptly to $24.18 or even to $15 would disrupt the economy by impacting job security, hurt businesses and forcing some to close, increase the price of goods, increase the cost of housing and so many other things.

Even raising the minimum wage to $10 or $15 would still be under its inflated value. This also means that all workers working on an hourly wage are subjected to the same issues as the minimum wage worker.

These arguments have some basis; however, the cost of consumer goods and housing has already increased, but the minimum wage has not.

Profits and bonuses for many companies and their CEOs have rapidly increased, yet their bottom line wages have not.

If the minimum wage remains as is, for many, the American Dream is becoming a fantasy.

This Week’s Spread: Sports WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/SPORTS

Georgia State’s stands are usually empty. But why?

Location, success and marketing all play pivotal roles By: Andrew Freedman - Sports Editor & Julian Harden - Sports Reporter

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or any sports fan, attending events in person often creates an emotional connection to their favorite teams and athletes. They get to embrace each moment, looking to their friends and family in disbelief, saying, “How can a human do that?”

Some games bring an amalgamation of lifelong stories for fans: Hank Aaron’s 715th home run, Kobe Bryant’s 60-point final game and the New England Patriots’ historic comeback in Super Bowl LI. But it’s not just across the globe where history happens. It happens in our backyards with Georgia State Panthers athletics.

Fans’ eyes will always glow when they talk about the Panthers roaring into Neeland Stadium and shocking the sports world in front of over 85,000 people. They will tell the story of RJ Hunter and his shot against Baylor in 2015 to their children. Neither of these events was supposed to happen, but it sums up what recently has become a respectable collection of teams.

Now more than ever, fans are itching to secure tickets for live sporting events, but can the same be said regarding the Panthers’ athletic programs?

Associate athletic director Mike Holmes thinks that the recent success stems from a variety of circumstances. Atlanta is a busy city and a common tourist attraction for many who live outside of the state. Not many of those tourists are looking to see all that Georgia State may have to offer, even on game days.

“It’s not that we’re just going against Georgia and Georgia Tech for fans. We’re going up against the Falcons, and Atlanta United, and the Hawks, and the Braves and other events like Music Midtown,” Holmes said. “There’s a reason we’re all drawn to the city of Atlanta, and it’s because there’s so much great stuff to do.”

Holmes has been at Georgia State in some way, shape or form since 1998. Over the 22 years, he’s seen plenty of other schools supported on campus with Georgia Tech, Georgia and Clemson hoodies, among other schools. As the Panthers continue to pave their way into people’s lives, Holmes and the athletics department are looking to modernize their Panthers brand’s marketability.

“What we’ve got to do is get young adults that are growing up as Georgia State fans, and when they come to Georgia State, that’s all they care about,” Holmes said.

However, Holmes is hoping that head coach Shawn Elliott and the Panthers’ football team can change that, but it won’t be immediate and may take a generation or two of alumni to change that.

“I’ve joked around before [that] if you walked around campus before 2010, you could see an equal number of Georgia sweatshirts, [Georgia [Tech] sweatshirts, Clemson sweatshirts cause we didn’t have football,” Holmes said.

However, the athletics department also understands that they aren’t a mainstream school like the three Holmes mentioned.

“We live in a culture that wants overnight changes.

And we would love overnight changes, but I think we’ve seen even things like the Tennessee win,” Holmes said. “Great win for the program, did a million things for it, we couldn’t just sit back the next week [knowing the rest of our games would be sellouts].”

Unlike the Yellow Jackets, and more notably the Bulldogs and Tigers, the Panthers are still building a football program.

Lack of attendance is a sore spot when it comes to Georgia State football. Rival fans are quick to pounce on the large swaths of empty seats in Center What we’ve got to do is get Parc Stadium. young adults that are growing Georgia State’s 2021 up as Georgia State fans, and football schedule when they come to Georgia looks to rectify that issue, with games State, that’s all they care about, against multiple — MIKE HOLMES power five programs, Associate Athletic Director including Auburn and North Carolina. However, the Panthers will need to play more meaningful games at home to grow the fanbase.

“If the Panthers manage to get wins against a team like Auburn and North Carolina, fans will come,” Moore said. “It all comes down to winning, and Georgia State has to win consistently.”

