TECHNICIAN
ESPÍRITU DE LA COMUNIDAD
LATINX HERITAGE MONTH
Juntos program experiences major growth, helps Latinx students into postsecondary education
Grace Turschak Correspondent
Since the Juntos program, designed to support the academic success of Latinx students throughout high school, began at NC State, it has expanded rapidly. Recently, the program has seen an increase in both participants and locations across the country.
The program initially had four components: family engagement, 4-H clubs, success coaching and summer programming. Diana Urieta, the senior director of Juntos, said new funding will enable the program to add a fifth component.
“We received a $7.8 million grant from USDA [National Institute of Food and Agriculture] that’s going to allow us to create a fifth component to Juntos, which is ‘Career Pathways,’ or ‘caminos a carreras’ in Spanish,” Urieta said. Urieta said this component will start with pathways in agroscience and expand into other career possibilities, helping expose students to various careers that they may otherwise be unaware of.
“There’s so much technology,” Urieta said. “I didn’t know that an engineer could be in agroscience. There’s so much within a career pathway that sometimes we don’t know. So we have an opportunity to build a component that really engages with career pathways.”
As of 2021, the Juntos program is in 15 states.
“We now have a national Juntos Consortium,” Urieta said. “We have other land grant universities and organizations that are joining — there’s a membership to join the Consortium — that is made up of leaders who are focused on really making sure that their Juntos program in their state is successful and then really pushing forward the work at a national level.”
As an NC State alumni herself, Urieta said she’s happy to see the program thriving.
“I’m just super proud of the fact that this program was founded at NC State, that the leadership, like the chancellor and the dean of the college, now sit at the Division of Academic and Student Affairs,” Urieta said. “I really feel like there’s been good support and leadership for this program to be able to grow and expand.”
Xiomara Alcantara-Ocampo, a fourth-year studying social work and work-study student, said that she’s personally seen the program grow at a local level during her involvement.
“When I was a student, [Juntos] only was in high schools,”
Alcantara-Ocampo said. “Now they’re in middle schools, and they’re going into community colleges. Even at the summer camp before, it would be, max, I think, 80 kids. Last summer, they had over 100 students there.”
Alcantara-Ocampo said her relationship with these students helped her discover what she wanted to study, which was made possible by the increasing number of participants in the program.
“When I first got here, my major was biology, and I wanted to go a completely different route,” Alcantara-Ocampo said. “Then I realized I had been doing all the stuff I like to do all year long — like working with families, with students and then I worked the summer camp, and that’s what really made my switch flip.”
Erik Modesto-Reyes, a fourth-year studying electrical and computer engineering, said he hopes to see the program continue on its current trajectory.
“It’s pretty cool, just seeing the impact it’s having for people around the country, and they share the same drive, from the K-12 perspective,” Modesto-Reyes said. “Hopefully it keeps on growing as the years go by.”
For the future, Modesto-Reyes said he wants the program to reach out to alumni that have shared experiences with the younger students to facilitate their success.
CRIME ON CAMPUS
NC State’s weekly log of major incidents across campus.
HIT AND RUN
Sept. 11, 2024 at 5:34 p.m.
Vet School Deck
An employee reported their unoccupied, parked vehicle was struck.
HIT AND RUN
Sept. 11, 2024 at 8:33 a.m. Free Expression Tunnel Patterson Hall
NCSU Facilities vehicle struck a student’s vehicle and left the scene.
LARCENY OF MOTOR VEHICLE
“People that you know have very successful stories, or have a beautiful story to tell, whether it’s success or failure and turning that into success, just being a shared of case to the younger generation, telling them ‘we went through exactly what you guys went through,” Modesto-Reyes said. Modesto-Reyes said he’s passionate about giving back to the program because of what it helped him accomplish.
“The main reason [Juntos] was created was to be able to pursue those opportunities back in the early 2000s and now, 17 years later, we’re becoming a big program,” ModestoReyes said. “So a lot more kids have that accessibility, and hopefully we can grow those numbers in the next few years as well and give back.”
As a work-study student and Juntos alum, Modesto-Reyes uses his personal experience to support the academic — and eventual career — success of younger students in the program.
“What I’m trying to do now as a college student, is telling the younger people, ‘Hey, you know, there’s different opportunities,’ and telling the parents as well, because parents are the ones that are looking out for their kids. They want to give us opportunities.”
The program can be contacted via email at juntosprogram@ncsu.edu.
Sept. 11, 2024 at 2:20 a.m. Wolf Ridge Innovation Hall
A student had his secured vehicle stolen.
DAMAGE TO PROPERTY
Sept. 10, 2024 at 3:00 a.m. Sullivan Residence Hall
An employee reported that a window was broken.
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4 TECHNICIAN
NC State gains new student support system in the Office of Student Life and Advocacy
Matthew Junkroski Correspondent
As a new student, finding the office or department you need on NC State’s campus can be difficult. NC State created the Office of Student Life and Advocacy to curb these difficulties through streamlining support services and improving the student experience on campus.
The office, which combines existing departments and creates a new Resiliency and Community Support unit, aims to be a central hub for students seeking assistance with various aspects of campus life.
Donna McGalliard, associate vice chancellor and associate dean for Student Life and Advocacy, said the office’s creation stemmed from a student mental health task force report that identified the need for a Dean of Students office at NC State.
“There was a recognition that some of the services existed in different parts of the University, but they weren’t all pulled together,” McGalliard said.
The Office of Student Life and Advocacy is made up of Fraternity and Sorority Life, Student Leadership and Engagement and the newly formed Resiliency and Community Support office.
Justine Hollingshead, assistant vice chancellor of the Office of Student Life and Advocacy with Resiliency and Community Support, said the new office within the Office of Student Life and Advocacy consolidates student support services like Pack Essentials, Wolfpack Pickup and the Absence Verification Process into one location.
Hollingshead said before the creation of the Resiliency and Community Support office, she was doing a lot of the work by herself.
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Talley Student Union on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. Talley Student Union offers a wide variety of dining, lounge and meeting venues and is home to many student organizations and government offices.
“There are a lot of different components that just didn’t have a place to live before, and it can’t live with a person who someday, in the near future, will retire,” Hollingshead said. “You want to be able to have a good support system in place and a sustainable way to be able to make sure that people know where to go and what and what to do.”
McGalliard said she hopes the office will become a student hotspot on campus.
“We would like to think that we will become kind of that initial point of contact for
students or families or others to say, ‘Hey, I’ve got a student who’s going through XYZ. Can you help?’” McGalliard said. “And either we can help, or we can point them in the direction of getting that kind of assistance.”
Hollingshead said the goal is for the University to support students the best it can by connecting them with the resources they need.
“We hope to build that foundation to be able to have a more intuitive place for stu-
dents and their families to go if they have a question and be able to help triage what that is and get people connected,” Hollingshead said.
Hollingshead said a benefit of the office’s creation is a better opportunity for the offices within to collaborate.
“We collaborate and work closely together,” Hollingshead said. “Part of it is having colleagues you can bounce ideas off of and now it’s just in a more formal way that will help to [create] that sound foundation when you talk about student success and support.”
