TECHNICIAN
University:
Executive Order Two by Student Body President, Isaac Carreno, implements an action plan to allow restaurants on Hillsborough Street to allow students to pay with dining dollars. However, Senator Connor Rholf motioned to fast-track the denial of this order due to interference with state law.
National:
El Salvador’s president refused to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man the U.S. Supreme Court ruled was illegally deported. Though initially called a mistake, Trump officials now insist the deportation was justified. Garcia remains detained in El Salvador despite court orders.
North Carolina:
The NC Supreme Court upheld challenges by Republican Jefferson Griffin targeting overseas voters’ ballots in four Democratic-leaning counties while rejecting his broader attempt to discard over 60,000 others. The partial win could flip the 2024 Supreme Court race, which Democrat Allison Riggs initially won by 700 votes.
International:
India and Pakistan are experiencing an intense heatwave that arrived early, causing several technology failures, crop exhaustion and survivability limits to be tested. Officials say both countries are facing temperatures of 49 degrees Celsius, or 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Trouble of Color: Martha S. Jones speaks on legal history, racial identity
Dae Reed Staff Writer
The Department of History hosted a lecture from Martha S. Jones, a distinguished legal historian and professor on Tuesday, April 8 in memory of Jonathan Ocko, who led the history department as chair for over a decade.
The annual lecture hosts leading international scholars who embody Ocko’s love for legal history and passion for the department.
Jones is a scholar devoted to understanding the Black experience in America socially, culturally and legally. She is the Society of Black Alumni Presidential Professor, a professor of history and the director of graduate studies at Johns Hopkins University.
Deanna Dannels, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, introduced the event. She spoke about advancements in the history department, and the work being done to make CHASS more engaging and careeroriented.
The legal history concentration was added to the History BA program in Fall 2023 and has seen over 40 new students in the history program since. Dannels said it was the kind of work that showed the strengths of the department that Ocko had cared for so deeply.
“This concentration allows students, particularly those who are pre-law, to curate their study in the past in ways that will best prepare them for a career in law, in the concentration they learned,” Dannels said.
Tyanna West, a doctoral student studying public history, introduced Jones’ professional history and accolades before inviting her on stage.
Jones spoke about her relationship with Ocko and said she was thankful for the privilege of honoring him.
“I had the opportunity to not only meet Jonathan but to know him firsthand,” Jones said. “To appreciate what a generous, warm and beloved figure he was and is on this campus and beyond.”
Jones’ lecture was centered around her most recent novel, The Trouble of Color: An American Family Memoir. The book explores stories
DAE REED/TECHNICIAN
Dr. Martha S. Jones speaks during the Jonathan Ocko Memorial Lecture in Talley Student Union on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Dr. Jones is a cultural-legal historian, and prize-winning author, whose work examines how Black Americans have shaped the meaning of the U.S. Constitution
from her family’s past where the ‘jagged color line’ was crossed, such as instances of interracial marriage and mixed families far before they were considered acceptable.
“I adopt Du Bois’ metaphor but with a twist, turning it the jagged color line, because I think in these intimate family stories, what we see is that color line was never clear. It was never sure,” Jones said. “It was never defining about the way people lived. It was a fantasy promoted by lawmakers, by race scientists and more.”
Jones spoke about the marriage of two of her ancestors, Mary and Elijah Jones. Mary had been estranged from her former life when she married a Black man.
“Growing up, I’d heard my parents interracial union mocked as way ahead of its time,” Jones said. “It was not. It turns out that Mary and Elijah Jones had preceded them by more than a century.”
The Jones family faced challenges and threats. Interracial marriage, defined in loose terms, was illegal and carried a fine. Their children might be considered illegitimate since the marriage of their parents was illegal.
Whenever the census-taker arrived, Mary
CRIME ON CAMPUS
NC State’s weekly log of major incidents across campus ALCOHOL OR DRUG ARREST ARREST
April 13, 2025 at 11:26 p.m. Dan Allen Deck
Two individuals were trespassed from all NCSU property and one person was cited for drug violations.
April 13, 2025 at 9:20 a.m. Centennial Parkway/Achievement Drive
A non-affiliated individual was stopped and arrested for driving with a revoked license and revoked registration. His non-affiliated passenger was arrested on an outstanding warrant.
had to convince him she was also a person of color and belonged to her family. In this effort, she was successful.
Jones said it wasn’t just this specific couple that defied expectations at the time. In the census, there were scores of people marked with the ambiguous “M,” meaning mulatto.
“Many of her neighbors did not fit the black/ white equation, though none admitted to having married or had children across the color line,” Jones said.
Another story was of the formerly enslaved Isabella, who had nine children with her owner, William Holly, with only four surviving. After slavery was abolished in 1865, she made an agreement with Holly to live in North Carolina on her own.
She went to live in Greensboro with the promise of financial support from Holly, and was abandoned.
“They endured difficult days,” Jones said. “White supremacy and the violence that attended it was descending on cities like Greensboro. Mixed families like Isabella’s especially vexed North Carolina’s leadership.”
When she sought legal help from the Freed-
April 12, 2025 at 12:20 a.m. Dan Allen Deck
Five students were referred to Student Conduct for drug and alcohol violations.
men’s Bureau, she discovered her situation was more complicated in the eyes of the law. Still, she persisted in her new life and raised her children on her own.
“I’m here because Isabella survived and her children, some of them survived and thrived and made their own families in Greensboro,” Jones said. “We are that legacy of her persistence and her survival.”
The third story Jones told was that of Albion Tourgée, a white union soldier and prolific novelist. He published the book Toinette, a love story between an enslaved girl and her master, but they had genuine love for each other, and when the war was over had a happy and fruitful life with their children.
Jones highlighted how unusual this story was for the time in contradicting the sentiments around interracial relationships. In telling the story, Jones said, he was hitting on the unspoken experience of many people of color.
“Tourgée knew that women, like his protagonist, would trick the eye, that they would defy the color line,” Jones said. “They were symbols of the way people lived rather than the fantasy world that lawmakers were aiming to set into place.”
Jones spoke about her journey to discover these stories and said they had done a great deal for her personally.
“This troubling color line is an old story in this part of North Carolina,” Jones said. “One that nobody in my family had ever talked about when they told the story of Mary and Elijah and their children.”
The relationship between storytelling and family is complicated, Jones said. The way we think about race and law in America’s past is oftentimes not as nuanced as reality.
Jones said there was immense value in looking back on these stories and telling them accurately. The trouble caused by incomplete stories can often lead to healing.
“One of the lessons for me here is about what happens to us when we wade into the trouble of our family past,” Jones said. “We are made and remade by way of it. And so in that way, the trouble is a gift.”
April 11, 2025 at 10:09 p.m. Hillsborough St/Hawthorne Rd
A non-affiliated individual was stopped and cited for driving with a revoked license, simple possession of marijuana, displaying a fictitious tag, operating a vehicle with no registration and covering a tag.
4 TECHNICIAN
Class rings: The pride of Wolfpack past, present and future
Caroline Alexander Correspondent
The Fellowship of the Ring ceremony is right around the corner for this year’s graduates. This ceremony has been a tradition for over a decade and is getting ready to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
As per tradition, graduating Wolfpack members will place their class rings inside the shrine room of the Memorial Belltower overnight to absorb the energy of the Wolfpack merit.
The tradition states the spirits of Wolfpack past, present and future visit the Belltower and imbue NC State values into the rings. These values are meant to be held in the ring and carried by graduates as they continue to live the virtues of the Wolfpack.
Tom Stafford, former vice chancellor for student affairs and Memorial Belltower tour guide, said the original purpose of the ceremony was to create something special for the University.
“[The ring] encapsulates the spirit of NC State and the pride that we have in our great university,” Stafford said. “Now, the spirits… Wolfpack past, present and future. Each one of those spirits imbues the rings with a special characteristic.”