In other sports, such as basketball, Georgia State consistently wins while playing in the GSU Sports Arena, what some consider the Sun Belt Conference’s worst arena. With the new Convocation Center’s construction, the Panthers will look to raise their profile and attendance.

“The stadium is a selling point for fans and recruits,” Moore stated.

“I can’t wait to see the crowd when the Panthers play Tech in the new stadium.”

Former alumni Jack Brinson aka the ‘Blue Bandit’ highlights while still cheering on the Panthers, it comes down to lack of wins.

“I’m happy with the progress, but it feels like it’s taking too long to get where we need to be as a football program,” Brinson said.

When it comes to fan attendance at State, there are a variety of issues at play. However, for the Panthers to cultivate an active fanbase, they require a breakout season in all programs. While it’s easier said than done, the Panthers will have to carve out a niche in a crowded college scene in Georgia.

Regardless of Holmes’, Moore’s and Brinson’s associations with Georgia State, it’s an open secret that the Panthers are far from where they want to rank in attendance columns. Each of the three understands the common goal: win games and watch the fans fill the stands.

“

However, how concerned should Georgia State be about the lack of support?

Over 30,000 fans showed up to watch the Panthers’ first football game in 2010. Yet, the Panthers have failed to reach the same turnout since they defeated Shorter University that September day.

With over 50,000 students, Georgia State is the largest university in the state. Those numbers haven’t translated to students at football games.

One of the most significant issues is the lack of engagement within the student body.

However, the other factor not discussed when looking at attendance is the quality of opponents. Georgia State lacks the advantage that UGA and Georgia Tech have, playing quality opponents from their Power-5 conferences to fill seats.

Except for games against Georgia Southern, the stands are pretty empty.

Ben Moore of 247Sports sees the quality of matchups as a critical reason for attendance or lack thereof.

Moore is a Georgia State alum and insider for the program. He’s also seen Georgia State athletics’ rise and understands that building a program essentially from scratch in a college-crazed city like Atlanta is easier said than done.

“No one is clamoring to watch Georgia State face Louisiana-Monroe,” Moore said. “Except for Southern, [Georgia] State has to make their games an event to watch for fans.”

”

PAGE DESIGN BY EVAN KOENIGS & ILLUSTRATION BY ARIEL WALTER | THE SIGNAL

ARTS & LIVING

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/ARTSANDLIVING

In light of the upcoming Van Gogh exhibit, Atlanta artists share how they combine their work with technology.

April 6, 2021

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY NEILL PREWITT

Art comes to life with technology

Atlanta artists discuss the upcoming immersive Van Gogh exhibit ISA CARDONA Associate Arts & Living Editor

V

an Gogh - The Immersive Experience” is coming to Atlanta in May, and visitors have a chance to step into the artist’s famous works. The exhibit will incorporate 360-degree digital projection, VR experience and dynamic lighting and sound to provide a unique perspective.

The combination of technology and art is not new, but it’s becoming all the more critical with the rise of the digital age. Multimedia and multidimensional art is becoming more inclusive and easier to share and compensate artists.

Elizabeth Strickler is a senior lecturer and director of entrepreneurship programs in the Creative Media Industries Institute at Georgia State. Her work focuses on future business models inducing blockchains and NFTs. NFTs, or a non-fungible token, is a data unit on a digital ledger called a blockchain, where each NFT can represent a unique digital item.

NFTs can represent digital files such as art, videos, songs and albums. Strickler saw how it was possible to own something digital because, in her perspective, the internet is a giant copying machine.

“I got really excited about that and have been working in that space at the intersection of decentralization and digital labor,” Strickler said. “And how people who are creatives can actually make a living because they can own and monetize everything that they create.”

Even with a computer science background, Strickler admits that navigating that space is complicated, but it gets easier over time. She has a passion for helping others learn how to succeed in this growing business model.

“I have a really strong desire to teach non-computeroriented people technical concepts so that they can participate in the new economy,” she said. “I feel like if you don’t understand technology, you are going to get left behind.”

Strickler was the first person to do projection installations at Georgia State. These installations were part of the Window Project. Stickler and her co-workers projected videos on six panels of frosted glass on what is now known as the Creative Media Industries Institute.

They got people from around the world to submit work that would be projected onto these panels at night.

Like the Van Gogh exhibit, the Window Project also used mediated architecture to merge digital art with physical reality. The Window Project’s vision paved the way for much higher-end projections with the current LED display using NanoLumens at the Creative Media Industries Institute.