Currently, the Office of Student Life and Advocacy has no physical space, but Hollingshead said the office is able to accommodate students’ meeting preferences.
“It’s not that you need a physical place to go,” Hollingshead said. “… What you expect, and what parents expect, is [students are] going to pick up the phone, they’re going to send an email, and they want someone to be able to respond back.”
McGalliard said right now, the office just wants students to know they’re here to help.
“This is something that hasn’t been a part of NC State ever,” McGalliard said. “So I definitely want them to just be aware that we exist and that we are here, and if they have questions or things that they want to know more about, they can contact us and we’ll either have the answer or find out the answer in order to try to get them what they need.”
McGalliard said she looks forward to the continued development of the office.
“It’s continuing to evolve, and we’ll see where we land,” McGalliard said. “But I’m excited about the foundation we have now and where we can go in the future.”
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers uplifts Hispanic students in higher education
Jacob Smith Correspondent
Founded in 1996, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers is the oldest Hispanic organization on campus. Today, the organization continues to advocate for Hispanic students at NC State and beyond, specifically in STEM-related fields.
As an underrepresented demographic across all STEM fields, the organization aims to advocate for Hispanic students’ involvement in STEM. The club emphasizes networking and professional development
while still building community among members by hosting social events.
Erik Modesto-Reyes, a fourth-year studying electrical and computer engineering, said the society provides an open space for everyone, including allies.
“We’re trying to make sure that … we have an open space for everyone, whether they’re in STEM, whether they’re Hispanic or even allies as well,” Modesto-Reyes said.
Modesto-Reyes said there is a familial bond between members of the organization, and members come together to uplift each other
throughout their college journeys.
“We call it familia,” Modesto-Reyes said. “[We] advocate for each other even on the smallest things, like passing an exam, that’s still something we celebrate.”
Joshua Chavez-Arellano, a third-year studying mechanical engineering, said the club prioritizes professional events like resume reviews and mock interviews, but also hosts social gatherings.
SHPE’s mentorship program pairs upperclassmen and graduate students with underclassmen to help them navigate their
first steps at NC State.
John Gonzalez-Vazquez, a third-year studying civil engineering, said the program helps build community across age groups, as well as helping those newcomers adjust to collegiate life.
Cristian Narvaez, a fourth-year studying electrical engineering, attests to this.
“I’ve been part of SHPE since I was a freshman,” Narvaez said. “I’ve grown up to get into the [executive board] by knowing and getting to network with a lot of the individuals inside it. … As I’ve grown up, I realized
Eduardo Catalano: Key architect in School of Architecture’s history
Eduardo Catalano was an Argentinian architect who served as the head of the School of Architecture at NC State from 1951-1956. His modernist designs often played with structure and weight while also emphasizing the intersection between engineering and architecture.
Catalano brought a varied education in architecture to the newly-founded department, having attended the Universidad de Buenos Aires, University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University in addition to teaching for a year in London.
One of his most well-known designs, the Catalano House, located in Raleigh, was his residence. The roof, a 4,000 square-foot hyperbolic paraboloid only 2.5 inches thick, was the star of the design.
David Hill, a professor and head of the School of Architecture, said the home’s roof and glass exterior contributed to the design’s openness.
“His house in Raleigh was quite a bit of open space,” Hill said. “And what that does for you is opens up views through the house, but also out into nature, and so the house felt like it was part of the site. It felt like it was part of its natural surroundings, because underneath that roof was primarily glass.”
House and Home magazine named the Catalano House “House of the Decade” in 1956. Despite preservation efforts, it was demolished in 2001 after years of roof damage.
While Catalano’s designs in Raleigh focused on lightweight structures, his later works showcased “heavier weight,” brutalist designs, constructed using exposed concrete or brick.
Burak Erdim, an associate professor of
that SHPE actually does change lives, and it’s changed my life for the better.”
The organization welcomes Hispanic students from all colleges and allies of any race or major.
Victor Hernandez Gatica, a third-year studying civil engineering, said social events help the Hispanic community on campus thrive.
“We have a lot of social events where [everyone] can connect and basically be part of the familia,” Hernandez Gatica said.
Ellen Benitez, a fourth-year studying civil engineering, said recent growth has helped the society attract more companies to work with the organization.
“Now that we’re a bigger organization, we’re making a bigger presence at NC State,
architecture and architectural history, said the transparency of materiality and function in Catalano’s brutalist designs were not dissimilar to the transparency of the Catalano House.
“At the Catalano House, this notion of transparency and connection to the landscape, this almost turning the house inside
and we’ve had a lot of companies reach out to us and want to do events,” Benitez said.
The organization gained 60 new members in the last year. Jossy Ramirez, a third-year studying computer engineering, said the society aims to maintain growth through community outreach and engagement with underclassmen and graduate students.
Ramirez said the society has begun reaching out to middle and high school students with STEM-related opportunities.
“[We show] them that they can start early on and think that STEM is an opportunity for them,” Ramirez said.
Students interested in the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers can learn more about the organization through their homepage on the GetInvolved website.
out, making private public — that house was not that different than the brutalist expression of these more institutional buildings,” Erdim said. “So there’s a kind of thread that connects them together in terms of this notion of stark expression of materials and social function of the building.”
After leaving NC State, Catalano taught
at MIT until 1977 and ran his own practice until 1995. In 2002, he came out of retirement to design the Floralis Genérica, a 20-meter-high flower sculpture made of aluminum and stainless steel, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The sculpture is controlled by hydraulics and photoelectric sensors. The petals unfold each morning at 8 a.m. and close at midnight.
“I think [the Floralis Genérica] is a real expression of form and movement,” Hill said. “And, you know, not really burdened with the other things that architecture is sometimes burdened with, like creating rooms and spaces and having to look like a building.”
Throughout his career, Catalano expanded his portfolio as he designed several other residences and institutional buildings.
“I think it’s also interesting that he wasn’t limited by a singular form of expression,” Erdim said. “He was able to kind of try his hand at doing different things, whether it’s brutalism, innovative structures, or something figurative, like the Floralis Genérica sculpture.”
Some of Catalano’s other notable designs include the Guilford County-Greensboro Government Center, the Juilliard School of Music at New York City’s Lincoln Center and the Julius Stratton Student Center at MIT. He also designed the U.S. Embassies in Argentina and South Africa.
After Catalano’s death in 2010, his children, Alex and Adrian Catalano helped establish the Eduardo Catalano scholarship at NC State, granting two architecture students one year of full tuition while also donating the Eduardo Catalano papers to NC State’s Special Collections Research Center.
CONTRIBUTED BY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Savannah Woodman Staff Writer
Lack of voting rights in Puerto Rico — another example of American hypocrisy
“Taxation without representation” was the rallying cry of the American Revolution. A principle as invaluable as gold, permanently shaping the nation’s foundational ideals and defining national sovereignty. Like gold, this ideal was rare, creating the early American identity and establishing a lasting standard of sovereignty and freedom from oppressive rule, a treasure that would forever guide the nation’s course.