Stafford said the different spirits unite alumni and students with three values: pride, loyalty and tradition. He said the spirit of Wolfpack past connects students with alumni who’ve come before them, the spirit of Wolfpack present with pride in being a member of the Wolfpack and the spirit of Wolfpack future with loyalty to their alma
mater.
Only students who have completed 60 or more credit hours are eligible to get a class ring. Stafford said the ring is so special because of its implications of academic success.
“Not everybody can wear one of these, and not even every student who comes here gets to wear one,” Stafford said. “It connects the individual student with their academic major in their academic program, and in that sense, we hope the ring program will encourage students to do well academically and to continue to pursue academic activities even after they graduate.”
Malcolm Thompson, a third-year studying history and criminology, said his ring is a symbol of his experiences at NC State.
“NC State has given me one of the best experiences in my life, something that’ll always be memorable and something I’ll never forget,” Thompson said. “I feel like having that ring will always remind me of that experience.”
Stafford echoed Thompson’s sentiments about the ring being a symbol of pride among Wolfpack members.
“Somebody sees [the ring], and they make a comment about it. You say, ‘Well, that’s my NC State ring,’” Stafford said. “That is an opportunity for you to respond to that comment with the Wolfpack pride.”
However, rings were not always allowed to be placed in the Belltower. Since the tradition began in 2005, Stafford said students have brought family members and Wolfpack alumni, who did not originally get the opportunity, to place their rings alongside each other in the shrine room of the Belltower.
Stafford expressed pride when recounting a story of a student who brought their grandfather, an NC State alumnus, to place his ring inside the Belltower.
“Here is an 80-something-year-old guy who is feeling so proud of his ring that he’s got tears, and it makes me cry every time I think about it,” Stafford said.
Thompson said he will look back on his ring with fond memories of his time at NC State. He said the ring is a manifestation of his chosen major, the journey he took to make it to graduation and his dreams for his future.
“I know there are a lot of different am-
bitious goals I have and things I want to achieve,” Thompson said. “I feel that ring is going to symbolize the strength and for me to endure the challenges that are going to come with me, achieving the goals and my dreams in life.”
Thompson said the ring is a representation of how far he’s come and how hard he’s worked.
“That ring and everything else you know that you have to look back on, it gives me the assurance that I can press through and get to where I want to be,” Thompson said.
NC Museum of History remains closed for renovation, operations continue
Jack Bissette Correspondent
The North Carolina Museum of History closed its doors in October 2024, and began the process of processing and relocating about 150,000 artifacts to make way for renovation and updates to the physical location. When in-person operations were available, the museum served around 300,000 students and educators each year, representing 92 to 98 counties annually. Although the physical location is closed, operations continue in preparation for reopening in the future.
In an executive order signed on March 14, President Donald Trump continued his push towards spending cuts and government efficiency by reducing the size and activities of numerous government agencies.
As the order states, “the non-statutory components and functions of the following governmental entities shall be eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law.” One of the “governmental entities” subjected to these wide-sweeping budget cuts was the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Although the doors to its physical location remain closed, museum staff continue to operate, curating digital content and networking with schools and local organizations to continue their mission of “collecting and preserving artifacts from our shared history,” as Director of Communications and Marketing Mary Huntley said.
Huntley said construction is scheduled to start in the summer, which is expected to
EMILY PEEDIN/TECHNICIAN
A class ring sits perched in its case in an apartment near Centennial Campus on Monday, April 14, 2025. Balfour, the company that sells NC State class rings, also sells NC State’s official yearbook, graduation announcements and diploma frames.
Wake County Democrats, Reps. Ross and Foushee address election chaos, federal cuts at town hall
Matthew Burkhart News Editor
Party members and local residents gathered Tuesday night for a virtual Wake County Democratic Party town hall, where U.S. Representatives Deborah Ross and Valerie Foushee discussed the impact of new election rules, federal program cuts and the ongoing legal battles shaping North Carolina’s political landscape.
The event opened with an update from Cat Lawson, the party’s voter protection director and a professor at the Duke University School of Law, who described the “wild ride” of the Riggs-Griffin race — the only uncertified election from 2024 — and the confusion caused by recent legislative changes to the state’s election boards.
Lawson explained the significance of Senate Bill 382, a law passed in December that shifts control of the State Board of Elections from the governor to the Republican state auditor.
“Functionally, we shift from a democratically controlled majority on our state board and on all of our county boards to a Republican-controlled majority that is scheduled to go into effect May 1,” Lawson said.
Lawson also highlighted the challenges facing overseas voters, including international students.
“The Supreme Court invented a 30-day cure process for those folks, where they are now going to have to mail, fax or email a photocopy of their ID to their county board of elections in order for their vote to get counted.
Reps. Ross and Foushee took the floor with a message about the stakes for North Carolina and the nation.
“We’re doing everything that we can, and we know that you’re doing everything that you can, but we cannot stop,” Ross said.
“We’ve got to continue to have our voices heard, to protest, to make sure that the Trump administration and unelected billionaire Elon Musk are being held accountable.”
Foushee echoed Ross’s urgency.
“We know that Trump and Musk have unleashed an all-out attack on the federal government, cutting and slashing wherever they can get away with it, from USAID to the Department of Education, this administration is indeed dismantling essential programs that impact hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians, and we’ve seen that right here, particularly in my district, the fourth district,” Foushee said.
Both representatives described a sense of “inevitability” that they urged attendees to resist — an inevitability that changes from the current administration are being met without resistance from those who oppose them.
“With all of us, there has been this creation of a sense of inevitability that these things are happening and there is nothing that we can do about them,” Foushee said. “But I would suggest to you that that is not true, and that is why we continue to fight on all fronts.”
The town hall turned to the impact of federal budget cuts on North Carolinians, especially veterans, students and the elderly. Ross and Foushee described how cuts to the VA and Social Security are being implemented through “backdoor methods,” such as slashing jobs and delaying benefits.
On education, Ross praised Attorney General Jeff Jackson for joining key funding lawsuits but cautioned that significant successes could take time.
“Court cases take a long time, and there are casualties along the way, but the reason why they’ve gotten some of the immediate relief they’ve gotten is because it’s irreparable harm,” Ross said. “Basically, you cannot go
ally going to ramp up this summer.”
Congresswoman Deborah Ross speaks on stage at the Reproductive Rights March at Stafford Commons on Nov. 6, 2022. The march was hosted by Progressive Students Task Force in collaboration with Planned Parenthood Generation Action to peacefully protest the decline of reproductive healthcare access in the United States.
back and fix it, so we have got to support those lawsuits that are very successful.”
Both representatives urged attendees to use every tool available to push back against unwanted changes from the federal government.
“My new thing that I say, and I took a screenshot of it that I keep it in my phone, is to use every single right that you have in the First Amendment, because those are rights that cannot be taken away from you,” Ross said.
Ross encouraged constituents to protest, petition and contact their representatives daily.
When asked about holding the Trump administration accountable for deportations, canceled student visas and other actions, Ross said Democrats are willing to do what they are capable of in a Republican-
controlled legislature.
“We can bring articles of impeachment again, even if they are not accepted by Republicans in the Senate,” Ross said.
Foushee concluded with a call for continued vigilance and hope.
“America is already great, but maintaining that greatness is in peril right now, and so being able to join forces with people who believe that we indeed have the power to make this country what we want it to be, what we know it can be, what is should be for all of us,” Foushee said. “It’s good to be among you and to talk about how we do that and to encourage each other to not get that sense of inevitability that we cannot do anything about it, because, indeed we can.”
take two to three years.
In the meantime, Huntley said content is being “reexamined, double-checked, triplechecked for accuracy.”
Jessica Pratt, education section chief, said the museum is still in the initial stages of moving out before renovations are made.
“Once we get completely moved out, we are going to shift gears to new museum preparation,” Pratt said. “And we’re laying the groundwork for that now, but that’s re-
Huntley said that although funding for museums throughout the country have been put in jeopardy by recent federal policies, support for the museum’s activities have remained secure by the state legislature. She said the museum was awarded $180 million from the North Carolina General Assembly, and that funding is still secure.