Maggie Kane, also known as Streetcat.media, is an Atlanta-based artist and activist who creates interactive experiences that explore technology in creative spaces.

They work in an intersection of art and community organizing. A lot of the work Kane does is within open source technology and community-based events.

As a self-taught technologist with a background in art, Kane uses their skills to teach and create. They believe that education can fundamentally be a part of activism and resistance as it brings autonomy and agency back to the people.

“I like connecting with people, and part of mutual aid is not necessarily being an expert or gatekeeper of knowledge,” Kane said. “I try to be a facilitator, and I love researching, so I compile resources whenever I can, and then I share them whenever they’re appropriate.”

Kane has always been a hands-on person who loves to work with physical elements and doing direct action.

This passion led to them designing and leading the builds of free public food shelters for Free99Fridge, an Atlantabased grassroots organization committed to fighting for food justice and addressing the community’s needs through mutual aid.

“I eventually want to create a very detailed step-by-step process of how to build a shelter and publish it online so that anyone in any community can build one,” Kane said. “I want to make it kind of like a toolkit for people to [follow].”

Some immersive art uses installations and participatory performance, which Neill Prewitt, an artist, lecturer in foundations and the foundations coordinator at Georgia State, does.

“I would say [my art] is imbued with playfulness and

interaction,” Prewitt said. ”My art practice grew out of playing and performing music in what I would call like a DIY scene.”

His work explores how performance can be fun and practice embodied and critical inquiry. Prewitt sees that digital media is especially relevant right now, not just artistically but culturally with the digitization of life.

He started making videos to go along with his music when he was younger and playing in bands, but they weren’t traditional music videos. Instead, he created imagery that fit the theme and would evoke a mood for it.

In a video titled “My Heart Beats,” Prewitt creates a whimsical mood by utilizing his voice along with imagery of floating objects in a black void.

One by one, seemingly mundane things like a lampshade and shovel enter the void, playfully poking in and out from all directions. At the same time, a voice is making sounds that relate to the object.

“There’s a bunch of those sounds, and they start repeating, then they start building up into a song,” Prewitt said. “Because it’s all on this black void, they’re all kind of like coming into this one space and adding up together.”

Prewitt recently exhibited an installation version of “My Heart Beats.” The video’s projected on all four walls of the room, with a speaker on each wall. He placed the objects from the video on different walls so they would surround the audience.

“What I was interested in doing with that is taking the video and making it more immersive, and putting the audience in that black void,” he said.

As for the future of art, Prewitt expects to see more young people incorporating technology into their work.

He finds the upcoming Van Gogh experience fascinating, not only because it’s bringing one of the most famous artists to life but also emphasizes the potential of art with new technology.

“If students want to make work like this, it’s not gonna look like the Van Gogh experience straight out, but if you have a smartphone, you can create VR, augmented reality and make your art immersive too,” Prewitt said.

ARTS&LIVING

TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2021

11

IO Interactive’s Hitman 3 is a bloody good time The ‘World of Assassination’ finale released in January DESMOND LEAKE Staff Reporter

S

tealth games as a genre are practically nonexistent in the current gaming landscape. Despite popular Triple-A games such as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Cyberpunk 2077 incorporating optional stealth elements as part of the gameplay, pure stealth games have not seen widespread attention.

Hitman 3 and its two predecessors in the World of Assassination trilogy stand out for being one of the few pure stealth games released today. Hitman 3 stands out for being the most refined iteration of the trilogy.

The core gameplay loop of the “Hitman” series revolves around the player character, Agent 47, trying to kill at least two designated targets on large sprawling maps filled with hundreds of people.

How a player kills their target is entirely up to them, and that is where the beauty of HITMAN lies. Whether one wants to forgo the stealth mechanics altogether and go in guns blazing, commit the perfect crime or snipe your targets in a flamingo costume, Hitman 3 provides ample options for every player’s preference.

The previous maps in the World of Assassination trilogy all have incredibly intricate details and sprawling crowds of NPCs whose behaviors players must learn.

Players immediately see that Hitman 3’s maps are of similar quality in the opening level.

The first level places players in Dubai with a skydiving sequence onto a skyscraper above the clouds. This detailed level also translates to the quality of its maps from a gameplay perspective.

Almost all the maps have multiple opportunities for players to be creative with their kills.