However, not everything that shines is gold. Just like the colonies once stood in protest against unjust taxation by the British Crown, the example of Puerto Rico today reveals a glaring hypocrisy.
As an unincorporated territory of the United States, Puerto Rico is subject to many of the same federal laws and taxes imposed on mainland Americans. Yet Puerto Ricans lack full representation in Congress and cannot vote in presidential elections.
Technically, Puerto Rico does have a “representative” in Congress — if you can call it that. The Resident Commissioner can sit in on debates, offer opinions and maybe even smile for the cameras, but when it comes to actual voting power, they have none.
It’s like being invited to a feast but only being allowed to watch while everyone else eats.
Furthermore, Puerto Rico receives less federal funding in programs like Medicaid, Medicare and Supplemental Security Income. For
example, in 2022, the federal government covered about 55% of Puerto Rico’s Medicaid costs, compared to an average 73% for U.S. states.
Although Puerto Ricans do not pay federal income taxes on local earnings, they do pay most other federal taxes, including Social Security and Medicare.
So, in reality, it’s not just like sitting at the dinner table and receiving no food — it’s like having your food taken away while watching everyone else eat.
Not to mention, in recent years, multinational corporations have increasingly moved into Puerto Rico, taking advantage of new tax exemptions and incentives that are supposed to stimulate economic growth. These measures, like Act 20 and Act 22, offer significant tax breaks to wealthy investors and corporations, allowing them to pay little to no local taxes on certain types of income. While these laws were designed to attract capital to the island, they have made it easier for large corporations to dominate the local market.
As a result, many Puerto Rican-owned businesses struggle to compete with these powerful multinationals, which can operate under much more favorable tax conditions. A 2019 report found that about 90% of the tax incentives under Acts 20 and 22 went to non-residents, while local businesses received little to no direct benefit. Moreover, as MNCs took over key sectors, local business bankruptcies increased by 10% from 2018 to 2020.
The system that is supposed to lift Puerto Rico out of economic difficulties is instead paving the way for outsiders to profit at the
expense of local business owners and workers. Despite the numerous challenges Puerto Rico faces, its citizens have little say over the island’s political future or sovereignty. Over the years, several referendums have been held, asking Puerto Ricans whether they want to remain a U.S. territory, become a state, or pursue independence. The results have been mixed and controversial. In 2017, a non-binding referendum showed that 97% of those who voted were in favor of statehood, but the turnout was only about 23%,calling into question the legitimacy of the result.
The fundamental issue is that while Puerto Ricans can vote in these local referendums, they cannot unilaterally change their political status. Congress holds the ultimate authority to admit a new state into the Union, and the U.S. government has shown little interest in taking concrete steps toward resolving Puerto Rico’s status. As a result, the island remains in a political limbo.
For those who feel passionate about the issues facing Puerto Rico, there are tangible actions regular people can take to push for change. First and foremost, spreading awareness is key.
Many Americans are unaware of Puerto Rico’s political and economic struggles, so sharing information — whether through social media, blogs or discussions — can help raise visibility. In fact, a 2017 survey conducted by Morning Consult found that only 54% of Americans were aware that Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens.
Supporting organizations that focus on Puerto Rican rights and political activism is
also crucial. Groups like the Puerto Rico Statehood Council and other advocacy networks work to lobby Congress and raise awareness about Puerto Rico’s plight. At NC State, we have the Latin American Student Association, which welcomes all students, regardless of their race or identity. You can attend their events to show support and learn about important issues affecting the Latinx community, like the issue of Puerto Rico’s sovereignty.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, voting during this election period with Puerto Rico in mind is important. In the context of Puerto Rico’s political future, Vice President Kamala Harris stands as a better candidate than former President Donald Trump to grant Puerto Ricans the rights and representation they deserve.
Harris has supported initiatives like the Puerto Rico Status Act, which would allow the island to hold a binding referendum on statehood, independence or free association. In contrast, during Trump’s presidency, there was little movement toward resolving Puerto Rico’s political status, and his administration was often criticized for its slow and inadequate response to the island’s economic crises and natural disasters, such as Hurricane Mari. However, as long as Congress holds the menu, Puerto Ricans will keep going hungry at the table of American democracy. But with growing awareness and political momentum, there is hope that the Puerto Rican citizens will soon have a real seat at the table, with the rights and representation that an American citizen deserves.
Letter from the editor: Reflecting on choices and tragedy
Kate Denning Editor-in-Chief
Editor’s Note: This article contains reference to gun violence and death.
This letter from the editor accompanies a guest column written by Timothy Johnson, a former NC State student incarcerated for homicide. Technician seeks to platform all perspectives and invites nuanced discourse. Letters to the editor may be sent to technician-editor@ncsu. edu.
fairgrounds and killed two people on the day of the football season home opener.
The Wolfpack saw two people die at the hands of one of their own. It was a day that changed the NC State community irrevocably.
Earlier this month, Johnson submitted a guest column to Technician reflecting on the murders 20 years later. Upon reading it, I knew it needed to be run by our publication. Johnson details how, despite seemingly having everything going for him, he fell into a life of violence that ultimately led him to commit these murders.
It’s an honest and retrospective view of a tragic time in NC State history from the very person who caused that tragedy. Johnson doesn’t shy away from this. He takes ownership of the crime while showing
remorse for the murders themselves and for the choices he made that led him there. Each of us could learn from his ability to take responsibility for his wrongdoings and his message to not compromise your values. For this reason, Technician is publishing this guest column because I believe it not only deserves, but needs to be read by our students.
More than that, Technician is publishing this column out of respect for our journalistic duty to display every angle of the story we’re telling. Technician reported on these murders and the trial that followed extensively in 2004 and the years after. Johnson’s perspective that he offers in this column is one that would have been impossible for Technician to report at the time. Now that Technician has access to that, it is only right
for us to publish it just as we did 20 years ago.
A fundamental component of Technician’s mission is to function as a meeting place for campus discussions. Not only is it our obligation to report on every aspect of this story, it would be a disservice to our community to inhibit this column from public consumption.
Johnson’s remorse and newfound perspective will not undo the harm he caused. It won’t bring back the people he killed, and it won’t heal those hurt in the wake of it. What I hope the column might do is teach today’s Wolfpack about the way that each individual choice is contributing to who we will ultimately become and what we will be remembered for.
Twenty years ago, NC State student Timothy Johnson opened fire at the NC State
Mark Mikhail Correspondent
GUEST COLUMN Reflecting on the NC State tailgate shooting 20 years later
Editor’s Note: This article references gun violence, substance use and death.
Read our letter from the editor detailing the reasoning for the publication of this guest column. Technician seeks to platform all perspectives and invites nuanced discourse. Letters to the editor may be sent to technician-editor@ ncsu.edu.
Twenty years ago, I caused a bleak day in NC State history. On Sept. 4, 2004, while tailgating for the NC State football season opener, I killed two men during a drunken altercation. I loved NC State and I loved being a student, but I represented the University terribly.
NC State was founded in 1887 with the purpose of serving people and the community by creating “economic, societal and intellectual prosperity for the people of North Carolina and the country.” Under Chancellor Randy Woodson, NC State launched the “Think and Do the Extraordinary” campaign, building a reputation for developing solutions to individual and societal problems.