Pratt said support from the state government has allowed staff to maintain educational and outreach programs during the closure.
“While the museum is closed ... We still have a very extensive education network,
but we’re also preparing to open what’s going to be a brand new museum,” Pratt said.
Pratt said the staff at the museum continue to further “develop resources on North Carolina history and social studies topics ... so that students don’t have to come to Raleigh or just have one day of North Carolina history on a field trip.”
In addition to virtual outreach, the museum is planning a series of public programs in Raleigh and throughout surrounding communities. Once reopened, the new facility is expected to feature updated exhibit spaces, improved accessibility and enhanced environmental controls to best
protect and preserve the collection.
“Replacing and moving our entire HVAC system is a big part of the renovation,” Pratt said. “And that’s a huge part of maintaining the best environment to store and care for our 150,000 object artifact collection.”
The museum remains active despite its physical closure, continuing to provide digital resources and educational support at the state level. Programs are being held off-site and outreach materials allow teachers to integrate North Carolina history into classrooms without visiting the museum.
LAUREN CONWAY/TECHNICIAN
Thursday, April 17, 2025
GUEST COLUMN
Letter to the chancellor: Defend our international students
NC State University Chapter of the American Association of University Professors
Dear Chancellor Woodson and incoming Chancellor Howell,
We, the NC State University Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) have learned with chagrin about the departure from the U.S. of two NC State international students after their visas were arbitrarily and inexplicably revoked.
Many more international students are seeing their visas revoked in North Carolina and across the country and some are being forcibly deported.
The Trump administration’s attacks on international faculty and students, based on vague claims by the secretary of state and conducted without any semblance of due process, not only violate the First Amendment but also strike at the heart of academic freedom and echo some of the darkest moments in U.S. history.
The AAUP strongly and unequivocally condemns this targeting of international students and scholars.
We call on NC State University to take concrete steps to support students and
scholars at risk. At a moment when the future of higher education and free speech are in peril, universities have obligations beyond doing no harm. If the university fails to protect all students and scholars, it jeopardizes the safety and academic freedom of all students and scholars.
Our AAUP chapter is committed to ensuring the safety of our university community members. We therefore ask the following:
The University should not turn over personal student information in response to Title VI investigations. For a full discussion of this matter, please see the AAUP’s public letter to the offices of general counsels.
The University should make a clear commitment to avoid voluntary cooperation or information sharing with Immigration and Customs Enforcement or other federal agencies charged with facilitating deportation or other forms of immigration enforcement.
The University should make a clear commitment to not comply with Section 3 of the expanded Executive Order 13899, which calls for universities to “monitor for and report activities by alien students and staff relevant to those grounds and for ensuring that such reports about aliens lead, as ap-
propriate and consistent with applicable law, to investigations and, if warranted, actions to remove such aliens.”
The University should keep international students enrolled in the event of visa revocation, legal status termination, detention and/or deportation.
The University should allow these international students and scholars to continue their studies and research remotely, if necessary.
The University should ensure that graduate students and workers whose enrollment is contingent upon funding through graduate teaching appointments or fellowships can continue their coursework, research and teaching appointments. This may mean that the university covers the increased cost of assigning additional teaching appointments to a graduate student not residing in the U.S. The University should similarly ensure that international students holding research assistantships from federal grants can receive financial support to continue their coursework and research at the level necessary to maintain their visa status should those grants be suspended or terminated.
The University should devote resources to communicating reliable, timely information
to international students and scholars, including immediate notification of changes in their legal status.
The University should provide and pay for legal counsel for those students and scholars whose visas have been revoked.
The University should work swiftly and affirmatively — through lawsuits, if necessary — to stop the termination of legal status of students and scholars without any due process.
NC State is a great university in large part due to the contributions, intellectual, cultural and financial, of international students and scholars. Their presence and participation are essential for achieving our land-grant missions of instruction, knowledge creation and service. Defending the rights of international students and scholars is also a moral obligation, grounded in our shared commitment to learn from and not repeat the terrible mistakes of the past.
It is, therefore, absolutely incumbent upon NC State University leaders to speak up for the rights and safety of international students and scholars as you would for any member of the Pack.
SATIRE: A guide for your move home
With the end of the 2024–25 school year on the horizon, many of us are preparing to return to our folks for summer break. It can be hard to readjust to having your family members breathing down your neck again, but fear not –you’ve just stumbled across a list of tips for making your temporary move home more tolerable.
It’s important to remember that your family has gotten used to absence over the school year, so this list was compiled with their interests in mind to make the transition as seamless as possible for everyone. For starters, you want to let your family know how much you’ve missed them, especially when it comes to their acts of service. You can let your laundry pile up, leave used tableware out and hoard empty food wrappers in your room as a way of showing your family members how much you appreciate
their willingness to clean up after you.
Being away at college means you’ve likely missed out on regular home-cooked meals, so show your family that you value their efforts to feed you by consuming everything in the fridge and pantry any chance you get. It’s a good sign if your family is going on weekly Costco runs to keep up with your eating habits.
You should also demonstrate your initiative in feeding yourself by preparing your own meals, but feel free to leave the cleanup to your family.
Every college student picks up new habits when living on campus, but your family is aware of that and won’t complain about these changes. Some examples include staying up well past the witching hour, sleeping until noon, leaving your clothes unfolded and keeping a minimum of three halfempty water bottles on your nightstand at all times.
Now that you get a break from communal showers and sinks, enjoy the luxury of
private bathrooms by spending as much time as you please. Your family won’t be bothered if they have to wait their turn or if the hot water runs out; they’ll just be happy you’re home.
Your family might think they have the right to dictate your actions now that you’re back home, but remember that you didn’t leave your independence behind on campus. If they start intruding on your privacy or try to establish a curfew, simply remind them that you’re a self-sufficient adult who is only returning home for a temporary stay.
College is an investment in your professional future, but it’s also an investment in your social life. You can exemplify your dedication to your social wellbeing by having friends over at any time of the day, blasting music like you’re at a function and upholding your sacred duty to “party hardy.”
Since your high school friends are likely home for the summer as well, you should throw a rager at your house to show your family how much you truly enjoy the col-
lege lifestyle.
Lastly, it would behoove you to practice saving your own money by asking your family for extra cash here and there. Everyone knows that most college students are broke, so your family members will be more than willing to help finance your personal endeavors over the summer.
Simply ask one of your family members to help you fill up your tank or pay for a snack run at the grocery store. Better yet, ask someone if you can borrow their credit card for the duration of your break. While it might be hard to relinquish the freedom you’ve become accustomed to on campus, your family is going to be thrilled to have you home. By implementing these tips, your three-month stay will feel like a true vacation for both you and those you live with.
Soak up every second of your summer break. See y’all in the fall!
AJ Toler Staff Writer
Opinion
Internship? I barely know her
Eugene Ngina Correspondent
The summer is approaching, and you may not have secured an internship you wanted. You submitted an application to 15, maybe 20, positions. Your cover letter was almost poetic, your resume was edited like a legal brief and still nothing. You’re surprised at how loud the silence is.
In the meantime, it appears that everyone else is posting about their offers, which include research positions, consulting jobs and even unpaid jobs that come with a lanyard and exposure. It’s simple to think you missed something, but that’s not always the case.
Internships, while often regarded as essential milestones in a student’s summer itinerary, are not ends in themselves. Rather, they serve as stepping stones, modest yet meaningful elevations along the broader path of the overall college experience.
The fact is, you are not failing. You’re not behind. You’re simply experiencing something that nobody wants to talk about – the tiring, discouraging process of applying over and over, hearing nothing back and wondering if you’re the only one still waiting.
We’ve built this idea that college is a straight ladder. Get good grades, get the summer internship, get the next one and graduate with three glowing references and a job offer already waiting.
