Tiger's Roar- April 2018

Concerns about security Page 2

SGA ready for new year Page 8

Star Student Program gives back Page 5

Tiger’s

April 2018

Roar

The Independent Student Voice of Savannah State University

Savannah, Ga

Student Athletes: Drugs and Depression

Page 6

Photo Illustration by Markendy Pierre

2 April 2018

News

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SSU updates security in response to crime-related incidents Isaiah Singleton, Contributing Writer In light of recent crime on the Savannah State

campus, namely the fatal shooting on Feb. 24., security measures are being developed that will be implemented in the upcoming fall semester.

Students have expressed their concerns about what will be done differently about safety on campus. They have been voicing their issues in student forums, on social media and to the administration.

Senior, Kizuwanada Moultrie, is concerned about the consistency of campus police in enforcing stricter security measures.“I am more concerned about consistency. For instance, I never really see campus police patrol the campus on a regular basis.

When it comes to security at the gates, one minute they are checking ID’s, then the next they are not. I believe it is not a solution to any crime, it’s a hassle,” she said.

Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs Edward Jolley, discussed some of the new tools that will be used for the upcoming fall semester.

In reference to the new entryway gates, Jolley

said, “Instead of previous gates that close, they will be replaced on an electric opener that will slide and cover the roadway completely”.

He added that the gates will be controlled at a booth as well as from the public safety department, so that the person on duty does not have to come out and manually close the gates.

He discussed a new light management contract with Georgia Power to replace the light bulbs in the streetlamps around campus with L.E.D. bulbs that are more luminous. This is an effort to have a better lit campus and make students feel safer after dark.

In addition, Georgia Power will be installing cameras in the streetlamps to help with nighttime security surveillance.

Jolley discussed keeping the Whatley gate open only for a few hours in the morning and evening and keeping a security officer at each gate of the four gates at all times.

“In the evening, we are currently checking ID’s.

The only people that will be allowed on campus, at least through the rest of this semester, will be students that live on campus or commuter students

that may have work to do,” he said.

Public Safety are issuing visitor parking passes at the booth to make campus visitors easily recognizable and stop them from being ticketed. Visitors will hang the pass from their rearview mirror.

Jolley said the Campus Safety Task Force, will be convened to look at steps and measures taken from their previous reports to develop more effective security measures for the future. “We are taking various steps and doing a few things currently,” he said.

One of these steps is public safety using hand held scanners to scan student ID’s and driver’s licenses of everyone coming on campus.

According to the United States Department of Education Campus Safety and Security (CSS) data, from 2014-2016, there have been 66 reported burglaries, 13 reported cases of robbery, 1 case of murder/non-negligent manslaughter, and 9 reported cases of fondling on the SSU campus. Data on 2017 was not available.

SSU students voice concerns on campus updates Emmalee Walker, Online Editor Savannah State University has been updating the campus for various reasons and there are a large range of responses toward them. From security issues to their dormitories, students have several things to say about the changes on their campus.

Zykkiiaa Collins, senior and University Commons resident said, “I think that it is a good thinking they are bringing more technology for security reasons and my only concern is if the school is going to use the new technology.”

Photos by Emmalee Walker. Cameras and security boxes are placed throughout campus.

Collins thinks that there should more attention in dormitories. She has had multiple occasions where maintenance would take weeks to fix anything she had a problem with. However, she is grateful for the updates on campus because it shows growth.

“The updates toward the better security is great but

Photo by Emmalee Walker. Students say they feel the front gate to the University Commons is unsafe.

the renovations for luxury is unnecessary and the money could be used elsewhere like the dorms and so many other thing,” she said.

Skylar Stewart, sophomore and University Commons resident, said, “I’m happy, it’s good that they’re updating stuff.”

Stewart says that the updates should be done more around the Commons and near the main entrance of the school. She had no concerns about her dormitory and said that maintenance is timely with fixing her issues.

Stewart did note that she did not feel safe on campus even with all the security updates because they usually do not last and recommended that the school install more panic buttons in the University Village.

Not all students are aware of the updates the school is doing.

Dion Murrell, junior and Bostic resident, was not aware of any changes on campus but says that he is content in Bostic and on campus. He has not faced any real problems and enjoys living on campus.

Tyler Cummings is a senior and wants the campus to be consistent with their security measures.

Cummings does not want the security to decrease after a couple of weeks but instead maintain their changes. She is however concerned that with the cameras being updated, there is the possibility of people monitoring them 24/7.