However, the trilogy’s narrative is not groundbreaking, and Hitman 3 does not

do anything to change this trend. The story is serviceable at best; it does not detract from the game, and while the cutscenes are well animated, they do not enhance the game.

Where narrative in these games shines is in its Mission Stories. Mission Stories are assassinations that focus on the targets’ narrative. Players find out more about the level they are playing and get a unique opportunity for a kill.

The best mission is “Death in the Family,” where players can disguise themselves as a private investigator and unravel a murder-mystery plot.

Despite having only six levels, Hitman 3’s biggest draw comes from its replay value. While one could just play the levels once and then go back to another game, the number of different options incentivizes players to experiment with their murderous toolbox.

That does not even include the almost infinite player-made missions and the in-game escalations, side missions with different conditions required to complete a level, such as killing a target by drowning them in a toilet.

However, Hitman 3 still shares some of its predecessor’s baggage.

Namely, the always-online requirement, which is somewhat baffling in a game that has no multiplayer features.

It does not help that progress is only made while playing online. Therefore the game locks players’ progression behind an arbitrary hurdle that should not exist. Additionally, the final level to cap off the trilogy of games is barely a level. It scraps the openended design of every other level with a straight path towards the target.

Despite its flaws, Hitman 3 is a bloody good time and is a satisfying conclusion to one of the few pure stealth franchises still out there.

Visitors can see hundreds of murals and structural installations on the Atlanta BeltLine.

PHOTO BY MATT SICILIANO-SALAZAR | THE SIGNAL

Creative minds behind Atlanta’s self-guided street art tour

Jonathan Bowling discusses how he created a 10-foot-tall sculpture COLE PODANY Staff Reporter

A

proud mare stands with one hoof raised by the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail, her young filly by her side as he curiously gazes at passersby.

Their coppery manes seem to flow in the spring breeze, but they are completely still.

These grand horses, made entirely of repurposed steel, are together known as Mare and Filly. Mare and Filly is one structure on the Atlanta BeltLine selfguided street art walking tour, which offers a walk at your own pace through the most prominent art and sculpture park in the southeastern U.S. Along with structural installations like Mare and Filly, those strolling along the 3.1-mile self-guided walking trail can see almost 100 murals and street art pieces. “[The Atlanta BeltLine] is for the city, by the city,” Sundiata Rush, an Atlanta artist, said on the Art on the Atlanta BeltLine’s website.

Like Mare and Filly, some structural installations became a part of the BeltLine’s “continuing collection” and remained in place for years, while other pieces cycle out annually. Jonathan Bowling, who created Mare and Filly, also made Longhorn, a sculptural work that temporarily called the BeltLine home in 2017.

Though horses are Bowlings’ favorite animal to portray in his art, he also creates pigs, goats and mythical creatures like a 10-foot-tall pegasus. They live permanently in zoos, downtown centers and art exhibitions all over the southeast.

“Horses are a lot of bang for the buck,” he said.

His larger-than-life creatures reflect an artist’s handiwork with over 20 years of professional experience, but Bowling started small. After graduate school at East Carolina University, he started making fish. Many people purchased them to hang on the walls of their beach houses.

“I could stack a few hundred of [the fish] on a trailer and just drive,” Bowling said.

“

Art is an identity and a paycheck,” Bowling said.

“I [create art] for that ‘aha’ moment and that pleasure of knowing you’ve … made something from nothing.

”

— JONATHAN BOWLING

Atlanta Artist

The steel fish business was profitable because Bowling could sell the affordable items one-by-one, but larger animals like the horses displayed on the BeltLine called his name. He found himself much happier working on a larger scale — and horses were the perfect subject.

“I got into [art] the same way as anybody,” Bowling said. “Every threeyear-old is an artist; some people lose it, and others don’t.”

Bowling grew up on a small farm in Kentucky. As the youngest sibling, he spent his free time alone making up games and building makeshift structures outside.

“I liked to draw; I got into that when my grandmother gave me a Ranger Rick magazine,” Bowling said. “I was always into making hay forts and little dams in the creek with rocks.”

As he did in his childhood, Bowling works with the materials available to him.

He works with repurposed steel most often because it withstands the elements and requires minimal maintenance.

“I work with what I can find, as opposed to saying, ‘I want this exact shape, so I’ll cut this shape out,’” Bowling said.