But some of the most capable people you know won’t have internships this summer. Some of the least qualified will. The process is messy, inconsistent and far more arbitrary than anyone wants to admit.
In my view, the higher your grades, the less you’ll need to worry about securing an internship. With lower grades, networking and connections become far more important. In many cases, relationships can provide stronger leverage than a GPA. While a high GPA may attract some employers’ eyes, it can pale in comparison to a job offer from a close friend of a close friend.
What makes it harder is how quiet the silence is. No one posts about not getting anything. There’s no announcement for the rejection email or the opportunity that never came. But those silences are everywhere. You’re not the exception, rather the rule, but you just don’t see it because everyone’s curating their life to look like a resume header.
Now here’s where I’ll be direct: this summer is still yours. Don’t waste it waiting for an approval that isn’t coming. If you need to work, take a job, any job. Work in a coffee shop, a bookstore or an office doing something unrelated to your major. Try volunteering, or take more classes if you’d like.
There’s as much honor in writing a poem as there is working on a farm while getting dirty all day. But don’t sit in the feeling that you’re
“behind.” Life doesn’t run on one track, and there’s no prize for pretending you’re on it.
You’d be surprised how many good employers care more about how you think, what you’ve built and how you’ve led when no one was watching than whether you had a prestigious-sounding internship after sophomore year. What matters is whether you did something and whether you can speak about it without trying to spin it into something it wasn’t.
There’s also something else: not getting an internship might actually give you space to think. Do you really know what you want to
do? Or were you just following what everyone else said sounded impressive?
Two cannibals are discussing good recipes when one sighs, “The ones who marinate themselves in self-pity always go down easiest.” That can be how it feels watching half your friend group land internships while you’re still refreshing your inbox like it’s a slot machine.
But let’s be honest, just because you didn’t get picked doesn’t mean the system’s rigged or that ambition’s a vice. Sometimes you just don’t make the cut. That’s life. Eat it. Chew slowly. And maybe next time, show
up hungrier.
So no, it’s not ideal. You’re allowed to feel frustrated. But don’t spiral. Don’t disappear. Use the time. Read more, bake something, make friends and get curious. Show up somewhere that needs hands, and by all means, do something. No one’s coming to rescue you, and that’s not bad news. That’s the beginning of growing up.
Sometimes disappointment forces a kind of clarity that success can’t. Sometimes not getting picked is the first time you have to choose something for yourself.
This land was your land, this land was my land
On Feb.14, the National Parks Service was forced to lay off 1,000 employees due to federal workforce cuts.
But the parks across the nation were already spread thin. Recent budget cuts, terminations and threats to our public lands can be summarized in one word: shortsighted.
Our public lands are a cornerstone of our country and their attributes include cultural, social, ecological and underappreciated economic benefits. To put it plainly, it is discouraging to value the preservation of our public lands and natural resources when they are not a priority of your country’s administration.
As of 2023, the rate of increase in national parks visitation was just shy of the rate of reduction in staff over a 13 year period. This is hardly a sustainable way to manage key attractions such as our national parks, monuments and forests.
The matter is of particular interest to students like Dale Ligon, the trip planner for the National Parks Club at NC State and a fourth-year studying natural resources.
Ligon said, “The purpose of the National Parks Club is to foster connections between students and public land through highlighting recreation opportunities, service opportunities and some of that natural science learning.”
In mid-March, U.S. District Court judges ruled that the termination of many probationary employees was to be overturned. Despite the reinstatement of nearly all NPS staff, damage had already been done. In its wake, the public and staff alike express confusion, frustration and distrust towards the current administration for the mismanagement of the parks service.
“I had applied for some jobs in public lands agencies before [and after] the hiring freeze,” Ligon said. “I can tell you that nobody knows exactly whether they can offer these positions.”
The issue strikes a chord with me as well since my time is best spent outdoors, often fishing and hiking on public lands. In tandem with budget cuts, the current administration’s approach to public lands includes rolling back long-standing protections over several national forests, including our largest, Tongass National Forest.
Working in Ketchikan, Alaska in 2023, I
experienced first hand why the protection of Tongass is vital to the area’s residents, tourism, indigenous communities and the neighboring salmon population which fosters a prolific fishing industry.
According to the National Parks Conservation Association, “The National Park Service is only a tiny slice of our federal budget — less than one-fifteenth of one percent — yet delivers significant economic benefits, with $15 in economic activity generated for each dollar invested.”
Our public lands are the backbone of a booming outdoor recreation economy of $1.2 trillion dollars and directly support 5 million jobs. These spaces are responsible for bringing in upwards of $10 billion across their local economies, much of which benefits small and rural communities.
The federal employees who make our public lands safe and accessible are also responsible for vital emergency response, education, maintenance, wildfire management and much more.
Understanding the interdependence of the Department of the Interior’s organizations is important.
Ligon said, “The National Parks get the most attention, but there are a lot of other
federal land agencies, like the Bureau of Land Management, National Forest Service, that are facing these same cuts and are almost more vulnerable because they get less attention.”
In 1907, former President Theodore Roosevelt said that “the conservation of natural resources is the fundamental problem. Unless we solve that problem it will avail us little to solve all others.”
While later speaking on our country’s natural wonders, Roosevelt urged his audience to “leave it as it is … The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it. What you can do is to keep it for your children and your children’s children and for all who come after you, as one of the great sights which every American, if he can travel at all, should see.”
The disconnect between legislators and the realms their legislation impacts has serious consequences, some of which may not be seen for years or decades to come. After all, what value does the margins of economic gain really hold if it costs us our home and quality of life?
Some of us didn’t watch the Lorax growing up, and it shows.
Katie Howell Staff Writer
KATIE HOWELL/TECHNICIAN
A bear walks along a path at Glacier National Park on Sunday, July 14, 2024.
Thursday, April 17, 2025
Opinion
Have you caught on yet?
Two weeks ago, NC State lost two members of the Pack to the Trump Administration’s ‘crackdown’ on immigration and student visas.
As a community, we should be disgusted and angry by this arbitrary injustice without cause. As a country, we should feel mortified by what we’ve created — and what’s next.
By all accounts, the chancellor included, these students had done absolutely nothing wrong. The State Department’s vague statement on the matter, which refused to comment and then implied the students broke the law, is only further confirmation that this action wasn’t grounded in any legal reality. The White House is constantly flexing how many people they’re deporting, publicizing crude images and AI depictions of people crying in handcuffs.
But you want us to believe that “privacy concerns” and “confidentiality” prevent the administration from telling us why students have had their lives upended?
If you’ve read the news recently, you’ve surely seen this isn’t an isolated incident. This is happening all over the country. Fulbright scholars. Students deported for speeding tickets. Mahmoud Khalil.
Two from NC State. One student from App State. Three from Duke. Six from Chapel Hill. Six from UNC Charlotte.
A few months ago, I wrote a column where an adjoining cartoon compared Trump and Mark Robinson to Hitler. Both the comment section and my DMs were filled with outrage of such a radical depiction.
The comparison seems to get more apt with every passing hour.
People who are in this country legally are being ripped off the streets and thrown into vans by law enforcement wearing plain clothing. Does that strike you as Naziesque?
The purpose of these deportations and many of the actions from the Trump Administration is to simply intimidate as many people as possible into falling in line with what they ask. They are not looking to better our country or make it ‘safer’ through the apparatus of our legal system. Anyone who has the resources and head space to take these individual cases to court would win.
But most people don’t have the finances or the time to spend years working through the backed up immigration courts. The Trump Administration is trying to get people they don’t like to flinch in compliance and leave on their own accord, and it’s working.
Never mind the legal semantics because they don’t care about the law or what’s right and wrong. A Maryland man who had committed no crime was deported by mistake,
and now those responsible refuse to administer his return.
These deportations are random and not meticulously thought through, as any such drastic policy measure should be. Then again, nothing this administration does seems to be very calculated.
Forgive the cliche, but for the love of God, immigrants are what make this country great. It is a core tenet of what the United States is and always has been. France is — literally — asking for the Statue of Liberty back.