In contrast, I acted without thinking and served no one. I hurt people and the community.
Like other NC State students, I arrived in fall 2000 with a foundation for success. I had wonderful parents and the advantages of academic gifting and opportunity. My parents were incredible — loving, kind, giving and honest. Teachers described me as one of the smartest kids they taught.
When people ask me how and why I am in prison, I tell them this happened because of my downward spiral of compromise. The downward spiral of compromise describes the gradual degeneration of my choices and character. One compromise led to the next, which led to the next.
The compromise began in high school by hanging with a party crowd. As a college freshman, I attended far more parties than classes, did more drinking and smoking pot than studying and learning and added experimentation with other drugs. I forfeited an academic scholarship due to a 1.0 GPA. Attending summer classes allowed me to maintain eligibility.
The close call salvaged my academic focus. My name made the dean’s list the next two semesters. Although the frequency of partying decreased, continuing to party at all was
complete compromise.
In December 2003, I made a pivotal compromise — the terrible choice to sell cocaine. Quickly addicted to the money, I began to view myself as a drug dealer. Adopting that identity led me to accept violence as normal.
Nine months later I killed two men during the drunken altercation in the student tailgating area. My long and ever-worsening series of bad choices caused irreparable harm.
My plummet represents a worst case scenario to an extreme degree. But no person can escape the consequences of compromise.
NC State students arrive with immeasurable potential. The ones who focus on their goals accomplish incredible things. They serve others and solve problems through dedication and innovation. Students who compromise derail their potential.
My compromised choices derailed me.
In jail charged with murder, I stared through the small, bar-covered cell window in downtown Raleigh. I could see both my past and future, literally.
The view revealed both Lee Hall, the dorm I lived in as a freshman, and Central Prison, the prison that figured to be my next residence.
Looking at my former dorm, I could see my specific suite door on the seventh floor. That view generated pleasant snapshots from my college life.
Falling in love with a beautiful, blonde art major. Walking and holding hands in the Little Raleigh Theater Rose Garden on a spring evening. Cheering the Wolfpack football team and quarterback Phillip Rivers to victory over Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl. And the inevitable allnight study sessions fueled by Starbucks coffee and Gumby’s pizza.
These memories kindled visions of the plans I had held. Graduating with a psychology degree. Getting a master’s degree in clinical psych. Helping children and adolescents with learning disabilities and developmental disorders. Being the best uncle ever to my nephews. Getting married. Becoming a father.
However, that future shattered against the harsh concrete walls of Central Prison.
Feelings of guilt and remorse — remorse for killing two human beings, unique persons with memories and dreams, loves and likes, experiences and plans — left me with a choice. Do I mindlessly shrivel up and await death, or do I make the most of the life that remains?
I chose to do the best I can with what I have right where I am.
I cannot give back the lives I took. But I try to demonstrate my remorse by living so that my actions affect others positively, by serving
others — individuals, my prison community and society.
I became a dog trainer in the New Leash On Life program in 2012. We worked with dogs rescued from local shelters, teaching them basic obedience and a variety of tricks, giving them the love and skills to succeed in a permanent home.
Waylon, a Shepherd-mix, and I bonded instantly. He resembled me as much as anyone I’ve ever met. He had immense potential, but no direction. When focused, we could realize our potential. When allowed to drift, we found trouble.
Fortunately, I had the time and energy to help Waylon. At the end of our time together, he had perfect scores on the Canine Good Citizen Test and the rally course.
I trained 15 canines, including one for a child with autism and two for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Working as a dog trainer gave me not just a job, but a way to serve individuals — dogs and people.
In July 2017, I was selected for the inaugural class of the North Carolina Field Minister program. Students receive four years of education from The College at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, culminating in a bachelor’s degree in pastoral ministry, with a minor in counseling.
One of my biggest regrets was wasting my gifts and opportunities by not applying myself while an NC State student. When restarting my education, my primary goal was maximizing the opportunity by performing my studies with excellence. In every class, on every assignment, I strived to do everything with excellence.
Additionally, I was devoted to helping others who did not have my academic advantages. While a student, I amassed well over a thousand tutoring hours, partnered to form an onsite writing center, trained dozens of tutors and compiled a writing guide for students.
In December 2021, based on my tutoring and service efforts, college and prison staff selected me to work for the college as a graduate assistant and with the prison population as a Field Minister.
As a graduate assistant, I train our writing consultants and teach an academic writing prep class to incoming freshmen. In the Field Minister role, I facilitate a cognitive behavioral change course and do peer counseling and mentoring.
This work enables me to serve my prison community. I help my incarcerated neighbors learn, grow and overcome the challenges of life in prison and beyond.
Writing allows me to serve my prison com-
munity and society. It has been integral in my transformation and has become my way of life. In high school and college, I despised writing. I always procrastinated until the night before a paper was due.
Prison made me a writer. Writing gives me a way to help solve severe problems facing the prison system, meeting a key societal need. I co-wrote a criminal sentencing reform bill for North Carolina, the Prison Resources Repurposing Act, that has been proposed in the House in 2021 and 2023. My writing has been published in two legal journals and other publications.
The “Sign of the Wolf” stands for serving people and solving problems. Despite my love for the Wolfpack, I hurt people, caused devastation and ended up in prison with a life sentence. Before prison, my life presented the antithesis of what the University represents.
The Shelton Leadership Center, founded at NC State, expounds five core values — honesty, integrity, compassion, diversity and social responsibility. By living with these values, I live to serve individuals, my prison community and society. Living to serve has transformed my existence.
I did not suddenly nosedive from the apex of values my parents taught into the cesspit of selling cocaine and carrying a gun. I descended one selfish, unprincipled choice at a time over several years.
Now, I refuse to compromise on my values. I know it takes only one compromise to enter the downward spiral.
As a Wolfpack fan, the words of Jimmy Valvano from his legendary ESPYs speech speed my heartbeat: “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.” To me, not giving up hinges on how I live each day. Like Jimmy V, who did lose when he died from cancer, I will not lose if I never get out of prison. Winning means living to serve.
Despite my horrible mistakes, the rest of my life can be used to serve. By serving others, I can uphold the principles on which NC State was founded.
I wish I could tell my tragic tale to every student who arrives at NC State. Maybe the story could help them do two things: refuse to compromise and live to serve. Students who refuse to compromise and live to serve build meaningful lives. They solve the severe challenges facing today’s society. They “think and do” extraordinary things as individuals and as a Wolfpack community.
Timothy Johnson
Former NC State student incarcerated for homicide
Mexican Catholicism isn’t a style choice
Berhe, Grace Turschak Assistant Opinion Editor, Correspondent
Social media apps do a phenomenal job of convincing you the right outfit or aesthetic choice is the key to your aspirations. During the pandemic, I sat in my room scrolling through TikTok and Instagram, running through countless algorithms and methods of signaling my cultural interests. I eventually saw a video of a girl showcasing her new rosary beads and how perfectly they aligned with her “traditional but cool girl” aesthetic. I soon deleted TikTok and deactivated my Instagram, shuddering to think that’s the kind of person I was aspiring to be — more nuance in the fabric on my body than the thoughts in my mind. Worse yet, that I might aspire to be fashionable by means of cultural appropriation.