“I don’t feel as safe as I should be on campus,” she said.

It is not uncommon for students to have such mixed reviews but responses continue to change as the campus continue to grow.

Photo by Emmalee Walker. Wholes and breaks in the fence around campus are concerning for students.

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Editorial

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April 2018

University violated its own rules with early morning checks Written by Angela Saxon and Aunarey Herbert There was an email sent by the Housing Coordinator Michael Sharpe to all students on March 30 that said room checks would be conducted in all residence halls on April 3.

April 3 came and went without incident. Then, between the hours of midnight and 2 a.m. on April 4, residents of the University Commons were woken up by knocks on their doors.

The university invaded the privacy and violated the rights of the students and broke their own conduct rules when they decided to continue these room checks through early morning hours the day after the set date.

Room checks are usually performed by Community Assistants (CA) or Residential Directors (RD) to ensure students’ rooms are in good condition and that students are following the the rules in the Residential Living Handbook.

However, police officers assisted residential directors, along with the housing coordinator Michael Sharpe, as they conducted room searches between the hours of midnight and 2 a.m. on April 4, causing more alarm among students in the Commons.

The handbook states, “The University reserves the right to inspect rooms for possible violations of University Regulations. The University reserves the right to enter rooms or other

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“In non-emergency situations, if consent to search a room is not granted by the student, the Campus Police will have to request a search warrant.”

- Residential Living Handbook facilities at reasonable hours.”

Midnight to 2 a.m. is not reasonable. The room checks conducted in the Commons woke students up on a school night, and some students were even instructed to stand outside while the check was conducted.

Some students were extremely upset to learn campus police walked into their rooms without their permission.

One resident of the Commons took to social media to inform other students that they have the right to deny entry to law officials if the situation is not an emergency.

According to the the Residential Living Handbook, “In non-emergency situations, if consent to search a room is not granted by the student, the Campus Police will have to request a search warrant. If a warrant is granted by judicial order, the Campus Police will search the room.

A report will be filed with the Office of Student Ethics. If the search produces evidence that constitutes a felony, the student will be arrested.”

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About: The Tiger’s Roar is the independent monthly student newspaper of Savannah State University. We welcome and encourage letters to the editor and staff. All letters must include an address and phone number for confirmation. We reserve the right to edit all published content for purposes of length, style, grammar and libelous material. Ideas expressed in editorials do not reflect the opinions of the editors and staff. The Tiger’s Roar adheres to the Associated Press Stylebook guidelines for stories and headlines.

The SSU residential housing staff should comply with the rules and regulations they set for themselves.

It is completely unacceptable for housing staff members to send emails to students with room check dates they do not plan on honoring. It creates a culture of mistrust between staff and students. If students are expected to comply with residential housing rules, then housing assistants and law enforcement should not be coming into their rooms at inappropriate hours.

SSU students, it is imperative to know your rights and privileges as residents on campus, as students at this school, and as adults in the United States. It is important to know that when situations like this arise, you are able to safeguard your space and refuse entry to anyone trying to gain entry at inappropriate hours in non-emergency situations.

Tiger’s Roar Team: Angela Saxon - Editor-in-Chief Amanda Wilkins- Layout Editor Kendra Frederick- Co News Editor Ashia Manning- Co News Editor Tony Smith- Sports Editor Emmalee Walker- Online Editor Carmen Iman- Copy Editor Advisers Kareem McMichael Jessica Sparks

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Features

April 2018

Fun in the Sun Orange Crush 2k18

Carmen Iman, Copy Editor

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Orange Crush is Savannah’s annual beach party.

College students flock from every direction to enjoy a weekend of sand, music and alcohol. While Orange Crush is a fun and exciting experience, it is important to remember a few tips to ensure a safe and memorable weekend.

Have a designated driver, and if they fall through, have money set aside for an Uber, taxi or a Lyft.

Remember: buzzed driving is drunk driving!

Watch your drink. Be aware of your surroundings and everything you consume, watch your friends drinks too.

The internet is forever. Be careful not to do anything you don’t want popping up on YouTube in a few years.

Fanny packs are your friends. Condense your valuables and then wear them securely around your waist.

Do not break the law. Underage drinking can harm not only your body, but your legal record too. Do not do illegal drugs either. And please, no fighting.

Know your limits. For everything.