Especially in college communities, international students are simply what make American universities the prestigious institutions they are. Fostering the integration of global perspectives is a pillar of this country’s ethos, and universities are the heart of this atmosphere.
Beyond the humane and societal good, international students are an enormous finan-
cial contributor to our university. There’s a reason the General Assembly and NC State are so keen to expand the College of Engineering and the international participants with it. Do you know how bad things have to be for NC State — the most infamously apolitical educational institution in the state — to make a statement criticizing a national political policy?
So now we’ve lost two members of our community. People who paid tens of thousands of dollars and travelled halfway around the world to come get an education in Raleigh, North Carolina. And the signal is clear from the Trump Administration: we don’t want you here.
It’s ignorance, it’s stupidity, it’s immoral by every possible standard. And it was voted for by the majority of Americans.
Well, the economy might be crashing, egg prices continue to soar, the United States’ international hegemony and soft power is
hemorrhaging by the minute, our president cuddles up to any dictator on the map, our military intelligence is compromised by sheer incompetence, but thank the heavens we don’t have a Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, I guess!
There are no bounds to the persecution this administration will pursue. Academics, journalists, immigrants, government workers, scientists, judges, political rivals. Professors specializing in fascism are fleeing the country. Do you see what’s happening right before your eyes?
I co-wrote a column a few years ago about Ron DeSantis and the Republican “Stop Woke” law. My editor at the time wanted to insert the famous Martin Niemöller quote into the top of the article. I didn’t protest its inclusion, but I wasn’t sure it was the comparison that was called for. I feel more a fool each passing day to have hesitated.
Justin Welch
Senior Staff Writer
GRAPHIC BY BROWNING PROCTOR
10 TECHNICIAN
Thursday, April 17, 2025
2hollis is the “Star”
Wilhelmina Ampomah-Sraha Correspondent
Throughout his life, 2hollis has chased everything he’s wanted. From his career start as drippysoup, to the popularity of his track “Jeans” and his opening for Ken Carson’s “Chaos Tour,” he is a continuously growing star. On April 4, 2025, he solidified that with the release of his fourth studio album, “Star.”
Consisting of 15 tracks and lasting 38 minutes, the artist revealed a surprising story behind the album’s creation.
“I made this entire project in my childhood home. It burned to the floor in the LA fires. The only thing to survive was ‘The Star.’ My mother had it framed ... I knew it was destiny. ‘Burn’ was one of the last songs finished ... the next day we had to evacuate,” 2hollis said on X.
“Star” refers to a star tarot card, which is meant to bring hope to whoever receives it. It is a representation of the universe’s blessing through what already exists in one’s life. Drawing this card means that a person holds within them all that they need for fulfillment. It is a call to hold faith as life takes its course.
More than just a collection of songs, 2hollis refers to “Star” as a diary. It’s a raw reflection of chasing stardom — a glimpse into what fans can’t usually see: his struggles with his relationships, fame and self.
The album begins with the monologue of “Beginning,” over rain ambiance, cars drifting and his signature electro-pop instrumentals. He reminds listeners that they are witnessing something great before beginning to repeat the word “flash” to introduce listeners to the next song.
“Flash” feels right on theme, as 2hollis affirms his desire to be a star. The track builds and then shifts to a sudden drop, ending with another monologue, “A lot of the things I’ve shown you have been illusions,” embracing the truth that’s about to come.
For those who first discovered the rap-
per through his debut album “White Tiger,” “Star” might sound heavily demoed as it leans on the same sonic palette he’s used before. One of the drawbacks of this project is that it is mainly self-produced. Still, that same self-production gives the album an unmatched sense of cohesion. 2hollis fully demonstrates his vision through Kanye-like transitions that stitch the songs together with purpose and clarity.
As a fan since the “Boy” era, I’d say it’s the lyrics that make the album.
In both its emotional openness and the context in which it was created, “Star” feels like an album that needed to be released.
2hollis finally shows who he really is. He may need a few more records to fully cement his place, but “Star” is a powerful step forward.
On his third track, “Cope,” 2hollis reflects on a past relationship. He begins by acknowledging his partner’s deception before revealing that she was never more than a way for him to cope. The emotion is heightened by his interpolation of Alesso and Tove Lo’s “Heroes (We Could Be),” a
wistful nod to lost potential — a moment made even more poignant by the credited influence of the late David Bowie.
Throughout the tracks, the relationship evolves.
On bass-heavy “You,” he searches for happiness within the pain saying, “You’re the poison to my flowers, but they still bloom,” and later, “Destroy me (Girl, tell me you want me),” as he accepts his fate with her.
The relationship remains the same until he reaches his breaking point on “Ego,” a track that reveals his inevitable apathy. 2hollis flips the script saying, “I wouldn’t care if you died / (I don’t, I don’t even know you anymore),” shifting from the mistreated to the mistreater.
In a villainous repetition of the words “price tag,” the song crescendos into the next track, “Sidekick” — a song I had the pleasure of hearing live at his “Leg One” tour with Nate Sib in Carrboro. Originally released as “Need That,” the not-a-rapper lets his rapper side out.
On the other side of the spectrum, 2hollis opens up about the dark side of the fame
he wished so deeply for. In “Tell Me,” he expresses paranoia over all the eyes on him saying, “I’m scared of press ‘cause then I read more.” He explains as his fame has grown, his circle has gotten smaller.
The most touching track of all, “Eldest Child,” is a tale of expectations set against an acoustic beat. As the son of Skrillex’s former manager Kathryn Frazier and Tortoise drummer John Herndon, 2hollis feels compelled to make his parents proud, and yet, he hasn’t had a chance to make himself happy. It’s a plea for a break and understanding.
2hollis is an artist to watch out for in 2025. His take on electro-pop and experimental hip-hop, aided by previous affiliates such as Damon Rush and The Hellp, brings back the indie sleaze era of the early 2010s — an era his fanbase was once too young to properly appreciate.
He’s only going up from here. Just two days before the album’s release, he confirmed his fifth studio album posting on X, “Oh ... and there are 2 albums ... Star first.” I can say with confidence that we’re all excited to see what’s next.
GRAPHIC BY SARAH HOFFER
A plea to support our local bands
Kelsey Bohn Culture Editor
There is no shortage of musical talent in Raleigh. The immense success and celebrated legacies of bands such as By George, Bell Tower Blues and The Layaways have paved the way for budding bands and proven there is high demand for incorporating music into on and off-campus events. From house shows to Wolfstock to Dreamville, music is an integral part of the culture at NC State and in the surrounding community.
The demand is there. The talent is there. And yet, it’s no secret the music scene hasn’t exactly been popping recently. Between the sharp decline in excitement surrounding Wolfstock and venues such as Broken Door announcing their final shows, we have a serious problem on our hands.
Henry Sasser, an alumnus and member of the local band Dogwood Daze, said that noise ordinances and police presence are a major reason for the decline in house shows.
“They changed the noise ordinance in Raleigh. Now, if you do a show, you know it’s going to get shut down or, at some point, the police are going to show up,” Sasser said.
The current noise ordinance, which was put into effect Feb. 3, 2024, states that unreasonable noise from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. is prohibited if it is “plainly audible at a distance of 300 feet from the property line of the sound source.” During nighttime hours, which begin after 11 p.m., this is reduced to any sound heard 150 feet from the property line. The ordinance defines unreasonable noise as “unreasonably loud, boisterous or unusual noise.”
“Once you reach a certain size, you can’t do house shows without them being guaranteed to get shut down. Smaller bands are usually fine because even if it’s loud, that’s usually not as big of an issue as if there’s a lot of people there,” Sasser said. “I guess it just looks like a party. I don’t know how to solve it. It’s a risk every time.”
It comes down to compromise. Abolishing the noise ordinance may not be in the question, but silencing our local bands isn’t the answer.