Mexico contains the second largest population of Catholics in the world, but Mexican Catholicism originates from the same colonial tradition as most institutions on our side of the globe.
Spaniard colonists forced their culture onto indigenous Mexican populations, through genocide and cultural erasure, the result being the Mexican Catholic Church. Currently, 78% of Mexico’s population identifies as Roman Catholic, though according to Pew Research polls, indigenous religious practices are still common. Approximately 45% of Mexican Catholics believe in “the evil eye” and 31% believe in communication with spirits.
Mexican Catholicism is unique in the way it’s developed in spite of and alongside
colonialism. What authority do we have, as Americans, to pull the prettiest and most visually pleasing aspects of this religion while simultaneously turning a blind eye to the harm it has caused?
This faith has undergone a painstaking process wrought with violence and destruction of indigenous cultures, but most people are not considering this when they buy a Bernie Sanders or Dolly Parton veladora candle for apartment decor.
If you’re regularly on the internet, you’ve probably come across a veladora with your favorite celebrity’s photo pasted on top, or maybe seen a rosary worn casually as an outfit accessory. But what you might not know, or care about, is that these “decorations” are an important part of Catholicism.
The exact origins of rosaries are debated,
but their popularization is typically accredited to Spanish priest Saint Dominic. Veladoras depict the sacred heart of Jesus and are used in prayer or for other spiritual purposes.
The problem arises when non-religious people remove these items from their intended context, disrespecting the religion to which it belongs.
The celebrity prayer candle skyrocketed in popularity because people who weren’t familiar with Catholicism found them amusing. Let it be clear that this doesn’t automatically make a celebrity veladora owner a bad person. Catholicism in America is declining, so there’s a good chance that consumers are unaware of the candle’s origin. Still, it is our responsibility to educate ourselves on cultures or beliefs that are not our own.
If you’ve ever seen someone wear a rosary as a necklace, it’s important to know that that’s inherently disrespectful to those of the Catholic faith.
Rosaries are to be prayed over, not typically to be worn like jewelry. Interestingly, however, it is common in Latinx culture to wear a rosary as a symbol of their heritage. Back in the 16th century, they were used to differentiate between Protestants and Catholics. When used in its intended context, each bead is a prayer, so praying over the rosary takes some time.
Additionally, wearing a rosary commits oneself to positive behavior, so one can not do anything particularly unsavory while wearing it. If you’re not Latinx, it’s best to avoid wearing a rosary entirely, for the sake of those of the Catholic faith, as well as your own peace of mind.
Veladoras and rosaries have long been a part of Mexican Catholicism before they were mocked and will remain an important part long after the trends have died down.
To reiterate, accidentally disrespecting a culture isn’t the issue. The issue lies in continuing to disrespect a culture or faith once you know the original context of whatever you’re using as a decoration or accessory. In 2024, we have far too much access to knowledge, declining faith or not, to continually disrespect a religion that is important to so many people, especially people of marginalized communities. Considering the violence indigenous Mexicans endured as a result of colonialism, we owe it to these populations to let them reclaim their faith in their own right.
Why you should study Spanish
Universities across the country have witnessed an observable decrease in the number of students studying foreign languages in recent years, including Spanish. In as diverse a country as the United States, this is an oddly unprecedented change. To connect people across cultural boundaries, students across the country should work to learn Spanish, especially as they enter higher levels of education. This phenomenon has not passed over NC State. According to Mark Darhower, associate professor and Spanish section coordinator at the University, language enrollments have been declining for the past several years.
During Hispanic Heritage Month, it is important to highlight the many benefits of fluency in Spanish, both in the United States and worldwide. To begin, it is impor-
tant to note the occupational benefits that come with Spanish fluency.
“With the ever-increasing Hispanic population that we have in the U.S., there are many professions that either require being proficient in Spanish,” Darhower said. “Or
that if you’re applying for certain positions and you are bilingual in Spanish, you have a definite edge over other candidates who are not proficient in Spanish.”
In many fields, like public service, healthcare or the legal field, Spanish fluency is held
in high regard. Essentially, if interactions with people are involved in the profession, Spanish fluency is sought to increase the number of people the company can reach. Rather than being seen as an additional qualification, many professions also hire full-time interpreters, meaning that studying Spanish alone still yields a multitude of occupational benefits.
Jacob Smith Correspondent
GRAPHIC BY ANGEL CHEN
GRAPHIC BY ISABELA GEORGE
Rocky
Poetry reading lives on at NC State
Alessandra Sandoni Correspondent
The NC State Literary Reading Series has taken off with the start of the new semester. The first installment in the series took place on Thursday with Destiny Hemphill, a chronically ill ritual worker, and the visiting poet of this academic year.
Taylor Ofori, coordinator for Deaf and Hard of Hearing as well as Deaf and Blind Services, and Valerie McMillan (sign language interpreter), were present to translate the entire reading into ASL.
When asked about how her passion for poetry started, Hemphill traveled all the way back to her childhood.
“I had a speech impediment when I was young, and I learned how to read and write fairly early,” Hemphill said. “I was reading by two and I was writing by three, but people had a lot of trouble understanding my speech, so it became easier for me to write than to speak when I was young.”
The reading event focused on Hemphill’s 2023 poetry collection, “Motherland.”
“I’m very attentive to grief,” Hemphill said. “And I think of grief not only as an individualized experience, but as a collective one that has political possibility. I’m really interested in reckoning with grief and the grief caused by various political failures and devastation, and how that might compel us to refashion the world in a way that is livable. I carry both the tension of suspicion because of that and also the hope of language being a vehicle for liberation.”
Hemphill said there is a difference between the profes-
sionalized practice of poetry and poetry spaces regarding underrepresentation of minorities in poetry.
“Publishing in different institutions that may have a lot of funding or resources definitely replicate the same systemic power differentials,” Hemphill said. “They are not immune from these different systems of power, but they are shaped by them.”
Poetry, though, does not only exist in the publishing
industry.
“Publishing and books and journals aren’t the only way to engage with poetry and I think there are a lot of different people who feel compelled to poetry, whether or not they end up with publication,” Hemphill said.
GRAPHIC BY MEGAN MERSCH
Multicultural Student Affairs puts on “Espíritu de la Comunidad” theme for Latinx Heritage Month
Throughout September and October, Multicultural Student Affairs annually celebrates Latinx Heritage Month with a specialized theme. This year’s focus is on the aspect of community spirit, called “Espíritu de la Comunidad.”
The planning for each year’s theme begins in the summer before the event. The member organizations send a student representative to be part of a planning committee to discuss what is happening locally and globally regarding Latinx Heritage Month. This year it was decided unity and fellowship were the central themes to emphasize.
Gavin Bell, the assistant director of Multicultural Student Affairs, said he talks to the student organizations involved to make sure new events are not only highlighting the theme but take some financial pressure off of the groups and are overall facilitated to the students’ needs. They make it a priority to make sure the communities can thrive. Certain organizations meet monthly for a check-in and a chance to voice any concerns.