Movie Review

Tyler Perry’s ‘Acrimony’ thrills audiences

Diamond Bond, Contributing Writer

Tyler Perry’s: Acrimony debuted in theaters on March 30.

Opening to 17 million, the film is a psychological thriller that keeps you guessing the entire movie with a twisted end.

The movie begins with a classic story of passionate young love between a faithful woman and a dependent man that turns left when trust and jealousy push them apart.

The plot takes a turn to the dark side when the couple sunder their ties. Starring Taraji P. Henson, she gives a riveting performance as a pushover wife who will sacrifice anything for her husband. But in

a blink of an eye, she becomes a deranged divorced wife who will stop at nothing to get her happy ending that she deserves.

This movie digs into the stereotype of a “bitter black women” giving the audience a better understanding of this stereotype, that it is not something that just happens overnight. The storyline makes a point to discuss mental illness in African-American females.

This movie takes the audience on a emotional rollercoaster with a heartbreaking start to a crazy ending. So girls, grab your friends, guys, grab your girl for a movie date and head over to the movie theaters and watch this film. You will not be disappointed.

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Features

April 2018

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Black college graduates face tougher job market Jepera Puryear, Contributing Writer Months before graduation Ayana Bethea, a senior business marketing major at Savannah State University, is in search of a career in her professional field. Bethea, 22, a native of Hampton, Georgia calls her search for a job, a full time job in itself.

African-Americans will have to work twice harder to be employed in their professional field after graduation than their white counterparts. All college graduates have a challenge getting into a career, but the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) found that it is harder for African-Americans because of race alone.

Bethea is unsure that corporations will hire her with her kinky natural hair.

“I’m insecure because of my hair,” Bethea said.

She asked her professors for advice about hair styles that come across as professional for her interview with car insurance company, Geico. They advised her to straighten her hair or put it in a bun.

Ayana Bethea, put her best foot forward and has faith that she will do well on her second interview with Geico and get a job after graduation. Yet she says that she still finds it hard.

“Us as African-Americans to penetrate certain markets and corporations that we may want to join or get into, because we have so much against us,” she said.

In 2010, 60 percent of graduates had jobs that require a degree and only 27 percent worked in careers in their major field. Young black graduates 24-29 had an unemployment rate that was 9.4 percent higher than the peak unemployment rate for white college students which was 4.7 percent.

EPI shows that controlling factors such as age, gender, and educational attainment have not caused the

unemployment gap between whites and African-Americans. Instead, discrimination plays a large role in the increased unemployment or underemployment rates for African-American students.

Coordinator of Placement Counselor Yakima Anderson, for the school of business at Savannah State does her best to prepare her students for graduation. Students who use her service are taught skills to help them thrive in a professional environment.

“Based on our statistics that we keep we have a 70 percent employability rate meaning that at the time of graduation 70 percent of that graduating class is full-time employed,” said Anderson With an employment rate of 70 percent Anderson’s tips are worth sharing.

Below are tips on succeeding in the workforce after graduation from Yakima Anderson, SSU Career Service Counselor, Jordan Riles Ogden and Forbes writer Susan Adams: Tips and Advice : • Take advantage of Internships before graduating. It is good to do at least one professional internship before graduating, and Ogden suggests students do multiple.

• Check university and web for resources such as career services, job shadowing opportunities and workshops. Career services can help polish resumes, find jobs and internships, and help prepare you for what is to come after graduation. Professors can help locate resources and they are a important resource as well, use them.

- Network. Find a mentor that has been in your

position and has been successful at obtaining a career in their field. Adams, advises students to create a LinkedIn account. Another necessity in your network of contacts is a sponsor which is a person in your related field who can get you an interview or knows someone that can.

• Join a professional development group. An untapped resource is organizations that have to do with your major or perspective career. Most universities have professional interest groups that will be great for networking, experience, and forming relationships says Adams.

Students are encouraged to begin this process as soon as freshman year.

Congratulations Class of Spring

2018!

What to do after graduation Bria Mulrain, Event Coordinator With graduation less than a month away many students are wondering what life is like after this huge milestone. It’s important that one builds a routine they never had in college.

One of the best things that should be implemented is establishing a healthy routine that will guide you through the interchanging momentum.

Get organized and oblige to a committed routine by laying out your schedule. Creating a budget is one of the most important things to abide by. Soon after college, student loans will need to be paid back.

Remember not to live above your means just because you have now graduated college.