Ultimately, we live in a city full of life and culture. You wouldn’t call the cops on a taxi driver honking in New York City, so why shut down a weekend house show in Raleigh?
Drew Scott, a third-year studying industrial and systems engineering, is a member of the local band Odd39. He said that even
trying to obtain a noise permit is often entirely out of reach.
“We’ve looked into it, and you’d have to go in person to downtown Raleigh and fill out a permit, which costs $50. It has to be submitted at least a month in advance of the show, and every homeowner on the block has to be notified,” Scott said.
With the off-campus music scene in trouble, NC State has the opportunity to make up the difference by using its massive influence to provide a safe space for music to thrive.
Yes, it’s time to talk about Wolfstock.
The University Activities Board, or UAB, had more than $127,000 removed from its budget in 2024. Understandably, this has impacted the entertainment budget for headlining bands at Wolfstock. Even so, there are issues with the advertising, creative direction and execution of events that cannot be attributed to budget cuts.
Scott, who helps host shows at the house venue Blue Door, said that even with a minimal budget, it’s all about marketing.
“With Blue Door, we have a budget of around $50. But we print out flyers and
advertise so well that we can pull a crowd of 1,500 people in a backyard,” Scott said.
In previous years, UAB has hosted an event to reveal the headlining artists for Wolfstock, along with displaying a gigantic banner in Talley. This year, the headlining band, Peach Tree Rascals, was announced via Instagram a week in advance of the show.
“I understand that budget cuts cause problems. At the same time, this year and last year, it just felt like an afterthought. It kind of felt like something they threw together just because they had to,” Scott said.
This year, Pilot Light opened for Wolfstock. Chaandmon Croft, a member of Pilot Light, expressed his gratitude to Peach Tree Rascals and everyone who made the night possible, even in the midst of the marketing issues.
“We played a great set. The production company and headliner were super cool. They were really nice to us,” Croft said. “We could have had a bigger crowd if people had known about the show earlier, but the people who were there were awesome.”
The soul of the music scene is kept alive by
the people who show up to support it. Going forward, it’s essential that decisions about headlining bands and advertising are a cooperative effort between people who know the music industry and the target audience of the show.
Furthermore, bands like Dogwood Daze, Odd39 and Pilot Light have proven that it’s not about the money but about the community, creativity and passion.
Ethan Johnson, a third-year studying finance, is a member of both Odd39 and Pilot Light. He emphasized that, above all else, it is imperative that musicians just keep playing.
“I know it seems like a lot of house venues are going under right now, but Raleigh needs bands. If you’re willing to start a band, people will be there to support you. There’s a whole community waiting for you. Don’t hesitate, just do it,” Johnson said. The last show at Broken Door is April 19 at 8 p.m. It will feature performances from Dogwood Daze and Edgehill. Don’t miss it.
ANNA HANSEN/TECHNICIAN
Members of Pilot Light Ethan Johnson, Sam Coury and Mason Stark play during Wolfstock on Miller Fields on Saturday, April 12, 2025. Pilot Light opened for indie band Peach Tree Rascals.
Thursday, April 17, 2025
Have concert tickets become too expensive?
Live music is a backbone of our culture. Experiencing your favorite artists up close evokes raw passion from both the performers and the audience, something that can only be experienced in that setting.
Unfortunately, over the last two decades, it has become increasingly difficult for people to experience their favorite musicians live due to rising concert ticket prices. Since 1990, ticket prices have increased by 450%, including a 20% increase since 2021.
In 1993, an iconic clip showed Kurt Cobain, the former lead singer of Nirvana, reacting in shock to the price of Madonna’s tickets, which were around $50. Cobain and the band were in disbelief, considering the price unreasonable.
At the time of the interview, Nirvana charged around $17 to attend a show. Ad-
justed for inflation, that equates to around $37 today. This was during the height of their success. They were considered the face of the grunge movement, a household name with an album that became Certified Diamond and sold over 10 million copies.
Today, an artist or band with Nirvana’s fame, such as Bruno Mars or The Weeknd, charges up to $300 for their shows. The difference, when adjusted for inflation, is a $283 increase.
In 1993, Madonna charged around $70 for a show due to the high production value. Adjusted for inflation, her tickets today would cost around $155. Compared to a modern high-production show, like Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, the difference is around $400 at face value. When considering VIP packages and resales, the price increase jumps to nearly $2,000.
These numbers show how staggering the inflation of ticket prices is. But what does
it truly mean for people who seek out these artistic events?
Beyond an economic standpoint, it highlights how, time and time again, art is exploited to generate mass wealth and further fuel monopolies over the rights to the music we love.
People travel the world and go into debt to experience live music events — in a way, it shows the true strength of art and how far people are willing to go for the music that speaks to them. But what does it mean for those who don’t have that privilege?
Demand for certain artists is widely publicized on the internet, which is a leading factor in the dramatic shift in ticket prices. After decades in the industry, labels know the lengths that people will go to just to catch a glimpse of an album or even a single song that sparked something inside them.
The cost of good art has started to challenge the desire for it, which feels truly
dystopian as the over-commercialization of brands and artists grows daily.
This may seem like a criticism of the major household names headlining expensive tours, but it isn’t — they’re playing the game. They have to adjust to the market, whether by their own choice or due to their label’s insistence. They must evolve with the music industry to continue thriving. It’s both unfortunate and understandable.
It’s worth noting that many artists have tours and shows that are extremely affordable. From indie musicians to household names, there are still ways to experience the heartfelt music we all admire live. Even with that luxury, it still doesn’t excuse what the market has become and its capacity to continue growing worse.
For now, all we can do is revel in our favorite music from afar and hope to be one of the lucky ones who catch it at a show.
Adam Sawafta Correspondent
ALEX MANUEL/TECHNICIAN
Keyshia Cole performs during the final Dreamville Festival in Dorothea Dix Park on April 5, 2025. Cole performed following Lute, Young Nudy and Chief Keef during the first day of the festival.
Thursday, April 17, 2025
Draft day glory: NC State’s dynamic duo joins the WNBA
Connor VanDerMark Sports Editor
Women’s basketball is on the rise. There’s no denying it. After this year’s NCAA Tournament, which saw UConn demolish South Carolina under the brightest lights on the biggest stage, the WNBA season is just a month away. But teams must restock on new and upcoming talent first.
Highlighted by UConn’s Paige Bueckers and France’s Dominique Malonga, the 2025 WNBA Draft was full of talented hoopers, and NC State women’s basketball got a special claim as just one of two schools in the country to have multiple players invited to attend the draft. After defining the red-andwhite for the past two seasons, senior guards Saniya Rivers and Aziaha James were ready to take the next step to stardom.
Unsurprising to Wolfpack fans, NC State was the only school to have multiple players drafted in the 12-pick first round. Rivers was claimed at No. 8 by the Connecticut Sun while James was selected with the final pick of the first round by the Dallas Wings. Some would feel burdened by the responsibility of being a franchise-defining firstround pick. However, for the star duo, NC State was the perfect stepping stone to the next level.
“The culture, it starts with the fans,” James said. “They’re not just fans, they’re our family. Leading to our coaching staff, they push us day in and day out. Leading to the teammates and the players, the former players that come back to the games and teach us things. And the players that’s on the team, the togetherness, the chemistry that we play with each other on and off the court.”
“You have to have a mental toughness to play at NC State,” Rivers said. “Coach [Wes] Moore is very passionate, I said it all sea-
son. He’s a tough coach to play for but it’s only because he cares, and he recruits good people, and I feel like that’s why he gave me a second chance to come in since I came from South Carolina. I’m just blessed that I had the opportunity to play for him. He’s part of the reason that I’m here.”
NC State is no stranger when it comes to sending players to the pros, but Rivers became the highest-drafted player in program history, and for good reason. The Wilmington native averaged 11.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game in her final season in the red-and-white. But what makes Rivers special is her talent on the defensive end of the floor, where she averaged 1.3 blocks and 1.6 steals per game — being named All-ACC Defensive Team in her final two seasons.