“The cool part about the check-ins is that some of them are Mex, some are Native American, some are Asian, others revolve around Black culture, so it allows them to share best practices and develop competency across all these different cultures at the same time,” Bell said.
According to Bell, Multicultural Student Affairs offers
many opportunities for new and returning students to join in activities that allow a sense of community to flourish. The first event of each year is the kickoff event, where many Latinx student clubs and organizations gather and set up a table to represent their communities.
Bell described the connection between the theme and each activity organized.
“Community and fellowship set up the kickoff event of the month, the Chat ‘n Chew for food fellowship and the last one we thought about, culturally, was dancing,” Bell said.
Multicultural Student Affairs has some staple events that happen every year, like the kickoff event, but they see to it each year’s theme hones in on the highlight of the month. This year, it’s community.
“Our last event is going to be the Noche de Bailando,” Bell said. “We partner with a couple of different Latin dance teams on campus to offer dancing tutorials, food/drinks and some rodeo line dancing. We’re trying to make it representative of different areas of Latin America like salsa, rodeo, all the things.”
Multicultural Student Affairs spreads the year’s theme through the student organizations, and the campus partners — such as each college within the University — so it’s marketed across all areas of campus. The goal is to grow the community by reaching out to students who may not be familiar with all the different cultures so they can find commonalities to their own communities.
“What we really want for Latinx Heritage Month and the upcoming Native American Heritage Month is for a place of community to be built, but also a place of learning for students to gain genuine knowledge around these communities,” Bell said.
Bell discussed the various ways people coming out of Latin America would come together. Whether it be food, community, fellowship, conversation or mental health, they want to help people handle the culture shock they may feel. They realize the challenge some students may face and hope they can be a good resource for those who are looking for one.
Isabelle Simmons, a first-year in exploratory studies, heard about the kickoff event from Instagram. She said events like it are a good way for the Latino community to reach out to students, especially because it’s right in Talley Student Union.
Simmons found the kickoff event to be a great way to connect and explore the clubs who made an appearance. Multicultural Student Affairs works hard for students to have options for community and relationships within their own culture while being able to learn and bond over other cultures as well. Looking forward, the organization has already planned for future events of community building and cultural bonding, truly exemplifying the spirit of community.
GRAPHIC BY KRISTA PADILLA
Lucy Roseman Correspondent
Culture
Master Class brings Ukrainian dance to campus
Patricia Scholle Staff Writer
Faculty and students came together in Carmichael Gym on Thursday to learn traditional Ukrainian dance. Participants started slow, but quickly picked up speed and technique as they linked arms and laughed together.
Together they paced out a stepping movement with the beat of an energetic accordion song. Participants practiced walking with the step and incorporating other moves like a spin between measures.
The instructor of the course, Carrie (Tkacz) Lang, taught with grace and wisdom. Many participants had no dance experience, but were gently guided to learn something outside of their comfort zone.
(Tkacz) Lang is the director at Tsvitinnya’s North Carolina Ukrainian Dance Ensemble. Her interest in Ukrainian dance was sparked by her Ukrainian ancestors. Her grandparents met in Ukraine and were separated from their families during World War II. After immigrating to the U.S., (Tkacz) Lang found Ukrainian dance as a way to remember her family heritage and what they had been through.
“Ukrainian dancing was definitely a fun way for me to get involved [in her culture] and move throughout all those different areas,” (Tkazc) Lang said. “Getting into the history, learning the culture of Ukrainian dancing is fun.”
As (Tkacz) Lang taught the class, she made sure to incorporate background and culture within her teaching. She explained that special events like New Year’s and weddings incorporate dance into their celebrations.
“People will dance together in couples,” (Tkacz) Lang said. “It doesn’t always have to be a big performance, but it is a just a
POETRY READING
continued from page 9
great way to celebrate and just be happy. In the group with other types and styles of dances, sometimes they’ll compete against each other.”
Maya Harding, a first-year studying psychology, said incorporating Ukrainian culture into the lesson helped reinforce the dance’s importance.
“It’s a very different style than I’m used to, but also a very important cultural dance,”
Harding said. “And I think that added a cool, new spin to it that was different. I think that because it had that weight and importance to see both.”
This class was part of a series NC State offers called Master Class. Every week a new
The English department at NC State is trying to bring more poetry into the lives of students. Chelsea Krieg is the interim director for the MFA program and organizer of the Literary Reading Series that began in 2005.
“I’m excited to hear [Hemphill’s] work and have the students engage a little bit more with her ideas on the page,” Krieg said. “It’ll be a really rich opportunity for our graduate students to see and hear her work come to life in the room as well.”
Krieg said poetry doesn’t take the same space in our contemporary society like it used to.
“Poetry is interesting — there are a lot of people that don’t think about poetry, or say they don’t think about poetry, or don’t care about it, or they feel kept out of it for one reason or the other,” Krieg said. “But then it’s something we often
teacher is invited in to teach students of all levels of experiences specific styles of dance.
Amy Beasley, an assistant professor in the Department of Performing Arts and Technology, said master classes give students a chance to learn dances outside of taking a class.
“We have one class a week that is open to anyone, regardless of if they’re able to take an academic course or not because any skill level should be able to come once to take a class,” Beasley said. “We can also offer things that aren’t in the curriculum.”
Harding continued this idea and thought it was a unique experience for students to have.
turn to. When do you hear poems? You hear them at funerals, you hear them at weddings. You have them on cards. You have them at the birth of babies. The most important moments in our lives are often when we turn to poetry. So there’s something to the idea that poetry is necessary.”
With NC State being a world renowned STEM university, poetry is often forgotten outside of creative writing and English classrooms. Krieg said poetry can interplay with any discipline or profession.
“What we do with our students is really engaging them in critical and creative thinking, which can just apply to anything, anywhere,” Krieg said. “I think that there’s an opportunity to really think about how that can connect with our more hard sciences or Applied Sciences groups, how we can work together to show that there’s value in this thing that’s not as concrete as a job.”
At first, poetry can feel intimidating, particularly when it is commonly connected to complicated and antiquated language.
“Most of us in high school read Emily Dickinson and
“I think it opens up a lot of cool new opportunities for people who may have experiences in areas, but also [those who] don’t, and getting to try new things,” Harding said.
The class was fueled by the energy the dance brought them. With the joy of the music and the stories behind them, students and faculty got to experience something out of the ordinary.
To view and sign up for an upcoming Master Class offered by NC State, view the website for the Department of Performing Arts and Technology.
John Dunn and maybe a Walt Whitman poem, but these are writers that were writing centuries ago,” Krieg said.
“They’re using a vernacular that is not ours. They are talking about issues that were relevant to them at the time, but may not be relevant to us anymore.”
Instead, we can look to modern writers to better connect with contemporary content.
“I think there’s something to be said in reading living writers,” Krieg said. “And trying to figure out where there might be writers that are talking about things that you feel are relevant to you or connected to you. When you go back to thinking about trying to find your entryways, think about how this poem made you feel at first and then go back and see if you can intellectualize that.”