It is also important to make use of all resources around you, and seek out any potential financial resources that can help you. By taking advantage of these resources, you should be trying to save as much money as you can and learning more about living on

your own Another important tip is, take your new job seriously. Going above and beyond your responsibilities on a job proves to your employer that you are capable of handling much more responsibility. It will also help prove to yourself that your dream job is within your reach. That’s if yours haven’t already snagged it. If so, you must work to keep it. Competition will be tough.

It is somewhat common for a student to land their dream job after graduation or, with luck, before, but this does not mean the job you hold is worthy of your full attention still. Prepare accordingly as more opportunities present themselves along your journey.

Overall, new graduates, waste no time carving out space for things that make you essentially happy.

Remember, education is lifelong and the biggest mistake you can make is believing school taught you everything you need to know. Networking is something everyone should master the art of.

When looking for your first job, look for a place you

feel excited about. Keep building and maintaining friendships. Stay in touch with the friends closest to you, even when you get busy with work.Too many people lose touch with real friends after school because they were shocked by the sea of pressure they were hit with.

Most importantly, meet with a trusted advisor and an expert in your field, see if graduate school is a fit for you. Remember not to feel pressured. It is only an option, but one that will boost your career and current bank of knowledge.

If you choose to pursue graduate school or not, work on broadening your skills everyday. Also think beyond work, explore the world, travel. You can learn to travel on a budget or for free.

Challenge yourself to see the world through different views. Spend your time and focus your energy in the keys areas that will help elevate you.

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April 2018

Sports

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Drugs and depression among our student athletes Photos and story by Markendy Pierre

Photo Illustrations: These photos were staged for purposes of visualizing telling this story.

At least one student has been taken off the Savannah State University Athletics roster after the school administered its first drug test since the beginning of the semester the week after Spring Break.

Drug use in student-athletes is a problem at many schools across the country, including Savannah State.

“I was scared to death,” says one track and field studentathlete. “I was hoping and praying that my name wouldn’t be on that [the drug-testing] list. I even stopped smoking for a full day, and let me tell you that day was like walking through hell. Not even being able to be high all that day, I drunk so much water that day, I was living in my bathroom.”

The students in this story asked to be anonymous so they would not be removed from their respective teams.

With all the stress from school and sports, students feel the need to find an outlet to relieve the pressure they’re under. Even though smoking and doing other illegal drugs are prohibited by the NCAA, athletes still take the risk just to feel a small bit of peace.

“In high school, I didn’t have nothing to worry about,” said the track member. “ I was fed, clothed, and had a roof over my head. I didn’t have a lot to worry about.

Now that I’m in college, I pay for everything now and I have to juggle classes, practice, meets... Smoking now gives me a break from all those things, it’s basically a stress reliever.”

Depression and anxiety, along with other mental health issues, are common in student-athletes. According to a 2014 survey done by the American College Health Association, 30 percent of 195,000 respondents reported having felt depressed in the past 12 months. Fifty percent said they had felt overwhelming anxiety in that same time period.

“One of the primary concerns regarding the prevalence of mental illness among student-athletes is that it may affect not only their success in academics and athletics but also their general well-being,” according to a report posted on NCAA.org.

In a study of data from eight National College Health Assessment surveys between 2008 and 2012, studentathletes were compared to non-athletes. A major finding was while the majority of both student-athletes and nonstudent-athletes reported willingness to seek help for

mental health concerns, athletes were less likely to report having received psychological or mental health services.

“This could be due either to a reduced need among student athlete population or because they are less likely to report and seek treatment for these concerns,” the NCAA report said. The report said student-athletes were less likely to struggle with depression and anxiety than their nonathlete peers.

“It’s like this is the prime of your life and every decision you make affects you,” says one junior criminal justice major who is a member of one the Tigers’ teams. “I do feel like my mental state is in danger. I feel like a lot of the things that we go through, we go through it alone, and even if you do have someone to talk to, it’s still stressful because at the end of the day it’s your life. So even though weed is not a cure, it’s a way to help with the stress and anxiety and even the depression that comes along with making decisions.”

Corbin Henault, head athletic trainer at Savannah State, said she was not aware of many student-athletes at the school who were dealing with depression. “Within specific student athletes, no, but statistics would suggest that we do have students that suffer from depression,” she said.

The university’s Athletics Department tests students randomly each semester.