Rivers can do it all, which is exactly what
the Sun needed. It made noise last season, going 28-12 and placed second in the Eastern Conference, but couldn’t get over the hump in the playoffs, eventually falling to the Minnesota Lynx in the semifinals. Ironically, Rivers will team up with the Sun’s other first-round selection, LSU forward Aneesah Morrow, who was the sole reason for NC State’s loss in the Sweet 16 when she put up 30 points and 19 rebounds. But there are no hard feelings from Rivers after Morrow ended her time at NC State.
“That’s my dog, I’m so happy to be playing with her,” Rivers said. “Just to be able to team up with her, she has that dog mentality and she’s just a great person on and off the court, a great teammate. I’ve seen her be a great teammate to others. So, I’m looking forward to playing alongside her and growing together, and we’re going to make some
noise for sure.”
But as Rivers began looking to her future with the Sun, her former teammate’s name was called with the 12th pick of the first round. James joins Bueckers in Dallas as they will try to rejuvenate a team that went just 9-31 last season. But for a team that struggled so much on offense, it couldn’t have selected two better players — one who just led her team to a National Championship title and NC State’s own cold-blooded killer.
“Just being that dog, just finding any keys that Dallas needs and me putting that effort for them,” James said. “Pushing myself, pushing my teammates, being that energetic rookie, motivating my vets, being that sponge, learning new information from my vets and when my number is called, whenever that is, I’m being ready.”
James was NC State’s go-to scorer for the past two seasons, averaging 17.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Whenever the Wolfpack needed a clutch bucket or a momentum-swinging 3-pointer, she provided. The lefty possesses a killer instinct that only a few athletes have.
“Whenever that shot clock is running down, I’m trying to find that bucket,” James said. “If I can’t find that bucket, I’m finding that open teammate, whatever gets the team a good bucket and just keeping going.”
The draft officially marks the end of James’ and Rivers’ time together, but the memories and accomplishments they made at NC State won’t be forgotten.
“I love that girl to death,” James said. “We call each other our twins and we’re sisters for life. I told her she’s going to be my flower girl at my wedding. We just love each other so much. We work hard. We have ups and downs. We have so much adversity coming toward us, and just to see both our names called in the first round, it shows a lot.”
Why are blowouts suddenly so common in college baseball?
Colby Trotter Senior Sports Writer
NC State baseball just won a series over then-No. 14 Louisville and the final two games didn’t even go the distance. Both contests ended in run rules. The Cardinals won Game 2 25-8 in seven innings and the Wolfpack won Game 3 11-1 in eight innings. These kinds of lopsided scores aren’t as rare as you’d think. Run rules have become a common occurrence for the Wolfpack, with five of its 15 conference games ending early due to the 10-run mercy rule. This is not unique to the Wolfpack, though. There were four other run-rule games in the ACC last weekend and five the weekend prior. In
total, 27 ACC games this season have ended early — often with elite teams on both ends of the blowouts.
Just look at some of the recent scores across the ACC: 14-1, 19-5, 14-0, 17-2, 18-0, 25-8, 17-1. It’s a puzzling pattern in a conference known for elite, competitive baseball. The best teams in the country are squaring off, and the games aren’t close.
“It’s crazy, it’s absolutely insane,” said head coach Elliott Avent.
It’s not like the top-tier teams are just beating up on the lower-tier squads either. There are four instances where a team was run-ruled and still won the series, and the Wolfpack is responsible for two of those.
“Sometimes the best teams are getting
run-ruled, and it’s in the middle of the week,” Avent said. “I don’t know what’s going on in sports, but we know there’s a lot of craziness going on with sports right now, and hopefully somebody’s going to get a hold of this.”
So what’s behind the chaos? Avent believes there are two reasons.
First, he hypothesizes, the new rules have altered the game’s rhythm. The pitch clock, he says, disrupts the game’s flow, while the frequent use of replay reviews stalls momentum.
“They’re doing too much, which is what I was afraid of,” Avent said. “I wish they could go back. Randy Travis wants to go back to 1982. I think that’s an excellent idea.”
Second, blowouts often result from teams strategically waving the white flag when the game — and not the series — gets out of hand. If the series isn’t on the line and one team jumps out to a big lead, the other will often preserve its bullpen and live to fight another day.
Take Game 2 of the Louisville series. After falling behind 8-0 in three innings — and having already won Game 1 — Avent chose not to burn his best bullpen arms. The result? A lopsided 25-8 blowout loss, but fresher arms for the rubber match. While the Wolfpack didn’t need its high-leverage arms in the third game, they were available
EMILY PEEDIN/TECHNICIAN
Senior guard Saniya Rivers (left) and senior guard Aziaha James (right) smile during the last moments of the semifinals game of the ACC Tournament against UNC-Chapel Hill in Greensboro Coliseum on Friday, March 7, 2025. NC State won the game 66-55.
14 TECHNICIAN
Thursday, April 17, 2025
COLUMN
Jake Guentzel: the Canes’ biggest what-if in franchise history
Jakob Halbur Sports Video Editor
Flashback to March 2024. The birds are chirping, baseball season is right around the corner and the temperatures aren’t the only thing beginning to heat up as March also welcomes the ever-infamous NHL trade deadline.
As they have for many years at this point in the season, the Carolina Hurricanes once again found themselves near the top of both the Metropolitan Division and the Eastern Conference.
Needing to make the extra splash as most playoff-hopeful teams do around that time of year, the Canes swung arguably the biggest deal of the deadline, acquiring center Jake Guentzel from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a combination of current players, picks and prospects.
With Guentzel in the final year of a fiveyear, $30 million contract, he was easily one of the most “bang-for-your-buck” guys at last year’s deadline, and with the Canes looking to improve their scoring depth and make an impact right away, adding Guentzel seemed like a match made in heaven.
Across a combined 28 regular-season and playoff games, Guentzel operated at above point-per-game averages, notching 34 points during his time in Raleigh.
And although the Hurricanes were bounced in the second round by the Presidents’ Trophywinning New York Rangers, it was almost certain that an eight-year extension to stay in Raleigh was coming Guentzel’s way, right?
With rumors of an eight-year, $64 million contract circulating for Guentzel, the deal essentially seemed done. However, much to the dismay of Hurricanes fans, that ended up not being the case — on July 1, 2024, Guentzel signed a seven-year, $63 million contract with
BLOWOUTS
continued from page 1
because Avent chose to save them instead of trying to mount a miraculous comeback when his team went down early in Game 2.
“You all seen the scores in college baseball, when people try to save their bullpen just to win a series, and things get out of hand,” Avent said after the 25-8 loss to Louisville. “Didn’t want it to happen quite to this extent, but tried to pitch a couple guys and save a couple guys for tomorrow.”
What’s perhaps most impressive is NC State’s bounce-back ability after an em-
the Tampa Bay Lightning just one day after Tampa traded for his signing rights.
Another star player that most surely would’ve anchored the Hurricanes’ top line for years to come, down the drain just like that. All the resources, prospects and picks used to acquire Guentzel only for him to play 28 games in the red-and-black, down the drain just like that.
And the notion that the front office would finally lock down the biggest name out of free agency rather than primarily sticking to draft development, down the drain.
Just. Like. That.
Even now as April ramps up and another quest towards the Stanley Cup begins, Guentzel’s presence in Tampa — or lack thereof in the Lenovo Center — continues to leave a bitter taste in the Caniacs’ mouths.
As a Lightning fan myself, I’ve enjoyed the
barrassing loss. The Wolfpack has been on the wrong end of a run rule three times in conference play and has won its next game each time.
“You can’t do anything about the game before,” Avent said after NC State beat Louisville 11-1 after losing 25-8. “If you dwell on the game before, it will affect the way you play. You got to look at the opportunity you have and play with the opportunity you have. And I think our guys did that.”