Bowling’s work is his livelihood, but it’s more than just a way to keep the lights on; it’s a part of who he is.

“Art is an identity and a paycheck,” Bowling said. “I [create art] for that ‘aha’ moment and that pleasure of knowing you’ve … made something from nothing.”

SPORTS

April 6, 2021

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/SPORTS

Aris Briggs: From the Panthers to Real Salt Lake

Former Georgia State star looks to earn his spot in the MLS

Coach Elliott and Georgia State still observing position battles

ERIK INDRISANO Staff Reporter

F

or any fan of Georgia State soccer, the name Aris Briggs reigns supreme. For three straight seasons, the forward dominated the Sun Belt game in and game out. This boost of play landed Briggs in the crosshairs of many professional clubs. On Jan. 21, Real Salt Lake selected the former Georgia State forward in the third round (61st overall) of the MLS Superdraft. “[Getting drafted] was awesome.

I wasn’t expecting to get picked,’’ Briggs said. “I watched some of the first round; I didn’t see myself getting picked, so I stopped [watching the draft].”

But that call came when he least expected it.

“I went to go train, and I had just got back home and was in the shower when I got a call from [Georgia State head soccer coach Brett Surrency] that I had been drafted,” Briggs said.

Getting the professional call meant relocating from Atlanta and Center Parc Stadium to Salt Lake City across the United States.

“It was a mix of emotions coming out here, leaving my family behind.

I could have never seen myself in Utah,” Briggs said. “This whole experience has been surreal coming out here.”

Transitioning from the Panthers to RSL wasn’t made any easier with new COVID-19 guidelines placing Briggs in a mandatory week quarantine on arrival.

“That first week was really tough.

I was just laying in bed a lot, playing FIFA and wasting a lot of time,” Briggs said.

After his quarantine ended, Briggs got approval to join the team and officially meet his coaches, teammates and higher-ups in the club. This experience for the former Panther allowed him to feel at home almost immediately.

“The hospitality [in Utah] has been great. Everyone is really nice and welcoming. They have definitely helped make this feel a little more like home,’’ Briggs said.

In this situation, however, a contract is not guaranteed.

Briggs joins a group of draftees looking to make a statement to the coaches and staff and earn their professional spot on Real Salt Lake.

“I still haven’t signed a contract.

JASON RICHBURG Staff Reporter

S It’s a trial period right now. I knew it was a great opportunity, [to] getting my foot in the door,” Briggs said. “ I still know there is a lot to be done to officially be called a professional, but I’m excited.”

Since being drafted, he hasn’t taken a day off training to ensure he can compete with the country’s best. He knows that the transition from college to the pros will bring challenges, including training alone.

“I wasn’t able to train with the Georgia State team, so really it was a lot of stuff on my own. Going to the park and getting some drills done there with cones and lots of cardio,” Briggs said. “[I] was definitely doing a lot of work getting myself ready.”

As Briggs begins training and team practices as a young rookie, his mind envisions success. “[My goals] are to prove myself, to prove that I belong with these guys. I know I can,” Briggs said.

“

[My goals] are to prove myself, to prove that I belong with these guys. I know I can,

”

— ARIS BRIGGS

Real Salt Lake Forward Former Georgia State star, Aris Briggs, looks to earn a contract with MLS team Real Salt Lake.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GSU ATHLETICS

Blue vs. White scrimmage set for April 16

pring is upon us, which means Georgia State football offseason training is live and in full effect.

The Panthers started spring practice back on March 9. Their annual Spring Game, a first chance for the public to see the team, comes on April 16.

The game will be the first time the fans see the team play at Center Parc Stadium since beating Georgia Southern 30-14 in November.

It seems like time is flying, as the team just wrapped up a great 6-4 season with a win over Western Kentucky in the Lending Tree Bowl.

The Panthers spring game will feature 22 returning starters, headlined by wide receiver Sam Pinckney, running back Destin Coates, safety Antavious Lane and tight end Roger Carter.

In addition to the returning players, head coach Shawn Elliott brings in versatile transfers, glistening with the potential to make a massive impact at Georgia State.

Transfers Darren Grainger from Fordham, Ja’Cyais Credle from Central Florida and Shamar McCollum from Wake Forest have impressed Elliott early on.

“They all fit in nicely, and they’re all going to be big contributors for us,” Elliott said.