“I feel like it’s nerve-racking. Everything flashes before my eyes because track, school, and my future jobs are in danger. I feel like drug testing is fine, but it should mainly be tested for drugs that give an unfair advantage such as

steroids and illegal vitamins and supplements, as opposed to weed, which has been widely accepted in the U.S. and has been proven by medical professionals that it has beneficial factors,” said the track member.

“Athletics, themselves, has a policy itself where we drug test once a semester, but the NCAA can test any time for whatever reasons,” Henault said.

The NCAA does a study of substance use among student athletes every four years. The 2017 study is currently underway, according to the NCAA website. In 2013, the responses from 21,000 student-athletes showed 81 percent of respondents had used alcohol within a year of the survey. Alcohol use was most prevalent in Division III athletes. Division II athletes were slightly more prevalent than Division I athletes to have used alcohol. Female athletes were more likely to have drunk alcohol than male athletes, but male athletes were more likely to excessively

drink (defined as more than 4 drinks for females and more than 5 drinks for males).

In the 2013 survey, 22 percent of athletes said they had used marijuana in the past 12 months. Again, Division III athletes were more likely than others to use the drug.

Twenty-five percent of all the male survey respondents said they had used marijuana, while 17 percent of the females did.

“Honestly, if I didn’t smoke weed, I probably would’ve broken down a long time ago,” said the track and field member. “No one really looks into what student-athletes go through mentally and physically. They only want us to run and to keep all that personal BS to ourselves… I still have those days when I feel depressed and don’t want to go on you know. Smoking helps me a lot but also puts a lot of pressure on my head ‘cause I could get drug-tested anytime and lose everything.”

In addition, the survey results showed 23 percent of athletes had used prescription pain medication, including a 6 percent of the respondents who did so without a prescription.

The survey conclusions said that general use of any drugs was still at a lower rate than the general college student cohort numbers.

Henault said she believed Savannah State’s students followed that pattern, as well.

“I wouldn’t say student-athletes fail drug tests often, across the board. I would think athletes actually would fail drug tests a little less frequently than your average student would here at SSU, but I wouldn’t say they fail often. It happens on occasion, but at any other population, I would expect them to have higher numbers,” she said.

Sports Editor Tony Smith Jr. contributed to this story.

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Sports

Savannah State women’s tennis team prepares for MEAC Championship tournament

April 2018

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Xtreme Sprots corner

Michael Payne, Contributing Writer

After a rough beginning of the season, the Lady Tigers tennis team was in high spirits when it entered conference play at the end of March. Riding high on a two-match win streak, the Lady Tigers tennis team headed into its first Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference match against South Carolina State University ready to continue the wins. In her third season, coach Carolina Lainez was upbeat when speaking about her team’s chances of winning the MEAC conference championship. “I want to win,” said Lainez.

While the women did not win that match (3-4), or the following two against Bethune-Cookman University (2-5) and North Carolina A&T State University (0-7), the team is improving. The Lady Tigers won the match against North Carolina Central on Monday, 5-2.

As she spoke about her players and their hopes for a successful season, Lainez kept her eyes locked on the players as they practiced their various drills.

With only one senior on the roster, the Lady Tigers are dependent on younger players more than ever.

On Monday, freshmen duo Shakendra Alston and Ekaterina Vorobeva defeated NCCU’s doubles team 6-2.

Central tied the doubles points, but SSU was able to pull out a win with freshman Sofia Shut’ko and senior Rachida El Kateb. Sisters Muskaan and Sansriti Ranjan both defeated their opponents in the singles, pushing the Tigers ahead in the match, with El Kateb clinching it with a win in the singles.

The win broke an 18-conference match losing streak, according to the Savannah State University Athletics Department. The last time the tennis team won a conference match was against North Carolina A&T on March 8, 2014.

Alston was eager to find the same success she had on the tournament circuit and in high school, when she won the South Carolina high school state championship in 2017.

Wednesday, the Lady Tigers played in their last home match for the season against Florida A&M University.

The Lady Tigers plan to incorporate the highpoints from earlier in the season into a successful championship run for the 2018 season.

On April 14, the Lady Tigers head to Athens, Ga., to play the University of Missouri. Then, they will head to the MEAC Championships in Norfolk, Va., on April 26.

The NBA Needs to Change the Draft Lottery System Xavier McKnight

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is popular now than it has ever been and the televisions show this to be a fact. Superstar players such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, James Harden, Russell Westbrook and many others have made the league must see TV on a nightly basis.

However, there is no such thing as a perfect service or product and the NBA is no different. There are many things about the league that fans would like to see changed and one of those things is the NBA Draft Lottery System.