The Literary Reading Series continues throughout the fall semester with events on Oct. 22 and Nov. 14 showcasing various writers and poets. Learn more about the reading series on the CHASS website.
ERIN PETERS/TECHNICIAN
Zoriana Korzeniowski and Nadia Korzeniowski perform for participants during the Ukrainian Dance Workshop at Carmichael Gym on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. This event was held by members of Tsvitinnya’s North Carolina Ukrainian Dance Ensemble.
Bailey to make first start against Clemson
Bakogiannis, Colby Trotter Managing Editor, Sports Editor
Freshman quarterback CJ Bailey will make his first career start for NC State football at Clemson on Saturday, announced head coach Dave Doeren in his Monday afternoon press conference.
After starting quarterback Grayson McCall suffered an undisclosed injury against Louisiana Tech on Saturday in the second quarter, the graduate is considered “day-to-day” according to Doeren. The head coach said his injury is not considered to be season-ending.
Even with McCall considered as day-to-day, Bailey got the starting nod from Doeren against the Tigers.
“CJ will start the game, and it’s his team,” Doeren said. “And like I said, we’ll take it one day at a time with Grayson, and when he’s ready to play he’ll be back.”
McCall’s injury came after a drive late in the second quarter. Doeren did not specify what the injury was, but that he and his staff would take their time with the Coastal Carolina transfer.
“With Grayson, he got dinged up, and I’m not going to get into the injury,” Doeren said. “It’s good news on him — it’s a day-to-day thing. We’re going to take our time, and when he’s ready, he’ll be ready. CJ is ready to play, and he’s our quarterback until that happens, and we’re behind him.”
Bailey entered late in the second quarter against the Bulldogs and led the Wolfpack to a 24-point second half that resulted in a comeback win for NC State, highlighted by two lengthy touchdown drives that sealed a 30-20 victory.
In total, Bailey completed 13 of his 20 passes for 156 yards to go along with 27 yards on the ground and a touchdown. On his third throw of the game, Bailey was intercepted but was near-flawless after that.
“CJ Bailey came in, played fast,” Doeren said. “Obviously he had the one interception. Besides that, I thought he made really good decisions. He threw the ball well. He gave his guys opportunities. He used his legs when he needed to, got us some first downs, and to have a comeback victory with the freshman quarterback and both backup corners in the game, I thought was impressive as a football team.”
State’s bout with the Tigers.
NC State is no stranger to starting different quarterbacks due to injuries and various other circumstances throughout its past few seasons. 2021 was the last year where NC State had a quarterback that started for an entire season in Devin Leary. The 2022 and 2023 seasons saw a mix of primarily Leary, MJ Morris and Brennan Armstrong. Now, with both Bailey and McCall getting starts this season, 2024 will be no different.
With Grayson, he got dinged up, and I’m not going to get into the injury ... It’s good news on him — it’s a day-to-day thing. ... CJ is ready to play, and he’s our quarterback until that happens, and we’re behind him.
- Dave Doeren
“It’s an unfortunate thing to be used to,” Doeren said. “… I do think there’s a history with the next man up playing really good ball for us, and that’s what we expect. And I think all of our kids completely believe in CJ and know that he’ll go in and play his butt off.”
In NC State’s 2024 recruiting class, Bailey was one of its top prospects. The freshman quarterback is a former three-star recruit and was ranked as the 24th quarterback prospect in the country according to 247Sports.
In his senior season, Bailey led Chaminade-Madonna Prep to its third-straight state title as he threw for over 3,000 yards and 47 touchdowns to just six interceptions. Chaminade also finished as the No. 2 high school in the country, meaning Bailey was playing in multiple televised games.
went to Chaminade my coaches instilled everything I have in me when those big moments come, it’s just a game. Play the game, and don’t worry about the crowd.”
Despite Doeren saying McCall is day-to-day, NC State might give him more time to get healthy given his injury history. Last season McCall suffered a concussion that caused him to miss the last half of his 2023 campaign at Coastal Carolina. In 2021, he also dealt with a rotator cuff injury to his right shoulder, but he still won the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year that season.
“Sometimes fans don’t understand that that’s a player, and that kid loves our football team, and he loves playing the sport,” Doeren said. “And when you’re a sixth-year player, it’s hard when you can’t be out there. And the way he came back and cheered on CJ shows a lot about his character. He’s a great teammate. He’s one of us.”
Bailey’s first career collegiate start will take place in one of the most daunting environments in all of college football — Clemson’s Death Valley. Doeren said that in addition to dealing with crowd noise, he wants to set Bailey up for success by playing to his strengths.
In addition to an injury to the Pack’s starting quarterback, graduate cornerback Aydan White was ruled out before NC State’s game against the Bulldogs while sophomore cornerback Brandon Cisse suffered an injury in the middle of the game. Doeren announced both would be back for NC
After the Wolfpack’s win over Louisiana Tech, Bailey said his time at Chaminade prepared him for big moments like the one he is about to take on this Saturday.
“I had that feeling when I was at Chaminade when we played in those big games,” Bailey said. “I wanted to play in those big games at NC State as well. It really prepared me a lot for these moments right here. I’m glad that when I
“Schematically, [we’re] doing the things that he’s best at, giving him the best pictures that he can have, and then letting him play ball,” Doeren said. “That’s the one thing about him. He’s a football player, and that kid understands the game, he’s a winner, and he’s excited. I mean, that’s a kid that’s excited to play the game, and I’m excited for him.”
NC State’s duel in Death Valley with the Tigers is set for noon in Clemson, South Carolina. The Pack’s ACC opener will be broadcasted on ABC.
JEREMY BRYNE/TECHNICIAN
Freshman quarterback C.J. Bailey looks for an open pass while being defended during the game against LA Tech at Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. Bailey had 156 passing yards during the game. The Wolfpack beat the Bulldogs 30-20.
Ethan
NC State football travels to Death Valley for Textile Bowl against Clemson
After a 30-20 win against Louisiana Tech, NC State football will travel to Death Valley in Clemson, South Carolina to face the No. 21 Clemson Tigers for the Textile Bowl, hoping to return to Raleigh 1-0 in ACC play.
The matchup between NC State (2-1) and Clemson (1-1) is as highly anticipated as the year before. Arguably NC State’s biggest out-of-state rival, there is plenty of history between these two teams.
The name “Textile Bowl” originates from the fact that Clemson and NC State have two of the largest textile programs at the university level. The name celebrates the contribution that the textile industry had on the economies of both states. The Textile Bowl trophy was introduced in 1981 and the name has stuck with the rivalry ever since.
These two teams have had classic battles in recent years. In 2021, the Wolfpack defeated the Tigers 27-21 in double overtime. This gave Clemson its second loss and practically eliminated it from the College Football Playoff, when it had made it in the previous six years. In 2022, these teams played in Clemson while both being ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll and ESPN College Gameday came to town. Clemson won 30-20. In 2023, NC State won the Textile Bowl
with a final score of 24-17, rallying behind now-sophomore wide receiver KC Concepcion. Concepcion had five receptions for 83 yards and two touchdowns, as well as 51 rushing yards. Clemson will be sure to focus on limiting Concepcion, forcing targets to other pass catchers.