Elliott’s optimism for the 2021 transfers also stems from their seamless transition into their roles as the whole team continues “embracing” one another.

Although Sept. 4 is far away, the Panthers compete daily in practice, battling for playing time and starting

spots.

Darrien Grainger and Mikele Colasurdo battling for the second spot behind Cornelious Brown IV at quarterback could become intriguing in the next few months.

“I think we got three great quality quarterbacks. It’s something a lot of people don’t have an opportunity to experience, whether it’s in their coaching career or as a player on the team. But I think our quarterback room has been a huge improvement,” Elliott said.

During his discussion with the media, Elliott’s enthusiasm echoed to the media, expressing his excitement for the developing wide receiver battle.

“If I was probably going to say there is going to be a battle amongst battles, I think it’s the wide receiver room,” Elliott said.

Elliott and the Panthers are ecstatic to watch what Jamil Muhammad does after transitioning from offense to defense.

“Jamil has great speed, power and intelligence … he is going to make an impact on the defensive side of the ball for us,” Elliott said.

Last year, the Panthers converted Muhammad to linebacker after playing quarterback under nowassistant coach Dan Ellington.

Across the field, the Panthers will have talented individuals at every position, and it will be up to the team to make sure they come out strong. April 16 could bring an opportunity for the program to excite their fans and energize the team to follow up on last year’s success.

SPORTS

TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2021

13

Braves Bulletin: Opening Weekend Reflections

The Braves are looking to start 2021 strong but need key players AARON WILSON JR Staff Reporter

W

ow. It has been a week full of highs and lows for Atlanta Braves players and fans after just a few games.

Without further ado, let’s go to the board.

Mike Soroka’s story back to an MLB mound

Mike Soroka has taken another significant step towards returning from a torn right Achilles he suffered on Aug. 3.

The Canadian ace saw two innings of work in the final Grapefruit League game, his first action since the August injury. Competing against MLB competition was one more step for him.

Surrendering a home run while dealing with an error from his fielders, Soroka ended his spring debut with a double play, so Tuesday was positive for everyone.

Opening Day reflections are here!

Thursday saw baseball’s return and the Braves’ first meaningful game since the NLCS’s painful culmination against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Facing off against the Philadelphia Phillies on a windy, 40-degree afternoon, luck was not with the defending NL East Champions as Max Fried, Dansby Swanson and company would discover early on.

Fried, and his fielders, looked out of sync as the lefty struggled with his grip all day. Fielding mishaps saw the Braves miss easy outs.

Despite that, Fried scratched and clawed his way through five innings of work, eating innings and keeping the Braves close with a 2-0 deficit when he exited the game with 94 pitches logged.

His gutsy performance was not all in vain, though, as Pablo Sandoval displayed his power and muscled a

two-run shot over the right-field wall to spoil a dominant performance from Phillies ace Aaron Nola.

In the end, the Braves left too many opportunities wasted, and Bryce Harper and the Phillies were able to walk it off in the 10th inning to spoil an Opening Day comeback.

All in all, it was a sloppy Opening Day; the mistakes could be easy fixes, though.

The MLB made the right call on the AllStar Game

On Friday, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the 2021 All-Star Game’s Removal due to Georgia’s newly passed Georgia Voting Laws.

While this is the correct statement by the MLB and MLB Players Association, categorizing this as a gut-punch would be an understatement for every MLB fan, writer and Georgia as a whole.

For fans looking forward to attending AllStar Weekend in Atlanta, the news comes as a disappointment.

As a central hub, Atlanta hosting the AllStar Game could have brought potential hope for economic recovery following the pandemic.

In terms of making a statement to everyone, the MLB did just that.

Still, it is plausible that choice did not feel fair to Georgia’s citizens, especially those openly against the law.

In the end, the MLB made the best statement they could. But the fans and business owners were left in the cold due to a collision between sports and politics. In the era of player empowerment, this was a decisive step for chance by a sport that has not had the most appreciated track record for promoting change.

New commits rank Georgia State 103rd in the nation and 5th in the Sun Belt Conference.

PHOTO BY MATT SICILIANO-SALAZAR | THE SIGNAL

A peek at some of Georgia State’s 2021 football recruits

On both sides of the ball, players oozing with talent MEADOW BARROW Staff Reporter

T

he 2020 Georgia State football starters brought historic success on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.