The NBA Draft Lottery system always has fans on the edge of their seats to see what draft picks the teams who qualify for the lottery will receive and much like the NBA product itself the Draft Lottery Show makes for must see TV. With that being said, this is an unjust and unfair system to the organizations and teams around the league.

In other leagues like the NFL, MLB, and NHL the draft picks are selected based upon how a team finishes their season. For example, the Cleveland Browns had the worst record in the NFL in 2017 going 0-16 and the Philadelphia Eagles finished with the best record in the league after going 13-3 in the regular season and successfully winning Super bowl 52.

As a result, the Browns will pick first in this year’s NFL Draft and the Eagles will pick at the last pick in the first round at No. 32. The NBA Draft should follow this same exact format. I know it’s boring, it’s not suspenseful, but it is the right thing to do.

If the NBA season ended today the Phoenix Suns would have the worst record in the league and that should automatically ensure them the No.1 overall draft selection.

However, it would give them a 25 percent chance of landing the pick.

Now this percentage is still the highest overall percentage over any team in the draft lottery but it doesn’t secure anything. There have been many instances in NBA history where many feel the draft lottery was “fixed” or “rigged” for certain teams to be given an advantage.

The two most notable instances were in 1985 in the inaugural draft lottery where the New York Knicks were basically gifted Georgetown University star player Patrick Ewing and in 2012 when the at the time Charlotte Bobcats who had finished the season an abysmal 7-59 were snubbed out of the No.1 overall pick in favor of the New Orleans Pelicans who selected Kentucky star Anthony Davis.

The argument has been made that the NBA continues the current system to try to prevent teams from tanking but it has not worked yet. The NBA needs to follow suit with their other professional team league counterparts and do the draft the correct way and allowing the worst team to have the top pick no matter how anyone may feel about teams tanking.

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April 2018

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New SGA 2018-2019 Executive Board plans for new school year Jakia Randolph, Contributing Writer

The 2018-2019 elections are over, and Savannah State University has a new Student Government Association (SGA) executive board. Their platforms include implementing programs designed, but not limited, to assisting with public safety, Tiger pride and recruiting new Tigers.

The executive board is made up of five positions: President, Vice President, Chief Justice, Miss SSU and Mister SSU. They work together to make sure the voices of the students are heard.

Malik Bradley, who currently serves as the 2017-2018 chief justice, is no stranger to SGA. During his reign as SGA President, Bradley plans to ensure academic enterprise, student success and to enhance the SGA as a whole.

He wants his approach to be as realistic as possible.

Vice President Mariah Truitt, ran on her platform “Worldwide Woman,” which has

Photos courtesy of Litus Marshall.

Top: Malik Bradley, elected SGA president.

Bottom: Miss SSU Aliyah Davis hugs Vice President Mariah Truitt.

Right: (from left) Chief Justice Jessica Benton, VP Mariah Truitt, President Malik Bradley, Miss SSU Aliyah Davis, Mr. SSU Cedric Trussell Jr.

three main objectives: maximizing Tiger pride, browsing policy and procedure and navigating the collegiate experience. After winning, Truitt posted a statement on social media.

“With your trust, I will work tirelessly on your behalf to address challenges and navigate you through a successful collegiate school year,” she wrote.

Chief Justice, Jessica Benton, ran on the platform “Let me be your voice.”

“The student body needs an active fighting voice for them,” said Benton. Benton also explained that she wants to make sure students are looking out for one another because no one is doing it for them and students need to take care of themselves.

“I want to initiate the homeland security emergency management organization and the tigers roar patrol organization to be the mentors basically,” she said.

As Mister and Miss Savannah State

University, Cedric Trussell, Jr and Aliyah Davis, both plan on being the faces of SSU. With their platforms, they plan on recruiting more incoming freshmen as well as building relationships with those freshmen in an effort to give them the best SSU experience.

“Cedric and I plan to collaborate with events as Mister and Miss Savannah State University.

As former Mister and Miss Sophomore we have a legacy to continue and we plan on doing it the right way,” said Davis.

Davis says she plans to collaborate with the student orientation leaders during the Week of Welcome to ensure freshman appreciation and involvement.

To keep up with the new executive board, students are encouraged to visit the SGA office located upstairs in the student union. Students can also keep up with events by following the SGA Instagram page @SSUSGA or emailing sga@savannahstate.edu.