Written by Jordan Barela, Editor-in-Chief Valdosta State is blazing the trail with its new marketing campaign. Beginning earlier this semester, Valdosta State rolled out a new marketing campaign titled “VSYOU”. The basis of the marketing campaign started back in 2013. Former President William McKinney’s term gave funding for an identity study. “The point of [the study] was to see really ...

Written by Jordan Barela, Editor-in-Chief VSU was caught in a state of monkey business on Thursday, Sept. 10. According to VSU biology professor, Collen McDonough who specializes in animal behavior, coming into contact with the monkey could be dangerous. McDonough said that the monkey is considered to be wild and warns people not to go near the monkey if they ...

Written by Jordan Barela, Editor-in-Chief Whatever the Supreme Court decides, that is the law. And people have to follow the law, right? Well, Alabama, Kentucky, Nebraska and Texas seemed to have missed the message. Last month, same-sex marriage was legalized in all 50 states. Social media, the news, basically every corner of America was full of pride, rainbows and happiness. ...

Written by Jordan Barela, Editor-in-Chief Some would argue that gaming reached its best level at the popularity of the PlayStation One.  Atop the pixelated throne sat gaming juggernauts Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy, Grand Theft Auto and Resident Evil, to name a few. Action heroes Lara Croft, Solid Snake and a loveable purple dragon by the name of Spyro, were some ...

Written by Jordan Barela, Editor-in-Chief We use our smartphones for everything. Everything from checking bank and social media accounts, browsing the internet endlessly, and spending every waking minute glued to a touch screen. With the invention of smartphones, we are able to carry a pocket-sized computer, game console, portable banking, and everything in between in our pockets. What if your ...

Written by John Preer & Jordan Barela, Editors-in-Chief and Tatyana Phelps, Managing Editor Two weeks into the 2015 fall semester, the VSU community is still adjusting to the announcement of the reduction in the size of the university’s faculty and staff. Prior to the start of the school year, 31 university employees were informed that their contracts would not be ...

Written by Jordan Barela, Editor-in-Chief On July 1, 2015, the state of the administrative staff at VSU changed. Then acting President, Dr. William McKinney, served his last day having submitted his resignation a few months prior. With the president’s seat vacant, Dr. Staton was appointed by Chancellor Hank M. Huckaby to serve as the Interim President of VSU. Staton did ...

Written by Jordan Barela, Editor-in-Chief    “The Spectator is the independent student newspaper of Valdosta State University.” This is the one thing that staff members and editors have been saying whenever someone asks about the paper, calling for an interview, or just simply describing the paper. There is one keyword in that phrase that is becoming dated: newspaper. The Spectator ...

Written by Jordan Barela, Editor-in-Chief  Study, cram, sleep and repeat. Four words all too familiar to college students. These four words often make college students cringe. Cringe at the fact of trying to earn quality grades or to just simply stay afloat in college. The old saying “Cs get degrees,” comes to mind about the latter. But, what if the ...

Written by Jordan Barela, Editor-in-Chief   Most of us are guilty of doing it. You are scrolling through Youtube, watching random videos and in the suggested videos is a cat video. A cute and cuddly feline doing something even more cute and cuddly that someone just had to record. So, you click on it and watch. Or, you are the ...