So why not bring back the team that had a 6-4 record and topped a successful season off with a LendingTree Bowl win?

Well, that’s what head coach Shawn Elliott and his staff did. They returned 20 of 22 starters from last season, 11 on the offensive and nine defensive ends.

But, there also will be some new faces and talent that will be sporting blue and white.

Georgia State’s 2021 football recruiting class ranked 103rd in the nation and fifth in the Sun Belt Conference.

With that said, 15 fresh, new signees across southeast states, including North Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and Georgia, will join the roster in August.

In addition to incoming freshmen, the Panthers signed three transfers: Shamar McCollum from Wake Forest University, Ja’Cyais Credle from the University of Central Florida and Darren Grainger from Furman University. They will make their first appearances during spring practice.

Shamar McCollum, standing at a staggering 6 feet, 4 inches and weighing 222 pounds, adds his spice to the team as the nation’s leader in sacks.

“He is a bigger guy and a stronger, more powerful guy that could probably

come down and play some inside stuff [that could] really help us on the run [game] in a lot of situations,” Elliott said. “I think he’s going to be a complete player.”

“

He’s quick as a cat, and it’s hard for guys to get him down

”

— SHAWN ELLIOTT

Georgia State Head Football Coach

Cornelious “Quad” Brown earned the starting quarterback position last year, making Mikele Colasurdo his backup. But competition will undoubtedly arise for the backup position as Darren Grainger, a 6-foot4-inch, 204-pound quarterback, storms in from Furman.

“We still have to go out there and compete at every position,” Elliott said.

“Of course, Quad has the upper hand, having started [all season], but you’ve got Mikele Colasurdo that’s going to be

pushing him, and you’ve got [Darren] Grainger that’s transferred in now.

So there’s going to be some real good competition.”

Jamarion Ellis, or as Elliott calls him, “Jam,” committed to Georgia State in December as a three-star recruit after topping off his final season at IMG Academy with a perfect 8-0 record.

“Jam is going to be one of the more interesting stories,” Elliott said. “He’s bulked up a little bit — bigger, stronger [and] faster. I think Jam’s going to be a huge contributor. I think he’s maybe one of the most explosive players that we do have on the offensive side of the ball. He’s quick as a cat, and it’s hard for guys to get him down.”

Tylon Dunlap, a defensive lineman from Harding University High in Charlotte, North Carolina, is the only early enrollee who is not a transfer.

In his 2019 season as a high school Junior, Dunlap recorded 106 tackles and 19 sacks with Harding University High.

All other commits will officially join the football program in June.

“As far as communication with our other signees, we do exactly [what] we’ve always done,” Elliott said.

“Constant communication, whether it’s a phone call, text, FaceTime or Zoom. All of those other guys will be here in June, but the three that we do have here are ready to get started, and they’re ready to go out there and practice some football.”

April 6, 2021

THREE BIG THINGS

GAMES SUDOKU

UNIVERSITY

STATE

NATIONAL

Women’s track and field’s strong outing in Florida

Braves struggle in Philadelphia to open the season

Stanford Cardinal win the women’s national championship

The Atlanta Braves entered the 2021 season with high expectations surrounding them, but this past weekend saw them struggle to score runs against the Philadelphia Phillies. In three games, the team scored three runs, including none in game two.

Travis d’Arnaud hit a solo home run on Sunday, but the Braves didn’t score another run after. As a team, they hit .128 against the Phillies’ average pitching staff. They’ll have to do better, and it starts with Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuna Jr., who combined to go 2-21 over the weekend.

The Stanford Cardinal women’s basketball team defeated the Arizona Wildcats 54-53 to win the team’s first national championship since 1992 on Sunday night.

Stanford entered the women’s NCAA tournament as the top overall seed in the field. Head coach Tara VanDerVeer’s third championship as a coach ranks behind Geno Auriemma (11) and Put Summit (8) for the most all-time.

Final Four Most Outstanding Player Haley Jones led the Cardinal with 17 points and eight rebounds.

The Panthers’ women’s track and field team posted career-best performances at the South Florida Invitational on Saturday.

Simone Harper, Jaeda Hunt, Jordyn Braswell and Imani Flanagan finished second in the 400-meter relay.

They posted the fourth-fastest time in the Sun Belt Conference this season with 46.43, and Chelsea Tate, Camarii Tellis, Destiny Nash and Taylor Roache took fourth at 46.70.