While it may be humiliating to lose a game in less than nine innings, Avent thinks it’s easier to get over a game like that rather than losing by one run or a walk-off. The sting of defeat doesn’t seem to last nearly
fruits of Guentzel’s labor. In his first season with Tampa, Guentzel has scored 40 goals for the third time in his career, is on the verge of eclipsing 80 points for the second time, leads the league in power play goals, represented Team USA in the Four Nations Face Off and has produced eight multi-goal games.
Although much of that can be attributed to Tampa’s top line duo of center Brayden Point and left wing Nikita Kucherov, there’s no denying that Guentzel’s offensive prowess has benefited Tampa, as the Lightning are the top-scoring offense in the league with a goalsper-game mark of 3.59 while also being top five on the power play.
It goes without saying that even without Guentzel, the Canes have still proven themselves a force this season as they currently sit 9th overall in goals-per-game and lead the league in penalty killing.
as long.
“This is one you were never really in, and it got out of hand early, and it stayed out of hand,” Avent said after losing to Louisville in seven innings. “This is an easy one to go home and wash off.”
In college baseball, series wins matter more than the humiliation of a single-game blowout. As coaches manage arms with the long game in mind and with new rules continuing to reshape the tempo of play, run-rule scores might only become more common. Ugly losses will just become part of the deal. Good teams know how to move past them — and win the ones that count.
But it also goes without saying that Guentzel would have most certainly bolstered this season’s team in more ways than one.
Particularly on the power play, the league leader in power play goals would’ve amplified a special teams unit that currently sits in the bottom third of the league, which is something you cannot lack heading into the playoffs.
To add insult to injury, if Guentzel and his stats were on this year’s Hurricanes’ team, he would find himself atop their leaderboard in both goals and points, providing a palpable offensive jumpstart to the Canes.
With Tampa being a fellow conference team, the Hurricanes may meet the Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final, giving Guentzel the opportunity to place the final dagger in his former team’s season come next month. His overall offensive presence and the fact that he is in his prime at 30 years old continues to leave Canes’ fans wondering why general manager Eric Tulsky didn’t get the deal done with Guentzel.
With Tulsky’s handling of the recent Mikko Rantanen debacle, the organization has to be scratching its head as to why star players can’t envision a future in the City of Oaks.
Blow after blow from players not even on its roster anymore has left the Canes front office facing escalating levels of scrutiny for the mishandlings of franchise-altering players. And rightfully so, as both Guentzel and Rantanen had the ability to change the Hurricanes’ trajectory but alas ending up outside the Tar Heel State.
Although Guentzel’s time in Tampa is still young and it remains to be seen if his contract will be worth its hefty price, there’s no denying that Hurricanes’ fans dream of him lifting Lord Stanley in the Lenovo Center and wish he was still donning the red-and-black.
ALEX MANUEL /TECHNICIAN
Centers Jake Guentzel and Sebastian Aho talk during a break in the game against the Detroit Red Wings in PNC Arena on Thursday, March 28, 2024. The Hurricanes defeated the Red Wings 4-0.
GRIFFIN BRYANT/TECHNICIAN
Head coach Elliott Avent speaks with the media after the Wolfpack’s game against the James Madison Dukes in the NCAA Raleigh Regional final on Doak Field at Dail Park on Sunday, June 2, 2024. The Wolfpack beat the Dukes 5-3 to advance to the super regional round in Athens, Georgia.
Breaking down NC State men’s basketball’s transfer portal additions
Noah Teague Staff Writer
NC State men’s basketball is on the hunt for talent as head coach Will Wade assembles his first team in Raleigh, adding a trio of transfers to bolster the roster.
Alyn Breed
Graduate guard Alyn Breed was NC State’s first portal commit this year. One of two players to follow Wade from McNeese State to Raleigh, Breed is a 6-foot-3 scorefirst player who fits best as an off-ball guard. Breed started his career at Providence where he played a limited role.
After sitting out the 2023 season at McNeese for transfer rules, Breed only played two games with the Cowboys before an injury cut his season short. However, in those two games, Breed flashed his talent, including a 17-point outburst against then-No. 2 Alabama.
While the roster is still in flux, Breed projects to be an important reserve piece. With three years of experience in the Big East, his game is well-positioned to translate well in the ACC. Breed can provide instant offense off the bench with his ability to drive and score inside. Whether it’s forcing steals and scoring in transition or utilizing ball screens in the half-court, Breed is dangerous when he gets downhill and into the paint.
If there’s any concern with Breed’s game,
it’s his shooting. During his three years at Providence, Breed shot under 30% from deep each season. However, as an excellent free throw shooter, hitting at an 80.6% clip across his career, there’s potential for Breed to develop into a serviceable threat from deep.
Quadir Copeland
Like Breed, junior guard Quadir Copeland is also following Wade from McNeese to Raleigh.
One of the more unique players in the transfer portal this cycle, Copeland is a 6-foot-6 point guard known for his fiery personality and impressive defensive skill set. As Wade looks to establish a new culture in Raleigh, Copeland will be a key player in setting the tone, especially defensively. Copeland, a Philadelphia native, embodies his hometown’s identity. At Syracuse, he was dubbed “Philly Tough” by his head coach, Adrian Autry. Copeland plays with a mean and confident attitude —- something that’ll benefit the Pack.
When there’s a bucket to be scored, Copeland looks to throw down a dazzling dunk or a flashy pass to an open teammate — then make sure everyone knows about it. Wolfpack fans found that out firsthand during his 25-point performance for the Orange in Raleigh a couple of seasons ago. That attitude is one of many things NC State missed last season.
Much of Copeland’s value stems from his switchability on defense. Despite being a guard, Copeland can defend positions one through four in any set.
Copeland is also a sneaky offensive threat, shooting 48.8% from the field and averaging 4.5 assists per game last year. An impressive athlete, Copeland will be a problem for teams to contain, but especially on the fast break.
Similar to Breed, Copeland struggles as a shooter with a career 20.3% 3-point percentage. With 3-pointers not a major part of his game, it’ll be critical for Wade to secure multiple shooters in the portal to maximize Copeland’s strengths. Playing with freshman guard Paul McNeil Jr. — a sniper from behind the arc — should help Copeland. Regardless of whether Copeland starts or is a rotational bench piece, expect him to be on the floor with NC State’s top shooters, allowing Copeland to be a playmaker on offense and throw opposing offenses into chaos.
Tre Holloman
NC State’s latest pickup is junior guard Tre Holloman from Michigan State. Holloman’s stats may not pop off the page, but make no mistake — Holloman is a quality addition.
Potentially the next starting point guard in Raleigh, Holloman will also be critical in establishing the Pack’s culture. As a team captain for a Michigan State team that went
to the Elite 8, Holloman brings valuable leadership and experience to the Pack.
On the court, Holloman is a prototypical point guard. He’s the best passer on the roster and will always be looking to set up his teammates for easy baskets.
But he’s also more than just a facilitator — Holloman can score at all three levels. He’s particularly effective off the dribble, whether pulling up from midrange or finishing at the rim. A career 35.6% 3-point shooter, Holloman is also dangerous behind the arc.
Another notable aspect of Holloman’s game is that he elevates in the biggest moments. Two of his three highest-scoring games came against rival Michigan. He also scored 19 and 17 points against North Carolina and Illinois, respectively.
Improving his consistency will be critical for Holloman though. The Michigan State transfer flashed moments of greatness throughout the season but had too many games where he disappeared, including an 0-10 performance against Auburn in the Elite 8.
In a likely elevated role with NC State, the Pack needs him to be at his best to be the point guard that the Wolfpack needs. Breed, Copeland and Holloman set the foundation for Wade’s inaugural campaign. With more portal movement to come, expect the Pack to keep reloading.
EMILY PEEDIN/TECHNICIAN
Will Wade, the new head coach of NC State men’s basketball, answers questions from his press conference audience inside Reynolds Coliseum on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. Wade is the Wolfpack’s 21st men’s basketball coach, following former coach Kevin Keatts.
Class ring traditions
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