Clemson is led by head coach Dabo Swinney, who has been the head coach of the Tigers since 2008. Despite winning multiple national championships in the past decade, there are currently several outside doubts about Clemson’s sustainability as a program due to Swinney’s decision to not use the transfer portal. A big win in a rivalry game would help prove otherwise.
The Tigers face the Pack after a bye in week three. Their most recent win was a dominating 66-20 victory over the Appalachian State Mountaineers in week two. Through the first two games of the season, Clemson’s offense has been led by junior quarterback Cade Klubnik, who has thrown for 520 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. He has also scored two touchdowns on the ground.
Clemson’s leading rusher is senior running back Phil Mafah. Currently, Mafah has 177 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. Its leading receivers are freshman wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. and senior tight end Jake Brinningstool. Wesco has
four receptions for 135 yards and one touchdown while Brinningstool has 10 receptions for 126 yards and two touchdowns.
The Tigers have big playmakers on the defensive side of the ball, particularly on the defensive line. Junior linebacker Wade Woodaz has recorded a total of 11 tackles while freshman linebacker Sammy Brown has recorded nine total tackles.
Graduate quarterback Grayson McCall has been ruled out of Saturday’s bout with an undisclosed injury, meaning the Pack will ride into Death Valley behind freshman quarterback CJ Bailey as he makes his first collegiate start. Bailey led the Pack to a come-from-behind victory in the second half against Louisiana Tech, throwing for 156 yards and rushing for a touchdown. The freshman will need to show extreme poise as Death Valley is one of the toughest stadiums to play in throughout the country.
Graduate running back Jordan Waters leads the rushing attack with 156 yards and two touchdowns, but don’t be surprised if sophomore Kendrick Raphael and redshirt freshman Hollywood Smothers make an appearance. They each average over five yards a carry and can provide fresh legs and an electric run play when needed.
Concepcion leads the pass catchers with 22 catches for 199 yards and three touchdowns, but if Clemson focuses on him as
expected, look for junior tight end Justin Joly and redshirt junior wide receiver Dacari Collins to make big plays downfield. Joly has been the second-best pass catcher for the Pack with 11 catches for 153 yards while boasting a team-leading 13.9 yards per catch. Collins recorded three catches for 55 yards against Louisiana Tech and only seems to be heating up. The Clemson transfer should be set for a revenge game and potentially a large role in the offense.
The Wolfpack’s defensive leaders are going to need to make some key plays in the game. Redshirt junior linebacker Sean Brown currently has 22 total tackles, redshirt junior linebacker Caden Fordham has 20 total tackles and senior safety DK Kaufman has 18 total tackles. The Pack has forced five turnovers in its three games played and will need to continue its streak to have any chance in this matchup.
As this is the conference opener for both teams, this is a big game for deciding the trajectory of both of their seasons. NC State has won two of the last three games but has not won in Death Valley since 2002. Both teams have a lot to play for.
Kickoff between the Wolfpack and Tigers is slated for noon on Sept. 21. The game will be played at Memorial Stadium in Clemson.
LILY MCCABE/TECHNICIAN
Junior defensive tackle Davin Vann prepares to tackle an opponent during the game versus Clemson on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023 at Carter-Finley Stadium. Vann made three tackles. NC State beat Clemson 24-17.
Carson Correll Correspondent
NFL Pack Pros: Pratt thrives in heartbreaker, Narveson establishes himself
With Week 2 all wrapped up, NC State continues to make its presence felt in the NFL ranks. With 24 of its alumni in the professional realm, Pack Pros are well spread out throughout the National Football League.
Germaine Pratt, Cincinnati Bengals
The NFL world was treated to another chapter in the Bengals-Chiefs series this weekend, one that has the feel of a budding rivalry. A series of late penalties allowed the Chiefs to get in range for a game-winning field goal. Despite his team coming up just short, Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt produced a stellar performance. Providing an anchor for the Cincinnati defense, he collected 16 tackles, including seven solo tackles.
Pratt made an impact throughout the game as he was a force the Chiefs wanted to avoid. With the Bengals holding onto a narrow three-point lead in the waning minutes of the first half, Pratt forced a fumble which he recovered. Forcing this turnover proved beneficial to the team as the Bengals used it to punch a field goal on the board to finish the half with a 16-10 lead.
A third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Germaine Pratt has proven himself as a consistent presence on the Bengals’ defense. Currently one of the longest-tenured Pack Pros, he has continued to produce at a high level. Going into his sixth season in the NFL, Pratt has already gotten off to a
ball during the game against Marshall at Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Narveson kicked two field goals. NC State beat Marshall 48-41.
good start with 24 total tackles, 10 of which were solo.
Brayden Narveson, Green Bay Packers
After enjoying a successful professional debut last week, kicker Brayden Narveson continued to be a valuable asset to the Green Bay Packers. Going 3-4 on field goals last week, Narveson followed that up this week with another 75% success rate.
Helping the Packers get off to a strong start against the Indianapolis Colts, Narveson drained a 46-yard field goal to give them a quick 3-0 lead. The team called
upon him once again early in the second half as he nailed another field goal, this time a 42-yarder. He kicked his third field goal of the afternoon later in the third quarter with a 34-yarder.
Jacoby Brissett, New England Patriots
In the modern NFL, most fans are used to high-flying offenses pioneered by quarterbacks who amass staggering stats. But this isn’t the only recipe for collecting a win. In New England, this has been the case with starting signal-caller Jacoby Brissett. After selecting quarterback Drake Maye at No. 3
overall in this year’s draft, they have been in no hurry to rush him into action. Armed with one of the most experienced backups in the league, the Patriots felt comfortable with giving Brissett the reins to the offense. So far, he has done his job as he has largely taken care of the football despite perhaps not putting forth “flashy” stats.
After securing a surprising week one win over the Cincinnati Bengals, Brissett and the Patriots came up just short in a 2320 overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Throwing for 149 yards, Brissett kept the air game functioning for New England. He got the Patriots on the board first with a fiveyard touchdown throw in the first quarter.
AJ Cole, Las Vegas Raiders
On Sunday, the Las Vegas Raiders secured their first win of the season against the Baltimore Ravens. After a frustrating loss in Week 1 to the Los Angeles Chargers, the Raiders bounced back well to steal a close game against the Ravens, 26-23. Last week, Raiders punter AJ Cole found himself being used in multiple instances as he recorded five punts for 265 yards with the longest of his punts traveling 62 yards.
Even though the Raiders found more success offensively this week, it took some time for the team to collect offensive momentum. Punting the ball on their first three possessions of the game, they called upon Cole to pin the opposition back as much as possible. He turned in another solid performance with 128 yards in the air and a punt traveling as far as 54 yards.
EMILY PEEDIN/TECHNICIAN
Graduate kicker Brayden Narveson kicks the
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1,000 pinwheels were placed on Stafford Commons at the beginning of the month to represent the 1,000 college students lost to suicide each year. September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.