THE KICKBACK

TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2021

15

The lost community at the bottom of Lake Lanier One of Georgia’s most well known lakes has a murky history MONIQUE ROJAS Staff Reporter

L

ake Lanier is a popular weekend destination suitable for fishing, boating, and sun-tanning, but its existence lends itself to a history of statesanctioned theft. Despite many instances of accidental drownings, the lake remains a top vacation spot for locals.

Named after Sidney Lanier, a poet and Confederate army veteran, Lake Lanier resides in North Georgia between Gainesville and Buford.

Before its completion in 1956, beneath Lake Lanier were several small towns once occupied by farmers. One of the more well-known towns absorbed by the lake is Oscarville. Although portions of old Oscarville, Georgia, still live on the map, the original city survived through lore. Written and oral history did not give the other towns purchased by the state the same grace, and they remain unknown.

Oscarville, located north of the perimeter in Forsyth county, began as a small rural town in 1870. The town was an agricultural marvel because local farmers fought off the boll weevil infestation that tormented Georgia from 1915 to the 1990s and survived the Great Depression.

After Lake Lanier first filled in 1959, old Oscarville became virtually non-existent, solely living through old newspaper articles and ghost stories.

Patrick Phillips’ 2016 book, “Blood at the Root: A Racial Cleansing in America,” sparked a newfound interest in the long-forgotten Oscarville. Phillips detailed the 1912 lynchings and subsequent riots that began with the sexual assault and murder of a young White woman named Sleety Mae Crow.

Out of fear, roughly 1,100 Black residents fled Oscarville and Forsyth county to escape racialized violence. Despite the town’s agricultural accomplishments, this is the story that defines Oscarville.

With whispers of ghosts and curses, Georgians find Lake Lanier’s position above several old towns to blame for many visitors’ deaths.

Since 1994, nearly 200 people have died at Lake Lanier.

Although the lake is 152-feet deep at its lowest point, underwater forests with trees as tall as 60 feet rest at the bottom. The trees, remaining chicken coops, building foundations and cemeteries make it challenging to dredge Lake Lanier for bodies.

UPCOMING EVENTS FRIDAY

Student Victim Assistance Coffee Chat Time 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Life After Graduation 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 pm Virtual

Overcoming Obstacles with Grit - Saul Flores 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Virtual

FAITH Zone: Interfaith Awareness & Ally Training Time 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Coping with Culture Shock 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Being a Pantherpreneur 3:00 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.

Virtual

Underground Couture Fashion Show 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Virtual

SUNDAY

MONDAY

Atlanta Travel & Adventure Show 9:00 a.m.

Centennial Olympic Park

Atlanta and the Civil Rights Movement, 19441968 All day Woodruff Park

Good Morning Georgia State 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 pm Multiple campuses (Atlanta, Decatur, Clarkston, Newton & Alpharetta)

GameDay Tailgate Built by The Home Depot 11:00 a.m.

College Football Hall of Fame

Final Fantasy VII Remake 8:00 p.m.

Atlanta Symphony Concert Hall

APR 12

SATURDAY APR 11

Virtual

Baldwin Book Club 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Virtual

APR 09

THURSDAY APR 08

WEDNESDAY APR 07

TUESDAY

APR 10

APR 06

THE KICKBACK

In 1940, Oscarville resident Clarence Waldrip detailed in the Atlanta Journal how other farmers in the area replaced cotton with chickens to replenish the soil. The farmers did so by using chicken feces and financially recuperated from the boll weevil infestation.

Unfortunately, Oscarville’s status as a farming town made it easier for Atlanta to claim the land with the mayor’s help.

Mayor William B. Hartsfield, the partial namesake of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, sought to propel Atlanta into the new age by expanding Atlanta and minimizing urban areas that neighbored the city.

As Atlanta grew, so did its need for power, water and to diminish the floods that plagued the city.

In April of 1947, the Industrial Bureau met with the Chamber of Commerce and decided to greenlight the Buford Dam’s construction. The dam would provide resources to Atlanta and strengthen commerce.

Over two years, Newport Dam Development kept in touch with the court system to ensure the state could seize land from Oscarville residents. They asked all but five residents to forfeit their land to build the Buford Dam. The $1 billion project took four years to complete.

Music Monday 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Virtual